Hello, fellow FJ enthusiasts.
I thought I'd share my experience with a recent audio system upgrade for my FJ Cruiser. I spent some time lurking on this forum, getting some great information on other member experiences with doing this.
This is the second Toyota I have owned. My first was a 2002 Sequoia that was bulletproof. As with the Sequoia, my only gripe with the FJ was the weak factory audio system. My FJ came with the "upgraded" system. I added a third-party "bluefusion" bluetooth adapter (used a SAT input) that worked well for streaming music and hands-free telephone. That said, I was really wanting to improve the audio experience and modernize the capabilities of the head unit.
I spend a good amount of time on fjcruiserforum.com, Crutchfield, Amazon, eBay, and audio enthusiast forums, trying to narrow down my options. The 2-din height of the factory unit provides a large array of options. That said, I tend to be very picky about the fit/finish of things and maintaining a clean look with any modification. I didn't want to install an upgrade that looked out of place.
My budget for the upgrade was to stay under $2,000. My goal was to replace the head unit, speakers, add subwoofer, and add amplifier. Installation costs are not included in that number. I did have it professionally installed, but I think this could be a DIY for most.
The minimum features I was interested in were: audio quality, integrated GPS, bluetooth, hands-free calling, snappy performance when using the interface, and ease of use.
One of the first things I realized is that although the factory unit is 2-din in height, it is about 1" wider than a standard 2-din aftermarket unit. Of course, one can get a mounting kit to accommodate this, but the end result is an installation that doesn't look clean. That narrowed things down, quite a bit.
Over the past year, I've purchased a number of items from aliexpress.com. This is the Chinese version of Amazon.com. Although I haven't purchased any electronics, customer service has been responsive, shipping times reasonable, and return policy satisfactory. There is a large selection of 2-din head units available, most of them either Android or Windows/CE based. I narrowed it down to Android, primarily based on the ecosystem of applications and likely availability of software updates. My sense is that most of these units come out of a handful of factories in China. It is also likely that thee factories build/develop most of the audio head units you find in the factory systems (just my guess).
Here's the head-unit I went with. From time of order, it shipped within 5 days and arrived within 15 days via DHL.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Capa...-RAV4-Prado-dvd-gps-2002-2003/1349881832.html
I opted to go with JL Audio Speakers for the front doors, rear passenger area, and subwoofers.
Front Speakers: JL Audio C2-650 6.5-Inch 2-Way Component Speaker System
Rear Speakers: JL Audio C2-650X Evolution™ Series 6-1/2" 2-way car speakers
Rear Headliner: PowerBass S-275CH 2.75-Inch Full Range OEM Speaker for Chrysler/Jeep (Black)
Subwoofer Box: Wicked CAS
Amplifier: Polk Audio PA D5000.5 900W RMS, 5-Channel Class D PA Series Car Amplifier (PAD5000.5),100 Watts x4; 400 Watts x1
It's all installed and I am very happy with it. After about 2 months of moderate use, here are my impressions.
The good:
1. Chinese head unit is of very good build quality. Tactile feel of buttons, interface layout, and sound quality is excellent.
2. The versatility of having an Android operating system, WiFi capability, etc. makes the average system very boring.
3. Capacitive touch screen is very sharp, easy to read, and visible even in in direct sunlight.
4. ODB II connectivity is a nice feature (note: need to buy $10 adapter)
5. It's all about the APPS! I run WAZE (gps navigation), Spotify (streaming music), GAIA (topo maps), etc.
6. Full plug-n-play. No wiring harness adapter or wire cutting required. Steering wheel controls work and are programmable.
7. iPhone/iPod compatibility
8. Rear & Front Camera Capability
The not so good:
1. Boot up time is about 20 seconds. This has been a non-issue for me. FM Radio come on instantly if the car is shut off with radio playing.
2. Unlike many of these units that have adjustable illumination color, this one only does green.
Hopefully, this is helpful.
