Double din stereo recommendation

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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by warpc0il »

There are still Metra kits being offered that only work with the manual a/c, as standard in the US, JDM and many other locations.

These don't work at all with the climate control, as fitted to our cars.

One member that came over to do some work had an early Mk 2 Metra kit that did work with the climate control, albeit very sluggish, but refused to change the time on the clock.

He used to disconnect and reconnect the battery at midnight to correct it, until I showed which fuse would do the job easier.


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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by Juey »

Each to their own and everything, but...

Isn't a decent phone holder and an 'Aux in' a damn sight easier?

What are you gaining with a double din unit that you can't do on your phone?

Just seems like a glorified large phone screen in return for a load of hassle.......
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by Dr. FrankenRex »

Juey wrote:
Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:32 am
Each to their own and everything, but...

Isn't a decent phone holder and an 'Aux in' a damn sight easier?

What are you gaining with a double din unit that you can't do on your phone?

Just seems like a glorified large phone screen in return for a load of hassle.......
A 'decent' phone holder that doesn't fall out or vibrate is one thing I'm struggling to find. Add in to that my phone screen is quite small and fiddly to operate relative to a 9" display.

I'm not gaining anything over a current gen smartphone, but it's the location and the ease of use that makes the difference. It's built in to the car, I don't need to take my phone out of my pocket, plug it in to anything, mount it in a finicky phone holder or anything like that - just get in and go like a more modern vehicle.

The allure of this for me, ironically given your comment, is that it quite literally IS a large phone screen, but mounted in the dash, always charged and connected directly to the stereo system in the car (and hardwired directly in to the OBD as well once I'm finished).

As you say, to each their own, but I see a lot of positives and not many negatives - especially as replacing the head unit in an RX8 is a surprisingly easy job to do.
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by WildMan10 »

It’s certainly a lot easier in an R3.

I have what I started with several years and RX8s ago:
* A sat nav plumbed into the central dash plastic cover, the original leads going down to the charger hard-wired below the dash; I’ve modified the fascia to make it unattractive to thieves. I’d previously replaced the cover with an aluminium plate so that I could firmly anchor other devices for track days, but it looked untidy so I fitted the sat nav to a new plastic cover Unfortunately mounting it lower than before so that the phone interferes with my view slightly, something I’m living with for the moment (the image exaggerates the blanking).
* My phone in a home-made aluminium bracket bolted to the instrument binnacle with a hard-wired charger; it connects to the stereo HU through a Bluetooth receiver plugged into the centre console rear Aux-In port. I use the phone through the BOSE directly as I’ve never got my phones to work for long with the car’s inbuilt phone system.
* A Bluetooth Green-driving dongle in the OBDII socket that connects to the sat nav so I can get engine info there for track days.

I initially used the sat nav for navigation, but I now use Google maps for that and the sat nav to indicate the lay of the road ahead.

I’ve a complete set up to replace the BOSE apart from the HU (amps, speakers, leads, facia etc) and keep thinking of getting an HU and replacing the BOSE. I’ve not done it yet because our house jobs take priority and my low annual mileage and tinnitus make it less beneficial than before.

I keep looking to see if a HU could more than just replace the BOSE, for example having a head-up screen that I could put Google maps navigation on, but haven’t found anything. I also considered mounting the HU in a home-made console replacing the plastic cover but I can’t justify the effort; it’s a better option for me if I had an S1 as it would be less hassle and expense than finding a Metra kit.

As for an HU, IMO in general you get what you pay for. The cheap Chinese units have their place, but IMO they’re false economy compared to a quality unit that has been reviewed professionally.

Apologies for the inverted photos. I can’t yet rotate them.
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by New Duke »

Dr. FrankenRex wrote:
Tue Jun 15, 2021 11:36 am
A 'decent' phone holder that doesn't fall out or vibrate is one thing I'm struggling to find.
You've probably already seen this but I have the Brodit phone holder that's fixed down near the ashtray. It's rock solid and doesn't vibrate. It looks low in the image but given how low the drivers seat is it's easy to see and use at a glance. I don't find it too low for sat nav use or any other 'visual' use. Plus it's less obvious in case you tap it and the plod/track marshal are nearby. Also means that you don't block an air vent or front visibility as with most others. But they do a higher, air vent mount too which I have in our XF and XC70.

https://www.brodit.co.uk/brodit/vehicle ... y2EALw_wcB

I used to be a RAM Mount only fella, but use these now in all my cars.
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by pfletcher83 »

:whathesaid:

Ive had a Brodit mount in the car for over 10 years now.
They are by far the best solution ive found. They are very solid and hold the phone without any vibration etc.

