Super cheap, cheapest of cheap head units

Herzlos

Does the radio work? If so then I'd just get one of those FM transmitters that goes in the cigarette lighter socket:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wireless-Bluetooth-Transmitter-In-Car-FM-Radio-LCD-MP3-Player-USB-TF-AUX-Slot/174251787687

JustAnotherSaver

Does it make a difference (in terms of sound quality) in how the audio is inputted?

For example right now i'm running my iPod through the standard head unit via aux cable.

In my old car i ran my iPod to my aftermarket head unit via the dedicated USB cable which would also charge the iPod and allow it to be controlled by the unit itself.

The sound output is night and day. It was superb in my last car but it's terrible in this new car. I don't know if it's anything at all to do with the input or whether it's 100% speakers or what.

forgotmyname

Sony unit will have fairly decent speakers that aux in though is probably manky after all these years.

Metal has probably got a nice layer of oxide covering it. Does the CD or radio not work? that should give you a
clue on what it should sound like.  Check nobody messed with all the settings.  One of the lads at work used
to play with the vehicle radios from simply max volume to adjusting all the fade/balance controls.

JustAnotherSaver

Radio works but CD player doesn't, even after running a CD with a brush on it. 

The audio output just seems poor. I would've assumed that in the ST line they'd put in some decent speakers at least. 
My last car was SRi trim. GSi was the top at the time. The sound quality for standard setup was superb I thought. 

I've cranked the bass up on this Sony unit in the Mondeo which has helped a bit but its still not great. 

I believe the door card needs to come off to sort the intermittent passenger door lock/unlock problem so will maybe upgrade the speakers at the same time. 

All these jobs are pending the turbo issue which is the first thing that needs looking at really which is dependant on getting someone to have time to do it. 

almillar

Sound will theoretically be better through the digital (charging/data) cable than the analogue aux cable, and you have the advantage of charging, and possibly also of being able to control the music from the head unit. But your post started with looking for the very cheapest thing. And I wouldn't go near an FM transmitter.

JustAnotherSaver

Yeah i remembered my sister has a FM transmitter so i asked her about it. Doesn't sound like something i'll go for.

JustAnotherSaver

How do you know which adapter to use for your car?

I've contacted 2 websites and neither have bothered to reply when i've asked about the correct one. I'll give an example:

https://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/product_m-connects2-ct20lr03_p-33662.htm

https://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/product_m-connects2-ct20fd07_p-33625.htm

https://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/product_m-connects2-ct20fd05_p-33623.htm

There. 3 different ones on the same website that are apparently all for my car - 2006 Mondeo.

So will any one of them do or is one better or more suitable than another?

I have an Alpine CDE-178BT that i'm looking at fitting in. It's one i bought years ago and couldn't sell so may as well give it a go. The bluetooth was iffy in the wifes car as was the iPod connectivity (yes, did declare this on the ad - probably why it didn't sell)

forgotmyname

The plug I bought for my Mondeo was a VW Golf one.  Just missing the black/brown plug which is for the steering
controls.

Which one is correct, the one that matches your existing plug.

Why not just buy a stereo with the right connector, plug and play.   I only bought the VW hands free kit (Bury) because
it was a fraction the price of Ford units even though it was plug and play minus the wheel controls which was
fixed for £5.99 i think?   £98 for the cradle for my phone or £2.50 for a blackberry cradle off ebay which had bluetooth.

Quality hands free for under £30.   Only bit missing was the ability to charge on the cradle but having a phone in a
case would have prevented that anyway.  Previous owner had a power feed already installed (assumed for a satnav).

Its OK going cheap but whats the point when the bills keep adding up for more parts.  And its unlikely to cure your
issue of poor audio quality a cheap unit wont beat that standard fit Sony.

Is the Alpine unit not plug and play???

almillar

Those 3 products you list all look the same in the photo on quick glance. If you look at the 2 smaller connectors, these are the ISO connectors - one for power and one for speakers, basically, which is almost standard. So you're looking at the other end, the Ford end. You'll not get much support unfortunately, and about the best way to check is to take your stereo out and look at the back of it. I can see that there's also a steering wheel control adapter that you'll likely need too.

The Alpine unit will connect to ISO - you need these adapters to adapt the CAR to ISO.

JustAnotherSaver

Thanks. 

Regards the unit, I haven't fitted many and it's been about 10 years or so since I last fitted a unit which I sort of fumbled my way through but managed. 

I remember having to buy 2 adapters. 1 connected to the unit which in turn connected to a steering wheel control adapter which in turn connected to the cars own cable. 

In this case I'm not overly fussed about using the steering wheel controls so that'll save me about £40 at least so I think I'll just need an adapter to connect the unit to the car? 

When this unit (the CDE178BT) was connected to my wife's Astra H, I got a car audio guy to do it and I'm fairly sure he said we needed some ariel thing as well. 
I said fairly sure, not 100% sure though.

One of the reasons I want to fit it is also because the Bluetooth and ipod features were intermittent on my wife's car so I want to try and get it detailed so that I can get in touch with Dtronix/Alpine and get it repaired.