Contributed by: X5world

Since the instructions that come with the CPT8000 installation kit are clear
and accurate, I won't go into any detail regarding the install. Instead, this
page is an overview of the install along with some pointers and general comments
about the CPT8000 phone and installation kit.

Further information (part numbers etc):

www.bmwwireless.com

user name: bmwna

password: digital

Installing a non-BMW supplied StarTac

There are excellent directions posted at: http://startac.how.to. 

Update 10/03/2004
:

Since I installed this phone over a year ago, I had been getting random resets
of the phone shortly after plugging it in. I'd plug the phone in but it would
reset (turn off then back on) and the phone would be unusable for a minute or
so. Apparently, the phone is supposed to do this when you close the door.
Not knowing this detail, it appeared to be a problem with the phone. Now what I
do is get into the car and close the door, start it and then plug in the
phone. Now that I'm following this order, the phone has not reset for about a
week so I'm convinced that was the problem (user error). If the phone is turned
off when plugging it in (even if the driver's door is left open) then it doesn't
seem to reset. 

Overview of installation:

1. Assemble phone cradle and then replace cup holders and coin holder with
   the new cradle assembly.
   
   
   
   
2. Remove left inner trunk trim. Remove amplifier and bracket assembly.
   Assemble the new brackets with the amplifier and CPT8000 controller.
   Re-assemble everything (this step might be slightly different depending on
   whether or not you have a CD changer or NAV system).
   
   
   
   
3. Install "shark fin" or bumper mount antenna.
   
   
   
   
4. Plug in phone and test operation.
   
   

General notes & observations:

• Thanks to a poster on bimmer.org
  named Chad, here are the part numbers if you want to order the phone console
  in a different color. MSRP on these parts are apparently around $50.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Black (Comes with all install kits):
    
    84 33 9 410 677
  • Sand:
    
    84 33 9 410 678
  • Gray:
    
    84 33 9 410 774
  
  

  Here's the original message he posted:
  
  http://www.bimmer.org/3series/messages/archive/msgsy2001w32/10613.html
  
  
  
  
  

• I couldn't resist the sale at Radio Shack so I purchased a regular
  Motorola P8767 for my wife. $69 was a heck of a deal. Anyway, when plugging
  this phone into the CPT8000 car kit, I got the error "Phone Connected?"
  meaning that it simply doesn't work. I tried the steering wheel buttons as
  well as receiving calls and plugging the phone in after having initiation a
  call on the handset. Neither the hands free system nor the steering wheel
  buttons work. I couldn't even tell if the antenna was working, the signal
  didn't get stronger when plugging the phone in. The only thing that seemed
  to work was the battery charger function. Oh well, it was worth a shot. The external
  antenna will likely function as well. The BMW version of the telephone has been loaded
  with a special firmware that allows the added functionality. This came from
  a poster on bimmer.org
  who claimed to be a Motorola employee "in the know."
  
  
  
  
• Consider installing a CD changer at the same time. The time
  involved whether you do it yourself or pay someone else to do it is the
  same. The installation took me about an hour including taking some pictures.
  It's really pretty easy.
  
  
  
  
• Unlike the cup holder and coin tray which are color matched to the rest of
  the console, the phone cradle assembly is black.  The "eject" arrow is
  illuminated when the vehicle's lights are turned on.
  
  
  
  
• The phone does not use the audio system. Rather, it uses a wimpy little
  speaker under the steering column (if you look, you can see it). If you have
  the ventilation system on at a high fan speed or the sun roof open while on
  the highway, the speaker is
  inaudible.
  
  
  
  
• The ringer tone you set on the telephone is the same one that is played
  over the larger speaker. If you have the handset set to "vibrate"
  and then plug it into the car, it will automatically ring. When unplugged
  from the car it will still vibrate.
  
  
  
  
• The radio system volume isn't lowered, it is completely muted when the the
  phone rings or when you are "on the air" (not necessarily once you
  hit send). So, for example, the radio is still on while you are scrolling
  the phone book.
  
  
  
  
• If you are listening to a CD when the phone rings or when you initiate a
  call, the CD picks up at the same point where you left off once you finish
  the call. This is probably what you would expect. However, when listening to
  the changer in "random" mode, the system doesn't go back to the
  same point in the song. Instead, the a new randomly select track starts. For
  example, if a randomly selected track just started and then the phone rang,
  once you hang up a new randomly selected track (perhaps on a different CD)
  will start playing from the beginning. 
  
