Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stever

First thing to do is name your Civic. Then get a Honda tattoo. Don't sweat the tunes and watch for sales at Crutchfield. :shades:

steve_, "Beaters Out Of Choice, Not Necessity" #48, 13 Mar 2013 9:28 am

Sandman6472

Great pics there and what a nice color! But guess it is redundant now that you've got the newer 335 plus, y'all have a lot of iron in your stable right now to begin with! I'd be happy to have a fun car to go along with my Civic!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

nyccarguy

You've got the right car/color/options. You'll defintiely find a buyer for your E39. Gotten any bites? Lowball offers?

qbrozen

If all you want is an aux input, just get an FM modulator with such an input. Unless you are an audiophile (which it doesn't sound like you are), it will be just fine.

Sandman6472

I know but this guy did give me a great price for the swap with the harnesses and other equipment needed to make this a clean and easily reverseable install as I don't want to hurt the dash and want to take the equipment with me once I do sell or trade the car. But with my mileage so low, 37.5k now, don't see it leaving the stable for some time now. Also, I still like the car and it's so cheap to keep. If I do buy a cpo entry lux vehicle, my expenses will go up and not sure that's the smart move at this juncture...staying the course and doing nothing is the logical and prudent thing to do. Ned to see if the wife will find employment to replace the income we've lost and now that I'm gonna be working much less, spending $360 is not wise!

The Prudent and Logical Sandman :confuse: :sick: :shades:

michaellno

Though it would be so cool to have a new stereo and it sound even better than it does now, I'm just so hesitant. Luckily, the guy said it can all be put back to stock once I do sell it so that's a plus. Do I want to spend $360 on a want as I do not need this and my cd's will give me the same result for $0 dollars. Decisions decisions. Best to take the gift and put it to work in my retirement accounts especially now is what I'm thinking as I type...put it into the retirement accounts!

Sandy - I'll give you my $.02 (or $360). A few hundred dollars for a new stereo is certainly cheaper than $20K for a new car.

I replaced the head unit in my '03 Saturn L300. It had both an AUX port and a USB plug, so I could connect my iPod directly to it. Was very nice to have. While I own a lot of CD's, I've loaded them all into my iTunes account and onto my iPod.

When I traded in the car, I brought the original head unit with me and had the dealer swap them out. The stereo is still in a box in my garage. I've contemplated having it installed into the '06 ION I drive, but that car already has an AUX port so it's not like I'd be gaining a whole lot. I play my iPod when I'm driving around delivering pizzas.

I say go for it!

Sandman6472

I heard the sound quality ain't the greatest with those and not really sure how they work. I do like my music on the louder side also so maybe I'm a 1/4 audiophile.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472

I like your post and you do understand my dilemma here. I know I'll be pleased after it's done. You've got me now to the 70/30 point...hmmm!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

tjc78

I wish I had your sensible attitude! If you are keeping this car for a while, justify that $360 as one car payment. I wouldn't even hesitate.

The FM modulators that Q suggested work fine if they are the type that installs behind the radio. The ones that plug into the cigarette lighter, not so much.

BTW if you are going aftermarket you may as well get a model that does handsfree (bluetooth) calling. I had installed one like that in my Wife's Elantra and it worked as good as my Buick which has it from the factory.

stever

I have a $5 power port modulator. It's okay, considering. Even has a remote. But I'm happy listening to net radio on computer speakers. :shades:

TJC makes a good point; there's always another model around the corner and another sale next week. May as well hold out for one with all the features, even if you currently think you don't have a need for something.

michaellno

BTW if you are going aftermarket you may as well get a model that does handsfree (bluetooth) calling. I had installed one like that in my Wife's Elantra and it worked as good as my Buick which has it from the factory.

I second that. The ION has a double-DIN factory stereo and if I ever were to replace it, I'd get BT as well.

breld

Thanks for the feedback/encouragement. I think the exterior color is desirable - the beige interior may be a turn-off to some from what I've read (I like it, but it's not exactly "sporty").

