Nakamichi CD-400 in 95 e34?

[Russell]

This may be an odd or very basic question.

If I install a new head unit, I assume the instrument cluster display will no longer display radio station CD/Track information. Of course, the BMW/Pioneer changer seemingly specific to the 95 models will not work with the new head unit.

I am considering purchasing a Nakamichi CD-400 in dash CD player with auxiliary input. Even then, I do not want to replace the amps, wiring or speakers as I want to return the sound system to stock when I sell it. What connectors, adapters etc. do I need?

Where is the best on-line source for Nakamichi? TIA

[Espen]

I assume the Nakamichi thing uses ISO contacts (it proberbly does) then all you need is a iso adapter for the e34, i bought mine at my local car accessories store. A car stereo store proberly have them also.

[SnakeyesTx]

Whoa.... our HUD on 95's shows that info?! o_O

Well.. guess mine won't since I swapped headunits too XD Anyway, you'll need a converter wiring harness and the antenna adapter. Both can be had for around 25 bucks (Total). To reuse the factory amp, you'll have to tie the blue wire of the adapter harness (the amp trigger wire) into the original harnesses white wire. Also if you want to add another amp for subs in the trunk, you can tie the blue wire going to the amp to the blue wire of the adapter harness in a 3-way kinda bridge. The hardest part of aftermarket radio's is getting your new headunit to fit with ALL the extra wiring of the adapter harnesses and RCA cables (if you're gonna add subs too.. recommend you do this now instead of later since it'll be a REAL PITA to get that new headunit back out of the cage). I had a heck of a time pushing all the wiring down into that tiny cramped little area behind and under where the headunit sits. Once you get it all in there situated, you're not gonna want to take it back out a second time.. believe me! (I still have to since I need to add a P-bus to RCA input adapter on... shoulda did it all at the same time! >:O )

One last thing. I tried and tried to unlock and unplug the original connector from the factory radio, and that sucker wouldn't budge. I ended up having to break off the locking slider PIECE OF **** into 3 pieces and prying that molex connector off for over half an hour until I almost thought I was going to shatter the back of the factory head unit! (It was 120+ degrees in the car and mosquitos were everywhere... can you sense the rage?) Hope you have better luck taking yours off, but if not, break that stupid thing off! (the slider thing)


Part numbers n' stuff ...

Brand : Metra
Make : 1990-2002 BMW
Part # : 70-8590

I paid like 15 bucks for it and every wire is labeled. If you don't like to use crimps, I'd recommend Posi-locks to tie the wires all together. If you really wanna save space like I did, sit down and soldier the wires and heat-shrink them. (I got this one at Car Toys.. but most reputable car-audio shops should have this brand if there isn't one near you)

The antenna adapter is a fairly common "European to aftermarket stereo" one. I paid 10 bucks at a local flea-market for it.

[hakwuzhere]

As an aside... while the Nak looks great in our cars... it is also bar none one of the cleanest sounding HU's out there.... McIntosh labs is the only thing Ive heard to give it a run for the money.

If you get the Nak, go aftermarket amps/speakers and a sub... you wont regret the pure audiophile grade sound you recieve

[Russell]

Thanks-anyone else?
Also, Crutchfield states I need some sort of amp/speaker adapter (if I use factory amp) as well and a wiring connector and antenna adapter.

[Mendozart]

Hey Russell, that's the deck I was looking at also. If you do get it, make sure and post your experience ( install, problems, etc.) with this deck. Thanks, Greg.

[SnakeyesTx]

You won't need an amp adapter. Just the wiring harness adapter and the antenna one. The adapter harness doesn't have a separate wire/pin for the factory amp since it already furnishes the blue wire one. If you look at the original wiring harness in the dash, you'll find a wire that's either bright white, or a cream color from heat and age (mine was like french vanilla cream color). Just connect the blue wire of the adapter harness to that white wire.

Since I used an amp for my subs and the factory amp, what I did was soldier the blue wire to my trunk amp's blue wire, then used one of those clip-through couplers to connect the blue wire to the original white wire so I made a 3 way "Y" split. Works great and didn't add a bunch of space to the mass of wiring back there.