Just Bought a 2016 RDX Base AWD...affordable head unit upgrades?
 

Hi all- just bought a 2016 Base AWD, so there is no second screen on the center console, just a regular stereo with physical buttons (picture below for reference). Are there any affordable aftermarket head units out there that are screen-based (preferably Android)?

It also looks like a custom RDX panel needs to be purchased which has an opening for a screen (or buy a used one from a Tech Package RDX to have the opening)? And which wiring harness would be best?

Thanks and very excited to have this car/happy to join the community. I'm a car enthusiast and installed a nice custom Android-based head unit in my C5 Corvette Z06 which completely transformed the interior.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...8d081239bb.jpg

Nice! I just bought a 2017 and I'm looking to upgrade the system, as well. Following.

Here's an article discussing the difficulty with installing a full aftermarket system. Read through this https://acurazine.com/how-tos/a/acur...-stereo-424162, it will give you an idea of what you can do. It looks like there is a possibility to use a Tech package system. Of course, you'll have to familiarize yourself with what you 'll need as far harness, wiring, etc.

It appears you not afraid to get behind the dashboard.

Hopefully this helps you get started. Good luck.

I have the same car and the same question, wonder if you had any success in upgrading the head unit?

I have not looked into it further after the initial disappointment of learning there were not viable options a couple years ago. But my plan now is to take a spare Android phone that looks like a "head unit" and place it in the area circled below. I have a basic swivel phone mount, 90 degree 3.5mm adapter and 90 degree USB-C adapter to keep everything pretty hidden behind the screen. It will always stay plugged into the USB port and in the 3.5mm AUX port.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...fccead8849.png

IMO that screen with the other trims is pretty outdated looking.

I put a phone mount here... seems to be a solid location. That tiny little screen behind my phone isn't doing much anyway, other than the backup camera which i can still see just fine.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...21fffcab72.png

I know this is old, but I've recently purchased a 2014 without navi. I've done a ton of research and combed through wiring diagrams. I've come to the conclusion that the easiest thing to do is completely bypass the factory system. Messing with a line output converter just didn't seem worth the effort to me, especially for the sake of audio quality. I ordered a stock radio off eBay, for cheap, and plan to custom fab a standard double din mount into it. An adapter harness for power and such can even be made from the old radio guts. From there, it's just a matter of running all new speaker wire. The hardest part will be making a custom mount look nice and factory.

I've come to the conclusion that it is possible to install an aftermarket headunit and integrate with the factory amp.

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rdx-...sible-1006096/

I recently installed a CarPlay/AA unit in my 2017 RDX adv trim. In talking to the support guy to get some system upgrade, he mentioned that there are many customers installing CarPlay/AA for their single screen system. That's something to consider if you can live with the 5-inch screen.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...ee5c23298b.png

Unlike a vendor like you, I am not pushing anything. I just shared my experience with my own carplay installation. I didn't even mention the brand names or give out links. There are a few stores at Aliexpress selling devices supporting the single 5-inch screen, although they are a bit more expensive (+$30~50) than the dual screen device as the wirings are more complicated. (But that's probably not what the OP wants)

Out of curiosity, I went to the DashLynx website and saw that it is selling a CarPlay to HDMI adapter similar to many wireless adapter out there (like AI box, magic box etc). Yes, it is pretty unique, but for $399. You can buy one of those android boxes with CarPlay support for $30 on AliExpress ($70-100 for newer version). They support PlayStore and pretty much all the apps (youtube, disney, hulu, you name it), maybe excluding Apple TV. Who cares about "Lifetime warranty" for a $30 device. LOL. I got one of those 10.26 inch CarPlay device on my older car for $60. It has a very good dashcam, and the CarPlay is almost perfect with such a wide screen.

Anyway, good luck with your up coming devices to support CarPlay.

You did have some points, but FUD is not knowledge sharing. LOL.
Don't have time to go over all the items, but the extra $1440 claim is REDICULOUS. Many of those AI boxes support both SIM and hotspot, that's because it is super cheap to get a second SIM card in some parts of Asia. In the US, most people would probably use hotspot, INCLUDING YOUR DEVICE.

It's not fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) for those who aren't familiar with the term.

Saying $1440 is ridiculous? No way! Because what you're saying is absolutely untrue. In Canada, you can't even get an extra SIM card. In the USA, Verizon won't activate most of those SIM cards, neither will AT&T. Well, let's say you luck out and get a T-Mobile hotspot. But if you're not a T-Mobile customer, what are you gonna do? Get 2 gigs for $10 a month? Even then, that adds an additional $360 per month. But nobody pays that little; the average data plan is $40.

So, whatever you say, buddy, it'll cost you $1440 over three years because you can't show me any other data. And with our device, you don't need any SIM cards or separate hotspot devices; you just use your phone.

Now, that's real FUD in practice. What a bunch of BS to confuse people. You obviously ignored my last sentence in my last reply. Why do we need a SEPARATE hotspot device? I pay $0 extra for using my own "knock-off" CarPlay device in the glove box as hotspot is included in my phone.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...cc1f349ee.jpeg

I talked about two cars. Above is the 2017 RDX with the “knockoff” CarPlay. Can’t be better!