No bites or even lowball offers yet - it's also posted on the local craigslist.

I'm excited about selling it and taking my time shopping for a replacement (hatchback or small SUV), but it's hard knowing I can't get anything as nice as the E39 for the same money. It really is so much car for the money.

qbrozen

I've heard people say that, too. Regardless, it didn't not stop me from installing one in about 4 or 5 cars I've had. I never had an issue, and I have been known to crank my stereo up to maximum volume.

It plugs inline with the antenna and, when switched on, stops the antenna signal and feeds in the input signal. I've used one to run a CD changer, satellite radio, and aux input at different times in different cars. And the install is very simple, so you should be able to handle it yourself.

nyccarguy

It's not sporty, but it is well kept & the sand interior happens to look nicer with the blue exterior. I personally prefer black interiors because they are easier to keep clean if you are no fanatical with the car.

Oh, I can't wait to hear some of those CL offers:

Yo, will you take 6 grand cash?

ateixeira

I was hoping for "free to a good home".

breld

Oh yeah - I will certainly share the interesting responses as they come in.

tjc78

I did a Sony (single din) BT head unit with an XM tuner in my wife's old Elantra for about $250. It took my about an hour on the bench to connect the harness and mount it in the bezel. Then it was about two hours in the car, pulling the factory radio, running the microphone wire up the A pillar and interfacing with the factory XM antenna (bought an extension cable).

My 04 Grand Marq has a DD opening. I'm looking to get a nice Pioneer DD unit w/NAV, BT, and the XM module. I'll probably go all out and get the steering wheel control adapter and backup cam. The Buick has all those gadget and I have to admit to missing some of them.

corvette

I think I've said this before, but I love that color!

Will you take $2,000? :P

xwesx

When I bought my minivan (1998 Dodge Grand Caravan AWD), the radio in it was an aftermarket unit that was looking like it was on it's last leg, but the radio did play (no CD, aux, etc working on it). Then, my kids fed it quarters and shorted it out, so the last year I had it, there was no radio.

You don't even miss it after a while.

Wait, was I supposed to talk Sandy out of the new stereo or into it, or just depressing him? :P

xwesx

Fine-looking car, breld. Is that the one involved in the garage door incident (or two!)?

I'm glad I'm so practical (and 3,500 miles away). Otherwise, it's looking pretty tempting.

michaellno

I was hoping for "free to a good home"

If it comes to that, I'm a heck of a lot closer than anybody else here.

I'd gladly boot the daughter's MINI out of the garage for the BMW.

stever

Off-topic but thought of you today (maybe if you moved to Valdez). Well, the photo does include my '99 Quest that I drove for the first time today since January:

breld

Oh, you remember the garage door story, huh? :P

No, that actually happened to my '07 530xi, which has been departed from the garage for three years now.

And the twinge I used to get when I entered the garage is mostly gone now.

Sandman6472

Will the bluetooth work with an android phone as that's what I've got. Went to another shop today and they're about the same price but they were pushing a Pioneer DEX-X3500U1 or they have a Sony model CDX-6T565UP which is almost as good? The other store said to stay clear of Pioneer equipment and they pushed a Clarion CZ202 unit which he said would add a small boost of power to the amp I've already git in the car...the low volume would sound a bit louder actually. My gut feeling was to go with the 1st shop as his vibe felt better to me and I've dealt with his shop before on the door edge guards on both kids cars and just have a better gut feeling here. The more I think this through, the more I think I'm gonna just go for it. Even my oldest said just do it, life's too short and that she loves using her iPhone5 to sync her music. Hummmmmmm!

Any of you guys who know these products, which units are the better ones here. I've had Pioneer and Kenwood in the past and they were o k. Did like the look of the Clarion and they all had remotes with them. Advise is needed guys.

The Confused Sandman :confuse: :sick: :shades:

michaellno

Will the bluetooth work with an android phone as that's what I've got.

