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Pandora is not a substitute for satellite radio. Pandora is subpar.
The sport does not have satellite radio.
I MUCH prefer using pandora through my phone via bluetooth than my current satellite radio subscription. I can control it, I have no ads (40/year), no DJs, just me listening to what I want.
You have a smartphone - you can stream Rhapsody, you can stream whatever you want (including internet radio stations). I don't think satellite radio is worth the monthly fee, but... if that's what you want, go for it.
Over the course of 10+ years, the 'trendy' features will become obsolete.. see my dad's RX-8 with its 6-disc changer that he could not replace as they simply did not make them any longer. I agree with previous posters that it's more economical to buy audio upgrades aftermarket, especially if it's as simple as a different head unit. Buying the Sport or EX would give you the upgraded speakers and associated electrical system, and you'd still have the upgraded seats, just without the leather coating (which will crack and deteriorate).
First of all streaming Pandora/Rhapsody is not free if you don't have an unlimited data plan. I have a LIMITED data plan. Many people do not have unlimited data. And unlimited data plans are going to become more limited as time goes on.
Second like I said before Pandora/Rhapsody are not replacements for XM/Sirius. You may be fine with the computer generated songs that Pandora/Rhapsody spew, I think it's crap.
Third, XM/Sirius Radio is extremely cheap. I think my sister just paid 40 bucks for a whole year of it. It plays awesome music, the channels are amazing and songs are selected by humans, the sports/talk offerings are un-paralelled, and there's no ads.
There are great aftermarket options out there that'll perform better than the OEM stereo system. But, I guess the more logical choice is to pay a lot of money for stuff you don't want just to get satellite radio.
New cars aren't made with replacable radios anymore. Most new cars have computer parts built into the radio to work parts of the car and if you remove the radio you get warning lights and such. This isn't 1999 anymore. Also, most new cars radio units are one piece with the dash. And, I can always point out an aftermarket unit because the kits look and feel cheap. Removing the radio and replacing it is a sure fire way to kill your resale value.
You can't put an after market radio in this. This is a base 2014 Accord Radio. You can't pick this up at Bestbuy.
Over the course of 10+ years, the 'trendy' features will become obsolete.. see my dad's RX-8 with its 6-disc changer that he could not replace as they simply did not make them any longer. I agree with previous posters that it's more economical to buy audio upgrades aftermarket, especially if it's as simple as a different head unit. Buying the Sport or EX would give you the upgraded speakers and associated electrical system, and you'd still have the upgraded seats, just without the leather coating (which will crack and deteriorate).
I think that era is over - besides, with the complexity of modern factory stereos (and their integration with other features of the car), upgrading is just that much more difficult, expensive, and annoying, you need a specific harness, the OEM amp isn't compatible, you need a special adapter for the steering wheel controls, the integrated bluetooth and voice commands don't work, you access the settings for your car through the stereo interface, so on and so forth...
With auxiliary inputs and Bluetooth, the stereo only needs to make sound - all new functions are going to be going through your smartphone, anyway, so as long as your car can receive the audio, all that matters is what your phone can do.
First of all streaming Pandora/Rhapsody is not free if you don't have an unlimited data plan. I have a LIMITED data plan. Many people do not have unlimited data. And unlimited data plans are going to become more limited as time goes on.
Second like I said before Pandora/Rhapsody are not replacements for XM/Sirius. You may be fine with the computer generated songs that Pandora/Rhapsody spew, I think it's crap.
Third, XM/Sirius Radio is extremely cheap. I think my sister just paid 40 bucks for a whole year of it. It plays awesome music, the channels are amazing and songs are selected by humans, the sports/talk offerings are un-paralelled, and there's no ads.
I download the rhapsody tracks to my phone when I'm at home, you can also use slacker radio, which allows you to cache the radio stations on your phone, rather than stream.
Like I said, if it floats your boat, go for it. To me, it's just one more monthly fee, and I'd rather just use what I'm already paying for.
I want to get in my car, turn on the radio and find awesome content immediately. Music that maybe I haven't heard before because I didn't already download it or don't own it. Maybe it's new music, maybe it's music from the 70s available only on vinyl, maybe it's Pearl Jam live tracks that are not available on Pandora/Rhapsody (hell, most of what I am describing you will never hear on Pandora et al). Then when I get bored I want to be able to switch to the NFL game broadcasting live. Then I want to switch over to listen to CNN Live. Then I will switch back to music, maybe one of the jazz stations. Maybe then I will go listen to local news in a city that is 3,000 miles away from mine. By the end of my commute I will be listening to college death metal or the Sinatra station.
And there you have the satellite radio experience with zero downloading, caching and/or data streaming.
It would be nice if I didn't have to buy a loaded and expensive Accord to get this, when most other cheap cars have it.
I want to get in my car, turn on the radio and find awesome content immediately. Music that maybe I haven't heard before because I didn't already download it or don't own it. Maybe it's new music, maybe it's music from the 70s available only on vinyl, maybe it's Pearl Jam Live tracks that are not available on Pandora/Rhapsody. Then when I get bored I want to be able to switch to the NFL game broadcasting live. Then I want to switch over to listen to CNN Live. Then I will switch back to music, maybe one of the jazz stations. Maybe then I will go listen to local news in a city that is 3,000 miles away from mine. By the end of my commute I will be to listening college metal.
And there you have the satellite radio experience with zero downloading, caching and/or data streaming.
It would be nice if I didn't have to buy a loaded and expensive Accord to get this, when most other cheap cars have it.
After 16 years we are getting rid of our Honda Accord LX (base model of Accord). Time to buy a new car that we will keep for another 16 years.
My husband wants to buy the baseline cheapest Accord (in other words, another LX). I want to buy the loaded one because it has more comfortable seats and better audio/satellite radio.
He says XM/Sirius radio will be out of business soon and there's no point paying the extra 5 grand to get the loaded Accord. I say the loaded Accord will be more comfortable to drive as we age and keep its resale value better than the LX.
Invoice on an Accord LX is 21k.
Invoice on an Accord EXL is 26k
What makes more financial sense, buying the baseline model of a car, or buying the "loaded" model?
Well, it's the sticker price, right?
Now, what do we have? License fees, registration, fees, county tax, property tax, sales tax, dealer processing fee. I am sure i MISSED some. And all of them are purchase price based. Suddenly, price at the door is not 5, but more like 8 grand difference.
Base absolutely makes sense. You have SAME car. Now, personalyy, I do not find leather practical, esp winter time. It's more appealing during resale, but you appear to be drive to death type people, so who cares? Leather seat covers from Katskin are around $400 and are not that hard to DIY.
Hmm, the infamous stereo.. Well, you realize, that there is no Honda stereos that can NOT be bested by a half way decent aftermarket unit? For $500 and around $100 install, you can have a much superior stereo. So, you are around a $1000/$1200 worst case in upgrades? Vs $5000 - $8000 in costs?
Also, as far as I understand, you'll finance, right? And pay a bit of interest? Which is calculated based off gross loan amount? Why drive it higher then?
Mof, you should buy used, with maybe 25-30 000 miles on it, for much less, and will all so much by you desired perks in it....
The car kit is not expensive. The car kits don't always work right.
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