Showing posts with label changing a car battery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label changing a car battery. Show all posts

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Husky Liners Classic Style Custom Fit Molded Front Floor Liner for Select Dodge Durango/Dakota Mode

Husky Liners Classic Style Custom Fit Molded Front Floor Liner for Select Dodge Durango/Dakota ModelsI purchased a set for my Dakota and was disappointed in the appearance and quality. The mats appear to be manufactured by taking a sheet of thin polyethelyne (or a similar material) and stamping out the approximate shape needed to fit the vehicle's floor. Then the "raised lip" is apparently placed around this sheet and fused in place. This process is evidently very sloppy, the effect is almost as if black roofing cement has been brushed over the seams. The machinery or molds that form the sheet also seem to be badly worn and/or dirty...the liners are spotted with many small bits of debris, and some of the "diamond plate" pattern is badly distorted, as if it was damaged by heat during the process of fusing the two pieces together. None of this sloppiness was evident in the photos on the manufacturer's website or brochure. I worked in a plastics factory years ago and we NEVER would have let anything that looked like this be shipped to a customer.

Great product! Fits good in my 02 Dakota. Great for winter catching the snow and for other conditions for dirt and dust. I have tried other floor mats but these are my choice.

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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

HELLA 5750941 500FF Series 12-Volt/55-Watt Halogen Driving Lamp Kit (Fun Cubed)

HELLA 5750941 500FF Series 12-Volt/55-Watt Halogen Driving Lamp KitI installed these lights on a Saab 900SE next to a set of KC Pencil Beam driving lights. While they are not the quality of the KC lights, they are nevertheless reasonable quality and VERY good value for the money.

Install was typical no easier or harder than installing any other brand.

Light output with 55 watt bulbs is EXCELLENT with a TIGHT, LONG RANGE BEAM. Not quite as focused as the KCs but there isn't much in it -and the light output seems as bright as the KCs with 100 watt bulbs.

Because the housing is plastic I have not run the Hella's with 100 watt or 130 watt bulbs, I may give it a try during the winter.

For me the wiring harness was a little light -especially since I commonly use 100 watts bulbs, but so long as you use a relay to switch the lights and keep the runs short it will be more than adequate but I'm an "overkill" type when it comes to wiring so I replaced the harnesses with #12 Tefzel (aircraft) wire for each light and everything is relay switched with very short cable runs.

I would certainly buy them again and will probably replace the KCs with the Hellas next time a rock takes them out. The Hella kit with two lights cost less than one replacement lens for the KC

Summary Excellent lighting, fair quality construction, great value for money.

I bought these to replace the factory fog lamps on my wifes 2004 Subaru Forester, which were trashed from 130K of hard use. Had to do some "creative engineering" to get them to fit into the holes in the front bumper but they came out great! The wiring instructions are a little bit hard to follow and mt lights didn't include them in the package (downloaded the PDF ) Once I puzzled them out the wiring harness is well thought out and made installing the light pretty bomb-proof. I highly recommend these for daily, on-road use.

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Ok, the 500FF driving lights are a good design in how it projects the light in front of the vehicle. I have been driving with Hellas in both my cars and 4x4s since 1985. They make damn good driving lights both on and off-road. I say that the 500s in stock form do a nice job in the city. However, if you do any off-roading and these are the only auxilary lights you have then I would recommend upgrading the bulbs to a 100W or 130W. Of course the modification will make them unusable in city driving.

Personally I have adopted these as fog lights with crystal ion fog bulbs from PIAA. The PIAA bulbs and Hella 500s are a perfect match and work great in snow and dense fog. I don't like the conventional fog lights because the light pattern spreads too much light above the hood which is not needed.

I have a FJ Cruiser with a grill guard where these puppies are mounted on the lower crossmember close to the ground. This is the best place for them. However, the pair of 500s are not enough to illuminate the back roads of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where I drive at night. If you want to get excellent illumination I HIGHLY recommend the Hella Rallye 4000s with the Hella 130W optional bulbs. I have these mounted above the 500s on the top crossmember of the brush guard (same height as the factory headlights) . When you turn the 4000s on at night I will guarantee you that you will see EVERYTHING in front of the vehicle to 1/2 mile!

