FM Transmitters

[dainthomas]

New decks are so cheap, why bother with those? A lot of places give you free installation too (you probably have to buy the wiring kit or something though).

I drive too much to put up with garbage audio quality. I have an alpine with an ipod input in the back (the cable runs to my glove box). Even has a secondary audio input in the back for my sat radio. I'm sure I didn't pay much more than $120-130 installed.

 

[jlee]

New decks are so cheap, why bother with those? A lot of places give you free installation too (you probably have to buy the wiring kit or something though).

I drive too much to put up with garbage audio quality. I have an alpine with an ipod input in the back (the cable runs to my glove box). Even has a secondary audio input in the back for my sat radio. I'm sure I didn't pay much more than $120-130 installed.

I've thought about a new deck (and have replaced the OEM ones in most of my other cars), but the factory deck fits the dash so nicely...and it has weather band radio! Not that I ever use it, but still.

 

[simonizor]

I've thought about a new deck (and have replaced the OEM ones in most of my other cars), but the factory deck fits the dash so nicely...and it has weather band radio! Not that I ever use it, but still.

I doubt it would be very difficult to find a deck that matches your car's interior. There's really no reason not to if you're looking for aux input. Replacing the deck is the easiest way to do it, and it also has a lot of other advantages such as making your factory speakers sound better because it will have more power to drive them with.

 

[Howard]

If you're good with tinkering you should be able to find the line-in circuits on the head unit and tap into those with external connections. After all, the amps inside need to amplify something, right?

 

[jlee]

If you're good with tinkering you should be able to find the line-in circuits on the head unit and tap into those with external connections. After all, the amps inside need to amplify something, right?

It is possible..I found a thread on it somewhere on a Subaru board. IIRC a kit for it was about $100, though.

 

[DarkThinker]

When I bought my 07 CTS, I was surprised that it didn't have an AUX input. However, it has a Radio CD Player in addition to a builtin XM system unit in the rear of the car. So I intercepted the lines out of the XM system into the console, popped the console open, hooked a 3.5mm wire and the result.... AUX in my CTS!

 

[chorb]

If you're good with tinkering you should be able to find the line-in circuits on the head unit and tap into those with external connections. After all, the amps inside need to amplify something, right?

I'm actually an EE (with access to every soldering tool imaginable) and found people online who have done just that, but I'm lazy.

 

[SolMiester]

My car's stock head unit does not have any auxiliary inputs (front or back), and I'm looking to buy an FM transmitter for my Iphone 3GS to listen to music over my car's speakers.

I've read quite a few reviews on newegg and amazon, but reviews are all over the place. Obviously different cars will yield different results, but if you've personally had one that worked well please let me know!

(note: my car's antennae is built into the rear window)

Looking to do the same thing here....
We have an auction site in NZ where you can get the cradle with FM transmitter and charger (cig lighter slot) in one for about $40NZ or $20US....The same kind of thing from apple is like $130NZ...something about local GPS which keeps the FM frequency matched..!

 

[thomsbrain]

I used one and returned it within a week. Horrible horrible sound quality.

I bought an aftermarket CD-changer-input AUX-in box from Crutchfield that lets me plug my Droid in directly. Sounds so much better! I bought two, one for each of my Hondas. Well worth the extra cost.

 

[boomhower]

I've got a Motorola T505. Uses bluetooth and an FM transmitter so it's completely wireless. It works well enough but isn't going to win any sound quality awards. I love it but mainly use it for podcasts.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

It is possible..I found a thread on it somewhere on a Subaru board. IIRC a kit for it was about $100, though.

meh, $100 is close to a new radio

 

[jlee]

Did your Forester have a factory option for something like a six-disc CD changer elsewhere in the car?

I have an in-dash six-disc changer.

meh, $100 is close to a new radio

Exactly..

 

[NutBucket]

But you like the stock one...so mod it!

 

[DivideBYZero]

Let me fix the title for you:

"FM Transmitterrs are shit"