Yeah, you can use it without blue & me. You can just connect your phone to this and answer phonecalls with the FM transmitter if you want to, but you wont be able to use the steering wheel controls to accept and decline a phone call.
When I get in the car and start it up, my phone connects to the FM transmitter and Blue&Me automatically, and the music actually starts to play by itself which is great. Then if a call comes in I have it that it comes in through Blue&Me instead of the FM transmitter as I like to be able to use the stering wheel controls. But the choice is yours.
I find its no hassle at all using this, apart from when you click the button on the top of it and then knock it out and then it disconnects :bang: But you just put it back in and it connects back to your phone again automatically.
I use it to listen to music on Spotify and its brilliant, had it for about 2 years now.
Not sure what else the problem could be re: your radio, have you checked to see of the fuse isn't blown? Or have you maybe snapped a wire?
If you're still stuck its probably best to take it to the garage to get the fiat guys looking at it (will probs be pricey though).
Hope you have it sorted quickly and cheaply