Read Best Reviews of HELLA 5750941 500FF Series 12-Volt/55-Watt Halogen Driving Lamp Kit (Fun Cubed) Here

I recently installed these on the grill guard on my '99 Suburban, and they are awesome. This mounting puts them a bit above the bumper and in the center of the truck, right in front of the grill. From this vantage point, they have a great beam pattern, with a very long tube of light that extends a long way down the road, which still having a good sturdy mount with an unobstructed view of the road, while still being somewhat protected by the grill guard assembly. They throw light a very long distance and wide enough to cover the road "down range", which is exactly what driving lights are supposed to do.

Take the time to adjust the aim properly and make sure you have a sturdy mount. Any shaking is very apparent when the light is illuminating the road 1/2+ mile away. As for aim, when using driving lights, the goal is to get the light down-range and not right in front of you. Your eyes will adjust so you can see items further out, and any bright spots on the pavement right in front of you will can become very distracting and hinder your long-range visibility. Some folks perceive this as the area immediately in front of the vehicle as being "too dark" and try to aim the lamps lower to compensate. Don't do this. Get the adjustment right so that light goes down range without illuminating the sky instead of the road. These lights are supposed to be used when you are on high beams, not for normal around town driving, so adjust them as such. I have these wired to come on with my high beams, and they work great that way. It does however, mean that the person who cuts me off and get high-beamed is in for a shock I might give the back of their head a suntan. :-)

Be prepared for any reflective signage to be very bright when these lights are on, especially signs that are normally out of the range of your normal headlights. These lights are bright enough to really catch the reflective coatings on road signs and the signs will at first appear unnaturally bright. This is goodness because it lets you see signs very far in advance of what you normally can, but depending on the roads you drive and your specific vehicle mounting, there may be a few signs you find that are capable of reflecting a lot of light back at you, especially the yellow diamond signs found on lots of secondary roads. This is nothing wrong with the driving lights, just something I was not quite prepared for when upgrading the very low-output factory lighting on my '99 Suburban...

I used my own custom switch, relay, and wiring setup, so I can't comment on the wiring kit that comes with these lights. It looks like a reasonable wiring setup and has good instructions if you are used to doing any wiring. I just wanted a more custom install on my rig with switches that were better integrated into my dashboard and to use a custom wiring harness to drive all of my improved lighting (fog lights, driving lights, relay kit on factory headlamps, and extra back-up lights) without having a mess of wiring all over the place. For just adding one set of lights, the wiring kit that comes with these lights should be just fine.

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With the stock 55W bulb, the light is a bit dim, however they are cheap, seem well constructed and serve their purpose. Im planning in changing the bulbs to 100W, i've seen some and are way brighter.

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Thursday, August 14, 2014

Rockford Fosgate RFT1 1/0 AWG Set Screw Ring Terminal Pair

Rockford Fosgate RFT1 1/0 AWG Set Screw Ring Terminal Pair
  • Platinum plated
  • Set screw termination
  • Positive and negative indicators
  • Low profile design for ease of installation
  • Includes pair in each package

These do what they are supposed to do, but the price is a bit steep for what i would consider them being worth. Its a screw and a ring... not worth 10 dollars a piece unless you need them for visual appearence.

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These are a lot heavier than I expected and are excellent quality but the tongue is a lot thicker than I expected and made it harder to connect to the battery than I wanted. I am not sure how well the set screw will hold over time and it is hard to get the oxygen free cable in them because the cable and the lug hole are the same size.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

High Grade Alcatel OT-995 Robust Dash Stand Holder / Windshield Rotating Cradle Car Mount (for use

High Grade Alcatel OT-995 Robust Dash Stand Holder / Windshield Rotating Cradle Car MountI recieved my purchase as promised on time. I've used it this week and so far it has worked very well. It holds my Alcatel OT-995 with a soft case on it does not fall out or slips off . Very happy with it.

