Making a car iPod compatible

sonicmouse

Hello

I own a Renault Clio 1.4 2007, does anyone know how I can make it ipod compatible? I'd really love to listen to the music on my ipod! I'm aware that I'd probably need to buy a new radio and take the standard one out but Im just wondering if theres any other ways? and If not, how easy is it to install a new radio?:T

londonTiger

you should seek advice in a clio forum of your marque. Someone is bound to have a fully working setup and you can just copy their stero setup. Otherwise it can be a long road to get a system that's fully compatible.

It's ususally quite costly to make your car completely compatible. There are lots of differnet ipods around and lots of different stereo systems. You'll at the very least need to buy a up to date stero that's ipod compatible, and then figure out a way to make the stero compatible with the steering controls.

It's best to look from steering controls down. i.e. what modern stereos can work with your steering controls (a seperate adaper will be necessary), from there you then pick the stereo which also supports your iPod.

Cash-Cow_3

Try a parrot. I've got one works great. Also includes hands free phone via Bluetooth.

Bowling_4_Gold

The easy option would be to buy one of these- which transmits the songs from your iPod over FM once plugged in, so you tune into your iPod like you would any radio station in your car.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FM-Transmitter-For-iPod-iPhone-Car-Charger-Remote-/250838080121

pogofish

Yes, those transmitters are very useful. Also, if your radio has a CD-changer option, you can get a line input socket put in to its bus instead. That way you can just plug your ipod in and don't worry about having to feed the player with batteries.

Which is pretty easy to do if you are halfway competent or will be reasonably cheap to get done at a car radio shop.

linni

Another vote for the parrot. I had one installed recently and I'm really pleased with it.

almillar

Those transmitters are awful in my experience. As above, Halfords or Autoleads websites might help you work out what kind of stereo you have and what your options are. Keeping your current stereo (with steering wheel controls, and separate display?) will be the slickest solution. As above, many of the iPod adaptors simply plug into the back of the stereo where a CD changer would go, and makes the iPod look like a CD changer to the stereo. This usually means you have the 1st 6 Playlists on your iPod as your 6 'CDs'. You can then skip track etc (and maybe even view track names) like you would on a CD changer.

londonTiger

having a separate parrot and a sepeate satnav can be a real pain when you have all these cables floating around and makes your car a target for thieves. and all these devices clinging onto your winshield and dash. why not just get an integrated double din solution for all. it may not end up costing you a lot more compared to satnav + parrot + stereo.

andy213

Bowling_4_Gold wrote: »

The easy option would be to buy one of which transmits the songs from your iPod over FM once plugged in, so you tune into your iPod like you would any radio station in your car.

that's the cheap option and a great idea, it's good for your car space with pretty good sound quality - anyone next to you behind you on same FM frequency gets your music too but it's pretty localised and also versatile, it'll do the same piping music to recievers in most houses

or do what I eventually did , put in a new stereo , one capable of ipod is doable well short of £100 , you can get these plastic attachments which fit your old stereo slot perfectly which have exact space for the upgrade. tenenr on ebay if that, type "clio fascia" into ebay after you've got your MP3/ipod ready stereo

Lum

A lot of this depends on how much you like sound quality and what sort of music you listen to.

Those FM transmitters always sound like crap in my experience, and even the higher quality bluetooth audio stuff (e.g. Parrot) sounds awful if you listen to something with a lot of bass such as jungle or dubstep.

Your worst case scenario will be doing what I did, I ended up replacing my car's tape player with one of these which replaces the CD player with a hole that you can put your ipod inside. I didn't actually use it with an ipod though, just a 16GB USB flash memory I bought for a tenner. It's not a cheap option, though they do also do a non-bluetooth one for half the price.

Hopefully the Clio will have some form of line-in you can use with a fancy cable, but as others have said, best to ask on a Clio forum.