Car audio - the sales pitch

Laundrew · « **on:** 31 Dec 2012, 09:56 pm »

Laundrew is currently kicking tires, so to speak, in search of a replacement for his most beloved, highly reliable, extremely fuel efficient and wonderfully engineered, Chrysler PT Cruiser - trying a little bit of reverse psychology on myself. Anyway, the audio system in my future car is not really important to me as long as it has a USB port and can display my album art and song titles from my iPod.

The level of vehicle I am looking at is in the Toyota Corolla - Honda Civic range, but I must admit, I like the aesthetics of the 2013 Toyota Camry. I will not consider any products produced by the "Big Three," so this considerably narrows the field down for me.

Anyway, I was looking at a vehicle over the weekend in a showroom when a sales representative came over and started to give me the details on this particular model. He then inquired about my audio tastes for the car stereo and I informed him as long as it has a USB port and can display iPod information is all that I require. The sales representative smiles and tells me that this car has one of the best speakers that money can buy as a standard feature. Oh my goodness - he is not going to mention the "B-word," I immediately think to myself.

Yes, the word "Bose" is set adrift across the showroom from a very pleased sales rep as I immediately experience flashbacks with respect to my old Bose 701s and telling a friend that he can have them for free if he helps me carry them out to his car - he actually liked them and as far as I know, still enjoys them to this day. when I purchased the 701s, i thought that the sound was off a bit, but believed it to be an issue with the acoustics of the stereo store - I was wrong. Now please do not get me wrong as audio is a very personal taste and is definitely each to their own, but I really get tired of products that are "hyped" up to a level with advertising that is beyond their performance. Now to be far, I did own a pair of Bose bookshelf speakers that did sound pretty good but eventually replaced them with a pair of KEF bookshelves. It amazes me how advertising can sometimes sway the masses, it worked on me with respect to the Bose 701s in the 1990s but never again

Be well....

Elizabeth · « **Reply #1 on:** 31 Dec 2012, 11:51 pm »

I am very happy with my manual transmission 2012 Ford Focus. I know it is a big three.. (But so was your chrysler???)
I have the hatch. The auto has some bugs so i would not really shout out to buy a Focus with an automatic tranny.
Anyway, Ford finally is making a nice small car...

As an aside: have you listened to the 2009 album by XX? I just bought a used copy and thought: "I bet Laundrew and his wife would like this.."
Kind of dark and somber yet very simple light folkish at the same time.
Good music i would suggest a listen.

Anyway, good luck searching for a new car. And have a good new year.

Laundrew · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 12:24 am »

Quote from: Elizabeth on 31 Dec 2012, 11:51 pm

I am very happy with my manual transmission 2012 Ford Focus. I know it is a big three.. (But so was your chrysler???)
I have the hatch. The auto has some bugs so i would not really shout out to buy a Focus with an automatic tranny.
Anyway, Ford finally is making a nice small car...

As an aside: have you listened to the 2009 album by XX? I just bought a used copy and thought: "I bet Laundrew and his wife would like this.."
Kind of dark and somber yet very simple light folkish at the same time.
Good music i would suggest a listen.

Anyway, good luck searching for a new car. And have a good new year.

Thank you for the tip, I must look them up

As for the PT, the love of my life and guiding light, Lady Laundrew, wanted the PT because she liked the looks of it - I guess that we are all, sometimes a little weird as Lady Laundrew "liked" Chryslers and I enjoy dark basements. Thank the heavens that we purchased it when it was 1 year old instead of adding injury to insult and buying a new one. It is most ironic that she dumped the PT on me this year when she purchased her new Scion - true love knows no boundaries

Be well...

wilsynet · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 12:56 am »

Pretty funny.

Like when I went into a Magnolia Hifi shop once and the salesman asked me what kind of music I wanted to listen to. I asked for Jazz. What I got was elevator music.

Fortunately, pretty straight forward to get replacement car speakers, decks, etc.