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Friday, July 11, 2014

Husky Liners Classic Style Custom Fit Molded Front Floor Liner for Select Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ Mo

Husky Liners Classic Style Custom Fit Molded Front Floor Liner for Select Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ ModelsHusky makes a fine product. These are the best liners made, hands down! They are not mats but rather they are liners. They have an edge that is turned up to contain any spills, mud, or anything else that might tend to run off the edge. They get dirty, you dump them out, hose them off, and you are done.

They stay in place very well and are molded to fit your car or truck. The tan ones matched my girlfriends jeep perfect. She loves them

These are the very best liners I have seen. Husky makes the very best as far as we are concerned. Had the same kind in the other jeep and forgot to take them out when we sold it! Great item--shipped very quickly.

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Sunday, April 27, 2014

Schumacher BT-100 100 amp Battery Load Tester

Schumacher BT-100 100 amp Battery Load TesterThis device is a carbon pile load tester.

A carbon pile load tester works by applying a calibrated load to the battery (the load is essentially a large carbon resistor that heats up when voltage is applied).

To properly test using this method, the battery must be at least 75% charged. A good battery should be able to supply half its cold cranking amps (CCA) rating for 15 seconds without dropping below 9.5 volts (if you want to test batteries that are not fully charged you'll need to purchase an electronic tester which tests by measuring the internal resistance of the battery.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: This unit (by design) will get hot and might initially produce some smoke if there is any foreign matter on the resistor element.

Remember, this unit is a carbon pile testerin other words, uses a thick carbon resistor to apply a heavy load across the battery terminals to load test the battery. Works flawlessly from the first, and I use this unit daily in my lawnmower shop it is a huge time-saver over "test by elimination" methods, and has successfully tested several dozen batteries and going strong. As long as unit is maintained (keep it clean and in a toolbox where dust won't settle on the carbon resistors) you'll be happy to have this unit in your shop. If you leave it out or splatter oil on it, obviously it will smoke as the debris burns off from the hot carbon pile resistor.

It does not test a discharged battery (but if a 12V battery does not have 12 volts, even after charging, it's obviously bad) but a quick charge from a charger and a quick, very brief load test to burn off surface charge easily lets me know whether to continue charging the battery or condemn it right away.

For a small shop that does not need the advanced features of a resistance circuit computerized battery tester, this unit is well worth the investment. (we use different procedures for charging system testing, depending on the equipment being serviced, so it is not always possible to test these charging systems we work with with an advanced computerized unit, so.. )

Only complaint I have with this unit is the cables are maybe a little short, and quite stiff. It'd be nicer if the cables at least had more flexibility to them, or were about 6 to 10 inches longer some places it is a little clumsy to hook it on to the battery, while holding up the tractor seat at the same time, and other places the battery is slightly recessed. smaller clamps to fit in tight spots, and more flexible cables, and this unit would be *perfection*

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Besides checking batteries on my car and truck I have several other deep cycle batteries for RV and other purposes. This unit provides an easy and quick way to know if the batteries are healthy and expected to last awhile. Yes, the tester did smoke slightly during it's first use, but it's expected to 'burn in' when new, like a muffler on a new car. The BT-100 looks and feels like a quality piece of equipment, is handy to have around and a good buy from Amazon.

Read Best Reviews of Schumacher BT-100 100 amp Battery Load Tester Here

I purchased one of these from Amazon about a month ago. My issue...I have an on-board battery charger in my bass boat, so I simply plug in from a remote plug and end up not checking/maintaining my three boat batteries as often as I should. So, when I went to use the boat the first time this year, I did check the water level in my starting battery and found it low (below the top of the plates). I had charged it to put away last year, but wasn't sure if I should trust it this year. So I ordered this, followed the instructions to load test the battery, and found it good. Without this, I would have probably just bought a new battery "to be safe". So save one battery. I have also used it to test the JD lawn tractor battery, the battery for my wood splitter, my trolling motor batteries, and both my vehicle batteries. I also keep a couple spare 12v batteries. One tested bad, so I could dispose of that, otherwise I may have just had that sitting around and kept trying to keep it periodically topped off with a 2A trickle charger.

