For a while now I've been using my iPod / iPhone for music in my '09 Vogue by trailing a cable from the rear Aux socket. I've been wanting to try it over Bluetooth to get rid of the untidy cable, and it took me less than half an hour to fit it all up this afternoon. Thought I'd share in case anyone else wants to go this route.

You'll need: A QED U-Play Bluetooth music receiver (about 50 quid off Amazon. You can get a similar thing by Belkin for about half that price but I read reviews saying it didn't sound so good - the QED is apparently the one to choose for audio quality). A couple of sticky pads. A torx screwdriver. A USB / 12v DC car charger cable for a Sony PSP (or one with the same size pin plug, with a 5v output) - widely sold in "Game" or probably ebay. (The QED is designed to run off a mains adaptor in your house, so the Sony PSP car charger is a necessity). A drill (don't worry...) and a small rubber grommet.

Here's what I did:

Firstly, I removed the lower vent panel from the rear passenger footwell / centre console. This gives access to the underside of the "Auxilliary" input panel (where the 3mm iPod input socket lives). That little module on the right hand side is held in place by three small torx screws. I unscrewed these so that the aux input module was free to drop down.

Next, I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the centre console storage bin, at the rear on the RH side just large enough for a 3mm headphone-type socket to be pushed through, and fitted a rubber grommet to make it look neat.

I ran the audio output wire from the QED unit from inside the centre console storage bin, and down through the hole.

Meanwhile underneath the storage bin, within the rear of the centre console (underneath) I plugged that wire into the Aux input module, then used sticky fixers to affix the unit securely in a hidden space underneath the console. I refitted the lower vent panel to hide it.

I then plugged the QED unit into the 12v power output inside the centre storage bin, using a USB power adaptor, and used the other sticky pad to securely mount it inside the storage bin.

Finally, I paired my iPhone with the QED receiver.

Now, I just go to "Music" in my iPhone, select the QED receiver as the output from the iPhone menu, and select AUX on the dashboard audio menu. No cables showing anywhere, and great sound quality (in fact a lot better sound quality than I expected)

Downside? If you open the little lid on the rear passenger console, there is now a blank hole where the 3mm socket used to be. Needs a rubber grommet (or, you need to be more techie than I am, and tap into the cable half way along) if you really want to be neat. Upside - all easily reversible, as long as you don't lose the torx screws (well, apart from the hole in your centre storage bin, but that's invisible unless you happen to be peering in there with a torch!)

Works for me anyway!

Sounds very good. Did you take any photos of the install?

I didn't at the time as it was a bit dark and I was doing the work by inspection lamp (one of those jobs I wasn't really planning on doing right there and then, was just having a look...) But I can easily pop the vent cover off and take some at the weekend to post on here.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/QED-QE2920-U-Play-...B003BF0OF2

That's the one. I found an Amazon marketplace seller with a new one at 50.00 but it took him ages to ship, and he said "I'm out of stock at that price but I'll honour it" - so, I guess 60.00 is what you'd need to budget for it.

356pilot,

Good mod! Does the telephone still work for calls over the Bluetooth when it's streaming music?

Cheers,

Grant

Good question - actually, my work phone is connected to the native LR bluetooth, and my iPhone (personal phone) is playing the music, that bluetooth feed goes into the Aux audio input. Obviously the audio mutes when my work phone rings, and if my iPhone rings the music mutes too, but the iPhone isn't connected to the "handsfree".

Looking at the bluetooth profiles it should work with both simultaneously, the phone overriding the music when called for. However I have not done this in practice and would be interested to know if it does work as it should (in theory)