Don't get me wrong, I love my rig. The ride on those long drives and even just daily commute is great, and as much as I love the sound of my engine...I turn on the radio or pop in a CD every now and then. I pop one the iPod every now and then too, but it gets really awkward sometimes still using my cassette deck to play an iPod, and the FM transmitter just doesn't cut it in a big city. Seems like there are NO dead stations anymore to broadcast my playlists. So I was wondering, if anyone has swapped up their 3rd gen 4Runner's head unit for a 4th gen's head unit. I'd love the 6-disc in-dash and MP3/WMA capability.

I'm steering clear from a NAV because I just think that in the 3rd gen it'll be mounted way too low to be functional or even comfortable. They look great on the 4th gens, but I don't to reconfigure the A/C and audio so just another head unit would be great. I want to keep a stock look to it so the factory head unit on the new 4Runners would be cool. (Except that the backlight is orange instead of green). Any information, or even opinions, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

This may or may not help. I have an 02 4Runner and it has cd and cass. I bought a unit that plugs into the aux out in the back originally intended for a cd changer and hooks up to the ipod. It plays up to 6 play list on the ipod at 99 songs per play list, right through the head unit.

Aaron

 

relocating the radio and a/c unit is pretty simple. So don't let that hold you back. Here is a pic of my previous set up with nav, head unit, and sat radio.

 

i wonder if you could swap the new head units (the touch screen stereo and gps ) in a 88... hmmm..... you got me thinkin

 

Thanks buddy, any idea what that "unit that plugs into the aux out" is called? Is it an adapter with an iPod connection, or just a regular 3.5mm jack for the audio? Sounds interesting, you can play it off of the head unit you say?

 

You've got me thinking now too...give it a try and let me know! That'd be pretty gnar to see that NAV set up in an 88!

 

I run a DD kenwood in both my 4runners, touchscreen, sirius sat radio and navigation. I love it.

 

Cool, got any pictures? Would love to see that set up.

 

bump!

 

Do check your private messages, please do!

 

I never got a PM but here you go. I couldn't get a pic of my 87 cause my wife has it but here is the 3rd gen. Not the best pic but oh well.

 

Besides the NAV, do you have an iPod adapter? If so, how's the sound quality? Thanks for the reply and it looks good, snug and clean.

 

There is an ipod adapter, but ever since I got sirius sat radio I never bought the ipod connector. It should sound good because it goes in the back of the head unit where the expandable cd changer goes, then hookes into the ipod. No FM tuning junk.

 

sorry for the crappy pics but they were taken during install... a nav screen fits perfect and is easy to use while driving...

 

Looks great! I'm even slightly jealous! I wasn't really going to go towards NAV but if I can get NAV and my iPod to go flawless, why not go for both right? At first, I was just wanting to swap head units with the 4th Gen but now I'm considering NAV option a little more. No definites yet though. Thanks again for everything! Oh, and do you find it awkward shifting with the screen there, or hard to see with the shifter there?

Looks great, and I bet with that box in the back those backpacks don't stay very well. Just curious, what's playing on the screen in the second shot? Can you watch DVDs on it? And how do you like the actual NAV function on it? Thanks for posting, very helpful. Oh and same question, do you find it awkward shifting with the screen there, or hard to see with the shifter there?

 

haha, actually the backpacks usually are in my back seat cause i use the cover for the trunk all the time, it was just there for the pic.

Dave Matthews Band - Live at Red Rocks is playing on the screen.

yes you can watch dvds on it, which is nice

the nav function is great, a few months ago i used it to get to murphy, nc for tellico, then to culliwee or however you spell it in nc and then to asheville and back to florida... never looked at a real map once.

the only problem with shifting is if i want to change cds while im in park, the screen wont open all the way with it in park, but for all the +'s ill deal with that very minor issue... the shifter doesnt get in the way of the screen at all from my view

 

Mine had the option of tiliting into 7 different positions, so viewing is never a problem. Also I can open it all the way up to change cd/dvd's while it is in park w/out running it into the shifter.

 

Does it feel awkward or even "dangerous" to look that low for NAV directions on the screen? I like how the new 4Runners have them kind of high so that you don't have to look that far, kind of a big concern for me.

Also, can you watch DVDs while driving? Not that I'd watch a whole movie while driving around, but just wondering if you could or not for the passengers. How about a 6-disc option? That'd save a lot of grief from having to switch out or park to change a cd if you could just have 6 of them in there.

Do you think you could drop the model name and number? How was the install? Price? Rating 1-10, love it or hate it?

Pretty much same questions: can you watch DVDs while driving or do you have do be in park? Is there any sort of a 6-disc route?

Model name and number? How was the installation? How much did it run you? Rating 1-10, love it or hate it?

 

If you just want to plug the ipod into your current HU, its called a P.I.E adapter.

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/pietoyaux.html