So, I figure it has already paid for itself, and I'm a light user. Now my brother can check his batteries too. Yes, I recommend!

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i have use several like this, my snap-on one broke and was going to cost me 5 time what i paid for this one to fix it !

great in all shops. I use mine on anything that got a battery;golfcarts ,farm tractors, equipment, you name it.

good tool for the money and it is nice to trouble shoot the charging system.

the only bad i wish the cables were a foot longer, but only in some instances.

great tool -great price a++++++

thanks rusty

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Friday, March 14, 2014

Odyssey 34/78-PC1500DT Automotive and LTV Battery

Odyssey 34/78-PC1500DT Automotive and LTV BatteryThis battery is not cheap by any means but this is definitely not a case of false advertising. I have two in a Dodge Ram 2500 (diesel) and there is not a single bit of engine start hesitation even on the coldest of days. I live in Virginia so we are not talking about arctic conditions but all I can say is that they have operated flawlessly for the last four years without a single hiccup. Thanks for a great product.

The battery reads 12.86 VDC after six months sitting and the battery's age is over two years old. Any other battery technology would have been dead by now. Talk about maintenance free!!!!! No charging necessary. I used Optima before Odyssey came on the market. Even an Optima would have been dead after six months. Investment wasted. I see no reason why this battery will not last for ten years plus. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!!!

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This battery works as described! Its worth every cent you pay for it.

I have 2000 watts of JL Audio amps in my truck and this battery keeps

up all day long!

Read Best Reviews of Odyssey 34/78-PC1500DT Automotive and LTV Battery Here

The battery was great, with lots of cranking power. No problems until one day the truck wouldn't start. The top posts showed plenty of voltage on the meter, but apparently the bonding to the positive side terminal broke internally, and this one was connected to my starting system, so guess what... no go. The side terminals have a design flaw because they should be better supported to prevent this kind of separation. Since I need both positive terminals in my set-up, this was a big problem for me.

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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Sheenroad Accessory Kit Car Mount Holder and Car Charger for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 II N7100

Sheenroad Accessory Kit Car Mount Holder and Car Charger for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 II N7100Bought it to hold my note 2 so I cld see the gps on it more safely and it held up great on the 2000 mile trip. It only fell off the window twice and that was when I was removing the phone with one hand.

I would have given this a 5 of 5 but although the window mount is amazing the car charger broke after the first use. Which is fine I didnt buy it for that. And I cant really complain for 7 dollars. I will buy again if this one goes bad sell got it to me within 4 days I was pleasantly surprised.

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2008 08 Chrysler Town and Country Remote & Key Combo - 7 Button

2008 08 Chrysler Town and Country Remote & Key Combo - 7 ButtonMy key was in new condition, quick shipping, and exactly what I wanted at a great savings! Discount Keyless handled the order professionally and my local dealer didn't ask questions he just charged for the formatting of the key to my vehicle. So that you don't scratch your new key like I did mine, I can assure you the battery is included and fully functioning.

I ordered this item, had some issues, and I contacted the seller directly. They were extremely helpful, and completely resolved my issues. The key works great, and it was a great value.

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Programming was easy and a local "Depot" cut the key for free. I would definitely do this again!! Great Deal.

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Was awesome to find this. Dealer wanted to charge $200 per key and then $50 to program. I bought 2 keys and took them to the dealer and they programmed them both for $50. I got 2 keys for less than the dealer was charging for 2. Super fast shipping as well!

