Factory Sirius radio vs aftermarket?

3646 Views 20 Replies 15 Participants Last post by chiromike, Dec 8, 2006

HiOfficer

Discussion Starter · Nov 29, 2006

I'm considering the dealer-installed Sirius option, it's $350-450 depending on markup. I'm not expert on car audio systems and kept the radio off on my test drive. The dealer says the factory system integrates better than an aftermarket box, and I could presumable include it into the financing.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

Dekz

· #2 · Nov 29, 2006

Get an audiolink and an iPod. FAR superior. :yesnod:

brandcd

· #3 · Nov 29, 2006

don't get it the reception is flaky at best or you'll be sitting listening to dead air for 5 min while it aquires signal. some sort of clitch that came up with the factory sat. system they are supposed to be working on a fix, but right now for me it is dead and worthless...

PS make sure your CD is MP3 Compatable if it doesn't say it on the head unit it isn't, don't believe the dealer if he says it is and you don't see the tag on the head unit. (learned the hard way

)

franchize

· #4 · Nov 29, 2006

Order it online from Trussville Mazda. They have a great deal on it. I love it, could be happier. It makes my wonder wtf I was doing wasting my time with FM modulation BS.

http://trussville.buymazdaparts.com/index....p;modelcode=MPV

11psiGSR

· #5 · Nov 29, 2006

don't get it the reception is flaky at best or you'll be sitting listening to dead air for 5 min while it aquires signal. some sort of clitch that came up with the factory sat. system they are supposed to be working on a fix, but right now for me it is dead and worthless...
[/b]

Where is your antenna located? This tends to be one of the most common issues with sat radio in general (XM or Sirius). It should only be mounted on the rear decklid (trunk) or roof. Anywhere else and you are begging for reception issues.

I have the factory tuner and it works fine. The display on the stock head unit sucks... it only shows 8 characters at a time. Plus, if you add the factory Sirius tuner your iPod integration options become more limited.

Hindsight I would probably go aftermarket and do a really good job of hiding it.

HiOfficer

Discussion Starter · #6 · Nov 29, 2006

don't get it the reception is flaky at best or you'll be sitting listening to dead air for 5 min while it aquires signal. some sort of clitch that came up with the factory sat. system they are supposed to be working on a fix, but right now for me it is dead and worthless...

PS make sure your CD is MP3 Compatable if it doesn't say it on the head unit it isn't, don't believe the dealer if he says it is and you don't see the tag on the head unit. (learned the hard way )
[/b]

I thought that all the 06's are not MP3 compatible, it was one of those little things that are 3/4 finished on the car. You mean some are & some are not?

franchize

· #7 · Nov 29, 2006

I thought that all the 06's are not MP3 compatible, it was one of those little things that are 3/4 finished on the car. You mean some are & some are not?
[/b]

MP3 cd player is an option, sometimes the salesman states the car already has it, when it doesnt. The only way to no is to denote the MP3 logo on the headunit.

rspitts

· #8 · Nov 29, 2006

I'm considering the dealer-installed Sirius option, it's $350-450 depending on markup. I'm not expert on car audio systems and kept the radio off on my test drive. The dealer says the factory system integrates better than an aftermarket box, and I could presumable include it into the financing.
[/b]

Luv mine; never had a problem. Never tried the aftermarket, so can't comment.

franchize

· #9 · Nov 29, 2006

Where is your antenna located? This tends to be one of the most common issues with sat radio in general (XM or Sirius). It should only be mounted on the rear decklid (trunk) or roof. Anywhere else and you are begging for reception issues.

I have the factory tuner and it works fine. The display on the stock head unit sucks... it only shows 8 characters at a time. Plus, if you add the factory Sirius tuner your iPod integration options become more limited.

Hindsight I would probably go aftermarket and do a really good job of hiding it.
[/b]

If the display is such an issue, why would get an aftermarket unit and hide it?

I'd rather have the funtionality of the steering wheel to change channels, and be able to quickly change channels on the HU, rather than having to dig for the damn unit in the center console. (I did this before I got the OEM unit.)

Plus it looks soo much cleaner with it OEM style.

digger10t

· #10 · Nov 29, 2006

I suggest the Sylfex auxmod and an aftermarket Sirius radio. I have my antenna mounted at the bottom of the passenger A-pillar in front of the airbag. It's very discreet and gets good reception.

Also, to secure the radio in the top map compartment, I purchased a single din plate and affixed it to the back of the compartment. All in all, it was super easy, very clean, no exposed wires, and the sound is crystal clear.

Sorry for the fuzzy picture.

Edit: If you have Nav, I would suggest one of the smaller models which I believe fits in the ashtray, can't remember the exact model name now. edit.. SIRIUS STARBASE

[attachmentid=17446]

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need4$peed6

· #11 · Nov 29, 2006

I suggest the Sylfex auxmod and an aftermarket Sirius radio. I have my antenna mounted at the bottom of the passenger A-pillar in front of the airbag. It's very discreet and gets good reception.

Also, to secure the radio in the top map compartment, I purchased a single din plate and affixed it to the back of the compartment. All in all, it was super easy, very clean, no exposed wires, and the sound is crystal clear.

Sorry for the fuzzy picture.

Edit: If you have Nav, I would suggest one of the smaller models which I believe fits in the ashtray, can't remember the exact model name now.

[attachmentid=17446]
[/b]

That looks nice. It wasn't a hassle was it to run the wires?

tuckbar

· #12 · Nov 29, 2006

I went for the Mazda unit since I had an aftermarket in my previous car and hated the way it took up too much space. However, the aftermarket units usually have a bunch of features that just aren's available on (nearly every mfr's) oem statelite unit. Things like; alerting you when a "favorite song" come on a different channel, more information on the display, etc.

