Harman Kardon in a CSL?
Discussion
thatsprettyshady said:
I've seen it on a car I saw when I was buying mine, so I'm guessing it can be done. Car is/was for sale at Nick Johnson motor co
Ah good, he was the chap that told me it could be done when I called him to discuss a car. I just wanted to know how much of a potential ball ache it would be and what sort of costs might be involved. Its one of the massive negative points in swapping from my current car into a CSL so want to know if I can address it to help justify the purchase to myself. 
I can't stop looking at CSLs in the classifieds, its like a bloody disease..
///Mike said:
Ah good, he was the chap that told me it could be done when I called him to discuss a car. I just wanted to know how much of a potential ball ache it would be and what sort of costs might be involved. Its one of the massive negative points in swapping from my current car into a CSL so want to know if I can address it to help justify the purchase to myself.
I can't stop looking at CSLs in the classifieds, its like a bloody disease..
Have you driven one? Never once considered the radio to be inferior, because I never use itI can't stop looking at CSLs in the classifieds, its like a bloody disease..
///Mike said:
Ah good, he was the chap that told me it could be done when I called him to discuss a car. I just wanted to know how much of a potential ball ache it would be and what sort of costs might be involved. Its one of the massive negative points in swapping from my current car into a CSL so want to know if I can address it to help justify the purchase to myself.
I can't stop looking at CSLs in the classifieds, its like a bloody disease..
Just to say I was reallly apprehensive about this too, my old e46 m3 had a pretty powerful sound system and I thought I was going to miss it when I switched to the CSL (complete with tape deck).I can't stop looking at CSLs in the classifieds, its like a bloody disease..
Do I miss it? Not one single bit, radio stays off and with the sport button on theres nothing else I'd rather listen to, I've always had cars with decent sound systems but I've not missed having one in the CSL.
If you really do have to uprate the sound system in the csl you would probably be much better off grabbing some decent speakers and an amp "off the shelf", HK stuff is actually pretty crap quality and limits you're choice of speakers somewhat.
Thanks peeps. I totally get where you are all coming from but it wouldn't be a weekend car, it would be an everyday car and not every drive is a sunny windows down apex clipping b road hoon. There are times when I am sat on the motorway when I love my hifi in the car, and my armrests! Haha
I used to do 30k a year, now I do 15 and I do have access to my girlfriends Boxter so I am thinking it ought be time to own my dream car. I haven't driven one but I have done lots of pax laps around the ring and having driven a few e46 m3s I know that I want a CSL badly.
Essentially i will be trading in my 135i which I have had from new which has £9k of options on it so it's loaded. I could keep it for another 3 years as I love it but this CSL scratch needs to be itched! It doesn't seem like a sensible thing to do, to swap a modern car I love for something much older with absolutely no comforts and probably 50k on the clock. Hopefully you can see why I am dillying around with the decision, it's a big jump.
Thanks for the info on HK vs off the shelf, that might have to be looked at
I used to do 30k a year, now I do 15 and I do have access to my girlfriends Boxter so I am thinking it ought be time to own my dream car. I haven't driven one but I have done lots of pax laps around the ring and having driven a few e46 m3s I know that I want a CSL badly.
Essentially i will be trading in my 135i which I have had from new which has £9k of options on it so it's loaded. I could keep it for another 3 years as I love it but this CSL scratch needs to be itched! It doesn't seem like a sensible thing to do, to swap a modern car I love for something much older with absolutely no comforts and probably 50k on the clock. Hopefully you can see why I am dillying around with the decision, it's a big jump.
Thanks for the info on HK vs off the shelf, that might have to be looked at
///Mike][Flame suit on said:
Has anyone ever retrofitted the E46 HK soundsystem into a CSL? Are the wiring looms in the car ready for plug and play connectivity?
Many thanks
IMO the HK system sounds pretty poor in the E46. Your best bet is proably to install an off-the-shef amplifier and upgrade the speakers.Many thanks
But as others have said, I never missed having a good stero in the CSL. I think I did once plug the old iPhone into my ears instead on a long journey and that sorted road noise/weak stereo issue.
Thanks for the responses.
Sorely tempted to bite the bullet soon whilst there are some cars out there with low enough mileage to use as my primary transport. I have thought about it long and hard and the excitement of owning one seems to be outweighing the practicality issues I have around chopping in my current steed which is still undoubtedly better suited to my needs. I have been a huge BMW fan from an early age with my last 7 cars being BMW, 3 of them being M3's, one of which I still have in track car form. Owning a CSL would seem like the completion of a long journey to the top. I need to get some paintwork issues sorted out on my 1er before I give it back to the dealer but then I am free to start the search. Ideally I would like to find a sub 50K example with a BBK already sorted and extended warranty for about £25K rather than spending the extra £5K for a sub 40k mile example as I am saving for a house at the moment.
