Car stereo help.

[Hatch_GT]

Hey guys. :) I have a question. ok i have a 2006 GT hatch and i wanted to get the mp3 player with it too but it was too expensive and not worth it so i didnt get it. And i know putting an aftermarket deck on it will screw up the console and make it look ugly.

My question is what are my choices if i would like to listen to many songs without having to change cds all the time. I really hate having to pull out my cd folder every few songs because it\'s really annoying and unsafe while i\'m driving. :)

Would ipod be my best choice? and if i do get one what accecories do i need to get ?
I heard about the fm transmiter but my frd had one and the quality is really crap. Is there any thing or any suggestions on what i can do? or should do?

Thank you for the time to look at this. And thank you if you posted replies.
Appreciated.

[S.F.W.]

I suggest saving your money and then buying the OEM MP3 player. I have only seen a few aftermarket head units that look good on the 3. Unless you were to put it near the ashtray, but to me that\'s a waste...
You can get the OEM head unit for around $300-$350 I think...

[Hatch_GT]

Sry i do\'nt know much about car stereos. What is the head unit? The deck?

There was an option of mp3 player when i got my car but it was almost 6 hundies. So i just said forget it.

Are you saying i can get the samething for $300-350?

[S.F.W.]

yes the head unit is the deck. In our car, the deck is actually part of the entire centre console, so it is not easy to use aftermarket.
Yes, you can get the OEM MP3 player for $300-$350, Check with Flipspeed to be sure. That does not include installation, but it should not be a difficult install, as you are just pulling out the console, and swapping players.
If you are not comfortable doign the installation yourself, I highly recommend Lockdown Enterprises. They do great work, at very reasnable prices.

Hope that makes sense.

[Hatch_GT]

Yes totally...Thankyou for the info very clear. Good for the dummies like me :)

[DeLaY_NoMoRe]

I was thinking about the same idea of having something alternative to the OEM MP3 player, as I wish to play MP3 CD too to avoid the hassels of changing CDs frequently. I was looking at something called \"MP3 CD Changer......

Check This Out (http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10 025584&catid=10079)

I was thinking this is a pretty good idea, alternative to changing the whole center console/HU, but I didn\'t dare to buy it coz I\'ve no idea how good it works w/our 3s......

Anyone had any info on this?:sarc

[Hatch_GT]

Yea thats a nice idea too but you see our trunk is not that big ahah and i have a lot of crap to put in the trunk. A few pairs of shoes and a basketball and that thing don\'t look too small. But it\'s one good thing worth considering. Let me to go future shop and check it out tmw. Thanks for the idea :)

[DeLaY_NoMoRe]

:p u\'re welcome!
I was thinking to put this in the narrow under-trunk slot.....the small slot closer to the rear passenger seat......BUT, my hold-back is.....although it doesn\'t require u to change/modify ur HU, but from what I see, u DO NEED to take off ur HU and connect a few connectors or something.....and I guess the installation cost on this would not actually be lower than changing a HU.....:(

[bluntman]

I bought the MP3 player option when I bought my car back in 2004. I used it for a while but found it a PITA after having to burn CD after CD (albeit CD-RW) in order to listen to my MP3 collection. I wanted something that held my entire collection and something that was portable. I picked up a PIE adapter and connected my iPod to the stock HU.

[Hatch_GT]

I don\'t reallly mind mp3 cds because

1. There cheap
2. MP3 cds hold up to at least 120 songs
3. I can easily find folders on the screen (hard to see on ipods)

Also currently i do\'nt own an ipod now so i think the cost would be really expensive for me. Because a decent ipod is around $300? plus the adapter maybe $350-400? I\'m not too sure about ipod prices so do\'nt know exactly.

I guess i might get the OEM HU or get the mp3 cd changer since it will better fit my budget.

But thanks a lot for the tips everyone!:)

If there is anymore ideas keep posting them so i might have a few options more to choose from.:D

[FLIPDADY]

OEM MP3 group buy (maybe) (http://torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=3373)

[chimp]

well i might have went a little off track but to keep my stock looking dash i mounted my Alpine headunit in my glove box. i kept just power to the display so the clock and \"Hello\" is still there. i can still do everything since i have a remote for my headunit. throw in a mp3 cd and i\'m good to go for hours. plus i heard that a good HU will make even the factory speakers sound better...although my speakers are replaced when the hu went in so i can\'t say from personal experience.

[TheProfessor]

An aftermarket head unit will almost always sound better than a stock unit. They typically have way more features as well (sound processing, built-in cross-overs, subwoofer pre-outs, etc). However, what you gain in sound quality and features you lose in aesthetics, not to mention that you typically lose the use of your steering wheel mounted audio controls (if you have them).

Either way, good choice on the Alpine HU, they\'re my favorite ;)

[bluntman]

To maintain the look and feel of Mazda dash I would get this one...

http://www.audiocubes.com/images/f_alpine_mdaw920jb.jpg

Why do the Japanese always get the really cool stuff?

It\'s a double DIN unit so with a little bit of modification you can probably get it into the dash, but you\'ll also need a frequency converter if you want to get the full range of FM signals here in North America.

[Candyman]

Originally posted by bluntman


To maintain the look and feel of Mazda dash I would get this one...

http://www.audiocubes.com/images/f_alpine_mdaw920jb.jpg

Why do the Japanese always get the really cool stuff?

It\'s a double DIN unit so with a little bit of modification you can probably get it into the dash, but you\'ll also need a frequency converter if you want to get the full range of FM signals here in North America.

