[webguy330i]

So my new gadget has prompted me to figure out HOW in the world I can hardware the remote display into the car. I've had it dangling from the hardwired main unit but I can't stand the curley wire anymore, so I need to figure something out. =)

Here's my idea: use the straight phone cord by routing it along (under) the headliner, down the A-pillar, around the side of the dash, under the wood trim, and right up behind the steering wheel.

Taking it a step further, it'd be awesome to be able to run the wire a bit further, over the steering wheel column, under the middle wood trim piece, then down to the ashtray where the remote display would be seated.

Even more radical than that would be to have a switch between the two units to move the display from the main unit to the remote display at will.

I don't really want to mount the RD on the gauge cluster because I don't like the idea of blocking any of the idiot lights or the OBC. Anyone done any really cool V1 installs? I checked out a bunch for the e39 and an S4, cool stuff, just not really practical for me.

 

[eugeneDC/TX]

i havent done but have seen some

the install in the gauge cluster (esp if you hvae some blanks) is cool. the best was this one guy who installed it in the rearview mirror. he was selling kits for a lot. i forget exactly how much. i believe i saw it at the org. search there. or maybe ask at e46fanatics

 

[webguy330i]

Re: i havent done but have seen some

the install in the gauge cluster (esp if you hvae some blanks) is cool. the best was this one guy who installed it in the rearview mirror. he was selling kits for a lot. i forget exactly how much. i believe i saw it at the org. search there. or maybe ask at e46fanatics

Actually I saw that, very cool. It's like $299 for the mirror itself, so I wanna be a slight bit more cost-conscientious about it. =)

 

[Dr. Phil]

I believe some one from one of the M boards had done a remote install some where near the ash tray area:dunno: Might want to do a search on it

 

[JonW]

Yeah, I would think you could put it in where the ashtray is- where some people like to put in those 3 gauges (electric, oil pressure, etc.). The ash tray probably comes out pretty easily. And you'd need to do a little plastic handywork to fill in the space around the display and have it flush with the rest of the console. But the plastic sheet will be almost free. The only downside might be that the display will be pretty low and not in a good place to look at quickly.

Chris-
I ordered my V1 and it arrived yesterday. So on the way home from work, I took a long drive. It's pretty nice. But I hit a racoon on the drive. Poor thing. It ran right into the side of the car. It wasn't even in front of me. I barely caught sight of it. I think it was a '****, anyways. First roadkill with my BMW.

 

[webguy330i]

Yeah, I would think you could put it in where the ashtray is- where some people like to put in those 3 gauges (electric, oil pressure, etc.). The ash tray probably comes out pretty easily. And you'd need to do a little plastic handywork to fill in the space around the display and have it flush with the rest of the console. But the plastic sheet will be almost free. The only downside might be that the display will be pretty low and not in a good place to look at quickly.

Chris-
I ordered my V1 and it arrived yesterday. So on the way home from work, I took a long drive. It's pretty nice. But I hit a racoon on the drive. Poor thing. It ran right into the side of the car. It wasn't even in front of me. I barely caught sight of it. I think it was a '****, anyways. First roadkill with my BMW.

I agree, it would be low, but I'm used to it anyhow with the radio/climate control being there.

That sucks about the '****, was it a big one? I've seen them the size of medium dogs! I am lucky in that I have yet to hit an animal w/ my bimmer. *knock on fake interior wood*

 

[jmonier]

I put the remote unit on the steering "column" hanging off to the right side just in front of the lower lip of the instrument cluster. It's quite visible there without blocking any of the readouts. Some people might say it looks kind of strange that way but because it's in a dark area with other things around it looks fine to me.

 

[JonW]

Yeah, I think the '**** was pretty big- both a couple feet long and wide. But I hardly even saw it. It must have been trapped on the road by a jersey barrier to my left. And it darted at my car, from the barrier to the driver's side of my car. It really came at me from the side because it was just barely visible in the corner of the headlights. And I ran over it with my rear left wheel only. Poor thing. I drove back to find it, but no sight of it. Not that I would have known what to do at that point. So maybe it's living well and learned to stay away from roads. I doubt it, but I can hope.

I'll do the V1 hardwire installation this weekend. Should be nice having it all integrated to the car like that, no wires hanging around. It's a neat little toy.

 

[virtualrain]

As an aside... Is there any substance to rumors that Valentine may be working on a completely new product to replace the V1?

 

[webguy330i]

As an aside... Is there any substance to rumors that Valentine may be working on a completely new product to replace the V1?

I've heard that rumor, but that's it. I wonder what improvements are to be...

 

[jmonier]

As an aside... Is there any substance to rumors that Valentine may be working on a completely new product to replace the V1?

They've made fairly major changes while still calling it the V1. The curent one is considerably smaller and lighter than the original one.

 

[JonW]

As an aside... Is there any substance to rumors that Valentine may be working on a completely new product to replace the V1?

When I called to order my V1 on Monday, I asked them if there was going to be a new version of the V1 any time soon. They said no. The current version of the V1 came out in October 2001 and there have been no new frequencies put into use by police since then. And the October 2001 version replaced the previous model that was from 1997.

But I didn't ask them if there was going to be a totally new product- didn't know about that rumor.

 

[Mystikal]

Something like this would work well, but it looks like it isn't available for the E46 according to the UUC site. That pic is the E36 panel.

This is the E46 one:

Maybe a V1 panel exists for the E46 but isn't listed, or maybe you could retrofit the E36 one, I'm not too sure.

 

[webguy330i]

Well see, I use that sunglasses holder quite a bit, so I'd need to construct a custom panel for the ash tray area. I'd take out the fold-down flap thingy too... how hard can this possibly be? Seems like the wiring would be the worst, having to route it up through the interior.

 

[JoeCinVa]

Try this how-to link out. The guy put the RD inside (as opposed to in front of) the instrument cluster. Pretty neat IMO.

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e46/forum.php?postid=415221&page=2

 

[Mystikal]

Try this how-to link out. The guy put the RD inside (as opposed to in front of) the instrument cluster. Pretty neat IMO.

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e46/forum.php?postid=415221&page=2

:yikes: That is both insane and extremely impressive.

 

[webguy330i]

OMG that is the coolest install I've seen yet.

 

[JonW]

Try this how-to link out. The guy put the RD inside (as opposed to in front of) the instrument cluster. Pretty neat IMO.

http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e46/forum.php?postid=415221&page=2

Wow! That sure is one fancy job. The visor bit is maybe a little much for me. But having the remote really in the dash is very cool. I couldn't bring myself to cut up my car that way, though.

 

[alee]

Here's mine...

I'm going to relocate it to inside the left air vent when I have some time. I will need to buy a new air vent also since I'll be doing some cutting.

 

[Mystikal]

My problem isn't locating the remote display, but the unit itself. In all of Canada radar detectors are illegal, so I want to find somewhere I can place it where no one could find it. Hmmmm...