Thanks for the advice, I have enough to go on now.
Sorely tempted to bite the bullet soon whilst there are some cars out there with low enough mileage to use as my primary transport. I have thought about it long and hard and the excitement of owning one seems to be outweighing the practicality issues I have around chopping in my current steed which is still undoubtedly better suited to my needs. I have been a huge BMW fan from an early age with my last 7 cars being BMW, 3 of them being M3's, one of which I still have in track car form. Owning a CSL would seem like the completion of a long journey to the top. I need to get some paintwork issues sorted out on my 1er before I give it back to the dealer but then I am free to start the search. Ideally I would like to find a sub 50K example with a BBK already sorted and extended warranty for about £25K rather than spending the extra £5K for a sub 40k mile example as I am saving for a house at the moment.
Thanks for the advice, I have enough to go on now.
Hi Mike,
I was in the same place.
Thing is, I think that you may find that CSL's are so special, you might as well get a very cheap diesel run-around with a decent stereo for the really mundane stuff.
The greatness of the CSL is that you can nip out to B&Q in one and it's sooo much fun doing so, but it pains me run it for dull boring journeys where you would appreciate a nice stereo and some sound-proofing more than the engine/soundtrack/handling etc.
The good news is that you can decide on that once you have one, but first I would get one, drive it around and then decide if the in theory ultimate 'one car' strategy really makes sense over time (especially winter commuting).
But get one - they are epic !
I was in the same place.
Thing is, I think that you may find that CSL's are so special, you might as well get a very cheap diesel run-around with a decent stereo for the really mundane stuff.
The greatness of the CSL is that you can nip out to B&Q in one and it's sooo much fun doing so, but it pains me run it for dull boring journeys where you would appreciate a nice stereo and some sound-proofing more than the engine/soundtrack/handling etc.
The good news is that you can decide on that once you have one, but first I would get one, drive it around and then decide if the in theory ultimate 'one car' strategy really makes sense over time (especially winter commuting).
But get one - they are epic !
I hear you, gives me the opportunity to get involved in some more bangernomics. I had an e34 525i tourer in the past when I was between M3s and I loved it. That said, with the track M3, Girlfriends Boxter S and a CSL I think a shed would be a step too far and I would struggle for the parking space.
Anyone know of any good speaker upgrade options for a 987 Porsche...............
Anyone know of any good speaker upgrade options for a 987 Porsche...............
E30M3SE said:
Wow. I can feel the love that has gone in to that incredible photo...LOL Thanks, wonder if its been removed with the same care and attention taken to photograph it?!?!
According to peeps in this thread its not all that anyway. The LOGIC7 I have in my 135 is superb. I jumped to the conclusion that the high end factory e46 hifi would be good too. Not sure why. I had HK systems in my E36s M3s and they were pants too.
According to peeps in this thread its not all that anyway. The LOGIC7 I have in my 135 is superb. I jumped to the conclusion that the high end factory e46 hifi would be good too. Not sure why. I had HK systems in my E36s M3s and they were pants too.
///Mike][Flame suit on said:
Has anyone ever retrofitted the E46 HK soundsystem into a CSL? Are the wiring looms in the car ready for plug and play connectivity?
Many thanks
As keen as you seem to be to buy a CSL I have to say maybe it's not the right choice if the only thing you are worried about before you even buy it is "the quality of the music system"Many thanks
You'll probably buy some Nangkangs for it next as you spent all the £££ on 'sounds'
I find your post a bit misjudged tbh shim. You don't know me, so why make that assumption?
Given that I would like to use the car a couple of times a week to travel down the M4 to work there are often times where a decent sound system really means a lot to me. I have been spoilt with my current car and can give up all the toys and comforts but not sure I want to give up the ability to listen to music in reasonable quality. I work in a pressured job and find music a release at the end of a long day. A CSL might sound great at 7000rpm but it doesn't when its idling in bumper to bumper traffic.
Given that I would like to use the car a couple of times a week to travel down the M4 to work there are often times where a decent sound system really means a lot to me. I have been spoilt with my current car and can give up all the toys and comforts but not sure I want to give up the ability to listen to music in reasonable quality. I work in a pressured job and find music a release at the end of a long day. A CSL might sound great at 7000rpm but it doesn't when its idling in bumper to bumper traffic.
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