That looks sick!?! How much would something like that go for? Makes ours look like crap. Thx bluntman:p

[bluntman]

It\'s only $550 US, plus the frequency converter, another $45 I believe.

[SoopaBanana]

Hey just to add to the confusion, I installed the Eclipse 8455 in my Mz3... I\'ve been meaning to post about it but with all the hours I spend in my car parked in my garage just listening to music with a huge smile across my face... Sorry dudes, nothing beats this baby. I\'ll post some pics of the install for you.

[ThePartsStore]

Originally posted by Hatch_GT


Sry i do\'nt know much about car stereos. What is the head unit? The deck?

There was an option of mp3 player when i got my car but it was almost 6 hundies. So i just said forget it.

Are you saying i can get the samething for $300-350?

If you look at the group buy section MOT is offering the factory MP3 unit for $400.00 plus taxes not installed just the unit

[TheProfessor]

SoopaBanana, were you able to retain the usage of your steering wheel mounted audio controls? I\'ve heard that Alpine has some head units that can work with the factory buttons.

[SoopaBanana]

You know the funny part about that Psivic... Apparently there is a way to do it from the deck, but I was too impatient to find out... Went to Lockdown to have the steering wheel controls installed already.... :p

Okay, since I\'m already here, might as well do a little review on the deck... Link to follow.

EDIT: Link here (http://torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=3623&page=1#48702).

[TheProfessor]

Sorry, I\'m confused.....the deck did in fact have the ability to utilize the factory buttons? What did Lockdown do to \"install\" them?

[SoopaBanana]

Hmmm... I\'ll find out more for you from the headunit manual... As for Lockdown\'s install, since the deck comes with a remote control, they put another infrared (bulb?) right beside the shifter so it points directly at the deck... Then, they wired the steering wheel control to the added remote control. Does that make sense?

[TheProfessor]

Ah, okay, that\'s what I was missing. Lockdown had posted some time ago about them carrying the IR remote thingy, but I\'ve heard that some decks are able to work without that, which is what I\'m interested in.

Thanks :)

[Broli]

Originally posted by bluntman


To maintain the look and feel of Mazda dash I would get this one...

http://www.audiocubes.com/images/f_alpine_mdaw920jb.jpg

Why do the Japanese always get the really cool stuff?

It\'s a double DIN unit so with a little bit of modification you can probably get it into the dash, but you\'ll also need a frequency converter if you want to get the full range of FM signals here in North America.

woah
how\'d i miss this

that is sick looking . . . :hoho

hmmm,
decisions decisions

[TheProfessor]

Actually, Soopa, I have one more question......are there any hick-ups or flaws with the way Lockdown is using the factory buttons (i.e. sometimes not work, etc)?

[SoopaBanana]

There\'s no problems with the way it works... Sometimes I\'d like the speed to be faster (you\'ll experience a sub-second delay), but it\'s still fun.

Mind you that my volume tab goes all the way to 100 now, so it sometimes takes a while to adjust the volume all the way up with the remote.

[TheProfessor]

Cool, thanks :)

[LOCKDOWN-P5]

Hello Everyone

We\'ve seen the ECLIPSE NAVI units come equipped with a factory steering wheel control interface, however it is limited to only specific vehicles, which is what I am assuming ALPINE\'s system would be as well.

As to which vehicles they are compatible with, we\'re not sure because ECLIPSE does not include an application list. This is why we carry the SWI-X from Peripheral Electronics. This product is compatible with over 200 vehicle applications as well as 95% of aftermarket head units. The way it works is like this:

An infrared eye (looks like the clear dot on the front of most wireless remote controls) is mounted within view of your aftermarket headunit. This allows the steering wheel controls to connect to your aftermarket deck. We then connect a little black box (infrared eye is wired plugged into this box) to the wiring of your steering wheel controls. In the case of the Mazda3, these wires are located in the factory radio harness. The little black box is hidden from view behind the radio or under the dash, and we then proceed to programming. Programming the box is done using the aftermarket deck\'s wireless remote. We point the wireless remote at the infrared eye, and press a button on the steering wheel controls that we want to program. It is a relatively easy process, however it does take about 10 - 15 minutes to complete the programming.

We retail the SWI-X for $149.99 installed plus taxes. As stated above, your aftermarket deck MUST come with a wireless remote. If your deck says remote capable, you will REQUIRE the prescence of the actual remote control to program the SWI-X adapter.

This is a really cool mod to make, and will preserve the practicality of your factory steering wheel controls!

Regards

Jeff Bates
LOCKDOWN Enterprises Inc.

[eguiyab]

If your looking for a good MP3 deck I would recommend the Pioneer P80MP. I\'ve got it and it is very good for MP3\'s. The deck has a List feature so you press that button and you can scroll through a list of all the songs and folders you have on that disk. I guess similar to an Ipod. Has far as capacity, I have been able to rip about 6 FULL cd albums on to a single disk at high quality.

Aside from that this deck has a 60w per channel capability, mainly the reason I picked it up. As far as an Ipod goes, It is great but using a PAC SWIX I am able to retain the steering wheel controls so I dont have to keep fiddling with the deck or an Ipod. I thing I do not recommend is using pioneer\'s IPOD adaptor with any Pioneer deck except the Avic N1 because you are limited to ONLY a 8 letter character display on the deck. Kinda defeats the purpose of Ipods great catorgorization (sp) features. But picking up a PAC SWIX is a really good idea... it makes things so much more easier.