Changed mind and going aftermarket

[rjacket]

I wasn't quite satisfied with how Bluetooth was going to work out through the factory system so I looked at aftermarket options instead.

For $100 I can get any number of Pioneer, Sony, JVC, Clarion head units with nice Bluetooth hands free, streaming, USB, IPhone control and some Sonys even have iPhone apps that can control the head unit beyond audio.

Then for $160, a company called Power Acoustik have 7 inch screens with DVD and / or video file playback capability and with much of the above. I think I can even mirror my iPhone and use it to display turn by turn navigation.

So I'll probably get the Metra kit and choose one of the two above options.

But in terms of wiring, does anybody see any issues? Apparently I need to ground the brake wire to enable video all the time and also hook into the light switch.

Is any of this difficult? Is there a Metra harness that means I don't need to do too much splicing? I thought I saw something on that.

[Breeves002]

Well to get it all to function you have to run wires from the RCU harness in the trunk up to the head unit. Or at least that's how I had to do it. I forget the brand kit I used, but it was double din with EATC.

The kits cost a lot though.

Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App

[rjacket]

I'm going to use the Metra single din kit.

This is the wiring label of a generic head units I'm thinking about:

http://visiontechamerica.com/site/wp...for-AVS703.jpg

Can you see any issues?

[KhanTyranitar]

Yeah, don't buy a generic head unit. Stick with brand name stuff. The wiring diagram is good though.

Its a shame those Metra dash kits are so ugly.

[JIMMER]

Originally Posted by KhanTyranitar

Yeah, don't buy a generic head unit. Stick with brand name stuff. The wiring diagram is good though.

Its a shame those Metra dash kits are so ugly.

Agreed, they are just built for function. I have a friend who is an automotive graphic artist and we are going to think of some ideas to make it look a little better. Nothing too crazy. Maybe a carbon wrap, maybe something Taurus or Ford related.

[rjacket]

I've settled on the Boss 9967BI.

Would you consider that ok?

[liquid_force]

I'm not a brand hater. A lot of people need something cheap now and then...

That being said -- Boss is one of the most deceitful, unreliable car audio brands on the market. Their average "1000 watt" amp is good for 200-300w of real-world, usable power. Their speakers are rated the same.
Reliability isn't great either.
The cheapest unit I could find from a respectable brands with features comparable to the Boss is the Clarion VZ401, and it's $289, and that's not just because Clarion is pocketing an extra $100+ profit.

With the Boss I would anticipate software glitches from the start.
Over time the hardware will start to fail long before it should. Buttons will stop working, lights will go out.
It's just not realistic IMO to cram all those features into that package at that price, expect them to work well at all, and/or expect it to last more than a few months.

[fct]

I own a Pioneer DEH-80PRS head unit. I use Bluetooth for making hands free phone calls and also sometimes to play some mp3s stored on my phone. It works flawlessly. The DEH-80PRS is one of the more expensive Pioneer stereo decks (it's worth its price as it can tune your audio system with its 2x16 band equalizer, active crossover, and time alignment in a way that you simply can't without it), but I assume that Bluetooth works equally well in cheaper Pioneer stereos as well. Bluetooth stuff seems to work pretty well on Kenwood Excellon head units, but I am done with them. They seem to have some well-known build/design quality issues that cause the face plate to eventually stop working.

If you want a highly capable head unit (as in having a capable equalizer, time alignment, three sets of high voltage outs, etc IN ADDITION to bluetooth) consider Clarion CZ702. Its pretty affordable online but it seems to be able to do almost everything my Pioneer does, except for tuning itself automatically.

[it'sthatcar]

If I ever go aftermarket in any car in the future, I'm going Pioneer or Sony. I've had 2 Pioneer units in different cars and I've loved them. They can be troublesome at times to access some of the menu functions, but the sound is so great I don't even car haha.

[KhanTyranitar]

Yeah, 3M does make a pretty good looking 3d carbon fiber sheets. They obviously don't look like real carbon fiber, but I've used it and it still looks good.