So Cash for Clunkers comes and goes, but you did not have a clunker to trade in. Like most of America, your 2004 four-cylinder Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, or Ford Ranger did not qualify for a rebate because it did not use enough gas. Moreover, it was worth way more than the $3,500 Uncle Sam was offering; it had plenty of life left in it.
In fact, you just took it to the mechanic who recommended changing the timing belt and said the car should be good for another 60,000 miles with regular oil changes. There is no reason to splurge for a new car, but you have been secretly lusting over all the cool new technologies out there. After all, you can get a new Ford with SYNC and get iPod integration and Bluetooth connectivity. Or how about an Acura with navigation and XM Traffic to alert you where the trouble spots are?
Looking down you are only greeted with a CD player and the most exciting function available is a ‘random’ button. It can’t even read MP3-encoded discs! Don’t throw out the car- it’s just time to pimp your dashboard and retrofit your ride with the latest tech. The aftermarket is here to help, armed with technologies you thought were only reserved for Mercedes’ new E-Class. But instead of paying $50,000 dollars (and that is just a start) you can spend under $2000 and get even more functionality!
The centerpiece of any mobile multimedia system will be the head unit (a.k.a., your radio). Luckily, a lot of vehicles that are a few years old share the same double-DIN-sized cavity (where the radio fits in your dash). To take advantage of these vehicles, car electronics manufacturers have been making their premium offerings in this size range. Even if you do not have this size opening in your dash, a competent MECP-certified installer can massage these units into vehicles where they may be a tougher fit. Two companies that are offering high-end in-vehicle multimedia stations (they ain’t your average CD player!) are Alpine and Pioneer. Let’s take a look at some of the features that you can add to your 2004 ride with 2010 tech.
Pioneer’s AVIC-Z110BT is the manufacturer’s flagship model.
The basic rundown includes audio and DVD video entertainment, navigation, iPod/iPhone integration and Bluetooth on a 7-inch touch panel motorized display. When you fire up the unit, it goes into a GUI (Graphic User Interface) touchscreen that you can easily modify so you can get quick access to frequently used features. I mean, no sense in having an XM Satellite Radio icon appear if your subscription is with SIRIUS (and, the Pioneer is one of the only head units that can access both services provided you pay the two subscriptions, offering even more entertainment than the ‘Best-Of’ packages). To control everything, there are hard keys on the bottom of the unit, the touchscreen and voice recognition that work pretty well.
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