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very good product; I am very satisfied thank you very much Arrived perfectly well with close I will return to order other products

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter and Car Vehicle Charger for the Sandisk Sansa Clip Zip - Uses G

2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter and Car Vehicle Charger for the Sandisk Sansa Clip Zip - Uses Gomadic TipExchange Technology
  • Transmitters emit a powerful FM signal that is the maximum allowed by FCC regulation. Advanced signal isolation provides crystal clear sound quality.
  • Smart technology circuit architecture provides precision voltage and resistor regulation specific to the Sandisk Sansa Clip Zip. Protects the internal battery longevity by modulating the charge in a safe and efficient manner.
  • Full FM frequency spectrum is available and is user selectable in 0.1MHz increments from 88.1 to 107.9 MHz. Advanced Digital PLL sound coding maintains stable and high quality sound.
  • Product is designed to last and is backed by our Gomadic Lifetime Warranty. Buy with confidence!
  • Non-coiled cable design allows for easy routing around your vehicle trim for a more professional look. Durable construction is built to last.

Very clear signal but you cannot charge and play at the same time unless you like a nice squealing sound. i should have heeded the other reviews but i didn't

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When I got this item, I followed the instructions, and it did not work. I looked on the internet and saw a tip to not plug in the automatic charger while using it to play music. It works fine doing it that way. I was able to find a station on 88.3 fm. I can charge my player overnight. I am liking the ability to play music from my Sandisk MP3.

Read Best Reviews of 2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter and Car Vehicle Charger for the Sandisk Sansa Clip Zip - Uses G Here

For me this FM transmitter is coming through clear as crystal with no interferance.This is my 1st purchase of a transmitter and I'm glad I chose this one.The only surprise was that when I plugged the charger cord into the clip zip it would stop playing.But that's no biggie,I just plug it in at night so it's good to go the next day.In fact my Samsung phone charger fits the Clip Zip! How cool is that?This is my 1st mp3 player as well,so I'm just enjoying myself all the way around.Buy this transmitter!

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

METRA Ltd GBT3N Gold Series Battery Terminal

METRA Ltd GBT3N Gold Series Battery Terminal
  • 1/0 AWG, 1- 2AWG, and 2- 8 AWG out
  • Gold-plated connectors
  • Resistant to corrosion

they were shipped in a timely fashion and worked great for my application to my vehicle. They fit just fine and I still have a couple extras connecting points if needed.

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I was not sent Metra terminals, they were a different brand which is disconcerting as I wanted to purchase the terminal covers for them and do not know where to find them or if they are made for this brand.

Read Best Reviews of METRA Ltd GBT3N Gold Series Battery Terminal Here

It states that is resistant to corrosion. Well, it isn't. It corroded faster than normal cheap terminals. This product is of the worst quality

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Works for whatever you need it for. I used it to attach all my stock battery wires and then the added amp battery wire... done... allen wrench to tighten everything up solved my amp wire from coming un attached..

Please note this is not very well marked that it is for the Negative pole on the Battery. Very poor quality but a fair price. I wouldn't buy it again.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Keyless Entry Remote Fob Clicker for 2001 Ford Taurus With Do-It-Yourself Programming

Keyless Entry Remote Fob Clicker for 2001 Ford Taurus With Do-It-Yourself ProgrammingThe description says that programming instructions would be included. They were not. The piece of paper that came with the remote said that instructions could be found at the website (). The website is a disaster and the instructions are nowhere to be found. If you click "Resources" it has notes to or from the web designer left on the page that say:

1. Programming Instructions This is not a primary category to focus on, correct? You want users to buy the product and get the instructions as a value-add, correct? If our understanding of this is on track, then leave this out of the main navigation. Maybe you could add this to the resources section.

I called the number given at the website and got an answering service that then directed me to voice mail. I guess I have to use instructions found online and hope that they work. There are various conflicting procedures to choose from. As of now, I don't even know if this thing will work.

UPDATE: It worked. I used these instructions:

Bring all remotes into the car with you. You will be programming all remotes with a new code. With the doors locked and seatbelt fastened, turn the ignition from OFF to ON (when dash lights come on) 4 times within 6 seconds. Turn the ignition OFF. The system will chime to confirm programming mode. Within 20 seconds, press any button on first keyless remote. The system will chime once to confirm programming. Within 20 seconds, press any button on second keyless remote. System will chime once to confirm programming. Turn ignition to RUN or wait at least 10 seconds to exit programming mode.