Pretty sure that it will. BT is an industry standard so I would think that all phone manufacturers use it.

I'll let others more knowledgeable weigh in on the merits of the different head units.

Sandman6472

You're not helping here dude...lol! No, I have to have music in the car all the time, that's non-negotiable here! I do keep it off sometimes so I can just listen to the car talk to me and assure me that there are no weird noises or sounds but the rest of the time, the stereo is cranking something. Still mulling this over in my head. Funny, got a note from the local Honda store telling me that they want my '06 Civic and that "I think you will be pleased with my aggressive offer" line. Sure they want it as it's showroom fresh and needs nothing except a wash right now. The few small scratches wouldn't be enough to send it off to the auction and even if they gave me $10k, which I doubt, they'll still sell it for at least a $1.5k to $2k profit I'd bet. Just not ready to let it go yet as I do not like the new Civic enough to buy one and I'd only look at their sister Nissan store and consider the Sentra but since it's a 1st year product, I wouldn't buy anyways. I broke that rule when I bought this puppy and will not do it again...truly like to buy the 4th year refreshed unit as the early bugs have usually been taken care of by then and the small changes give it a nice look.
Anyways, getting the new stereo is probably the best way to go here so at least I've got something new to enjoy in the old car.

The Apprehensive Sandman :confuse: :sick: :shades:

tjc78

Sandman,
I don't know why they would steer you away from Pioneer. They make excellent head units. I couldn't find any info on the model numbers you gave me on the Pioneer and Sony units. The Clarion I did find and you can buy it online for 100 or so but it does not include Bluetooth.
And yes as responded above I see no reason why your Android wouldn't connect. I use my Android on a variety of devices.

IMO don't put a new unit in without Bluetooth. Most new models have it anyway.

Sandman6472

Absolutely want bluetooth so will find a unit that has it. Really thought the Clarion had it and I specifically asked for a head unit with this feature. Wonder why he didn't listen to me on this. I liked the Sony unit myself the best so far.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

stever

When I did a stint in retail one Christmas back in '73, I pushed the brand that gave me the bigger commission. The shops are probably trying to get rid of inventory.

And those "we want your car" emails and letters are a common marketing ploy by dealers to get you into the showroom. They do want your car but mostly they want to move metal.

But, you can believe every word in a used car ad on craigslist. :shades:

Sandman6472

So how do I choose the best head unit with the most power? Now I'm very unsure what to buy? I definitely want bluetooth, a usb port and the aux adapter plus the extra power or why even bother? These things are must haves and I won't move forward if not...period! So, we will have to see how it all pans out. Luckily I'm in no hurry and have time on my side. Would also be nice to get a 2013 model as I don't want old tech but not quite sure what month the new products debut. Anyone have a clue?
T I A folks.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

xwesx

Of course I remember, but that's not to say I'm holding it against you...

Oh, it was a 530xi! Way, way too many cars, sir! Actually, I would probably be a little more tempted with an x than RWD just because it would be more livable in my climate.

But, I'd feel bad about having a "luxury car" in my current situation, which is sans garage.

xwesx

Wowzers. Nope, not that much snow here! I think we've maybe had about 40-45 inches over the winter, but it sublimates quite a bit by this time of year due to all the cold, dry weather. I think the snow pack might be about 20" deep.

I love the light, though! Don't get OSHA out on that path, they'd be all over you about "sloped sides" and whatnot to reduce the chance of cave-ins. :P

rayainsw

'And those "we want your car" emails and letters'
I often receive letters like that
for cars I have not had for years...
- Ray
And XM offers - for cars long gone....

stever

So how do I choose the best head unit with the most power?

Just like car shopping, find an audiophile car stereo forum. :-)

(Xwes, that's just lakeshore property where the wind drifts it up nicely. Only had to bust through something like that four times this winter and the paths at my house are just a third that deep. Most of the "tunnel" is just 44" high or so. Snow depth is probably ~20 inches at most in my yard. And yeah, we have light until 8:30 pm now).

