How to play music from my phone into the car stereo?

[Derp]

I had a hire car a while ago (avensis with nav) and i could play songs from the phone via bluetooth. The quality was perfect.

We have a focus at work with a parrot kit, and the quality sounds like a 1930's gramaphone.

How does the aux work? Its a 2007 model so assume it has an aux slot somewhere. Is it a case of plugging the phone into the aux slot and playing it like that?

Will i have to buy an aux cable, or will i likely have one lying around somewhere (meaning, are they very rare and specialist or do they have numerous uses like computer leads)

I dont fancy burning songs to dozens of cd's, as it doesnt accept mp3 cd's either

[ambuletz]

It depends on what the aux slot is like. Older stereos (usually aftermarket) will have an aux intput in the form of phono (two slots, one red, one white) in which case you'd have to buy a cable thats got a phono on one end and 3.5mm male jack on the other. Which looks like this.


If you're lucky it might just be a 3.5mm/headphone jack (which is becoming more the norm) in which case you just get a 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male jack which looks like this.


^ both above leads can be bought for pennies on ebay.

If you're slightly unlucky, you might need to buy one of those special aux adapters specific to the avensis, either from toyota or an expensive aftermarket one.
Another expensive option is to buy (only if you have an iPod/iPhone) one of those iPod adapters, this would allow for you to change tracks via the stereo or your steering wheel controlls.
Also bear in mind that the audio cables are just that, for audio, so you will still need to change tracks on your mp3 player

If you can find the aux then we'll know!

[googleowl]

If it's the same as my 07 focus ST it will have an aux port in the glovebox and you would need a lead like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-5mm-Mini-Jack-Straight... plug the angled end in the glovebox port and the other end in the phone where the headphones go and press the aux button on the headunit, you will still have to use the phone to change track though...

Found a pic of the glovebox..


The port is the white bit at the top in the recess

[Derp]

Ok thanks guys, it looks like a male/male connector.

I wonder if i have one around here somewhere....

If not, reckon Tesco would sell them? I'd like one today.

[Alfanatic]

I got mine off Amazon. Tesco might have, I'd expect Currys or PC World would be better. My car has bluetooth which works fine for phonecalls but for some reason I still have to plug in to Aux to play music. Not bad but could do better.

[Derp]

Awesome, i just opened a box next to me full of computer wires and the male/male was right on the top!!

Just tried it outside on my 2004 Mondeo and it worked! (I was like a kid at Xmas!).

Hopefully it should work on an '07 focus then! Cheers for the help chaps

[hardcorehobbit]

I think I bought one from Asda at some point, so I'd assume a big enough Tesco would stock them.