Hi all:

Just got my TSX last weekend (Satin Silver, 6SPD, Navi), and I was going round and round with the dealer about installation of the MP3 player that is available as an option. They wanted to charge me $700 for the part and labor, I told them to stick it up there !@#. So now I am wondering if there is an aftermarket alternative that will work with the system. Now when I say "work" I mean that the MP3 will be recognized under the auxiliary mode etc. so when I toggle to that mode, it will be there. I don't want something jury rigged. Can anyone recommend a player? Should I go with the stock one and have someone else (or myself) install?

I had the same problem with the metal accent kit, they wanted outrageous labor to install (by comparison Lexus did this for free when I got an IS300 last time). Is there an aftermarket metal kit that is relatively easy to install?

Thanks for any advice.

 

The NAVI makes it a bit more difficult, but I would suggest going aftermarket.

My setup in the TSX (and now in my Jeep is the following)

1) An Auxilary Input (SNHOND3) plugged into the back of the head unit. $110 shipped
2) An iPod/iRiver, etc. for $300
3) Car charger $20

Total = $430.

The SNHOND3 essentially takes the place of a CD Changer. It will take a standard RCA input (say, from the headphone jack of an iPod) and feed it through the stereo.

The only issue you may have is some ground noise, but this can be fixed by adding a Ground Loop Isolator (GLI) for $15.

The benefit to this...is now you have a nice portable MP3 player to take out of the car. Plus, you can have whatever you want..iPod, iRiver, Rio Karma, etc. etc. and don't have to screw around with CDs.

There are many threads on this subject. The only bad part is now you have a wire coming out of the stereo (or drill a hole for a jack, etc.) and you need to do the install yourself.

 

I would not go with the OEM mp3 player kit myself. I heard that it does not display the artist information/ song info on the Navi screen. Usually when you go OEM, one of the benefits is everything is integrated and it has nice things like displaying the artist info. So for the price that they want....I feel it costs way too much.

I would either get a portable mp3 player like Lung Fu Mo Shi suggested or get an aftermarket deck and use the mp3 attachment kit (You can buy this seperate from the actual mp3 player) and mount an aftermarket HU there. If you want more info...go to the audio/video section and post questions. You'll get lots of answers there.

 

I would totally go aftermarket iPod-type portable... be able to take it with you. No reason to buy it twice, and no reason to have to use CDs. And why lose the pocket?

 

iPod is the way to go! i use it with my snhond3 and i have zero ground noise