  
  
  
• The phone book displays on the radio (E46 without NAV). You get the
  first  seven characters of either the last name or the business name
  followed by a three characters "{H}" or "{W}" or
  "{M}" for phone number type. I think display preference is given
  to the "business" name over the "last" name.
  
  
  
  Here's what the display looks like. First you scroll to the listing then
  after a few seconds, the number shows up with no other characters (e.g.
  1234567890).
  
  
  
  
  
  Here's a good close up of the display.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• This is really nifty.... If you're on the telephone walking to your car
  simply start the car and plug in the phone; your call will continue over the
  speaker system uninterrupted.
  
  
  
  
• I specifically chose a CDMA phone and changed carriers so that I could
  synchronize the telephone with my Microsoft Outlook contacts using the TrueSync
  software. I got the software from my local Verizon store for ~$80. The cheapest
  I could find it for (all things considered - tax, shipping etc.) on the
  Internet was at the Motorola store. There is a BMW part number for the
  software and cable kit but I think it's more expensive that way. I've heard
  (but have not verified) that the cable alone can be purchased for ~$35 and
  that the software can be downloaded for free as part of some Yahoo scheduler
  software. Who in the heck wants to manually enter a bunch of numbers into a
  cell phone? This software is a must have in my opinion and does NOT work
  with the TDMA version of the phone.
  
  
  
  
• Caller ID does work on the radio display when the phone rings. The
  ("last" or "business") name is displayed and then the
  telephone number is displayed without hyphens or the "area code" parenthesis.  If the caller has caller ID blocked,
  "PHONE" will simply be displayed when the phone rings. I haven't
  yet tried to see what is displayed if a caller ID enabled caller who is NOT
  in the phone book calls. It's my assumption that at least their number will
  show up. It would be really good if the extra data also shows up (as it does
  on my land line at home).
  
  
  
  
• If you leave the handset in the vehicle and then someone calls and leaves
  a message, there is no indication in the radio display (once you get back in
  the car) that anyone has left a message or even called.
  
  
  
  

Installation tips:

• The wiring harness connectors have locking levers which are in the locked
  position even though nothing is plugged into them yet. Be sure that the
  locking lever is all of the way open (about a 90 degree swing). Plug in the
  new connector and lock the lever at the same time. Be sure that the
  connector is all the way plugged in and locked. I had some trouble immediately
  after installation with the hand set. It turned out that I didn't have
  the connector all the way plugged in. The lock lever was only released by
  about 45 degrees when the connectors were plugged together. Though it did
  seem to lock the connection was not secure. This seems like a detail that
  would be easy to overlook.
  
  
  
  
• If you install the "shark fin" antenna, be careful with the
  rubber seal around the window. it is thin at the edge and can easily tear.
  Do NOT use any metal tools as you will likely scratch the paint and tear the
  seal. Use a couple of old credit cards to lift the seal and work the cable
  into place. You might use something like Meguiar's Final Inspection spray as
  a lubricant. Center the antenna in the roof of the car and start working the
  seal in from that point (not the point where the wire exits the trunk). Clean the
  paint where the antenna will go to remove the dirt (I used Meguiar's Final Inspection followed by
  rubbing alcohol) before you stick on the shark fin. The shark fin should be
  stuck on LAST, after the cable has been routed under the window seal. To
  stick on the antenna on straight, hold the bottom rear edge of the rubber
  seal against the edge of the painted surface with the antenna pointing about
  45 or so degrees in the air. Peal the protector off of the adhesive and
  carefully set into place.

Here are some pictures of the installation:

This is a picture of everything installed except the new inner trunk
panel. The red arrow points to the CPT8000 control unit. The green
arrow
crosses over the storage bin and points to the CD changer. The blue
arrow is
pointing to the audio amplifier connector. The audio amplifier is
mounted
vertically, like the CPT8000 control unit, but it is a little taller
and wider.
It's also black so it is hard to see in the picture.

 

Here's what the new inner trunk liner and lower tray look like (if you already have the NAV
system or CD changer mounted on the side, you already have this).

 











Centering the antenna on the roof was pretty easy. After that, you need to route
the cable under the second lip of the window seal using a couple of credit
cards.

Remove the rubber plug just inside the left side of the trunk opening. Roll up
the label and feed the antenna wire through the hole. Connect the antenna wire
to the short cable adapter then connect the adapter to the vehicle's wiring
harness. 

Here are some more pictures of the installed antenna.

Here are some pictures of the center console:

Arm rest up without phone installed (driver's perspective).

 

Arm rest up with phone installed.

 


Arm rest down with phone installed.

Here's the same view but with the black console that came with the phone kit.

One more shot with the arm rest down (driver's perspective).