Head Units

Have a look at the parrot mki9200. Im looking to get one for the z4 if I can work out which dam cable it needs.

Speak to Phil at justcarkits, he'll point you in the right direction.

I did just this - having a big double din touch screen in the middle of the Saab dash sort of ruins the big wall'o buttons aesthetic. It's also a big PITA because of the various amps. The justcarkits lead was expensive (about £80 :eek:) but was completely plug and play and works really well.

The Parrot kit works really nicely, I was torn between the mki9200 and the asteroid mini which is about the same price. I went for the mki9200 because the asteroid is meant to be slow to boot and is android based so could be a bit buggier than the low level firmware in the mki. Only issue I've got is that it mutes the radio when streaming audio, which is good. But when I'm not streaming it randomly cuts in for a few seconds then stops again - happens when I get an alert on the phone (which I understand) but also happens at random seemingly. I end up just turning off the Bluetooth on my phone when I'm listening to the radio but it's a bit annoying. It's still a good solution for a neat install and not expensive
 
Speak to Phil at justcarkits, he'll point you in the right direction.

I did just this - having a big double din touch screen in the middle of the Saab dash sort of ruins the big wall'o buttons aesthetic. It's also a big PITA because of the various amps. The justcarkits lead was expensive (about £80 :eek:) but was completely plug and play and works really well.

The Parrot kit works really nicely, I was torn between the mki9200 and the asteroid mini which is about the same price. I went for the mki9200 because the asteroid is meant to be slow to boot and is android based so could be a bit buggier than the low level firmware in the mki. Only issue I've got is that it mutes the radio when streaming audio, which is good. But when I'm not streaming it randomly cuts in for a few seconds then stops again - happens when I get an alert on the phone (which I understand) but also happens at random seemingly. I end up just turning off the Bluetooth on my phone when I'm listening to the radio but it's a bit annoying. It's still a good solution for a neat install and not expensive

How bad of an idea is it to get Halfords to fit one do you think? :eek:
 
Just get the Pioneer AVX8700bt for £400 and not worry about buying another unit for years.

It does literally everything. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, MirrorLink, DVD, USB, SD Card,HDMI, fit cameras etc

Got fed up looking in the end. Got one that fits all.
 
Only just enough not to do that to it. What kind of connector does the parrot use?

parrot uses iso connectors so it depends on your radio in the car at the moment. you will have to get a vehicle specific harness depending on the year.

dont go near halfords, the training the receive consist of sit here and watch this video.
 
parrot uses iso connectors so it depends on your radio in the car at the moment. you will have to get a vehicle specific harness depending on the year.

dont go near halfords, the training the receive consist of sit here and watch this video.

ISO connectors are good, I can get a loom from Halfords hence asking if it'd be worth them fitting it too. Part of me says 'how badly can they mess up a £1000 car, the other part says I don't want to find out. :D
 
Thanks will do have heard that name banded about elsewhere.

My mate had his fitted by Halfords on his 1 series and it seems a tidy job but I'd still be nervous.

I know what you mean, if it's just ISO connectors it will be an easy job. I just wasn't sure that is what they use rather than some proprietary thing.
 
if you fancy doing it yourself then go onto things like bmw forums and see what others have done. hopefully its an easy job.

im trying to change the head unit in my 01 full bose audi tt and i have to run a 12v ignition some where. part of me says do it myself.

i worked for a company that done sub contract work for hyde park corner who is halfords mobile fitting service. we chicked them because they were trying to get skilled auto electricians to go out and fit alloy wheels to clapped out corsa's. most of the time it was to go out to fit a head unit or hands free kits to cars that halfords have already tried to fit but failed. some of the work i seen was unreal. rather than properly hard wiring radios rather than using sot leads they would just use scotch clips. seen one ford focus with ten of them behind the radio once.
 
Fitting a new head unit is easy, a parrot will also be easy if its just an iso connector, the annoying thing will be, if you, like me buy a head unit that requires an external mic be routed and a separate aerial for the dab. Then it'll be a case of figuring out how to get behind / remove the glove box / side trims to run the cables.

Luckily there's usually some kind soul who's done it before and posted some guidance online somewhere, YouTube is a good place to start, as it'll give you some visual guidance, even if the guy in the video is butchering their dash, at least you can see roughly what you are supposed to do.
 
OP, what did you go with?

Currently doing a fair few miles in my Mk2 Focus and not being able to stream music or receive calls is a pain. So I've been thinking about buying a MKi9200.
 
OP, what did you go with?

Currently doing a fair few miles in my Mk2 Focus and not being able to stream music or receive calls is a pain. So I've been thinking about buying a MKi9200.

I fitted a dab / Bluetooth head unit into my old mk2 Focus, you have a very easy car to mess about with :)
 
The cost soon ramps up when you consider the various cables and fascia etc.

The cables and fascia to fit the head unit, including the stalk adaptor for the steering wheel remote ended up at 40 quid. The head unit cost just over 100 quid and a separate dab aerial was 20 quid so not ball breakingly bad at all.

I assume the parrot comes with everything required?
 
The cables and fascia to fit the head unit, including the stalk adaptor for the steering wheel remote ended up at 40 quid. The head unit cost just over 100 quid and a separate dab aerial was 20 quid so not ball breakingly bad at all.

I assume the parrot comes with everything required?

What head unit is it though? Does it do nav, voice, BT streaming?

I'm not sure if the parrot comes with everything, I think it would need an ISO adaptor or something similar?
 
What head unit is it though? Does it do nav, voice, BT streaming?

I'm not sure if the parrot comes with everything, I think it would need an ISO adaptor or something similar?

Only a single din, nothing special so no nav, I use my phone for that. Voice and BT streaming it does do. my only requirements were Bluetooth streaming and phone calls and dab radio.

Its handy for voice control too as the button on the volume knob activates siri :)

Here

although its cheaper at halfrauds.

Its a bit 'rude boy' looking, but it was for a mk2 focus, not a Ferrari and you can change the colours :p
 
God that's a seriously garish unit. Fair enough, it's in your focus, but I wouldn't want that anywhere near my car! Obviously I'm a snob...

Oh I agree, if I had a nice merc or something, it wouldn't go near! But as it stands, the head unit currently sits in my Seat Ibiza doing its job and doing it very well, with the colour white selected though, it isn't quite as in your face :D
 
Back
Top Bottom