Serius ready or not?
 

I have a 2001 X5 W/O Nav, and am looking to install XM...
Does anyone know if ALL pre-2003 business cd units are not sat ready? My software version is 39-00-50. I have read that the number at the end only needs to be 50 or higher, then someone else said that the unit needs to be post Sept, 2002???

Yours is not Sirius-ready.

The "50" only applied to radios manufactured in 2002. Your radio was made in 2000, therefore the "50" is not applicable. It is relatively easy to swap out the radio to one that is Sirius ready. (The X5 uses the same CD radio as the E39, and I helped two E39 folks swap their radios to get Sirius.)

If you upgrade the radio, the surest approach is to get one that was manufactured in 2003 or newer. Then it is a sure thing.

One more thing, you may have one of the Old Gen radios in your car that has the round pin wiring harness. If you do a radio upgrade, you will also need to get a set of BMW adapter cables that convert the round pin plugs to the newer style flat pin plugs on the New Gen radios.

I replied to your posts in Bimmerfest also. It's both - the SW version will be 50 on a 09/02+ vehicle. There are XM kits out there that utilize the CD Changer port, but there's no text display or memory presets.

Here's the way to get XM on your X5:

e39/e53 BMW Business CD Upgrade - iPod/AUX/Sirius compatible
http://www.europeanautosource.com/pr...roducts_id=289

XM Direct Satellite Radio Package for BMW & Mini
http://www.europeanautosource.com/pr...roducts_id=267

This will give you text display, retain the CD Changer port, and allow for memory presets as if it were offered from factory.

Your 01 will already have the flat pin harness, no adapters are needed.