Most BMW fans have been quite pleased with the BMW 3 series audio by Harman Kardon, which has generally been rated as being one of the best in the world. According to the automotive website Edmunds.com, "...the bass is deep, the highs are clear and the system sounds good no matter what type of music you're listening to." Base BMW 3 series stereos are impressive to be sure, with ten speakers and .mp3 capability.

Nonetheless, those for whom "great" is not enough will be pleased to know that the BMW 3Series audio system is easily upgraded to include satellite and high-definition radio functions, especially for those vehicles that were built prior to 2006. Upgrades for BMW 3 Series stereos include a wide range of equipment, from iPod integration kits to factory radio upgrades. Now, if you've owned a Bimmer for any length of time, you know that anything having to do with BMW 3 Series stereos or anything else is usually expensive. However, most of these BMW 3 Series audio upgrades are moderately priced - in most cases, under $300. Although you may wish to have any BMW 3 series audio upgrades installed professionally, installation is usually not difficult and can be accomplished in a few hours with simple tools.

So - what upgrades should one choose for their BMW 3 Series audio? Here is where you'll have to do some homework; there are many excellent BMW 3 Series audio upgrades available, and which one you might want depends a great deal on your tastes in music, how much space in the vehicle you are willing to give over to a sound system, and of course, your budget. Those who are thinking of upgrading their BMW 3 Series stereos themselves rather than having it done professionally may want to consider a simple "plug and play" upgrade package, which can simplify the process tremendously.