Honda Forum

[redvers]

Hello,

I've got my name down for first dibs on a '55 2l sport FR-V and am wondering what people have to say on replacing the ICE with a third party unit.

I'm looking at getting the Clarion CX609E, which for £200 will provide USB and AUX for iphone/ipod compatibility, and built in bluetooth for hands free calling. I've noticed that sjf1 on here has found the part numbers for the fascia and DIN bracket - is anything else required (e.g. ISO adaptor cable) ? I'm hoping that this will all work out cheaper than the £500 I was quoted by the dealer to fix an AUX port and bluetooth handsfree kit....

Also, I would love to be able to keep the steering remote functionality - is this possible at all, or is it head unit dependant?

Cheers,

Kev

[marky]

Hi Kev and welcome,
I havn't done any ice mods on my car yet, but have looked into it.
I think you will need a iso interface connector which I have seen on ebay, and most stereo manufactures sell interfaces for their head units which allow control of the steering buttons.
Best to talk to a clarion dealer if thats the head unit your going for.
And i would hope you can get all this done and fitted cheaper than £500.00

Let us know how you get on.

Mark

[redvers]

Hello!

Following on from yesterday's post, I found that http://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk appeared to have a cheaper fascia adaptor than the official Honda one. They also have a steering wheel interface lead, which also provides an ISO adaptor to an after-market stereo all in one. Given that I also want parking sensors fitted, and they sell these too, they quoted me £285 to fit all of the audio stuff along with parking sensors.

If I get the Honda dealer to fit the parking sensors and audio stuff for me, assuming* they charge me £100 for the fitting of everything and £90 for the official fascia, I'm looking at around £450 before the cost of the head unit. If I go with Dynamic Sounds, this comes down to about £380 - although this is based on them using the cheaper, £20 fascia, which according to another topic on here doesn't look like it would fit correctly. Use the official fascia and this is up to £450 too.

* I'm expecting a call back from the Honda dealership on Friday as to a quote on how much to fit my own stuff rather than use the inbuilt stereo. And hopefully tomorrow a call from Halfords as to whether or not they'll be able to fit an aftermarket stereo in the FR-V or not.

As to which head unit to go for.... Clarion themselves along with the official UK dealer both didn't think anything was available. This is contrary to the Dynamic Sounds webpage which suggests that the Connects2 adaptor does work. As such, I don't know who to believe! I'm also tempted to just get a cheaper, single DIN head unit that does everything I need - I've seen one in Halfords for £180 or so, and that was for a Sony! I'd then need some sort of spacer to fill the second DIN space, but that shouldn't cost too much.

Having typed this all, I think I have convinced myself to go with the official dealership route for the fitting (unless they quote silly money to fit my stereo, lol!) - that way I get the proper fascia, and hopefully everything can all be done for when I pick the car up without me needing to take a separate trip into London...

Right, so which head unit do I go for?

Kev

[redvers]

Just to make things a little easier, Mem at Direct Sounds has pretty much confirmed that the AutoLeads fascia is not actually suitable for the FR-V, which suggests that the official Honda one is the one to go for.

I'd actually asked Halfords to confirm if the fascia they can supply is correct for an FR-V so hoping to hear back on that. However, they did say that they could get their outsource company (Hyde Park Corner?) to fit a stereo bought from them for £50.

I've also had confirmation from Tom at Connects2 that the CTSHO001 will fit the FRV, with the correct patch lead. I'm not sure if this is the one that Halfords sell but again I'm waiting for them to get back to me on that one!

[tezmed]

audio upgrades on the frv are really simple!

ive had over £5500 worth of addition installing done with more still on the go
currently im still running on the existing headunit but have just ordered a fascia plate from honda to get me a double din radio with dvd and reversing camera etc etc

the big boot and deep doors and a pillars etc make sound installing a piece of cake!!!

[redvers]

Lol well it's the headunit I'm looking to replace first when I get the car

So you've gone for the official fascia? Was this because of a lack of alternative? Did you look at the Autoleads one at all? My local Honda garage have said the official fascia is on backorder and wouldn't be available until July :-/

I've spoken to someone at the local Halfords and he called up Armor Trading (or whatever they're called, company that makes the Autoleads fascias) and apparently the one in their catalogue will fit the FR-V. I'm not sure if this is the same as the one mentioned previously. They can also get the required leads for the steering wheel controls, although fitting is outsourced to a company called Hyde Park Corner for £45. Add this to cost of adaptors and it's a £120 spend over and above the cost of the headunit.

Halfords don't do many double din head units but they have a nice Alpine single din for £200 that seems to have everything I'm after - might get that and a single pocket to plug the gap...

[tezmed]

there was a couple of other companies offering replacement panels- but they looked nothing like whats required so i decided against them... the moulded replacement on the frv isquite complex by the look of things.....

[redvers]

there was a couple of other companies offering replacement panels- but they looked nothing like whats required so i decided against them... the moulded replacement on the frv isquite complex by the look of things.....

Did you physically see any alternates or were you just going off the pics online?

[tezmed]

saw a physical autoleads one a shop in maidstone ordered up from autoleads but was just a square frame so i refused to pay for it and went to honda instead as this is the only alternative i could find

[redvers]

Ta for confirming; I wonder if Autoleads have ever seen an FRV fascia :-/