Chicago · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 01:14 am »

My better half still has her 2000 Volvo and we opted for the high end sound system when we bought it. There is no name on the speakers or the dash unit but it has by far the best sound I have heard in a car. My Audi has Bose speakers and I can't listen to it for very long. Was just driving home today from a couple of hours away and I really wanted some sound. I found an oldies station and listened for maybe 30 minutes and gave up. It is rigged for satellite radio and maybe I should try that.

PRELUDE · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 02:20 am »

Quote from: Chicago on 1 Jan 2013, 01:14 am

My better half still has her 2000 Volvo and we opted for the high end sound system when we bought it. There is no name on the speakers or the dash unit but it has by far the best sound I have heard in a car. My Audi has Bose speakers and I can't listen to it for very long. Was just driving home today from a couple of hours away and I really wanted some sound. I found an oldies station and listened for maybe 30 minutes and gave up. It is rigged for satellite radio and maybe I should try that.

Most of the high end speakers in Volvo is Dynaudio.

Laundrew · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 02:26 am »

Quote from: Chicago on 1 Jan 2013, 01:14 am

"... I found an oldies station and listened for maybe 30 minutes and gave up. It is rigged for satellite radio and maybe I should try that..."

That is why I enjoy my iPod during my daily commute - with 100 GB of music on board, I am never at a loss for my favourite tunes.

Be well...

PRELUDE · « **Reply #7 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 02:38 am »

Laundrew,
You might be able to get JBL in Toyota also but I am not sure.All the premium sound system in Lexus come with JBL speakers and Mark Levinson head unit and amps.I do not care too much in the car but I like the Mark levinson with 9 JBL speakers in my 2004 LEXUS SC430.
Here the link for review.

http://www.stereophile.com/content/high-end-tunes-go

Laundrew · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 03:03 am »

Hello PRELUDE

I think that JBL is offered in the Camry SE V6 model and not in the Corolla line up - at least I have not seen any listed thus far. I am not a huge fan of car audio and would not pay any extra to upgrade from the standard stereo package. You would get a chuckle at what I am using at this time. Lady Laundrew purchased an FM transmitter/adapter for my iPod so I can listen to it when I am driving around in the PT. The only issues are that when my windshield wipers are on or drive near tall buildings, it "static-outs" my music

Be well...

PRELUDE · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 03:21 am »

Quote from: Laundrew on 1 Jan 2013, 03:03 am

Hello PRELUDE

I think that JBL is offered in the Camry SE V6 model and not in the Corolla line up - at least I have not seen any listed thus far. I am not a huge fan of car audio and would not pay any extra to upgrade from the standard stereo package. You would get a chuckle at what I am using at this time. Lady Laundrew purchased an FM transmitter/adapter for my iPod so I can listen to it when I am driving around in the PT. The only issues are that when my windshield wipers are on or drive near tall buildings, it "static-outs" my music

Be well...

Ipod is the best radio station and the best friend in any car.You listen to the music that you love and even if sound is not the best,yet it is enjoyable.Spend more on car audio is nothing but waste money.

Laundrew · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 04:09 am »

Quote from: PRELUDE on 1 Jan 2013, 03:21 am

Ipod is the best radio station and the best friend in any car.You listen to the music that you love and even if sound is not the best,yet it is enjoyable.Spend more on car audio is nothing but waste money.

Be well...

mrlittlejeans · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 04:30 am »

My A4 has an SD card slot in the radio and an Ipod connection in the dash. It's pretty sweet in that I can navigate the tunes on either from the radio or my steering wheel controls.

Stu Pitt · « **Reply #12 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 03:01 pm »

Forget about what stereo is in the car/available. They're all waaaay over-priced. Hell, ask them to take it out and give you a credit for it (I have a friend who did that). Buy an inexpensive Apline unit and install it yourself. I bought an Alpine unit with iPod control from Crutchfield about 6 years ago for about $200. Never had a hiccup. Everything gets controlled from the head unit itself, not the iPod; you simply plug it in. Crutchfield includes the mounting hardware for free, including a wire harness adaptor so you don't have to cut off the car's harness and guess which wire is which. It's as fool-proff as it gets.

