removing a stereo from a 1999 318?i (and new keys question..)

[lanceuppercut47]

hi, need some advice. my uncle has picked up a 2nd hand (obviously, he hasn't travelled back to 1999!) 318i, its the E46 type i believe..

he is wanting to upgrade the stereo on it as it has a cassette player which i think is actually broken, he didn't seem all that pleased with me when i couldn't control my laughter at what he had!

anyhow, it looks a lot like the one here: http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/4077/bmw3183jpg.jpg with a digital climate control panel just underneath but in a RHD flavour of course, the actual bit with the cassette player, doesn't even look "1 DIN" sized to me, are there any guides anywhere as to how to upgrade the stereo on one of these things?

also he has only got 1 key, he's been quoted X amount from his dealer. is there anywhere else (cheaper) he can go to get a spare key with all the alarm, immobiliser and key cut or is it looking like dealer or nothing?

thanks.

[Tipex]

I don't think the BMW stereo is double din sized, it's probably 1.5 din, but either way, he'll need an adaptor plate from the likes of autoleads, or eBay, then he can fit a standard sized single din stereo.

Or personally, to maintain the look of the dashboard, I'd be looking on eBay for a used stereo from the same model, I'm sure they probably did a CD version.

I'd be surprised if there wasn't already a CD changer in the boot though, and if not, it might make more sense to add one and keep the original head unit?

[lanceuppercut47]

i'll need to have a proper look again but it didn't seem like a 1 DIN sized hole if i was somehow able to take out the cassette player whilst leaving the temp controls below it alone. knowing him, he'd probably go for a fascia adapter rather than a bmw cd player, especially since i have an old pioneer avh stereo from my car that he's eyeing up.

any idea how to remove the tape player itself?