After long thinkings, debating, I found the Head unit that I will fit in my Alpina B3 !
I have long hesitated installing a CD43 ( later E36 HU ) but I will not.
Mostly it will go for sale, togheter with the GROM USB/AUX/Ipod adapter that I bought together with the CD43. Both are like new in box, and I will never fit them...PM if intrested.
Here is how it looks for info :
The unit and adapter are great, matches the E30 style and illum, but need to attach a proper Amp/speakers to it, and you need to add some line converter etc etc, not the best financially. Altought that need a lot of time to install properly.
I want to run the speakers straight from the HU, as I want good sound but I dont need perfect audiophile experience, the exhaust sound is nicer anyway...and much louder !
I will run front 5 1/4 component front and rear shelf 5 1/4 coax in the rear shelf ( or maybe nothing ). A small powered sub is planned in the future if I feel the need for it.
What other nice HU are there ? Actually nothing that I could found that matches my requirements which are :
- Must be dark in color, no silver/chrome bits.
- Illumination must match the Dashboard amber illum as close as possible.
- Small simple display ( I dont need swimming dolphins ).
- Front USB and Aux are a must, Ipod control is optionnal ( i dont have an ipod... )
- Must have sufficient power as I will not fit any aftermarket amplifier.
- must be cheap enough. ( less than 100 Euros is Ok )
so in the Touring I sold I had a quite OK HU, which was this one :
It works fine, although the look is slightly too modern, the button are Red, not amber, and the look is slightly too modern and shiny with those clean and shiny plastic surfaces and big silver knob.
It works flawlessly and since I sold my Touring and baught a Volvo 850 Wagon, it is fitted there and is perfect with the goos 6 speakers fitted in the Volvo. Perfectly happy with the sound quality in the Volvo.
However, in the Alpina B3, I had fitted a HU from Pioneer too, I don't remember the model name but it works fine, although it is silver, ugly, protruding too much and has NO USB port. I dont want it anymore.
See that picture, it is UGLY ! It is gone for the car !
So today I was browsing internet in order to find again an HU that could fit the bill and thanks God, i think I have it now !!
It is the basic Alpine model CDE-120RM, which is a CDE-120R but with amber buttons/illumination.
It looks simple, no stupid display with stupid blue dolphins, has front USB and Aux, reads Mp3 and all, and designwise, is very soft for the eyes, very Alpine but in a simple way.
It cannot control Ipod but I don't have one so in case I buy one then I can connect via the Aux input.
I guess that will match the E30 quite well with dark color and dark buttons.
I don't drive the B3 daily, so that will just be perfect for my use.
Oh and I forgot, it costs 99.9 Euros in France. Available in UK for around 85 pounds I believe.
here is a photo :
Tell me what you think.
I think that will stop my "never-ending-hunt-for-the-perfect-HU-for-E30".
Cheers / Pierre
I am also liking the wood inlays in a strange kind of way 
- on a regular E30 it would look out of place but for some reason it adds extra quirkyness to an already special car, was it a factory OEM option or aftermarket? If OEM it must be ultra rare...