I picked this up for my 2001 Taurus and it worked great. Programming it yourself is super easy and it worked like a charm.

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I bought a 2001 Ford Focus ZTS last week and it only came with 1 key and no remote. Since then I have had another key made, but I decided I wanted a remote first. Most places were charging around $50 for a remote, so I decided to check amazon out.

I got this remote for $20 shipped, the seller got it to me in 4 days. This remote can not get better. I took it out of the package and went out to my car, I turned to car from OFF to RUN 4 times in under 6 seconds and then when I turned it to OFF, the car beeped. At this point you press any button on the remote and the car will beep again. Then you turn it to RUN again and then shut it off, the remote is now programmed.

It took me a max of 30 seconds to program the remote, and it works great. It locks, unlocks, pops the trunk, and sets off the alarm. What more can you ask for?

Great A+++ product, would buy another one if I needed to.

Read Best Reviews of Keyless Entry Remote Fob Clicker for 2001 Ford Taurus With Do-It-Yourself Programming Here

I was nervous about buying this online, but for $6.00, how could I go wrong, I ordered this on Thursday, today is Saturday and I just received it, went in my car, followed the easy instructions and it worked. I am thrilled, it seems stupid, but my drivers side door was broken into, so I cannot get a key in the door and I needed the key fob replaced and I really did not think this would work, it is awesome, if you need this get it, do not wait for weeks like I did, this seller is great, I highly recommend getting this...I plan to buy more for my other vehicles if this seller has other types of key fobs...

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It was just as the description said the only problem was that the instructions where not in the package had to look online to program it.

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Sunday, August 18, 2013

Kenwood DNX5120 6.1-Inch-Wide Double-DIN In-Dash Navigation with USB/iPod Direct Control/DVD Receiv

Kenwood DNX5120 6.1-Inch-Wide Double-DIN In-Dash Navigation with USB/iPod Direct Control/DVD Receiver
  • Garmin navigation system, radio, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, MP3/WMA/AAC, MPEG1/MPEG2, iPod, USB, HD/SAT radio-ready, Bluetooth-ready receiver
  • 4 x 50 Watts maximum power with two 2V preamp outputs
  • 6.1-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display with 480 x 234 pixel resolution
  • Includes direct iPod connection, USB music streaming, front panel A/V input; add Kenwood adapters for SAT/HD Radio and Bluetooth
  • One-year limited warranty

I also have this radio and think its great.. very easy to use and looks awesome.. Martins wrote in his review "and all the streets are pre-programmed, any updates come straight from Garmin via satellite, " thats NOT true. Software updates need to be downloaded from Garmins website and burned to a CD and copied over. Map updates are usually done yearly and must be purchased (for $140) from Garmin (or another authorized re-seller) they are NOT free and are NOT sent straight from a satellite.

It doesn't change how good this radio is, but I just wanted to make sure no one was basing their purchase on an incorrect statement.

Buy Kenwood DNX5120 6.1-Inch-Wide Double-DIN In-Dash Navigation with USB/iPod Direct Control/DVD Receiv Now

The main advantages of this unit over similar units are (i) nav data not DVD-based or hard-disk-based, everything is on flash memory; (ii) name-brand nav (Garmin) and name-brand bluetooth add-on (Parrot), unlike off-brand hardware/firmware on other competing units; (iii) no retractable screen so fewer moving parts to fail.

Basically this is a very good and useful unit. The nav is well-designed and works well. I do have some complaints:

(a) Even though everything is in flash memory, startup is slow. You will be halfway down the block before the nav is ready, and two blocks away before the bluetooth unit has paired with your phone. I have been told that competing units are even slower, so maybe this is an improvement, but technology still has a ways to go. Certainly no reason for pairing to take this long, my old radio paired almost instantly.

(b) Awful interface (except the Garmin part, which is fine):

--The front panel buttons are completely non-intuitive; try figuring out how to turn the whole thing off and on, or how to turn off the radio playing in the background when using the nav. You can get used to it, but it's inelegant to say the least, and if you lend your car to someone, they'll never figure it out.