Just throwing that out there. They like to charge $1k for a premium stereo that'll get beaten by something you can pay $300 or so for.

But all that isn't the most important thing when buying a car IMO -
Don't buy brand new. Buy a 2-3 year old certified used car with minimal mileage (kilometerage?). You get a better warranty from the manufacturer and don't take that huge hit initially on a new car. To top it all off, your money goes far further. $17k used will buy far more car than $17 new.

Just my opinion. My idiot cousin bought a brand new Honda CRV for a lot more than my 2 year old Highlander with 30k miles. I got a far better warranty too (never needed it though). He's kicking himself in the ass for not listening to me.

rollo · « **Reply #13 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 04:50 pm »

Have to agree with Stu here. aftermarket head units and or can be had for less money. Crutchfield is an excellent source if your handy. Now the car thing. Yes $17,000 will get you a BMW, Mercedes, Lexus. better engineered VG resale and all the bugs out.
Buying new IMO is not prudent. Good luck.

charles

mrlittlejeans · « **Reply #14 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 05:09 pm »

Yes. Never buy new. I bought a 2011 certified preowned with 17k miles. Buying certified preowned added two years and 50k miles to the original warranty so the warranty I got was 6 years 83k miles vs 5yrs 50k miles if I bought new. Saved over 10k off the new price as well.

werd · « **Reply #15 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 07:29 pm »

Laundrew

Just bought a 2011 matrix AWD and winter tire oackage. Very nice car. But another car that i almost bought was the Suzuki sx4 AWD. Very reasonably priced for awd.. Steering is tight but grips great. The doors slam with a sollid feel. Very solid built japanese import.

JerryLove · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 Jan 2013, 08:47 pm »

Quote from: Laundrew on 31 Dec 2012, 09:56 pm

Yes, the word "Bose" is set adrift across the showroom from a very pleased sales rep as I immediately experience flashbacks with respect to my old Bose 701s and telling a friend that he can have them for free if he helps me carry them out to his car - he actually liked them and as far as I know, still enjoys them to this day.

Ask him if Rolls Royce and Bentley have been informed of this so that they can stop using those inferior Lexicon systems. Jag can get rid of their B&W system (and can you believe Austin Martin is saddled with B&O?). FWIW: Lexus and BMW both use HK (under Mark Leavonson for the upgraded Lexus). I can't remember what Merc used.

In fact: the only luxury line that I know to use Bose is Infinity... and I hate the sound in my M35.

Laundrew · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 Jan 2013, 11:31 pm »

@werd,

Yes, the Matrix is a great vehicle and the hatchback is very versatile - I would probably consider one if Lady Laundrew's vehicle was not a hatchback.

I also would agree with what other individuals have mentioned on this topic with respect to the new vehicle pricing. For example, a 2013 Camry LE standard (base model) package lists for $23,700 up here in Canada and on top of this, taxes, Levies, Fees, Freight and Delivery add an extra $4,962.00 on top of this for a grand total of $28,662.45. Our sales tax is 13%

Be well...

tim92gts · « **Reply #18 on:** 3 Jan 2013, 12:41 pm »

We always go for preloved, the 996 has Bose and it's not particularly great. The sub / bass speakers are underspecced and distort fairly easily.
The 928 had been modified a bit so i selected Pioneer bits which sound good and included a decent sized sub and a head unit with the features i needed.

If you're getting a used car i'd budget for a decent sound system upgrade and consider getting a slightly older car if on a set budget.

Cheers
Tim

JerryLove · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 Jan 2013, 03:58 pm »

I too love the matrix.

I cannot sit upright in a Camry (and don't get me started on the forward-leaning headrests, which come to think of it are likely in the Matrix now too). If I could fit in a Camry, I'd likely be driving a Kia Optima.

Someone tell me what a Lexus LX has less headroom than a 2001 BMW 3-series.