Stereo with bluetooth or dedicated hands free?

[ohHello]

My previous car, a Fiat, had a stereo that you could pair your phone to, and make calls through it. It worked really well, and had voice recognition, so you could press the steering wheel button and say "Call dave" and it would do it.

My current car has a rather more basic stereo without this feature. It is a double-din size one though.

Thinking about it, my options are:
New stereo that has bluetooth.
Dedicated hands free such as the "Parrot" system.

Both look roughly the same price: £150 or thereabouts.

I presume that replacing the stereo wouldn't mean I lose the audible warnings from the rear parking sensors?

So which should I go for? Any particular pros and cons?

[andy-xr]

I'd go with an IO Play 2. You can keep your existing head unit, so you'd (I guess) keep the parking sensors. But it's a better quality audio than the Parrot IME, better amp in it and louder too. Supports A2DP so you can listen to music on your phone over bluetooth

[scjgreen]

I have a Single Din Pioneer which is mechless (no-cd) but has USB, Aux and BT Handsfree and Music Streaming.

It work's extremely well

http://www.halfords.com/sat-nav-audio/car-audio/da...

Connects2 do adapters than will allow you to keep Parking Sensor Stuff and Steering Controls

Edited by scjgreen on Monday 29th September 14:23

[ohHello]

andy-xr said:

I'd go with an IO Play 2. You can keep your existing head unit, so you'd (I guess) keep the parking sensors. But it's a better quality audio than the Parrot IME, better amp in it and louder too. Supports A2DP so you can listen to music on your phone over bluetooth

That looks pretty good.
I'm reasonably comfortable with a screwdriver and soldering iron, but not experienced with fitting car stereo stuff at all. Are they fairly simple to fit?

[andy-xr]

No soldering req, you'd probably need a SOT lead though, and to be able to get your head unit out. Sure there's guides online somewhere though

[ohHello]

andy-xr said:

No soldering req, you'd probably need a SOT lead though, and to be able to get your head unit out. Sure there's guides online somewhere though

Sounds like a piece of piss to install, as long as I can get the correct SOT lead.

Thanks.

[andy-xr]

Yeah, depends on the head unit, in my Jag it was a bit of a ballache getting the HVAC wiring back on because the plugs were a bit short, took maybe an hour. G/F's KA, can swap it in and out under 10 mins

[ohHello]

Looks like the fiddly bit would be running the mic wiring if I want it by the rearview mirror, and sorting out the power in - I'm not sure whether there are any spare 12v power connectors easily accessible.

I kind of want to do it myself, but don't want to spend a whole weekend with my head under the dashboard!

And on the other hand, a new head unit would probably look neater, although I'm not a big fan of the fashion at the moment for ones that are lit up like the Starship Enterprise.

[surveyor]

Microphone wiring not usually too bad.

SOT wire will normally sort power out.

IO Play 2 is a great device. Better than Parrot IMO.

[ohHello]

surveyor said:

Microphone wiring not usually too bad.

SOT wire will normally sort power out.

IO Play 2 is a great device. Better than Parrot IMO.

Yes, of course the SOT will do the power most likely. Durr, silly me.

I'll have a look at the pillars to see how easy it will be to run the wire up for the mic and then decide.

Thanks all.