In-Dash NAV System Upgrade Questions

[jk47]

Hi, I'm looking at adding the Pioneer AVIC-F700BT w/ Backup Camera and XM in my Rogue S and have a few questions:

http://www.pioneerusa.com/PUSA...700BTh ... SA...920XM

1. Does anyone know if the Radio/Bluetooth controls on the Steering wheel are added to the existing wheel (a possible orderable part) or if the whole steering wheel is replaced.

2. Is it possible to order the XM roof antenna and/or the microphone that goes in the maplight area from the dealer (or if that mic would even work with the pioneer radios). I'd like to keep the car looking at stock as possible.

3. Do you think there would be a significant difference in going with four 3-way speakers or changing the fronts to a component system w/tweeters under the dash grilles to have 6 speakers. Keep in mind that I don't want to have to add an amp (I don't play the radio at high volumes or desire a ton of bass). Also, for the people that already replaced their radios, are the stock speakers worth keeping? I'm sure most of the horrible sound is from the crippled stock radio. Here is what I'm looking at below:

3-way Front Speakers:http://www.pioneerusa.com/PUSA...6972R

Component Front Speakers:http://www.pioneerusa.com/PUSA...tab=B

3-way Rear Speakers:http://www.pioneerusa.com/PUSA...1672R

4. For the dash kit, has anyone seen the Scosche kit yet? I've read on the forum that people like them better then the metra kits.

http://www.scosche.com/products/productID/1645

5. Lastly, does anyone see a problem (generally) with going with Firedog at Circuit City to do the install or should I seek out a local car audio specialist (I live in the philadelphia area). They warranty the install for life and will even put back the stock radio for free down the road if you need to. Circuit City does carry the F700 and all the parts I would add so they should be familiar with them. I will, however, buy all the stuff online and save a few hundred dollars.

Sorry for the long post, maybe I should have broken it up...

[Leo2005]

ok. After replacing my radio with Avic-D3 I see a big big difference in sound with stock speakers. I'm not gonna touch those speakers. I just sold my avic and planning to get azentek cpc-1000 as soon as it going to come out. The backup camera I returned after a day of using because it takes about 1-2 min to boot up. Why do i need a backup camera that gonna work after 1-2 min? The mic...I put it in dome light where you will find some small holes over there. So far nobody complained. The XM antenna i installed next to the windshield by simply getting wire behind the door. The wire is so small that its not gonna get cut by closing the door and you don't even see it. I used metra kit but scosche looks better so i would go with that one. Not sure about the wheel buttons. Circuit city asked $300 to install the radio and I believe they wouldn't put the mic to the dome light. Then I did it myself...its not that hard.

[philipa_240sx]

1. Does anyone know if the Radio/Bluetooth controls on the Steering wheel are added to the existing wheel (a possible orderable part) or if the whole steering wheel is replaced.

This is not feasible, nor cheap. You need the switches, wiring, and the entire steering wheel cover with the button cutouts which BTW includes the airbag module! You are looking at well over $1000 in parts!

2. Is it possible to order the XM roof antenna and/or the microphone that goes in the maplight area from the dealer (or if that mic would even work with the pioneer radios). I'd like to keep the car looking at stock as possible.

The XM antenna can be purchased seperately. It's integrated with the FM radio antenna. I agree with Leo2005, it's easier to just use an aftermarlet mic and hide it in the map light... where the stock mic goes.

3. Do you think there would be a significant difference in going with four 3-way speakers or changing the fronts to a component system w/tweeters under the dash grilles to have 6 speakers. Keep in mind that I don't want to have to add an amp (I don't play the radio at high volumes or desire a ton of bass).

IMHO, a head unit alone would be hard pressed to power individual component speakers without an amp. Stick with 3 way speakers.

[orijin]

i believe firedog is only under $100 when you supply the parts such as the aftermarket antenna, wiring harness and kit. I have the scosche kit im not sure how the metra kits are but i like the durability of the scosche kit doesnt seem cheap.

[rogueboy]

Stay far far away from the AVIC-F series. Unless you want to buy my F900BT whicih I absolutely hate.

[Leo2005]

Well. Stay away from all Pioneer units...they're all suck. Alpine I heard didn't make a perfect unit too. So go with Kenwood or if you have extra couple $g then go with carputer.

[jk47]

Thanks for all the replies. It's nice to have a forum where you get quick answers to your questions.

I didn't have high hopes on the steering wheel audio controls but I thought I'd ask anyway.

I think I'll just wait on upgrading the speakers until I hear the stock ones with a respectable radio. I can add the speakers myself anytime. I can't believe how much Nissan crippled the stock radio. FM Stereo sounds like AM mono...

I've heard the Pioneer units take forever to boot up but what other issues do they have? RogueBoy, did your F900BT have the new Firmware installed? That is supposed to fix some issues and speed the boot up (a little). I liked the fact that the F700BT was around $600, I didn't really need a DVD player. I guess you get what you pay for...

After doing some web research, I'm now looking at the Kenwood DNX7120. Any opinions on that unit? The new DNX8120 is still too pricey but it does have bluetooth built in instead of having to add it as an option. That carputer is really cool but way out of my price range. I've got a Windows Media Center HTPC at home I built (I'm a Windows Network Admin) so you know I'd get that if I could.

[rogueboy]

The update 1.0017 (I think thats the version) did not fix the boot up time whatsoever. It fixed the bluetooth call quality (it was unusable) but thats it.

Of course now my bluetooth will not stay connected for more than 5 seconds. My ipod still disconnect,it still takes 10 seconds for the backup cam to work,it still takes over 50 seconds to boot upit still takes several minutes for it to reard the VR catalog on the ipodand it still usually gives up and throws an error It still crashes and reboots randomly when I press buttons too quicklyit still has a generally sluggish interface - viewing the XM list takes way too longit still takes over a minute to load songs form SDand it still sometimes crashes when I play SDit still ends a song early on ipod and SD for some wierd reasonit still syas "bear righ" instead of "bear right" in NAVit still wont let you press ANY buttons when in a call (well before it stopped working)

Shall I go on?

By the way mine is up for sale if you are interested! BT900

[metfan22]

DO NOT BUY THE AVIC SERIES. I had the f90bt installed for three days. Everyday it had another problem, I finally had it removed and replaced it with a kenwood.

[jk47]

I'm not sure what to do now...

I got a look at the Kenwoods in a store and although the NAV is great, the menu screens are terrible. I'm going to spend 95% of the time on the XM screen and I'd almost rather keep my external unit then stare at that...

Floating through the Pioneer unit at the store, it looked great and I was ok with the boot time but I wouldn't be ok with lockups and reboots...I don't use iPods so I wouldn't have to deal with those issues but I would use an SD card for music sometimes.

At this point I almost want to wait until next year...Maybe Kenwood will hire someone from the modern era to design a UI and Pioneer will beta test their own unit instead of making their customers do it...

Has anyone figured out how to "hack" or "un-hack" our base radios to sound half decent? There's no way Clarion made a radio that sounds this bad without some kind of eq crippling...