Sure, it can seem better initially, if I have to spend $400 to get it here in the USA, and then in six months it fails due to low-quality components, especially cheap capacitors and voltage regulators, it's not worth it.

And regarding a second car and having the device in your glove box as you mentioned, without purchasing a SIM card, there's no way to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto together with video streaming from any of those so-called CarPlay AI boxes

If your vehicle already has factory CarPlay and you're buying one of those so-called CarPlay AI boxes to simulate the presence of Apple CarPlay and show you Netflix or YouTube, it'll be impossible to use it without an additional SIM card and have Apple CarPlay/android auto together with video streaming . This will typically cost you around $40 a month on average, which over three years adds up to $1440 on average.

That's why we created the ultimate box that will not require you to purchase additional Sim cards and spend additional $1440 over a three-year period

Well, this is one of those FUDs which US based vendors like to play. It may be true 10, 15 years ago. Nowadays, it is not true. China now has the biggest auto market in the world, and produces/sells more cars than the US every year. They have the whole supply chains there. They manufacture these CarPlay devices not just for exporting to the US, but for their own market as well. As long as you get the device from some reputable vendors (many of them are directly from the factories), your chance of getting a lemon is low. Besides you only pay half or less than getting it in the US. You would feel less bad it something is not working.
Nowadays, the supply chains are global. Even when your devices are made in the US, many of the components are imported anyway. Sure I understand some people like to pay more just for the warranty, good for them.

Interesting before you were saying that you were not from China but it seems like you are from China

First off, China's got a huge car market, no doubt about it. But a lot of the cars they make are kinda shoddy. They don't always meet safety standards, and the Chinese government's pretty cozy with the car companies, giving them unlimited monetary support.

Trouble is, the competition's fierce, so they churn out these CarPlay units with cheaper and cheaper materials just to undercut each other on price.

Why bother supporting Chinese-made stuff if you're living in the U.S., right? Especially when some of these gadgets can't even do basic stuff like video streaming in Apple CarPlay or Android Auto without a pricey monthly subscription.

Competition's fierce in China, and everyone's trying to make a quick buck, which means cutting corners. But that just leads to crummy products that don't last, especially in tough environments like cars.

So, if you're looking for quality automotive or industrial gear, you gotta steer clear of the cheap stuff from China.

Our product costs $300 for forum members, not $400. Plus, you've gotta consider that the other product you're talking about requires an extra $1440 over three years worth of internet service. So when you do the math, ours ends up being way cheaper by a thousand bucks

If you stop pandering this ridiculous misinformation of extra $1440 cost for your competitors, you may have more people interested in your product. It just makes it sound so scammy. Anyone who is not so gullible would know that's false. Who has the need to use CarPlay and video streaming on the same screen at the same time? (which I heard is impossible as Apple doesn't allow it, but people may have found some hacks). It is not safe and most car screens are too small for this. Anyway, no a single review of your product can be found on YouTube.That says something. Many similar products can be found online for much less ($30-100) and have detailed reviews on YouTube. Most people are price driven and care little about in which country it is made.

No misinformation here. I get you might not dig what I'm saying 'cause it's real, but check this out. You said, "Ditch the bogus $1440 extra cost hype for your competitors. More people might dig your product if you drop that shady vibe. Anyone with half a brain knows that's BS." Then, you jump into who even needs Apple CarPlay and video streaming together, saying it's impossible.

First off, it's not impossible. No fancy tricks needed to run Apple CarPlay and video at once from one iPhone iPhones just do it naturally. Plus, you can hook up another video device to our HDMI input and still roll with CarPlay, because CarPlay ain't just about the car stuff, it's calls, messages, and more. But here's the kicker. If you want both CarPlay and video streaming, you gotta cough up for a SIM card, running about $40 a month, that's an extra $1440 in three years. Otherwise, it's one or the other: stream video and lose out on CarPlay features, or stick with CarPlay and ditch video.

All those AI boxes piggyback off your car's CarPlay input, leaving you stuck unless you shell out that $1440 over three years. Say you grab one of those CarPlay AI boxes but only want it for the apps. Well, now you're stuck turning on your phone's hotspot every time you hop in the car, a real pain. That's another $1440 over three years for a SIM card if you don't want to turn on your hotspot every time you get into the car and pair the AI box . Either way, it's a pricey deal with outdated Android apps.

So our solution is the only solution in the world that will cost you a single payment of 299 as a former member and you don't have to purchase an additional Sim card to have Apple CarPlay and video at the same time.

Now, about those YouTube reviews. Find me one honest review without an affiliate link. Can't? Because they're all there to push sales with those links below the videos. Not one reviewer's video genuinely happy without an affiliate link. And hooking up a product ain't a real review. Neither is a quick demo. We've had tons of YouTubers hit us up for reviews in exchange for an affiliate link. But guess what? We still gotta do all the legwork to get the word out, while they rake in the cash from those links. It's all about that affiliate commission in every one of those videos.

So all the happy Youtubers with so-called air boxes they're there just for the affiliate links because if those reviews were really real mobile it would buy that AI box because it doesn't work the way they promote it