The aftermarket unit's are far superior, and far cheaper, however, I still payed the $300 for the OEM unit simply for the simple fact that I didn't want to take up any space and wanted the steering wheel controls to be able to change the channel.

My vote is for the OEM unit.

BTW, the installation was pretty easy.

digger10t

· #13 · Nov 29, 2006

That looks nice. It wasn't a hassle was it to run the wires? [/b]

No, it was actually quite easy to do the install. I followed a walk-through on removing the center console, and spliced power off the cigarette lighter with a second cigarette style plug with an extra fuse for safety. When you remove the top map compartment, it's quite obvious where there is room to run the wires right in between the vents. I simply drilled a small hole in the bottom of the map compartment, hatched a slit in the mini-rug, and dropped the wires down.

For the antenna, I had the wire come out under the glove box and I ran it up the door molding to the front of the dashboard, also very easy to do.

People assume that the install was professionally done, so that is a nice credit to how clean it can come out looking. It's too bad Sirius doesn't use amber like XM else it would look even better. I know it is hard to tell in the picture, but the unit actually sits right against the back of the compartment, not forward as the picture sort of shows. Also, when the compartment is shut, the blue light doesn't leak out at all, and it doesn't get too hot in there.

As for the steering wheel controls, I can't change the station (I use the remote control for that), but I can control volume, mute, and mode selection as the auxmod runs through the headunit directly.

See less See more

JoeyC

· #14 · Nov 29, 2006

I had an aftermarket unit from my last car that I transferred over to this one and had placed it in the center arm rest. While things worked fine the reception was nowhere near as good through the FM modulation (decreased sound quality and picking up other transmissions over the FM frequency).

I ended up getting a new OEM unit online for under 300 shipped. Reception has been great as well as sound quality. Unfortunately, there is an issue with the artist listing where it does not clear the previous artist name before entering the new artist...but I got over it.

Took me well under 2 hours to run the full installation myself...and Sirius did give me the 6 months free subscription. Well worth the OEM unit just to use the steering wheel controls as stated.

Dadasracecar

· #15 · Nov 29, 2006

Have the same dilemma. I had a SIRIUS Starmate in my old car and now can't live without it. I just threw it in the upper navigation compartment (don't have nav) and ran the cig lighter plug to the ashtray. Looks like crap with the plug in the ashtray. Here's the interesting thing, the antenna is IN THE COMPARTMENT with the radio and it works. THere is absolutely zero line of sight because I keep the lid closed yet it gets perfect reception.
I still haven't decided between the two but am leaning toward the mazda unit. This works though until I get ready to drop the three bills... Just add it to the list... CAI, TMIC, Tint, Wheels, Sirius. Sh!t just keeps getting longer...

onrails

· #16 · Nov 29, 2006

I'm in the same boat. Had the car at the dealership twice trying to fix this problem. They said the same thing, that sirius and mazda were working on the fix. I rarely get any reception. I am going to wait a bit more, then take it back to the dealership and ask them to replace the HU, and the Sirius receiver (Antenna). If it still doesn't work, I am going to demand a check for $400 to refund me the cost of that option. They can yank everything out for all I care. And if they leave a scuff where the antenna is located on the trunk lid, they will fix that!

I'm interested to hear from everyone that has their sirius working on their MS6. Is it the regular HU, or the MP3 HU?

don't get it the reception is flaky at best or you'll be sitting listening to dead air for 5 min while it aquires signal. some sort of clitch that came up with the factory sat. system they are supposed to be working on a fix, but right now for me it is dead and worthless...

PS make sure your CD is MP3 Compatable if it doesn't say it on the head unit it isn't, don't believe the dealer if he says it is and you don't see the tag on the head unit. (learned the hard way )
[/b]

franchize

· #17 · Nov 29, 2006

I'm in the same boat. Had the car at the dealership twice trying to fix this problem. They said the same thing, that sirius and mazda were working on the fix. I rarely get any reception. I am going to wait a bit more, then take it back to the dealership and ask them to replace the HU, and the Sirius receiver (Antenna). If it still doesn't work, I am going to demand a check for $400 to refund me the cost of that option. They can yank everything out for all I care. And if they leave a scuff where the antenna is located on the trunk lid, they will fix that!

I'm interested to hear from everyone that has their sirius working on their MS6. Is it the regular HU, or the MP3 HU?
[/b]

I have the stock HU, works great, installed it myself. Antenna is on the roof under the sharkfin.

dsulli37

· #18 · Nov 29, 2006

I bought it and installed it myself on my wife's 2006 5 and it works great!

brandcd

· #19 · Nov 30, 2006

I'm in the same boat. Had the car at the dealership twice trying to fix this problem. They said the same thing, that sirius and mazda were working on the fix. I rarely get any reception. I am going to wait a bit more, then take it back to the dealership and ask them to replace the HU, and the Sirius receiver (Antenna). If it still doesn't work, I am going to demand a check for $400 to refund me the cost of that option. They can yank everything out for all I care. And if they leave a scuff where the antenna is located on the trunk lid, they will fix that!

I'm interested to hear from everyone that has their sirius working on their MS6. Is it the regular HU, or the MP3 HU?
[/b]

pretty sure he is only asking for the dealer-installed factory unit... but if you can stand the dead air after 5 - 10 min it will start to work even with the flaky reception. and thats not saying mine didn't work great for the first few weeks.

Cary

· #20 · Dec 1, 2006

I’ve had Sirius Satellite Radio for three year. It was installed in the M-6’s sunglass holder.

Pictures and info are available at http://www.cardomain.com/id/caryb

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