HU for a gen5 camry

[bastion]

Looking for suggestions on a new headunit that will look smoove in my gen5 camry. My only requirements are that it has to have an aux input, none of this optional with an adapter sold separately crap, and $200 (US) or less would be preferred. So any suggestions?

[bewshy]

Let us know if you find one. I was looking around but couldnt find a single thing that would look good.

[1babygirl]

what trim line do you have?
if you have the manual temperature controls you have a lot more options with matching and such.

the new sony head that you can downloads images to is visually appealing to me, but that's out of your requested range and has some issues with quality, so i've been told by our experts here at tn.

what about getting a crutchfield catalog? they have pictures of all the headunits and a pretty comprehensive list of the specs on each one.

[bastion]

well, from talking ot a guy today about HU quality and dependability, it seems like Pioneer or Alpine is the way to go (though he admitted that ever since Alpine started selling to places like Circuit City, their quality has gone down). He was basing this off of what brands he's sold and which ones come back in with problems. Said sony was a big no no for HU's. So now I'm looking primarily at pioneers I think. Like the new MP3 one with the two moving faces, but $500+ is a tad much. Maybe one of the black ones with silver knobs and green backlights. Would match the green lighting of the control panel and clock.

oh, and I have the beige/tan trim.

[Stealth]

Check out the Clarion line on eBay. Most are CD/MP3 and some are for under $200. I got the second "best" one (mine actually better than the best one cause the best one doesn't support MP3/WMA) for $260. I think the model under the one I got is about $200 but I'm really not sure.

[96CamryDX]

I do agree on the quality of APLINE is going down!!! I had two and they both broke...It was the kind that flipped out from the dash and then after 2 weeks exactly (on both) all the bottons stopped working on it, and the blue and red backlights turned purple.....since the buttons stopped working I couldn't eject my cd and couldn't turn it down or off so I had to send it back with the cd player but crutchfield sent it back to me along with a new free of charger cd player (same model), but the same thing happened....and I had to go without a jack johnson and MM cd for like 2 weeks.....opposite music I know....needless to say by the time after a month and 1/2 had passed I was dead tired of installing and removing 3 cd players and ended up with a pansonic

[camry_dude]

Personally, i like my sony head unit. It has a motorized faceplate and I have had it for about two years now. Not one problem and I love all the different options. Just my 0.02 cents

[Mighty~Mart]

i'm thinking about getting the Pioneer CD/MP3 player.. what do you guys think?



plus i'm adding in a 12" kicker impluse.

unfortunately this aux input is optional...

what are you looking to use it for anyways?

[SKYravefever]

I like the 8400/840 since it would look great with a Gen5 SE's metallic gauges.

[bastion]

Originally posted by Mighty~Mart
i'm thinking about getting the Pioneer CD/MP3 player.. what do you guys think?

plus i'm adding in a 12" kicker impluse.

unfortunately this aux input is optional...

what are you looking to use it for anyways?

I like that one, just more money that I want to spend. Plus, don't care about the MP3 compatability anyway. MP3 quality audio blows my left nut. I'm mainly looking to put in an aftermarket HU that has a good quality aux input, not an optional one. Want it for my DVD/PS2 system. The FM modulator I'm using now with the OEM stereo blows.

[bastion]

I decided to go with the one you got Stealth, the Clarion DXZ835MP. Looks nice, can pick whatever color I want to match the interior, has inputs right on the unit with no adapter needed, dual 24-bit DAC (yummie), sub control, motorized/detachable face, and only $230 on Ebay.

[bastion]

Hey Stealth, I installed my new clarion tonight. Went well with the harness and mounting kit from Crutchfield. I noticed when you were installing yours you had two orange dimmer wires you were trying to connect? Well, Clarion must have fixed things cause no there is only one. Everything went fine till I realized I had left a CD in my old OEM HU. So I had to hook it back up and get it out. :p Anyway, you were right, it's a great unit. Might pick up the TV tuner to go with it later, since I don't always want to have to pick out a DVD to watch something.

[Mighty~Mart]

any pics? sounds like you got a great deal!~

[Stealth]

Hey cool. I didn't even know about the aux in when I bought it. I have this adapter that came with my bro's old discman that turns a headphone input into RCAs, so on very rare occasions my friend can hook up his iPod (he drives a 3.2 TL so we normally drive around in that). I think the problem was more with the Toyota Wiring Harness. So Toyota got rid of one (or more) unnecessary wire(s). I'd like to see some pics of your install, I bet it looks great.

[bastion]

*Wishing I had a Digicam*

Oh yea, and it did get rid of my problems with the engine noise being picked up from the FM Modulator. Nothing but clean sound now when I use the PS2.