If you are looking for a phone holder, this is the one to go for by a long way.

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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by 98of400 »

I have one of the phone holders that fits into your CD drive slot. For me it puts the phone in the perfect position and cost about a tenner. Perhaps worth a try before going down the Metra route?





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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by Dr. FrankenRex »

My 9" android slab of a unit has arrived in the UK today, so should be with me once customs have rubbed their grubby little mitts all over it and decided whether or not they're going to roger me for some extra money.

ETA is July 2nd so will hopefully get it fitted weekend after next :P
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by Jester* »

New Duke wrote:
Thu Jun 17, 2021 11:31 pm
Brodit Stuffs.
Duke you wouldn't happen to have a little photo of the phone in situ with the mount would you? I am looking for a half decent phone holder for the R3!
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by HarSc »

Dr. FrankenRex wrote:
Wed Jun 23, 2021 8:47 am
My 9" android slab of a unit has arrived in the UK today, so should be with me once customs have rubbed their grubby little mitts all over it and decided whether or not they're going to roger me for some extra money.

ETA is July 2nd so will hopefully get it fitted weekend after next :P
Under £135 it should have made you pay VAT on purchase and they shouldn't be holding it back for charges (AliExpress is pretty good with that) :-k unless it went over that, then they charge VAT and fees at time of import. Either way, hope it gets to you quick and do report back on how it is :D
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by New Duke »

Jester* wrote:
Wed Jun 23, 2021 11:28 am
New Duke wrote:
Thu Jun 17, 2021 11:31 pm
Brodit Stuffs.
Duke you wouldn't happen to have a little photo of the phone in situ with the mount would you? I am looking for a half decent phone holder for the R3!
I don't, but I'll lower the car on my ramp this evening and take a pic for you. Will take it from eye level so you can get a sense of it.
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by Jester* »

New Duke wrote:
Wed Jun 23, 2021 3:39 pm
I don't, but I'll lower the car on my ramp this evening and take a pic for you. Will take it from eye level so you can get a sense of it.
Much obliged sir.
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by New Duke »

Jester* wrote:
Wed Jun 23, 2021 3:44 pm
New Duke wrote:
Wed Jun 23, 2021 3:39 pm
I don't, but I'll lower the car on my ramp this evening and take a pic for you. Will take it from eye level so you can get a sense of it.
Much obliged sir.
Here you go. One photo close up and one at roughly eye level. The photos make the field of view look narrower than it really is. It also doesn't block the passenger seat, even though it looks like it does in the photo. As you'll see it's a lower phone placement than lots of people may like. But Brodit also do one that fits (and partly blocks) the centre air vent that I linked to above.
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by Jester* »

Thanks for that.

I do like it, for day to day use that is perfect as I don't really need nav. But on longer journeys I can just use my current phone holder for eyeline mounting.
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by HarSc »

Honestly, I did think it'd be bad for looking down at nav, but its actually pretty good. At least for me :scratch:
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by v-rex »

Here's what the Brodit looks like when it's attached in the other location. On an S1 but I'm sure it's similar on an R3. Sorry I was using my phone to take the picture so you can't see how it looks altogether but I'm sure you can imagine.

I've changed my Brodit phone holder 3 times, the base is separate from the holder and you simply buy the holder you need for the phone and screw it in.

Only disadvantage to this location is it's hard to see the AC temp so you need to move your head across to see behind the holder but other then that it's pretty good.
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Re: Double din stereo recommendation

Post by New Duke »

HarSc wrote:
Thu Jun 24, 2021 10:33 pm
Honestly, I did think it'd be bad for looking down at nav, but its actually pretty good. At least for me :scratch:
One reason I like it there is that it encourages me to flick a glance at sat nav, rather than stare at it like I see some people do :lol: I appreciate that it's much lower than most people are used to. I wouldn't have it that low in other cars. I tried it there in my Volvo and it was awful. But the R3 seats sitting so low plus the feeling of it being more like a cockpit (like in a Challenger or S200) makes it work for me.

It's also very close to the gear stick, where my left hand often is anyway. :race:

And being so low, nobody outside can see what's on your phone :luvboobs: :lol:
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