[RichardM]

I've just been reading this Standard DAB on all BMWs from January

BMW has confirmed that all new cars from January 2013 will be fitted with DAB as standard.
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The move sees the brand establish a lead in the digital switchover, while it has also confirmed a retrofit solution is also available on older BMWs.
From the entry level BMW 114i 3-door Sports Hatch all the way up to the BMW 760Li DAB will be the norm and currently no other premium manufacturer offers such a breadth of in-car entertainment.

Comparable to the switch from AM to FM, DAB offers a huge number of radio stations and all with superior sound quality. Currently 94 per cent of the UK receives a DAB signal with approximately 24 million listeners a week using the format at least once.
The German brand has partnered with Connects2 and its AutoDAB product to offer a retrofit digital radio that is compatible with all BMWs with an RDS text-equipped FM radio.
The unique interface is the first fully integrated aftermarket digital radio available for BMWs in the UK. The AutoDAB system fits behind the dashboard, plugging into the existing radio. Sitting behind the unit, installation takes only an hour and there’s no additional box or dangling wires, just a small aerial running from the back of the unit, affixing discretely to the top left corner of the windscreen.
Car information experts CAP expects other manufacturers to quickly follow suit, New Vehicle Data expert David Saville said: "In the first quarter of 2010 only 3.8% of vehicles registered had DAB radio as standard, with 33% of the remainder of those sold having it available as a cost option. By the third quarter of this year 25.5% of cars registered had DAB as standard and 26% of the remainder of those sold had it available as a cost option.
"BMW's announcement this week that DAB would become standard across their entire model range is a real shot in the arm for a less piecemeal approach by the industry to DAB.
"Whether it's in 2015 as originally planned, or later, DAB will be essential rather than a ‘nice to have' option. Experience shows us that where the Germans lead in the car market, others follow, and we therefore expect most manufacturers to start making DAB standard across their ranges in the coming year to 18 months."


Glad I added DAB as a late edition now so my car isn't the odd one out come resale!

[AlpineWhiteF30MSport]

This is disgraceful. They should offer a recall for those of us that have just received our cars and didn't have the DAB fitted as standard.

[mlepyro]

Yeah must admit annoying not to have it on my car when it arrives, but they have to make the change at some point - so don't blame them or expect anything myself.

And I don't listen to the radio much anyway, hence why I didn't order it.

Mat

[johnbmw6]

Originally Posted by AlpineWhiteF30MSport

This is disgraceful. They should offer a recall for those of us that have just received our cars and didn't have the DAB fitted as standard.

WHY I paid for mine.
Refunds all round then

[AlpineWhiteF30MSport]

Originally Posted by johnbmw6

WHY I paid for mine.
Refunds all round then

Fair point, in which case they should allow retrofit option for the same cost as factory fit.

[F30FAN]

Not Fair at all...!!

Say you placed your order late 2012 and the car arrives in 2013, if you paid for DAB what happens then?

I guess refunds all round !!!

[zorroone]

They will probably increase the price of the car then, nothing is for free especially with BMW.

[F30AM]

Originally Posted by zorroone

They will probably increase the price of the car then, nothing is for free especially with BMW.

I am sure it will coincide with a price increase. There is no such thing as free Bavarian sausage.

[ThreethirtyDee]

I just picked up a new price list dated November 2012 and it still has the DAB listed as an option @ £305 with no mention of any plans to make it standard fit

[RichardM]

They say from January so don't expect it to be updated until then.

[RobUK]

Anyone going down the route of trying to get a retrofit, just note that it's not the same unit you get with a factory fit as it's only partially integrated with the iDrive.

[TMP]

Originally Posted by RobUK

Anyone going down the route of trying to get a retrofit, just note that it's not the same unit you get with a factory fit as it's only partially integrated with the iDrive.

Was going to ask this, do you know who it works then?

Tell me there are no extra bits that are on show

[F30AM]

Originally Posted by TMP

Was going to ask this, do you know who it works then?

Tell me there are no extra bits that are on show

This is soooooo off topic, my sincere apologies, but I'd put the money towards getting a Quaife LSD from Birds BMW, Heathrow.

[RobUK]

Originally Posted by TMP

Was going to ask this, do you know who it works then?

Tell me there are no extra bits that are on show

For £299 the dealer can install all the necessary bits, however:

• You have a small aerial (about 8cm x 2mm) along the top left edge of the windscreen, not really noticeable tho. On the factory fit, the aerial is apparently hidden inside the sharkfin.
• You get a wireless remote about the size of a key fob. This is used to tune the DAB unit and change channels on it.

Switching to/from DAB as the source is still done via iDrive still & the info transmitted by the station (station name, now playing, etc.) comes up on the iDrive screen. Would be nice if the dealers started to offer the factory fit version, but I suspect they won't.

[TMP]

Originally Posted by F30AM

This is soooooo off topic, my sincere apologies, but I'd put the money towards getting a Quaife LSD from Birds BMW, Heathrow.

Lol, dont want to do it at the moment- but if they d oswitch off FM, we all would have no choice!

LSD mmm

Originally Posted by RobUK

For £299 the dealer can install all the necessary bits, however:

• You have a small aerial (about 8cm x 2mm) along the top left edge of the windscreen, not really noticeable tho. On the factory fit, the aerial is apparently hidden inside the sharkfin.
• You get a wireless remote about the size of a key fob. This is used to tune the DAB unit and change channels on it.

Switching to/from DAB as the source is still done via iDrive still & the info transmitted by the station (station name, now playing, etc.) comes up on the iDrive screen. Would be nice if the dealers started to offer the factory fit version, but I suspect they won't.

Thanks for the info - i do hope they find a way to use sharkfin and idrive fully make it seamless.

[F30AM]

Originally Posted by TMP

LSD mmm

I've driven the previous 330d with Quaife LSD and I was rather impressed that, in the wet, the car suffered with no wheelspin under hard acceleration. Maybe I was not trying hard enough!

[andymj]

The UK Government is desperate to get people switched over from Analogue to Digital, and it just aint happening.

Last I heard, analogue will remain until 2019.

[Carjack]

Originally Posted by AlpineWhiteF30MSport

Fair point, in which case they should allow retrofit option for the same cost as factory fit.

A retro fit is available from BMW main dealers at £299.
The list price at time of ordering a new motor, DAB radio 654, is or was £305.
Looks a good deal!

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by Carjack

Looks a good deal!

Only if it is exactly the same as OEM and intergrated the same etc...

[RobUK]

The £299 DAB retrofit being offered by BMW is actually the AutoDAB unit from Connects2.

If you want to retrofit DAB then it's a decent option, however for BMW to say it's 'fully' integrated could be a little misleading if buyers think they're getting the same as the factory fit option. Obvious difference (aside from the aerial) is you have to tune the AutoDAB and change channels from the wireless remote, you can't do it through iDrive.

[MarkW83]

I didn't spec DAB on my 330d (arriving next month) as I had it on my last car and found the quality for e.g. Radio 1 actually worse/thinner than FM, and it dropped out a lot.

Car is on a PCP for 4 years - think I'll be okay with FM until then??

[RichardM]

I'm sure you will be fine. I thought the same, I only listen to Radio 1 most of the time and DAB just drops out too much. On the X5 I gave up on DAB completely and stuck with FM. On other cars the DAB reception has been much better and I do use it all the time.

I did add DAB to the F31 in the end after ordering.