[bubba966]

The most controversial forum is here now, and still hasn't been used yet. So I guess it's time to start using it...

Who makes a decent FM deck? One that gets good reception and isn't breaking down.

I don't have a need for CD, but wouldn't rule it out. I just will need something to replace what's in my truck with something that works & works well.

From what little I know, Sony's don't get good reception. And Kenwood's don't seem to last very well.

How's Pioneer's car stuff? I've had fairly good results with most of their home gear, but don't know about their car gear.

And I'm not looking at the high $ stuff. I would like something decent, just not over a few hundred.

[ZooDog]

I was speaking with a sales rep at tweeter and he said that Kenwood actually makes the best tuner in the business by a good margin.  I also asked about the reliability of their products and he felt that they were at least on par with the rest of the industry.

[Marbles]

How's Pioneer's car stuff? I've had fairly good results with most of their home gear, but don't know about their car gear.

My LS400 has the Pioneer sound system.  That's all I could get with the navigation system.

It seems very nice.  I don't know the speakers, but they seem a bit bright on some CD's, but great with the radio.

[Ferdi]

I have a Blaupunkt CD/radio in the dashboard and a 10CD changer in the back of my Volkswagen Golf. (Do you still call them Rabbit?)

This is about radio, so:

Mine has good reception on FM. It also has RDS so it can switch over to stronger stations with the same signal. It also can automatically switch to specially tagged emissions, like news, traffic info etc.

I am not sure if all this applies to the US environment at all.

I do like the tuner, both for sound and reception. The controls are also easy to use.

I have a version with blue display lighting to match the Golf's dashboard lighting but I think there are other colors as well.

The internal amp is also quite nice: 4*40W. It does a good job of making music in combination with the VW internal speakers (used in front) and a special soundboard covering the trunk. This is 3.5 cm MDF with discrete bass/mid/hi speakers. Nothing too exotic but I like the result.

I can look up model numbers etc. if there is a need. Too lazy to go and look.

[Rob Babcock]

Poor Wilson-we finally have a car circle and he isn't here to see it!

I'm curious too, as I've been out of the loop car gear wise.  I'm a bit interested in getting a CD deck w/an XM reciever.  Where I live MPR comes in clear as a bell, and I never listen to anything else (that's Minnesota Public Radio, all classical all the time, baby).  But for road trips and long drives it would be nice to have CD and XM.

I had a Sony head unit some time ago, and the reception was pretty good, but I most just used the CD player.  

My current ride has only FM.

[Seano]

I can vouch for the Blaupunkt. Easily the best FM I've ever had from such an affordable deck esp. in picking up distant stations. CD quality is very good too but unloading CDs is a bastard. What the heck is a 3 second 'press and hold' eject button doing on a car head unit??

[Brad]

Clarion's tuners have always been really good for me.

I can even occasionally pick up Austin stations in Houston and vice versa.
I also had really good luck with Denon units in the past, but I don't think Denon is making head units any more.

Except for the occasional college station, most FM is pretty crappy these days, both in programming and sound quality.

[bob82274]

I have a Blaupunkt CD/radio in the dashboard and a 10CD changer in the back of my Volkswagen Golf. (Do you still call them Rabbit?)

Ha ha  

Nah the rabbits left back in the 80s.  They have been golfs ever since.  One of my best friends has a new one and just loves it.  He wasn't happy though when I beat him off the line in my old Volvo 240.  I can't help it if I'm a better driver than him.  If I had my choice though I would get an Audi A2 over the Golf due to syling reasons.  To bad we can't get them in the states.

Actually I have become a fan of VWs for a couple of reasons.  First is that they are the only ones that offer Diesels in the US.  Much better gas milage and often costs less per gallon.  Another reason besides styling is the Tiptronic system.  I would much rather drive a stick than an automatic.  But this system makes for a rather nice compromise.  In case you have driven one, what happens is you have to positions for the shifter on the automatic.  In the second position you can move it up or down and it will shift up or down without a clutch.  A nice setup I think.  

Sorry to get off topic there.  Back to work all of you

[Ferdi]

The crazy thing about the Golf is that you can get them in so many engine variants. They go from a 1.4liter petrol to a 3.2 liter petrol V6 with pretty much any possible variant in between. I drive the 1.8Turbo version. Pretty quick off the line but very un-turbo in it's behaviour. No way will a volvo240 keep up with that (my parents had one).

edit: spelling

[KevinW]

Hey, count me in on the VW bandwagon.  I can't believe they are the only manufacturer who sells a decent diesel engine in a passenger car.  I have a Jetta Wagon TDI, which gets 50mpg.  I regularly get 500 miles on a single fill-up.  *and* when I am using pure biodiesel, it gets 250mpg in terms of greenhouse gas emissions (B100 is 20% fossil fuel based).

In terms of sound quality, the stock speakers in the 2003 Jetta are pretty good, with really fantastic bass.  A great foundation for aftermaket systems, and you'll need it because the stock sound in *awful*.  But a new headunit fixes that up really nice... I used an Alpine because I liked the ergonomics.  But if you replace the head unit, then you'll have to modify the FM antenna cable from the HU, or else reception will suck.  It takes five bucks worth of parts from Mouser.  (Hey, I just got back on topic for this thread )

What's cool, is that Chrysler is releasing some TDI's in the next year.  Finally an American car company that is doing the right thing for the environment.  Fuel cells are at least 10 years away from being a reality in cars, even though everyone says it is the "next big thing" and will "save the world".  In the meantime, we'll keep burning fossil fuels like merry fools for another decade.  Do your research on global warming, and you learn that this is something that we can not afford to do.

Oops, OT again... time for a time out

-kevin

[bubba966]

Thanks for the rec's guys. Unfortunately the place I'd buy my deck from doesn't carry Blaupunkt.

I'll have to ask them about the reliability of the Kenwood stuff in their experience. I've know a couple people that'd had nothing but problems with their Kenwood decks. Maybe they just got unlucky and ended up with bad ones. Everyone can't put out flawless gear all of the time. Gotta have a dud off the line once in a while...