Blaupunkt Bremen SQR 46 DAB, got one... installed

I too am a fan of oem looking radios. I strongly considered the Blau SQR but ultimately I could not justify the price. Instead I went with a VDO Continental which also a well known oem substitute looking radio in the German car forums. See below for install. It has Bluetooth Audi etc, basically everything I need, for about $150
Looks like a pretty decent replacement.

I think though for me, the bottom left knob and the upper left screen of the bremen is what does it.
Still, you are right, $500.
Not sure i've ever spent that much to get so little, but there is first for everything i guess...
 
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Very pleased with my Pioneer. I had the same goal as you, something that blends in and looks like it could have been stock but with a little modern twist.

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I went with the factory radio with bluetooth added. I found a guy on face book that would add a bluetooth module to an existing factory radio for $125. It works pretty good. I'm happy with it. It plays instead of a FM station. So, at first the FM radio is playing, then I connect to bluetooth, and it will play from my phone. If I want to listen to the radio again I disconnect from bluetooth.
 
Very pleased with my Pioneer. I had the same goal as you, something that blends in and looks like it could have been stock but with a little modern twist.

PXL_20210324_205251089.jpg


I really like this DD setup, but haven’t quite been able to convince myself to cut up my black dash for one. I like mods that can be undone as my tastes change..and my stereo tastes change daily.
 
I’m with you. I thought long and hard about it and opted not to cut up my car “unnecessarily”. I prob listen to the radio 5% of the time in in my car anyway so it would be a minor creature comfort.
 
I went with the factory radio with bluetooth added. I found a guy on face book that would add a bluetooth module to an existing factory radio for $125. It works pretty good. I'm happy with it. It plays instead of a FM station. So, at first the FM radio is playing, then I connect to bluetooth, and it will play from my phone. If I want to listen to the radio again I disconnect from bluetooth.
I should clarify, mine is not a FM transmitter and is hardwired into the radio.
 

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELE7xxRipXw


Here's one method he referred me to on Youtube for doing this with a Ford tape player. It doesn't look too hard, but there are some tricks involved. If it were me, I would use a switch with a couple micro relays to keep the functionality of the tape player audio and stop the tape motor when the Bluetooth is used, but that's probably overkill. Depending on how much time you have and potential risk to the radio, paying around $100 to have this done by someone who's done it before isn't too bad.
 
Mine is super clean. It looks and functions just like the factory radio. AM, FM, and cassette all work as they should. You'd never know it was bluetooth capable if I didn't tell you. Somehow he has it wired so it switches off the FM radio when connected to bluetooth and switches it back on when disconnected.
 
I think if you prefer the stock look and want to stick to it as much as possible, then adding the capability to the factory radio is likely the best option for you.
 
I don't think for me i need the actual stock look.
It's like most of the other things i like to do for aesthetics, i prefer things modified, yet looking like they belong.
Haven't brought myself to spend the $500 on the blaupunkt yet. If it comes from ebay, there is a guy from germany with 22,000 feedbacks that sold 650 of them. I'll guess that is where i will have to get it.
 
Crutchfield had it back in stock.
Which is odd because it was previously listed as discontinued.
Glad i didn't have to buy it from germany (with what was most likely no warranty).
Or from one of 10 ebay ads for $250 that i watched as the feedback for all of them went sour.
First thing i noticed is that it is about 2 inches shorter than any typical stereo i have dealt with in the past.
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After reading the manual, operating the stereo appears to be as painful as all the reviews suggest, lol.
Must really be a global head unit, from the looks of it, the manual has 10 languages.

Also comes with it's own ribbon antenna to put on the windshield (i'm guessing).
Which is good for me since my Pside fender is a junk yard replacement from 20 years ago and it's rusting by the antenna, i figured when i get the car painted i would just have it closed up.
 
Installed today. Went in easy, fits the look well.
Funny, the green doesn't show up well in the pic, but it's green. Oddly enough the 12v led's i installed in the gauges show up perfect in a picture (maybe because it's an edge lit reflection).
Kinda odd to operate takes a bit of getting used to (no i did not use the directions)
Phone calls work well (in the garage at least).
I use amazon music and it works great with it, reads the name of the music on the display too.
I turn my battery off on the car at all times, weird thing, it keeps the stereo and bluetooth settings, but not the clock when i turn the battery off. Not the end of the world, but doesn't make much sense.
Sounds good, i have rockford speakers in the back, sony in the front.
I didn't install the DAB antenna, after reading up on DAB seems we don't have that here in the US, correct me if i'm wrong.
 

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