anyone have xm instead of sirius
 

after looking over the music programming, i'm leaning towards xm even though bmw is partnered with sirius. apparently there will be a remote unit that will be able to be used to retrofit xm and/or sirius into the nav/stereo system in the x5 available in december. i did not get sirius when i got my car in july but do have the nav. but in looking over the music programming, xm seems a better fit for me. i love "americana"..son volt, the gourds, uncle tupelo, the jayhawks, wilco, etc and xm seems to have several categories that appeal to me. has anyone else gone to xm rather than sirius? how is it working? were you have to get it to work within the existing installed system? this new electronic component will appanently allow for a seemless retrofit.

thanks

alan

also if there are sirius users out there that have similar music tastes and can tell me where alt country/americana exists on sirius...that would make it much easier to decide.

Here's an XM reference that may be helpful - http://www.xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?t=12688

I installed the Blitzsafe/Terk XM Direct unit into my X5, and love it! My car doesn't have the Nav unit, and this creates a problem for you. Where did you read that a unit for the Nav system will be out in Dec?

novfilms....can you tell me more about this device to integrate XM with NAV? i had XM (blitzsafe) before i installed NAV and liked it very much. i was going to sell it, but i'll gladly keep it if this new device you mentioned will enable me to use it.

i went to an automotive entertainment place (actually i think it's called automotive entertainment!) here in los angeles. i spoke to the manager about sat radio and was pretty much content with going with sirius. when i bought the car in july i wasn't sure i wanted the service so i didn't include it along with the nav. the guy from AE asked me if i'd gotten a quote from my dealer as to how much they'd charge to install sirius. i actually haven't but i'm sure it will be expensive. anyway, he told me that there will be a unit that comes out in december that will be around 2 or 3 hundred dollars that will allow dealers like himself to retro fit the existing nav systems in bmws and MBZ. he wasn't 100% sure it would work with xm but said he understood that it would. he would test it. after looking at the 2 services, other than the nfl and nba on sirius, the music choices seem a bit better on xm. there's at least a couple stations that caters to the artists i like. anyway, that's what i know. i don't have his card on me as i write this but i can get it and give you his number here in los angeles and you can call him. but if it works, i'm going to go with xm in my x5 and my 2 mbzs...

alan

i already get the football pkg on direct tv and i'm usually home on sundays to watch if there's a game i like so having it on sirius is not a big deal to me. i'd rather have the music i like