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I installed the E39 kit for the Startac digital (CDMA) phone. The main issue was lack of instructions for the Phase V cable. Luckily, philip helped me out with this, and everything worked as intended.
Comments:
1) It took me about 3 hours to install, and if I had everything I needed on hand, would have been about 2 hours.
2) The brains for the unit gets mounted on the two studs coming down from the top of the left fender, above the cd player and amp. The RS-232 cable already in my car (2000 528, sep99 build) plugs into this. You need to remove an adaptor, using a small torx bit. Also, a small head phillips is needed to take off the housing, to install a pin from the Phase V connector.
3) An optional compensator mounts on the wheel well, forward of the brain. You need to drill a couple of holes for this. I didn't buy this device, I may if I have any transmission/reception problems. The compensator boosts the xmit signal, only to the extent that the coax run degrades the phone output power. I'm not sure if it does anything on the receive side.
4) The Phase V cable is needed for any E39 built with standard (analog) phone wiring, which I understand means built before 1/00. When you have the instructions, it is straight-forward to wire this in, but some work is needed to remove connector pins. I used a Radio Shack .093" Pin Extractor, PN274-223, $4.99. Well worth the investment! I would also pick up an empty connector with extra pins for a couple bucks, in case you damage one of the pins when you remove them. Newer model E39s need to install a shorting plug on a cable which isn't present in older cars. Their are a few variations of this plug, try to get one that doesn't require tapping into the wires.
5) The antenna mounts on the rear windshield. The coax is already run, it's sitting there waiting for you , just right of center, you need to undo the headliner to find it. There may be an easy way to do this, but I struggled a bit.
6) The tray from the armrest needs to be changed. This is done fairly easily, just be careful with the flimsy cupholders! Instructions are detailed and exact.
7) The mike goes up next to the UGDO, a pair of needlenose helps to pull the wire tie out of the hole.
The only thing necessary to make it work is to change the default programming from "hi kombi" to "lo kombi", and the instructions are perfect for this.
The MID display (no nav for me) is very nifty, fairly easy to use. You will definitely want to put all your frequently called numbers in the memory, since everything but entering digits can be controlled from the steering wheel. Sound quality is excellent on the few calls I've made so far.
Thanks again to philip for the Phase V instructions!
daved
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