Hi guys,

I've just bought a RX8 2004 with only approx 4000miles on it
It does not have navi, so I'm looking for aftermarket stuff.. Basically I'm looking for the "best looking" system which integrates best in the RX8..

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

A-

 

Dont know what to tell ya. I dont have nav. But I'm going with a after market one. I think its made by Kenwood.

 

Ok, thanks... Isn't the Kenwood a DIN slot insert? If so, how are you going to mount it?

A-

 

Congrats on the car.
I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but before you buy anything, you should know that the 8 will hold a single or double din, but the work is very costly.
The piano black faceplate covering the stereo has circuit boards inside it that help control your display and air conditioning.
I don't know all the specifics, but if you search in here, you'll see you can't just go to your local Best Buy or Circuit City and have them install something.
You need a very good stereo shop that does custom work.
The cheapest quote I've received for all the work was around $1000 for labor.

There are some companies working on replacement pieces.

I personally am looking forward to the CarMediaConcepts kit.
Here's the thread.

With that kit, you can install a carputer, which is cheaper and a 100times better than the all-in-one stereo/nav systems.

- Cesar -

 

factory system. Best would be to sell your car and buy one with the factory unit.

good luck

 

yeah the rx-8 OEM nav sucks and you can't go aftermarket without it being real expensive or real ghetto looking.

 

This custom installer begs to differ with that last comment.

 

I would get a factory navi installed. As long as you have no satellite radio you are fine. Cost is around $2000 with labor i hear at Mazda.

I have a Kenwood DVD system that is great in my truck. But the 8 has really limited space and I agree. I wouldnt touch the circle double din. You'll ruin your car. Only other option is a low profile 5 inch thin screen on the dash with an aftermarket DVD navi under your passenger side carpet. Keep it simple and clean whichever way you go.

Time

 

Other option is to totally ignore the factory radio and remanufacture the top center bezel to install a single din foldout dvd / nav system like the Pioneer Avic N3 or Eclipse AVN7000. I am going to build one of these panels and post some pics so that people know what it is. I have had 4 inquiries into this in the last week alone. From the single din unit it should be ideal for a person who wants to upgrade the balance of the audio system.

 

Navigation I can see...but do you really NEED a DVD player?

How about one of these - http://www.tomtom.com/products/produ...210&Language=4 with Ipod integration on screen...just need to get a auxmod. These look sick and I can't wait to get one for my 8.

 

haha werd, i was thinking about getting it but you notice how small our winshield is? and how big tomtom is? i think that would take up alot of view, if not cops would start giving tickets out for obstruction of windshield view which i've seen my friends get for their radar detectors that are 1/10 of that size

 

Oooh, many replies since the last time I was logged in
That carmediaconcept looks promising, so maybe I'll just wait for that to come out.

 

You might be fine with the TOMTOM. Cops don't give tickets for radar detectors because they actually obstruct the view. They give them because cops hate radar detectors like snow cone venders hate the winter. Things that just make your job harder.

 

What about the Garmin c320. Awesome little unit. I think I will be getting it instead of the TomTom due to much lower cost and it is a little smaller.



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=172282

And if you don't like the blue faceplate you can get a black one from garmin's website in a pack of 4 or 5 I think for like $20-$25

Joe

 

If you can find anyone getting rid of the R-magic center dashpod that would be your easiest. I am using that along with a modded Avic-N2 to allow driving location changes while the car is in motion. Its a pain in the *** the run a secondary stereo system from scratch if you never had before. The are 3 reasons i went with this option. I spend a lot of time in Philadelphia and at first glance my stereo looks completely stock becuase the old HU is still in there. Secondly since you do not tap any factory wires, you do not void any warrenties. Finally if you ever want to sell the car you can simply slap the stock speakers back into the factory clips and it is exactly the same as how it rolled of the lot.

 

I just bought the Pioneer AVIC N2. You're thinking of putting it above the stock stereo? I've seen it done before so it would probably work fine. How much do you figure something like that would run for to have the work done? Would it be cheaper than the dash kit put out by Corksport? Let me know what you find out and how everything looks. How does it work to run two stereo systems? Do you just cut the power to one of them? Interested in any info.

 

I leave the stock stereo off. The after market stereo was a ground up install, it doesnt shave any wired with the stock HU. Im not sure how much it would cost a sho to do it becuase i did this myself, but it def takes a good amount of labor hours. Also im not sure what your plans for the entire system is but i would strongly recomened using a 4channel amp on this install if you are even considering upgrading in the future. You will be taking every interior piece out for this install and it just makes sense to run your speaker wires

 

Hey i previously owned a 2003 Dakota and had my Pioneer avic-n2 (beautiful system) in it and just purchased my rx-8 with nav so if anyone wants to buy my n2 off of me i would sell it fairly cheap. I know this isnt the sale threads but it fits best here, right? I can get pics if as soon as i get back in town.

 

You can always go with what the JDM aftermarket offers:



Hook it up to an in-car PC and you have multimedia and NAV with a touch screen for less that $1k.

 

Here is our TomTom Go 300 mounted in the 8. Picture is taken from sitting in the drivers seat, kind of obvious I know....

They are about $500 and come with USA maps.

I think it is small enough to not obstruct the view too bad.