Cheers!
I thought I'd share my experience with a recent audio system upgrade for my FJ Cruiser. I spent some time lurking on this forum, getting some great information on other member experiences with doing this.
This is the second Toyota I have owned. My first was a 2002 Sequoia that was bulletproof. As with the Sequoia, my only gripe with the FJ was the weak factory audio system. My FJ came with the "upgraded" system. I added a third-party "bluefusion" bluetooth adapter (used a SAT input) that worked well for streaming music and hands-free telephone. That said, I was really wanting to improve the audio experience and modernize the capabilities of the head unit.
I spend a good amount of time on fjcruiserforum.com, Crutchfield, Amazon, eBay, and audio enthusiast forums, trying to narrow down my options. The 2-din height of the factory unit provides a large array of options. That said, I tend to be very picky about the fit/finish of things and maintaining a clean look with any modification. I didn't want to install an upgrade that looked out of place.
My budget for the upgrade was to stay under $2,000. My goal was to replace the head unit, speakers, add subwoofer, and add amplifier. Installation costs are not included in that number. I did have it professionally installed, but I think this could be a DIY for most.
The minimum features I was interested in were: audio quality, integrated GPS, bluetooth, hands-free calling, snappy performance when using the interface, and ease of use.
One of the first things I realized is that although the factory unit is 2-din in height, it is about 1" wider than a standard 2-din aftermarket unit. Of course, one can get a mounting kit to accommodate this, but the end result is an installation that doesn't look clean. That narrowed things down, quite a bit.
Over the past year, I've purchased a number of items from aliexpress.com. This is the Chinese version of Amazon.com. Although I haven't purchased any electronics, customer service has been responsive, shipping times reasonable, and return policy satisfactory. There is a large selection of 2-din head units available, most of them either Android or Windows/CE based. I narrowed it down to Android, primarily based on the ecosystem of applications and likely availability of software updates. My sense is that most of these units come out of a handful of factories in China. It is also likely that thee factories build/develop most of the audio head units you find in the factory systems (just my guess).
Here's the head-unit I went with. From time of order, it shipped within 5 days and arrived within 15 days via DHL.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Capa...-RAV4-Prado-dvd-gps-2002-2003/1349881832.html
I opted to go with JL Audio Speakers for the front doors, rear passenger area, and subwoofers.
Front Speakers: JL Audio C2-650 6.5-Inch 2-Way Component Speaker System
Rear Speakers: JL Audio C2-650X Evolution™ Series 6-1/2" 2-way car speakers
Rear Headliner: PowerBass S-275CH 2.75-Inch Full Range OEM Speaker for Chrysler/Jeep (Black)
Subwoofer Box: Wicked CAS
Amplifier: Polk Audio PA D5000.5 900W RMS, 5-Channel Class D PA Series Car Amplifier (PAD5000.5),100 Watts x4; 400 Watts x1
It's all installed and I am very happy with it. After about 2 months of moderate use, here are my impressions.
The good:
1. Chinese head unit is of very good build quality. Tactile feel of buttons, interface layout, and sound quality is excellent.
2. The versatility of having an Android operating system, WiFi capability, etc. makes the average system very boring.
3. Capacitive touch screen is very sharp, easy to read, and visible even in in direct sunlight.
4. ODB II connectivity is a nice feature (note: need to buy $10 adapter)
5. It's all about the APPS! I run WAZE (gps navigation), Spotify (streaming music), GAIA (topo maps), etc.
6. Full plug-n-play. No wiring harness adapter or wire cutting required. Steering wheel controls work and are programmable.
7. iPhone/iPod compatibility
8. Rear & Front Camera Capability
The not so good:
1. Boot up time is about 20 seconds. This has been a non-issue for me. FM Radio come on instantly if the car is shut off with radio playing.
2. Unlike many of these units that have adjustable illumination color, this one only does green.
Hopefully, this is helpful.
Cheers!