[dgm]

I traded in a 2004.5 Cummins Turbo Diesel truck for my '07 GTI. In that truck I had an alpine head unit that interfaced directly with my iPod. Worked pretty darn well.

In the GTI, I've come to learn that the iPod cable alone is $170. ...ridiculous. ...and worse, that the functionality at the head unit is horrible. So, I'm not sure what I should do. I'm looking for advice from those who've done it and have more experience than I with modern car audio systems.

1. buy a iPod interface from VW and suck it up
2. install my Alpine head unit (or something similar) in the GTI and hope for an installation kit to be produced by Crutchfield sometime in the near future.
3. go with something like the ...looks pretty cool for $99Harmon-Kardon Drive-n-Play
4. ...or is there another option that I'm missing?

 

[dgm]

I'm not finding the Monster iDrive... got a link?

Regarding the fit kit from Crutchfield... Crutchfield.com doesn't even list the '07 GTI as an option. How did you order a kit?

 

[dgm]

Did you install it all yourself? Sounds like a very impressive system. I also spend ALOT of time in my car; a minimum of 4 hours/day. So, the whole install kit is the same as the '06 New Jetta huh?

If I sold my Alpine head unit, what would you recommend as a head unit instead?

thanks!
-daniel

 

[dgm]

lol... thanks Dr. Jones. I'm sure you're not an idiot. Whiterabbit, do you have a picture of how your alpine looks in your GTI? I'm just curious how the crutchfield kit looks on the dash.

thanks!

 

[dgm]

That looks identical to my head unit. I think my alpine is the CDA-9856. It looks good I think. That extra space underneath could be useful too. Is that part of the kit from Crutchfield?

 

[dgm]

I think you should sell your iPod; I personally hate them myself.

Thank you for your incredibly useful input. I'm sorry that you "personally hate them yourself," but I happen to love my iPod and its not going to be sold. If I put up a poll in the future though, asking whether or not I should sell my iPod, be sure you respond to that one! ;D ....just giving you a hard time mate.

 

[dgm]

WhiteRabbit... two more questions; does the sirius sat radio and the steering wheel controls work with your alpine unit installed?

 

[dgm]

Anyone know if the Sirius SAT radio and the steering wheel controls will work if I put the alpine unit in? I've got sirius now, with the stock unit. Will it still function with the Alpine or will I have to do other stuff?

thanks,

 

[dgm]

So, the add on SAT box made for the Alpine just plugs in and hangs behind the head unit or do I have to somehow connect it to the factory ant. equipment?

 

[dgm]

WhiteRabbit.

... Here is a Dice that works and allows you to keep the steering wheel controls: http://enfigcarstereo.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/DICE_I_VW_R.html

I'm thinking that I'll still put my alpine in though and just buy the SAT adapter box.

Would you mind telling me the item #'s from Crutchfield for the:
mounting kit, ant. Adapter and wiring harness? Since Crutchfield doesn't actually list the '07 GTI, I just want to make sure I"m ordering the right parts.

thanks man,

 

[dgm]

mlehrian, I just bought mine a couple weeks ago too. Check this out:
http://myfastgti.com/vwgti/index.php/topic,812.msg7296.html#msg7296

 

[dgm]

Unfortunately the auxiliary input is a new feature on the 2007 GTIs and mine is a 2006 (though I did get a kickin' deal and scored the headlamp washers which are gone from the 2007 model).

To my wishlist in my last post, also please add a WiFi-enabled iPod dock such that I can leave my iPod in the car all the time and sync it with iTunes overnight while it's sitting in my driveway. ;D

I've got the headlamp washers on my 2007.

 

[dgm]

I have a 2007. I have Xenons. I have headlamp washers.

 

[dgm]

Actually, I'm gonna agree with NIKO. Once I put a crapload of music on 6 MP3 CDs, and loaded them in, I gave my iPod to my g/f and never looked back. At first I was sad that I couldn't use my iPod, but in the end, it didn't really matter...

Get yourself 6 CD-RWs, and you're set for life!

Except that:

1. unless you're buying archival quality CDs, they have a relatively short lifespan and fail unexpectedly (not that an ipod can't).
2. how do CD's automatically update your podcasts for the next days drive?
3. Who wants to sit around creating playlists and burning CDs everytime you want a new set of tunes? Plug your iPod in and be done with it.

Podcasts and audio books are primarily what I use my iPod for. If I want music, I have it there as well, but I also have Sirius.

 

[dgm]

3. Who wants to sit around creating playlists and burning CDs everytime you want a new set of tunes? Plug your iPod in and be done with it.

I don't think it's as daunting as you make it sound. 6 CDs hold a lot of mp3 files. I categorize mine by using a different genre for each disc.

What??? How can sitting in front of your computer, organizing 6 CDs of songs into genres and then loading each CD, waiting 5 minutes for each CD to burn and finalize, and then loading all 6 CD's back into your car's dash even come close in comparison to plugging in my iPod and walking away. Then coming back whenever I feel like it, unplugging the iPod and Plugging it back into my car. Seriously? I spend about 5 minutes total updating every song, PodCast, News, Audiobooks, etc. on my 30GB of iPod.

...I'm not trying to promote apple or anything. Personally, I'm a PC guy, but apple truly has a nice product with the iPod in my opinion.

 

[dgm]

Yeah, I agree. The 6-Disc in-dash mp3 CD changers are cool, but to be totally honest, I've driven my '07 almost 11,000 mile and I've only used the CD player once... for maybe an hour. Its slow to change discs and no one has an answer for the podcast question yet. Your CD's can't automatically update your RSS feeds for you.

If I didn't have an iPod though, I'd probably be all over the mp3 cd changer.

 

[dgm]

I came to my senses and decided that a thousand dollars on a car stereo was not a good way to spend money...

I guess i'll just by a new DLO FM cradle for my new iPod......at least I'll get it in black.......

Oh no! not an FM deal. Surely you can do better than that. You were just about to drop a grand on a head unit and suddenly you go for an FM system???