Navigation Head Unit??

[FlyingMoose]

I have the base model 2010 WRX and would like some form of in-dash navigation, as well as the touch-screen head. Would I be able to buy an OEM head from the premium package and install it or would I be better off going aftermarket? Any suggestions for an aftermarket head? I was looking into Pioneer but I honestly have no idea what I'm looking at...

[Sinister]

if you want a pioneer... get the avic Z series... the f-series i'm underimpressed with. It's just "okay".

[FlyingMoose]

Found a stock navi unit on ebay, would that be a good option? Price seems more reasonable than a Pioneer but if the difference is that significant I would be willing to save up for something aftermarket. Any opinions?

EBAY UNIT

[Skreekin]

I'd still go with the Avic series. That's me though, I'm still running the same stock unit that came with my 05

[dbya rx]

im in the same boat. i just bought a 2010 rex limited hatch, and no nav option for an $30k car...lame

i dont want to get an am unit b/c then i will lose the steering wheel radio controls and the sirius unit the car came with.

i dont know how much i would trust these ebay units, i was thinking about buying a used nav unit from another rex so i can keep the proprietary sirius and steering controls.

if you have a base model, you dont have to worry about sirius or the steering controls i think...i would just get an am unit that you can trust and not some unit from china.

[FlyWire]

I would recommend thishttp://www.crutchfield.com/s_130AVIC....html?tp=20212

An aftermarket radio is always going to make it sound better because of their internal amp, its almost always more powerful. This one you can still add sat radio to it and you can always make your steering wheel controls work by getting one of these http://www.crutchfield.com/p_127SWIX...&tp=3405&avf=N
Whats really cool about this one is the Pandora feature!

[FlyingMoose]

I would recommend thishttp://www.crutchfield.com/s_130AVIC....html?tp=20212

An aftermarket radio is always going to make it sound better because of their internal amp, its almost always more powerful. This one you can still add sat radio to it and you can always make your steering wheel controls work by getting one of these http://www.crutchfield.com/p_127SWIX...&tp=3405&avf=N
Whats really cool about this one is the Pandora feature!

What is a Pandora feature? And is the installation difficult (do I need to solder anything?)?

[FlyWire]

ya you definetly wanna solder all your connections.

It's Pandora radio (internet radio if you don't know) but you can stream it from your Iphone.

the install is a little more difficult than a standard reciever because there is more connections to be made such as the parking brake wire.

[zax]

ya you definetly wanna solder all your connections.

butt connectors are sooo much easier IMO and actually stronger than a soldered connection.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[Sinister]

butt connectors are sooo much easier imo and actually stronger than a soldered connection.

+1

[FlyWire]

butt connectors are sooo much easier IMO and actually stronger than a soldered connection.

negative sir, butt connectors are NOT stronger. They come loose from vibrations and such, I see it ALL the time. Solder is the only way to do it RIGHT.

[DBR Customs]

Found a stock navi unit on ebay, would that be a good option? Price seems more reasonable than a Pioneer but if the difference is that significant I would be willing to save up for something aftermarket. Any opinions?

EBAY UNIT

It's not actually a stock unit, it's a unit ment to be stock looking and fit factory-ish, if you look at the sellers other items, they have several oe type units but they're not. HERE is what a factory navi option looks like.

negative sir, butt connectors are NOT stronger. They come loose from vibrations and such, I see it ALL the time. Solder is the only way to do it RIGHT.

+1 solder and heat shrink is always better.

[chrismartin]

If you have an iPhone the pioneer avic z series is pretty sweet. I have the z120bt. The pandora streaming is great and I can use the avic iPhone app which uses google maps to find addresses and Bluetooth sync them to the head unit for navigation. Keeps me from having to hand enter addresses in using the head unit. I also bought the adapter that lets me use the steering wheel controls.
It will also stream video from the iPhone as well. Nice head unit. I wish the Bluetooth hands free were a bit better. It sounds very hollow on the other end and hard to hear. That can be attributed to the car as well though. Lots of exhaust noise and no sound deadening (yet). Next on the list is some dynomat or similar and a windscreen for the bt microphone.