Just Completed Grom/Aux CD43 Installation

I just got my Samsung Focus Windows Phone and a Zune Pass which motivated me to finally get a Grom Aux kit for my CD43 head unit. I also tapped the radio 12v wires for a microUSB charging cable. Really loving it so far.

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Looking good. About how long did the installation process take?

Thanks. The hardest part was getting the CD43 installed. The faceplate is thicker than the stock head unit. So you have to remove the trim, dremel off the "ears" that attach to the radio, and then epoxy them further back so that the CD43 faceplate is flush with the trim. It's a pretty big project which I did around 4 years ago and took me the greater part of a day (including trips to Home Depot and drying time for the epoxy). Installing the Grom unit just took me an hour or so. Total damage was around $400. Here's my basic setup:

- CD43 headunit from ebay (Rover version) ($250)
- BMW radio harness from ebay ($8.00)
- Grom kit from gromaudio.com comes with cd-changer harness cable ($73)
- Cigarette lighter socket from ebay ($5)
- MicroUSB lighter adapter from ebay ($5)
- Antenna adapter from ebay ($6)
- Amzer vent-mount cell phone holder from ebay ($12)

Have you had any issues with shorting with the extra wires for the charger? As for the head unit itself, I remember seeing something about the "ears" needing to be dremeled off over on E30 Tech. Did you go from factory head unit to the CD43 or from aftermarket to CD43?

Originally Posted by Ninety Two

Have you had any issues with shorting with the extra wires for the charger? As for the head unit itself, I remember seeing something about the "ears" needing to be dremeled off over on E30 Tech. Did you go from factory head unit to the CD43 or from aftermarket to CD43?

No problems with shorting. The charger only draws 700 mA so I can't imagine it adds that much strain to the system. The whole dremeling thing is a chore. I'm glad I have that behind me. The previous owner had an aftermarket panasonic unit installed. I sold it and bought the CD43, installed new speakers all around (blaupunkt) and I'm driving off the head-unit amp.

The head unit is a great - buttons and read-out colors are a close match with the OBC and dash lights