I'm considering buying the M3, but have a question. Not that it will sway my decision, but I'm still curious.

If I get the ipod hookup package for this vehicle, just how much will I be able to control from the steering wheel buttons on my iPhone?

Is it just minor things like toggling through a list of songs or playlists. Will the display on the dash of the car update with song titles, etc?

I guess I'd like to know just how much of the ipod/iphone functionality will be integrated if I get this ipod hookup package.

Is it better to just plug the iphone in through the Aux plug?

Thanks.

 

It's hard to say since they're really just hitting the streets and there isn't a lot of information available for the ipod integration yet. It's unknown if it's like the old integration.

 

Thanks for the info.

The salesguy that I talked to wasn't too sure how it all worked. Like I said not a super huge deal for me, but I am pretty curious how it all works together.

 

I am picking up my new 2010 Mazda3 tonight and have asked for the iPod harness to be installed I will let you know how well it works with the iPhone and iPod.

On a side note the bluetooth in the car and my iPhone work beautifully together.

 

Please do post up a review, and if possible a list of what controls what..... a short user guide if you will. Lots of people on several forums are asking the same questions and so far no one's posted the answers.

 

So the good news is everything just works.

=Context=
iPhone 3G latest firmware
2010 Mazda 3 GS

=The Good=

While there is an ominous warning on the iPhone when you plug in the phone to the car stating "this accessory may not work with the iphone", you can rest assured that I was able to successfully use both the iPod and phone portions of my iPhone while it was plugged in and nestled safely in the glove box (it is a shame it could not be in the center console but thats okay).

==iPod==
Setup is easy, just connect the iPod/iPhone to the cable in the glove box and away you go.

I have the steering wheel controls in the car and cycling through the modes with the "mode" button will bring you to the "iPod" mode, the up/down on the steering wheel will change songs. On the deck is the "Disc - Cat" and "Folder" up/down buttons. The first up/down control what you want to cycle through e.g. Genre, Playlist, Album, Artist etc and the second up/down will let you select which Genre,Album,etc you want to listen to. It is really easy.

Pressing the RPT (#2 button) will toggle repeat and pressing the RDM (#3 button) will shuffle.

Pressing the "DISP" button will toggle through what is displayed about a song like name, artist, album etc

Pressing the "TEXT" button will display more of the title on the HUD (see bad).

==Bluetooth==
Once I paired my phone with the in-car bluetooth (which was a breeze fyi shows as "Mazda" on my iPhone), I was able to transfer calls between the car and the phone with ease and the audio thats playing will fade out for incoming calls. I can even start a conversation on my phone and when I get in my car transfer it to the car. Caller ID is even displayed on the HUD above the dash.

=The Bad!=
Not much I would say is bad except it did not scroll the text for me when it was longer then the HUD, which I found extremely annoying. I would recommend really short Playlist names

Why the glove box? why not the lovely center console? oh well , playment is really minor since you never touch anything on the phone as everything is at your finger tips on the steering wheel.



If I discover anything else while playing with it in the next few days I will post them here if you have questions about it please let me know and I can answer then for you.

Cheers!

 

Well thats good news! Appears to pretty much completely work then.

Can you do the voice activated calling features through the bluetooth link as well? I saw a video where someone was able to do with with their blackberry hooked up via bluetooth with the car.

Wheekers.

 

When I sit down in my car and start it, the iPhone bluetooth kicks in and swaps to the car, and then I can just hit the "Listen" button and tell it to Dial someone.

It will even redial my last number if you say "redial"

Also if I am on a call when I start it the call transfers to the car and I can just put the phone in the glovebox without losing the call.

Also I was able to link both my phones to it and it will tell me which one is connected when I hit the listen button for the first time, or swap between them if I need to make a personal call.

 

Fantastic info. Kajie, thanks. I'll probably copy everything you just typed into my audio input thread over on M3F. Off hand do you know what the p/n for the ipod module is? I'm curious if it's the same as the '08.5-'09 one.

As to the cable location if it's anything like previous years then the wire is just run into the back of the glove compt. If you pop everything loose you should be able to run the cable to wherever you want it to be.

 

just quick question...is ur iphone jail brocken or not....cuz for me i have tried maybe 3 hours trying to connect my iphone to m3 and it just connects my phone bt not the music part and bad luck for me i have jail brocken each and every iphone around me... :{