Radio options for 2012 Tacoma; Poll

I just bought a new to me 2012 Tacoma thats practically brand new with that new car smell! Not a scratch on it! I purchased a Pioneer App radio during the holidays before I got the truck because I got a good deal on it!

Now having used the stock radio for a little over a week, I'm having second thoughts. Heres is why:

The stock radio:
-look clean stock
-has wireless bluetooth phone and music
-has a usb and aux input
-has steering wheel controls for the radio and phone
-has xm radio, although I likely wouldnt renew the subscription after the free service
-has a CD player

Whereas, the Pioneer AppRadio:
-looks aftermarket
-does add navigation capabilities with the use of my phone, which has it anyway
-still has bluetooth phone, but adds phonebook access and numerical dialing
-looses the aux input which isnt a big deal since the phone plugs into it anyway
-looses phone steering wheel controls, but gains them on the touch screen
-retains the steering wheel volume and seek controls
-gains touch screen access to pandora, rdio, netflix, etc.
-adds the ability to have a camera in the front or under carriage to monitor clearance
-has to have a wired connection for the phone sticking out somewhere
-looses the CD player, but who really uses CDs anyway
-increases the probability for theft


What do you think? Should I install it or keep it stock?

Here is photos to help you decide:

Stock setup:



Pioneer SPH-DA02:

 

Heres a pic of the truck too btw

 

i would get a pioneer. I love my P440BH! I did not have bluetooth and stuff stock, and that was the main reason behind me getting a new head unit. i have some pic in my build thread and link is in my sig.

edit: one thing i did not like about the appradio or app radio2 is it does not work well with anything but the iphone 4 and 4s. it works with some androids but not all, and wont work with the iphone 5 like it does the 4 and 4s because of the different software.(I i think that is mostly apps and music, i think talking over bluetooth works fin) I have the iphone 4 right now, but will upgrade some time this year, and i did not want to have problems with it not work with what ever phone i get next. that is why i went with the P440BH instead.

 

Nice looking truck.

I'd personally keep it stock for awhile and drive the truck and enjoy. Sounds like it has all the features you currently want. You can always sell the Pioneer later if you decide to keep the stock radio.

 

i'd recommend an alpine if you want sound quality as your #1 thing and a kenwood if you want gps as your #1 thing. Pioneers, in my experience as an installer, have quite a few problems with gps and bluetooth, and theire interfaces are not as user friendly as an alpine or kenwood.

 

see i thought the pioneer was more user friendly and easier to use than alpine. guess everyone is different.

 

Ill give your money back on it!

 

Its on cruchfield for $149 still. Order it there or price match it at bestbuy. Install it and let me know how it looks.

 

I may have to do this!

 

For the pioneer isn't there a module you can add on to regain your steering wheel controls? I know there are for many of the new aftermarket radios.

 

Yes, I would get this but its only works on the music function (volume, seek, etc.), not the phone buttons.

 

Im surprised that a forum for modding is so split between stock and aftermarket...

 

lol Fry's parking lot in Anaheim?

If it's not the JBL system, I'd go with the pioneer.

 

You got it! ...and no, its not the JBL system.

 

Does you current stock radio have BT?

 

the pioneer appradio sucks IMO. bought one for my fiance for xmas for her corolla. the by-pass is a pain in the ass, you have to wire up a switch and turn it off/on twice to bypass it. the browser sucks and is basically useless, no cd input which sucks, rhapsody and spotify arent supported to interface with it, though you can just use your phone and select a song. the screen on the appradio will be black though. it fucks up alot and you have to reset it all the time. the bluetooth calling works well, but thats about it. the rdio interface sucks, doesnt support navigation via google maps OR apples maps, but will at least use apples maps to show you a map..... the other navigation apps for it suck out loud, you have to type the destination in the phone and hit go instead of using the screen. idk, i dont like it and would much rather have my stock radio. plus unless you bought the adapter, you cant use your steering wheel controls. and without an iphone connected the appradio is basically useless. you should sell it and invest in a head unit that does bluetooth audio, that way you dont have to fuck with the phone every time get in/out of the truck, it just automatically pairs when youre near it, and uses that as the aux in. no good IMO.

 

I hate the Pioneer App radio. Great idea, bad execution of the product. Go play with one before you buy one. My buddy loves his, I can't stand it.

 

Pilot!!!!

DO NOT GET THE APP RADIO!

I'm a car audio specialist at best buy, the app radio has been returned, exchanged, or serviced by literally every customer I've sold one too. The app radio 2 is just as bad..

I think for all of the features you listed, the Pioneer X940BT would be your best choice, it has built-in Nav by NAVTEQ which is who makes garmin maps so you dont have to use your phones data plan. The 940 can also get the same apps as the app radio can, its called aHa. That feature allows you to access twitter, facebook, weather, sports. etc

If you have any questions you can PM me or ask me on here. I'll help you make the right choice.

 

I like my appradio 2 now. Did some firmware tweaking and it's pretty sick what this thing can do.

 

the appradio2 is considerably better, but have you had a problem with it overheating?