Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I will be in the market for a new car in the next year or so and one thing I am finding is that virtually all cars that I would consider (mid-tier cars like Camrys, Sonatas, Accords up through entry level luxury cars like Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-series, etc; models 2014 and newer) all seem to have head units that I find pretty terrible. Some work better than others, but it seems like it is pretty universal that if you want a model with good options (leather, heated/possibly cooled seats, things like parking assist, adaptive cruise control, etc) you get stuck with the car manufacturer's head unit which, it seems, work from total crap on the low end to passable on the high end. Car manufacturers are not so good about updating their units so what I get in a 2014 model might have to last me a decade.
Are there any cars out there that don't have these solutions and would allow me to easily install a top of the line aftermarket head unit that I can get the exact features I want... and be able to replace every few years if I so desire?
Yeah, you can get a head unit better than most OEM offerings around $400. I would not let that small investment sway the decision of an entire car purchase. Unless it was one so tightly integrated with the car that aftermarket is not an option and you strongly disliked the OEM offering.
Yeah, you can get a head unit better than most OEM offerings around $400. I would not let that small investment sway the decision of an entire car purchase. Unless it was one so tightly integrated with the car that aftermarket is not an option and you strongly disliked the OEM offering.
I suppose this is my concern. I don't want to lose a ton of functionality because I replace the OEM unit, but I know I can get a far better overall unit for, as you say, about $500 than what is standard on most cars.
I was kind of under the assumption that most units now ARE tightly integrated with the car and it makes aftermarket pretty unappealing. I suppose I need to settle on a car or two and then see how practical removing the OEM unit would be.
I don't mind having the NAV screen interface integrated into the dashboard (I have a 2011 A5 that has that setup). But I don't like the iPad looking screen sticking out of the dashboard. Looks cheap and tacked on, and looks like an afterthought.
Yeah those tacked on tablet looking deals in Mazdas, Mercedes, Audis, and some others are awful looking. Especially the ones that don't retract away when turned off.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