Sandman6472

Assume Edmunds has a forum for this...correct?

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

stever

Not really (or I would have touted it lol). All our radio/stereo discussions are scattered around the make/model discussions and tend to focus on OEM questions. The Audio Mods discussion never got traction and has been quiet for years.

tjc78

Here are a few examples of nice BT enabled Head Units for you

Alpine 129.99 Nice unit, plenty of power. Can't go wrong with Alpine.

Pioneer 129.99 Little less power than the Alpine. Has built in Ipod control.

Clarion 139.99 Looks like the next model up from the one you posted. Most power (by 1 watt) of the three. Includes remote.

For what you are looking to do, any of these will work. Any questions ask away, hope everyone doesn't mind the OT for a bit.

stever

Beats talking about snow! Reminds of getting my '82 Tercel. It didn't come with a radio so I got one at a Crazy Eddie kind of shop and installed it myself. It lasted as long as the car did.

With new cars, I'd worry that I'd mess up some computer or sensor somewhere trying to get power to it. Or the shop would; sure read a lot of posts about flaky cars that had aftermarket remote starters or car alarms installed (if I saw either of those options listed in a craigslist ad, it would be a big strike against it). Hopefully putting in a stereo is a more straightforward job.

Sandman6472

Yes, the CZ302 would be the unit I'd want to get the Bluetooth...all the reviews I've read on the CZ202 on Amazon are pretty positive but it does have Bluetooth also according to the posters there. So what is the point of getting the 302 if they both have the android phone capabilities? Just curious here. And Clarion does make a quality product as the one I had years ago worked flawlessly. But have also had Kenwood's and a Pioneer but never an Alpine...almost but went with the Kenwood instead.

Am thinking of doing this within the next couple of weeks as I'm waiting on some new funds to arrive and will gift myself as well as the kids with cash as my dad would have wanted. The rest will go into retirement and the new vehicle will wait a few years...my Civic is gonna stay for the long haul now unless the boy really needs it and then I'll hand over the keys like a good dad. But for now, it stays in the stable and will concentrate on the wife's replacement vehicle which is now between the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio sedans.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472

I think it isn't that difficult as lomg as the installer knows what they are doing. I did get good vibes from the 1st shop but not so much from the 2nd one. The 1st guy really took the time to show me everything on the laptop so I'd see how the dash would look after the install. He explained the costs and led me to believe that he'd do a quality job after I voiced my concerns about messing up the dash or the components I've already installed in the car...I wanted to make sure my current amp would hook up with the head unit and still be able to crank out the power I have now or what's the point. I really have no problem using my cd's, sure it takes more time and all but I'd have to change nothing and spend $0 dollars. But the idea of having my android phone pared to the car and the ability to use either my iPod or flash drive is very compelling since I always drive with music. The best would be satellite radio but I'm not going that route unless it comes free with the car.

So at this point I will wait a few weeks and then if I still feel the same way, treat myself as a gift from my deceased dad...I think I deserve a treat here as the last few years have been hell and I've come out the other side still sane and in one piece! And spending $360 is so much easier than buying a new vehicle and the enjoyment I'll get is not quantifiable!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

tjc78

Yes, the CZ302 would be the unit I'd want to get the Bluetooth...all the reviews I've read on the CZ202 on Amazon are pretty positive but it does have Bluetooth also according to the posters there. So what is the point of getting the 302 if they both have the android phone capabilities? Just curious here

According to Crutchfield and Clarion's own website the CZ202 doesn't include BT.

If you look at the reviews on Amazon several of them are actually for the CZ302 but are mixed in with the 202 reviews.

stickguy

Sandy, I firmly believe that the key to stereo stuff is the installer, not the unit. In your price range, I imagine they will all be comparable (quality wise).

