Question for those who installed a Non-Factory Head Unit

Hi,

Overall I like the design of the factory premium (non-JBL) head unit, but I really dislike the GPS system. I'm interested in upgrading to an after-market that uses CarPlay.

If you have changed your factory head unit for an aftermarket, I'd like your opinion on the

- model you bought
- would you do it again
- did you loose any capabilities (like steering wheel controls, voice nav over music, etc)


Thanks in advance.

 

OP have you used Waze before?

 

Never heard of them.. I haven't gone aftermarket since 1996.

 

My SR5 had the audio plus system (weak amp. And the scout app) so I replaced it with a Kenwood DNX-573s. It has CarPlay and built in Garmin nav. so that gives me 2 navigation options. I installed with adaptors and the idatalink maestro, from chruchfeild. I can still access OEM settings the original could, song info still displays on the multi-information display, and steering wheel controls work. Sometimes nav directions will show on the multi-information display and sometimes they won't. But I keep it on speed and fuel economy anyway. Dash mounted USB port hooks up with an adaptor too. I would do it again in a second. The DNX-773s is the same with a slightly larger screen and no volume knob. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Waze is just a GPS app on your phone. A lot of people uses some sort of GPS app on their phones instead of depending on the OEM Nav.

As long as you have a big enough phone and a decent mounting location. The GPS apps on your phones is almost always a better choice

 

The point is a head unit that uses carplay or android auto give you mapping apps from your phone on your head unit

 

Yea, I was looking into that my self. But just couldn't justify the price.

 

If only more car companies were integrating these OEM...some day...

My friend's VW has it, it's very nice to have google maps as your head unit nav...

 

I can only imagine there got to be quite a few after market options out there by now for CarPlay and Android Auto

 

Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX with built in navigation, Apple CarPlay and so much more, plus you can use iDataLink Maestro.

Would I do it again? Absolutely!

With the Maestro not only to you retain all steering wheel controls, you can specifically assign any to do anything. The center button on the left side of the steering wheel is assigned to give me the gauge screen without having to hit multiple buttons. I use the factory Sirius and NAV antenna as well as the factory back up camera and microphone.

 

I got a Pioneer AVH-4000NEX, the cheapest of the very first headunits to support Carplay. It's overall great, I enjoy using it and it's getting better all the time as they update the phones, the Carplay interface updates along with it.

All the concerns you listed all work out fine, and in general will work out fine no matter which Carplay unit you get. They all allow for your steering wheel controls to be used, mostly with additional purchases of vehicle-specific adapters. They'll all allow for navigation voice while listening to music. Note to listen to actual FM or AM radio, you'll have to switch out of the Carplay interface back to the OEM interface, adjust your radio station and then flip back to Carplay. FM radio will keep playing, even with nav voice prompts or notification beeps.

There will be, of course, random bugs where music won't start again after a call ends or the like, but those are few and far between.

My one strong piece of advice is to make sure you get a unit with a capacitive touchscreen rather than the cheaper resistive screen. Capacitive touchscreens register touches by the electrical conductivity in your fingers - a resistive screen is the older style where it actually registers the pressure your finger exerts. Capacitive will be more expensive, available only on the nicer units. Worth the extra cash. Capacitive is more accurate, faster registers, and every time I press my screen it creaks a little as all the plastic flexes. Along the same lines, I'd look for a model that does *not* have a sliding / opening faceplate - generally those exist to allow you access to a CD/DVD slot behind a large screen. I haven't used the CD slot once, so all the moving faceplate does for me is plasticky creak more when I interact with it. Unless you need or use discs often, I'd avoid it.

Do it once, do it right - my regrets include not saving up a bit to get a model a few rungs up with the nicer touch panel, getting a model with a moving faceplate, and getting a model that has no rotary volume knob on the front. The volume knob is totally unnecessary, since you'll mostly control volume with your steering wheel buttons anyway, but I find that I miss it, as it's kind of faster to fine-tune the level of volume you want. When you're pressing a volume up or down button, it generally takes several presses, whereas with a rotary knob it's one quick twirl. But that's just me.

 

Almost all car companies have them now, however Toyota got sold on the Entune app right before Apple CarPlay and Android Auto came out. They invested millions into this to bail on it now, but it looks like they will be the last car company to have them.

 

If I do change the factory head unit I'm sold on the AVIC-8201NEX. What I'm considering now is what speakers and amp to match it with.

 

I just installed the Kenwood DMX7704S with the idatalink maestro rr and love it!!!
The factory head unit might be pretty but will never sound as good as an aftermarket unit.
I tried dsps to save my head unit but it never sounded like it does now!!!!

 

That is the hardest question of them all. There are so many variables. Firstly, what is your budget? Are you going to be installing these or is someone else? Consider some if not a lot of sound deadening. Do you like loose boomy bass or tight thumping bass?

 

Also shows things like tire pressures, doors ajar.

 

seriously... gmaps, gplay music, and all my phone stuff in the dash and not on top of it? kinda crazy that companies are still fighting over this.

 

I'm trying to stay under 3K including professional installation.

 

How about the backup camera function?
Thanks