Best aftermarket handsfree bluetooth spearkerphone

[Fastdruid]

OK so we have a Mazda 6 MPS which my wife normally drives which doesn't have bluetooth so she wants a handsfree kit but does not want it built in (although I will make the mod to the stereo to allow AUX/line-in so line-out would be nice). Phone FWIW is a Galaxy S4 Mini.

What is the recommendation of the PH collective?

Available in the UK and still made please, I've looked at too many that were recommended but discontinued or only in the US.

[KaraK]

Not sure about "best" as I've not really used that many but this is the one I use:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SuperTooth-Buddy-Handsfree...

[Vladimir]

Our Parrot i9200 has been a very handy little device.

[406highlander]

I've got an after-market head unit (Sony MEX-BT3600U) which has a built-in microphone on it; just enable Bluetooth on your phone and pair it up to the head unit, and the button on the front of the HU will answer calls. The calls play through the car's speaker system. The microphone is sensitive enough to hear rear-seat passengers, so anyone in the car can talk to the other person.

This HU is a single-DIN unit though, and is out of production - the newer versions of this HU feature app-based remote control and full support for iPod/iPhone. I've had it since December 2008; it's been in two cars, and has worked flawlessly with a variety of smartphones (Blackberry Storm, HTC Desire, HTC Sensation, Samsung Galaxy S4).

It also supports streaming Bluetooth music. I like to stick the phone into a dock on my dash, and run Google Maps navigation - so the GPS voice streams through the Bluetooth. I can also have the phone playing music, and the phone shushes the music when it needs to read a sat-nav announcement. No need for a Tom-Tom, and this works way better than the ancient NavTech unit built into my car.

I have no idea if the Mazda 6 has a user-replaceable head unit; seems most modern cars seem to have a built-in stereo that has the car's dash control systems built into it, which is a shame because I really like the idea that if my headunit doesn't have a feature, I can just go buy one that does, and it won't be a dashboard-out job, and it won't remove my ability to configure the clock or set the aircon settings, etc. Just letting you know what worked for me.

Cost of this head unit was £120 inc. fitting at Halfords; no idea how much the current generation of Sony BT head units cost.

[Fastdruid]

Unfortunately the stereo is pretty much non-upgradable. It's a reasonably decent 6-CD autochanger BOSE but it's integrated with everything so you need adapters to make the AirCon and display still work (plus either lose the steering wheel controls or buy another adapter for those) and you'd either need to replace all the speakers (2Ohm rather than the usual 4Ohm)or piss about with getting the amp to work.

Not really worth it and would cost far more than £120.

I can at least easily add a Line-in though - http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?1237... for anyone curious.

Edited by Fastdruid on Monday 2nd December 16:54

[andy-xr]

Each of the sun visor speaker systems I've tried (three, 1 x noname, a Pama and a Parrot) have been universally crap. I didnt like wired Parrot stuff, I had the 9200i (kept freezing, sound quality was average and wasnt loud enough) so I went with an IO Play. There's also the IO Talk if you dont want music streaming, but I've found wired ones the best option

[Fastdruid]

I'd agree, the built in Sony one in our Mondeo is outstanding, I'd rather sit in the car and talk than use the handset!

She however doesn't want wired, although I could always stealth fit it and present as a fait accompli.

[tr7v8]

I have 2 SuperTooth IIs they are great & various others have bought one after hearing mine in use. One in the Jeep & one in Boxster. I even take unit & clip when driving abroad in hire cars.