But you want to make sure it is a unit designed for the car, especially the wiring harness adapter which makes it plug and play. I would not expect it to be too risky on a Civic. Get into a Volvo, might be dicier the way everything is tied into the BUS. So if you buy one, make sure the kit/adapter is there, since you don't want the guy saving a few (of his) $ splicing in wires!

another option, like with your wheels, is Ebay. Look for someone that is doing an upgrade on the later unit that has the AUX input, and is selling an OEM head unit. I suspect that would be a direct replacement with low risk, and still look stock.

I have never been a fan of aftermarket looks, especially the way radios are integrated these days. Though having the BT for you might be nice. as is the info display (song title/artist, etc.).

breld

Be prepared for some additional cost for the Bluetooth as well (for the microphone), since it sounds like that wasn't included in the first estimate.

And I'll echo others' sentiments - go with the installer you feel the most comfortable with. That will make the biggest difference.

My wife had a touchscreen system installed in her '07 Jetta several years ago, so she could get iPod integration and Bluetooth. The install looked nice, but we had issues such as her power seat not working anymore :confuse: and the phone not pairing properly, and the microphone just not being clear at all for the recipient.

Sandman6472

I missed the aux adapter by a year with the Civic, the '07's had the hole right next to the plug in the bottom of the console but the head units are identical with no aux port. I definitely trust the 1st guy more and have used their shop for the kids door edge guards so I know they do quality work. Just have to make the decision & give 'em a day or two to order the accessories. He told me he doesn't splice wires & does a clean install as he realizes most folk put their rides back to stock before selling them...he answered all my questions with believable answers and even showed me all the stuff he'd need on the laptop...I was impressed and felt comfortable there. Just have to decide when and then deal with she who must be kept happy, not for permission but just so she's aware. She hasn't driven the Civic in over 5 years and never does.

I am doing this and will definitely get them to get me the model 302 so I can have the Bluetooth...it has a small microphone on the front so that will be very useful when talking on the android, which I really like!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

tjc78

A Civic is a very popluar car. I'm sure the installer has done several. It shouldn't be any big deal. It's really only a handful of wires and there are interface kits that allow the new stereo to literally be plugged right into the OEM harness. No cutting needed. Actually, most (if not all) of the wiring is done on the workbench.

If the unit has an external mic (better) it takes about half hour to snake the wire up the windshield pillar, probably less for a pro.

I just did some Googling on removing the dash panel on the Civic, etc. It's not that bad a job, not the easiest but there are worse.

Sandman6472

There is a mic on the radio and he did mention that there are connections that just snap into place. Even the face plate that the unit sits in looks great and the dash still basically looks stock. This guy seems to know his stuff and is even good friends with my old installer who did all the work for me...no problem here. I'm good here and will pull the trigger in a few weeks. I feel good about all this now. Thanks guys!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

tjc78

OK, great. Edmund's posters are alway happy to spend each other's money.

qbrozen

Something popped up on my screen that reminded me that Dodge made a v8 wagon not too long ago, so I decided to see what those were going for these days. Seem to have retained their value fairly well, I think. Guess, like most similar vehicles, people miss it once its gone.

Nice low miles for the money.

Pretty color. The intake, exhaust, and mismatched tires give me pause. I'd get rid of those flowery things painted on there, too.

Still a helluva deal compared to a CTSV wagon, which are still pulling 40 large for 2011s at the auction.

xwesx

Hey, anything I can do to help!

All this talk about new stereos is trying to pique my interest. That's bad, see?

The last new stereo I bought was in 1998 and was a home component system. I have a hard time thinking about it being "old" now, but it still works perfectly. All this ethernet, Wi-Fi, HDMI, etc. connectivity in modern A/V equipment has rendered it obsolete, though. As long as I don't try to stream video, get a flat-screen TV, etc, I should be fine. :P

xwesx

You included the same link for both titles.

But, I assume the second is a Magnum as well. I really liked the look of those. I would have considered one seriously if I could have optioned one out in AWD with a manual transmission. Instead, I've had three Subaru "wagons" in the intervening years and I haven't missed the Magnum one bit.