--The onscreen menus are a complete jumble, and the manual is incomprehensible. (I consider myself to be technically savvy; I installed the system myself.)

--The mp3 menu is awful, for example you can see tracks sorted by album or artist, but you just have to know how to do it because it is far from obvious. You need to push a button mysteriously marked PLIST. You have to do it again each time you start the car.

--The Bluetooth interface is poorly designed, for example you can choose a number by voice commands, but you can't actually voice dial...you have to look at the screen and touch the 'dial' button to complete the dialing process.

(c) If disconnected from the battery, all the settings are lost, and this can cause more problems than just loss of radio presets. I realize that after installation the unit shouldn't normally lose power, but if you take it in for service and they disconnect and reconnect the battery, the backup camera (add-on) stops working!

I thought they cut the cable somehow, but actually the default setting of the Kenwood DNX5120 is to ignore the backup voltage signal. You have to go in and change the setting back. (There is a way to save the settings in nonvolatile memory and restore them, but this has to be done manually every time...why not save all settings in flash memory automatically?)

Read Best Reviews of Kenwood DNX5120 6.1-Inch-Wide Double-DIN In-Dash Navigation with USB/iPod Direct Control/DVD Receiv Here

Kenwood DNX5120

I June 5, 2008, I purchased and had Platinum Audio in Corona, California install my DNX5120. I have had Sony, Alpine, and Kenwood stereos prior and have experimented with iPod connections to these stereos. The stereo's killed two of my iPods. The DNX5120 broke all the rules and really exceeded my expectations as far as the iPod interface. The integration is clean, easy to understand, and faster to use than the iPod itself. Here is an example. I have countless artists on my iPod. Using the scroll wheel it take time to scroll through the artist until letters come up and to be honest with you, it takes me a least two tries to land on the right letter. Using the DNX5120, I can scroll down by multiple artist and even click on slide bar to go half the way down my list or all the way down. All this at the speed of just pressing button and not waiting for the iPod or the stereo to catch up.

The navigation is dummy proof. I have used the BMW, Toyota, Magellan, Tom Tom, and Honda navigation and the DNX5120 blows them out of the water. It does not get any easier than this. I have read that it takes a long time to start up. I don't see that problem. Once I start my vehicle, the Kenwood screen appears for about 5 seconds and I am off to the races. After all, it is not good for the vehicle if you start and immediately drive.

I don't have any complaints about the stereo. Here are some things I really like;

* Knob for volume. It feel sturdy and I like touching the screen less than I have too

* Clean font, easy to read

* Quick/easy/instant access from user interface to navigation and back

* Easy to understand hierarchy of menu

* Garmin Nav. is easy to use and easy to upgrade

* No need for second DVD box for nav.

* Excellent GPS signal quality

* Ability to watch iPod movies on screen

* USB connection...I like putting my on photo as a background

The bottom line is the shop did an outstanding job the installation and the DNX5120 works better than what I had expected. When you put this stereo in perspective, it is combining a tuner, a DVD player, an audio iPod, a video ipod, XM, and CD/MP3 player together into one unit with none to little glitches. And if you are an Apple fan like myself, this works perfectly with the iPod.

That is my two cents and five out of five stars......

Want Kenwood DNX5120 6.1-Inch-Wide Double-DIN In-Dash Navigation with USB/iPod Direct Control/DVD Receiv Discount?

I came from a Pioneer D3. This unit does some things better and some not. The D3 is also an older unit. Obviously the Garmin Navigation is the way to go. They make the best portable units, same applies here. The audio/video UI is not the greatest I'll admit that. I liked the D3 better. That being said the 5120 has a better Sirius interface and I believe HD Radio is too. It can show much more info at a time instead of hitting buttons to scroll through. That and the flash based navigation is what made me change. Having to put in a disc for navigation is just plain silly. Installation for add-ons was also easier with the 5120. No power required for the bluetooth or satellite boxes. Just plug in the communication cable, pretty simple. I'd have no problems recommending this to a friend. It does everything good enough.

