Really Important truck features. :-)
A totally silly, but all too real topic as we are looking at a new pick 'em up next year. Plus it's a slow thanksgiving. Having the Ford vs Dodge discussion in my head. Solid axle only please and ...
Forum Discussion
burningman wrote:
Well be glad you’re not me, owning an older 2nd-gen Dodge which was set up for 1.5-DIN size radios! No one even makes those. I have two choices, a single-DIN with no room for much of a screen, or cut up my perfect dash, which is the nice looking “woodgrain” one they don’t make replacements for. OK there’s one more option, the motorized flip-out screen units, but that’s too clunky and potentially troublesome for me.
I really want that new Alpine ilx 107 with wireless CarPlay, but I don’t want to hack my dash unless I can find another perfect woodgrain bezel to cut first.
You need to look around a little. I had the same issue with the Burb, GM used that funky 1.5 DIN setup. I had a Pioneer single DIN in there for a while that gave me XM, iPod and Bluetooth, but it was tough to navigate. Every menu had a zillion levels.
I recently found out that Metra makes a dash kit that allows you to put a double DIN stereo in the factory spot. The kit is that trim bezel that you see around the radio and instrument cluster, it's the whole piece:
You can see the USB and 3.5mm inputs I mounted on a blank piece below the OnStar controls. This Pioneer touch screen gives me better bluetooth, XM, Pandora, etc., plus navigation:
I also added a color rear view camera that works GREAT for hitching up the trailer. DW also loves it when she has to park the burb in town. I wired the cam so it goes on automatically when you shift into reverse, but you can also command it on anytime from the apps menu. One thing I didn't get was Android car play...didn't really see the point.
Navigation is cool, you can set up different profiles, so I have one for pulling the TT that keeps me off low-clearance roads and anywhere trucks shouldn't go. I also found a "hack" online to defeat the parking brake interface, so if we are towing, DW can use the nav and other functions while we are going down the road.
The ability to update the technology keeps the truck from getting dated, I've got the same functionality now that you would get in a brand new truck.
If you want to upgrade your Ram, look around a little until you find a solution you like. Agree it needs to look factory and not a pile of hot glue and duct tape.
Here is a You Tube video of a guy installing a double-DIN in his 99 Ram.
