I've been looking at replacing the factory cassette (single din) with an in-dash DVD player with LCD screen on a limited budget (single or double din - prefer the double din due to a better look). I understand that in the 4runner, there is a limited depth of 7", correct? Outside of Crutchfield, how do you know when a unit will fit because sometimes their dimensions aren't even listed? It's been a frustrating search.

Also, what is the most economic in-dash DVD player with LCD screen that has great quality? What features do you recommend as well - navigation, bluetooth? My husband definitely wants to be able to plug in his mp3 player to it as well.

I'd love to see some pictures & options.

 

One of the best deals on the market today is the Pioneer AVIC-D3.
That is what I had Cartoys put in a year ago.

Back then the head unit alone was $1K, you can sometimes find them online for less than $600.

Mine can do bluetooth, but I do not have a bt cell phone yet.

If you have steering wheel controls for the factory stereo, it can do it with an added cable.

Also they installed the Pioneer cable to run my iPod.
The iPod stays hidden in the glovebox, you never touch it, you control it via the screen.

I also have the Pioneer Sirius satellite receiver hooked up to it.
All functions are controlled by the 6.25" touch screen.

Oh, it also has talking turn by turn GPS navigation that runs off the DVD.
You have an address book that keeps tons of addresses, and also you can punch in an address of a business, and it will find the entry and phone number of the place, and you add it to your address book.
The navigation part rocks!
I suck at finding addresses.
I inputted the shop that did my roof top tent installation last Friday, and it took me right to the place, to a town I am unfamiliar with.
Then it got me back home

Here are a few links to me discussing this head unit here.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f96/...2007-a-113238/

https://www.yotatech.com/50487202-post113.html

From Pioneer's site.
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...n-Dash/AVIC-D3

Here is a video from last year on the unit.
I really rave about this unit, I dig it.

[YOUTUBE]h_w3UZIEo8k[/YOUTUBE]

 

Wow! That does look nice & fits too!! It looks like it's getting cheaper as well. I found it online for $489.
http://www.86photovideo.com/products...oduct_id=18206

I'd love to see pictures of this one in a '96-'98.

 

Glad you like it.
Not a day goes by that I am not jammin' on my way into work with Sirius sat radio.

Sometimes I will fire up the iPod too, but I am really hooked on a few channels on the satt.

The backup camera is a good option to go for too.

 

The AVIC D3 has been on my wish list for quite a while now. I would agree with you about all the features for the price.

 

i'd stay with something from one of the big 3. pioneer alpine or clarion. Worked with all three at a visions store. alpines had the least product failures. pioneer have some great graphics but have had eject mechanisms jam in them after afew months. clarion are okay but i just hate looking at the menus. Only word of advice is try to get something current. just because its cheap doesnt mean you should buy it. do some research on car audio forums. the12volt.com and see what you can find out about particular units. I bought my alpine ivad 100 last year because i can run with fibre optics and no rcas and do true 5.1. figure out what you need in a unit then go from there.

 

My friend just the Pioneer avic-d3 in his 350z a few days ago, its pretty damn cool.

 

It seems the Pioneer AVIC D3 is a very popular and I can see why. I was wondering if anyone has any other options and can show pictures of what they have done. My husband is a little apprehensive about spending quite so much money!!! I'm aware it would be great, but are there some other double din options that would look & work great too. What about the Power Acoustik Ptid-5800 or something like that???? Any thoughts?

 

power acoustik=junk

get the AVIC-D3

Pioneer makes GREAT in dash DVD\NAV units for the price. The D3 is so cheap because you have to stop, put the dvd in, load a route, than you can put a cd in and drive. If you listen to SAT radio or your ipod most of the time than it isn't really a problem. I was going to buy one of these for awhile, but i dont really need it in a grid like PHX

 

Alright! Great! Yeah, my husband wasn't too keen on need to have the DVD to load a route because we usually listen to CD's - ALTHOUGH, it hasn't been an option to use our mp3 player so that might change!

 

AmyRW, I finally installed my head unit. I had to redrill the mount holes in the bracket, but wasn't too bad overall.

Also, a tip if you do decide to get one, the FCC rules make it to where you can only watch a DVD while you have the parking brake on.... to be able to watch anytime, simply ground the pink wire(brake wire) with your black groundwires.



I'll get a nighttime/dvd shot in a couple of hours.

 

Mason Dixon, thanks so much for the pix. I look forward to the nighttime pix as well.

How is it working? What's your assessment of it?

 

That trick doesnt work on higher end dvd units. They often have accelerometers or gyroscopes to make sure the vehicle is actully stopped. The Pioneer AVIC series do exactly that. It can be defeated with a resistor, but that voids your warranty

 

Does that affect playing a DVD for rear monitors??? I intended to do headrest monitors that play from this DVD player.

 

If it does, there is a whole forum dedicated to the Pioneer AVIC-D3 that can walk you through to get video at all times.

http://www.avic411.com/

http://www.avic411.com/forum/

Yes, this popular deck even has a forum

 

Thanks Corey!!!

 

The AVIC is nice but in a 3rd gen 4Runner you are going to want a screen with a motorized face to angle up. The radio spot in our dash is too low for the non-motorized AVIC screen. The Z1 and Z2 have motorized capability.

I personally have the Alpine IVA-W200 and love it...

 

 

This is the best I have right now. I'll get some better ones in the next few days.



And just for reference to describe what I was talking about. Here is a picture of my old Tacoma with a Kenwood and you can see what I mean about the screen being able to angle upward. The IVA-200 has 3 or 4 angles to choose from...

 

Mtriple,

Thanks so much for adding the pictures. That will help my husband & I make a decision about what we put in ours.