This is a great unit. Overally I am quite happy. I have the KCA-BT200, the GSM10 traffic receiver, the connection cable for Sirius (CA-SR20V) and the SCC1 sirius tuner, the ipod cable, plus boyo VTX420 backup camera. I did the install myself. Looking back was probably more work than I planned but outside of battling with trim pieces the wiring really was quite straightforward.

Now, on to the various bits and pieces of the unit and accessories:

I love the GPS, it's like the suction cup Garmins with a bigger screen. You can even interface it to a computer using the mini-usb plug on the back, just like the standalone garmin units. Using this connector you can swap out the voices, customize it etc. I have read where some people plug in a cable and leave it somewhere accessible so they can reach it easily without pulling it out of the dash. However, this is also where the GTM10 traffic receiver plugs in, so it diminishes the usefulness for me. Nonetheless, this isn't even an advertised feature, so I can't hardly fault them for not making it more convenient to use. The "official" method of updating maps and firmware is to use CD's / DVD's in the unit's drive, and this works well. One thing to note, however, if you receive a unit that has garmin firmware < 2.5, if you are upgrading to 2.5 you have to unplug the GTM10 traffic receiver or it will freeze up during upgrade. I thought I had bricked my unit, but found some hints online and managed to get the thing upgraded by temporarily unplugging the traffic receiver. Ironically, V2.5 actually fixes the problem where it hangs on firmware update when the traffic receiver is plugged in. I would highly recommend the GTM10 unit if you live in the coverage area. It's really cool to be able to have your gps take you home and route you around car wrecks and such. Also, it's easy to add custom POI's using a burned cd (or usb connector in the back).

The bluetooth: I like the way the bluetooth sounds (mic placement is key), it connects reliably. The whole hands-free-to-shift-and-steer-and-talk-yet-not-commit-vehicular-homicide feature is nice too. And it is kind of neat how well integrated it is with the phone. I see the battery strength, the signal strength etc up on my display. My blackberry 8830 (sprint) syncs fine, the phone book syncs fine, everything works the way it's supposed to. (If anyone is having issues with their bluetooth connecting to their blackberry etc, make sure you're on the latest firmware of both the deck and the bt unit itsself.) And now the bad: Voice dialing. My blackberry actually has very competent built-in voice dialing system. When I use my motorola earpiece, I can hit the button on it and say "dial so and so mobile" and it usually gets it right. However, the kenwood / parrot unit completely bypasses this functionality and replaces it with its own subpar system. Subpar is overly generous even. It's truly horrible, to the point where it's unusable. To voice dial, you have to: first record yourself saying the person's name. Then, after you have that person recorded as a voice dial preset, you have to hit the button for voice dialing, say the name, cross your fingers and hope it recognized what you said, then if all goes well it shows you the person's name, then you have to select the number, hit the button again to dial. It's far less accurate than my blackberry and I didn't even train it. It's easier just to use the 6 preset buttons they give you on the main screen . Less button presses overall, too bad they only give you 6. Still though, I like having my bluetooth integrated with my stereo, I like having the volume cut when I take a call automagically, I like not having to drive down the road wearing my earbud, or worse yet forget I have it in my ear and walk into the store and be "that guy".

Sirius: This interface is actually very nice. I will recommend that you switch to the 2 line display so that you can see the song info etc on the same screen with the presets. But this works great, very well integrated.

iPod interface: Poifect. One suggestion though: Make sure you leave the cable to where you can easily pull out the USB connector for use with thumb drives etc.

Sound: The unit sounds very good, much better than my factory deck (though that's not saying much). It even has a parametric EQ! That being said, it might be more usable if it had some low / mid / high knobs somewhere on the front (as someone else pointed out), but hey, if you're truly into tuning your sound, 3 band parametric EQ is nothing if not tunable. Not to mention complete overkill, but I digress... 99% of the population is going to look at "Q" and go "wuuuh?" Also it looks as though it has a built in xover, though I haven't dove into these features since I'm not using external amplification.