Hi-Line retro fit

le-sabre · 16th March 2018, 13:03

Hi Folks,
I'm putting the kit list together so I can retro fit a Hi-Line system into my ZT-T.
I hadn't realised that the "radio" unit was separate from the actual Hi-Line head unit and it's no occurred to me that i'm not 100% sure on what components I need to get now !!
Obvious bits are the head unit and a GPS drive unit but what other parts do I need and where do they fit ?
My CD changer is in the RHS cubby right now, do I need a different mounting frame in there to house the changer and GPS, where do the TV and radio units go ?
Some help and a list will help no end. Thanks in advance.

neilll · 16th March 2018, 15:40

Hi John,
You will need the tv tuner and the radio tuner, both of which sit in the spare wheel well in the boot. You will also need the brackets to mount them on and the plastic cover to hide them all.You have mentioned the sat/nav unit (think of upgrading to the bmw mk4 which is dvd based)and as yours is the tourer you will need the sharks fin!Obviously all leads to connect everything up.
Neil

RoverDan · 16th March 2018, 20:07

Between my 3 cars, I have Symphony on standard speakers, Symphony on H/K speakers & sub, and high-line H/K. TBH the middle one is the sweet spot in terms of sound and usability, but it's not that much nicer than the Symphony head unit on standard speakers!

Have a look on the ICE forum and there will be plenty of suggestions for better sound & features from aftermarket stuff, some of it looking very OEM.

The highline nav is OK in a quaint sort of way, but IMHO an inferior radio/CD setup from a usability (i.e. don't want to be distracted) point of view. Not a fan of twirling the knob to select and pressing to confirm, plus the radio doesn't show RDS data (i.e. channel names), just the frequency and the preset (if programmed). The Symphony has RDS, and just has buttons and nice chunky wheels for the stuff you need - I like the tactile nature of it

The boot mounted units for the high-line system are mostly in the spare wheel well or right hand cubby (behind the boot liner in the saloon), and thus are vulnerable if you have water ingress. There are a number of brackets for the right hand cubby that appear to stack progressively, depending on which options you have. Reversing aid ECU also mounts on there, alongside the h/k amp, DVD drive for nav, and possibly others. TV tuner and radio tuner live behind the spare wheel in the boot well. Mine also had a Parrot hands free setup bastardised into it

I also read that in the h/k setup the audio signal is fed from the head unit back to the amp and then forwards to the speakers. Factor in the separate TV and radio tuners, plus the satnav DVD data feed in the high-line setup. So you'll need a specific loom to replace the audio loom you have - don't expect to find spare plugs just where you need them to be. Check Rimmers' site under the electricals to see what variants there are.

If you really want to go high-line, I would strongly suggest getting a complete kit from a breaker who knows these cars, and ensure you get a correct saloon/tourer match for the body type of your car.

Amsca2 · 17th March 2018, 07:19

I've just taken mine out as the satnav had been for a swim at some point in the boot. I went for a naval comet which is expensive but cheap quality. Stick to a normal radio. The wiring loom is different for the hi line as i discovered having to get adaptors to fit the naval. If your a purist then don't change nothing if not get something more modern than the hi line.

16th March 2018, 13:03	#1
le-sabre Regular poster MG ZT-T Join Date: May 2014 Location: WARWICKSHIRE Posts: 83 Thanks: 21 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Hi-Line retro fit Hi Folks, I'm putting the kit list together so I can retro fit a Hi-Line system into my ZT-T. I hadn't realised that the "radio" unit was separate from the actual Hi-Line head unit and it's no occurred to me that i'm not 100% sure on what components I need to get now !! Obvious bits are the head unit and a GPS drive unit but what other parts do I need and where do they fit ? My CD changer is in the RHS cubby right now, do I need a different mounting frame in there to house the changer and GPS, where do the TV and radio units go ? Some help and a list will help no end. Thanks in advance. __________________ [SIGPIC]ZT-T CDTi 135+ Ski Blue, Climate control, sunroof, rain sensor, headlamp washer, parking sensors, Xenon, Blue Alcantera/leather, 18" Gridspoke This vehicle was the 1st ZT-T in Ski Blue (code: JHI) to be made out of 3 Ski Blue ZT-Ts & the only diesel ZT-T in Ski Blue. This vehicle was the 7,369th ZT-T to run off the production line, out of 8,249 This vehicle was the 2,352nd ZT-T CDTi + (135) to be made out of 2,795

16th March 2018, 20:07	#3
RoverDan Avid contributor Rover 75 Saloon, Tourer, Limo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Exeter Posts: 233 Thanks: 52 Thanked 82 Times in 51 Posts	Between my 3 cars, I have Symphony on standard speakers, Symphony on H/K speakers & sub, and high-line H/K. TBH the middle one is the sweet spot in terms of sound and usability, but it's not that much nicer than the Symphony head unit on standard speakers! Have a look on the ICE forum and there will be plenty of suggestions for better sound & features from aftermarket stuff, some of it looking very OEM. The highline nav is OK in a quaint sort of way, but IMHO an inferior radio/CD setup from a usability (i.e. don't want to be distracted) point of view. Not a fan of twirling the knob to select and pressing to confirm, plus the radio doesn't show RDS data (i.e. channel names), just the frequency and the preset (if programmed). The Symphony has RDS, and just has buttons and nice chunky wheels for the stuff you need - I like the tactile nature of it The boot mounted units for the high-line system are mostly in the spare wheel well or right hand cubby (behind the boot liner in the saloon), and thus are vulnerable if you have water ingress. There are a number of brackets for the right hand cubby that appear to stack progressively, depending on which options you have. Reversing aid ECU also mounts on there, alongside the h/k amp, DVD drive for nav, and possibly others. TV tuner and radio tuner live behind the spare wheel in the boot well. Mine also had a Parrot hands free setup bastardised into it I also read that in the h/k setup the audio signal is fed from the head unit back to the amp and then forwards to the speakers. Factor in the separate TV and radio tuners, plus the satnav DVD data feed in the high-line setup. So you'll need a specific loom to replace the audio loom you have - don't expect to find spare plugs just where you need them to be. Check Rimmers' site under the electricals to see what variants there are. If you really want to go high-line, I would strongly suggest getting a complete kit from a breaker who knows these cars, and ensure you get a correct saloon/tourer match for the body type of your car. __________________ -- CDT auto Club Saloon CDT auto Connoisseur SE Tourer CDT auto Connoisseur MacNeillie Limousine

17th March 2018, 07:19	#4
Amsca2 Gets stuck in MG ZT-T cdti Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Grangemouth Posts: 521 Thanks: 60 Thanked 93 Times in 80 Posts	I've just taken mine out as the satnav had been for a swim at some point in the boot. I went for a naval comet which is expensive but cheap quality. Stick to a normal radio. The wiring loom is different for the hi line as i discovered having to get adaptors to fit the naval. If your a purist then don't change nothing if not get something more modern than the hi line. __________________ The Typhoon Bull

16th March 2018, 15:40	#2
neilll Gets stuck in MG ZT,MG ZT-T Join Date: May 2008 Location: St. Helens Posts: 961 Thanks: 211 Thanked 235 Times in 158 Posts	Hi John, You will need the tv tuner and the radio tuner, both of which sit in the spare wheel well in the boot. You will also need the brackets to mount them on and the plastic cover to hide them all.You have mentioned the sat/nav unit (think of upgrading to the bmw mk4 which is dvd based)and as yours is the tourer you will need the sharks fin!Obviously all leads to connect everything up. Neil