2002 Aftermarket Radio or Replacement?
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: SC
2002 Aftermarket Radio or Replacement?
Hey All.
I was actually one of the first person in the country to get the SC430.
Car has been flawless for me.
Ok... Newb Question - I'm sure it's been answered a hundred times here.
Last year I replaced the Radio Module. And it was some aftermarket radio and the guy who put it in.
To put it bluntly - I'm not happy with the replacement. The guy who put it in couldn't find a good face for it and the radio doesn't really "fit" right.
And on top of that - he had to disable the Nav Unit to do it.
So here's my questions:
1) Does Lexus Make a new radio module I could buy from Lexus? I don't want to buy the old 2002 radio model since it had a cassette thing in it.
2) If not - does anyone have a suggestion on a good aftermarket model that fits in nicely?
Thanks in advance.
Gene
I was actually one of the first person in the country to get the SC430.
Car has been flawless for me.
Ok... Newb Question - I'm sure it's been answered a hundred times here.
Last year I replaced the Radio Module. And it was some aftermarket radio and the guy who put it in.
To put it bluntly - I'm not happy with the replacement. The guy who put it in couldn't find a good face for it and the radio doesn't really "fit" right.
And on top of that - he had to disable the Nav Unit to do it.
So here's my questions:
1) Does Lexus Make a new radio module I could buy from Lexus? I don't want to buy the old 2002 radio model since it had a cassette thing in it.
2) If not - does anyone have a suggestion on a good aftermarket model that fits in nicely?
Thanks in advance.
Gene
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 66
From: Pa
THE radio is still basically the same They still come with a cassette player Kind of dumb you think. I believe your radio was ML . If it was your probably better off going back to it . What happed to your original radio. There is a radio repair company that people in the club have recomended. I Think he rebuilds the radios for uuder 300.00. You also might have soem amplifier issues as well as speaker issues , The OEM speakers have gotten some bad reviews. Hope this helps you
Pole Position
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 10
From: NM
i've never seen an easily integrated aftermarket stereo. some people have changed out the head unit, but they had to move the stock stereo to the trunk in order for the navigation to work. even then, it didn't look good in my opinion. you'd probably need to have a new face/molding custom built for it to look right.
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: SC
Thanks for the advice.
I just can't bear that cassette tape in there - looks tremendously old fashion in an otherwise modern car.
The face that the radio guy put on it is so horrible - it doesn't even fit.
I might look for someone to build a custom face.
Gene
I just can't bear that cassette tape in there - looks tremendously old fashion in an otherwise modern car.
The face that the radio guy put on it is so horrible - it doesn't even fit.
I might look for someone to build a custom face.
Gene
Pole Position
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 10
From: NM
i've never seen it disassembled, but it looks like you might be able to have a piece of brushed metal cut to match the stock face, but cover the cassette hole. maybe have a custom button made to replace the "tape" button too. "trunk monkey" would be my first choice.
trunk monkey
trunk monkey
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 299
Likes: 2
From: Rhode Island
I don't know about other people on here but I think some of us "older guys" like having a cassette player in the car. I had a bunch cassettes that never came out on CDs, by some obscure bands, and being able to listen to some of this music again for the first time in a few years is great. I was kinda excited when I was checking out my car in the showroom and saw that it had a cassette player in it LOL.
Some of the stuff I can listen again is mostly some of the 80s heavy metal bands like Fire Down Under album by Riot (and no I don't mean Quiet Riot), Lizzy Borden, Mcauley Schenker Group, RacerX, and some early Fates Warning, Vinnie Moore, David Chastain and Tony Macalpine and some other heavy guitar oriented metal music. Music most people have never heard of before I can listen to again because of having a cassette player in my car for the first time in many years is a good thing.
Some of the stuff I can listen again is mostly some of the 80s heavy metal bands like Fire Down Under album by Riot (and no I don't mean Quiet Riot), Lizzy Borden, Mcauley Schenker Group, RacerX, and some early Fates Warning, Vinnie Moore, David Chastain and Tony Macalpine and some other heavy guitar oriented metal music. Music most people have never heard of before I can listen to again because of having a cassette player in my car for the first time in many years is a good thing.
Pole Position
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 10
From: NM
I don't know about other people on here but I think some of us "older guys" like having a cassette player in the car. I had a bunch cassettes that never came out on CDs, by some obscure bands, and being able to listen to some of this music again for the first time in a few years is great. I was kinda excited when I was checking out my car in the showroom and saw that it had a cassette player in it LOL.
Some of the stuff I can listen again is mostly some of the 80s heavy metal bands like Fire Down Under album by Riot (and no I don't mean Quiet Riot), Lizzy Borden, Mcauley Schenker Group, RacerX, and some early Fates Warning, Vinnie Moore, David Chastain and Tony Macalpine and some other heavy guitar oriented metal music. Music most people have never heard of before I can listen to again because of having a cassette player in my car for the first time in many years is a good thing.
Some of the stuff I can listen again is mostly some of the 80s heavy metal bands like Fire Down Under album by Riot (and no I don't mean Quiet Riot), Lizzy Borden, Mcauley Schenker Group, RacerX, and some early Fates Warning, Vinnie Moore, David Chastain and Tony Macalpine and some other heavy guitar oriented metal music. Music most people have never heard of before I can listen to again because of having a cassette player in my car for the first time in many years is a good thing.
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i've never seen it disassembled, but it looks like you might be able to have a piece of brushed metal cut to match the stock face, but cover the cassette hole. maybe have a custom button made to replace the "tape" button too. "trunk monkey" would be my first choice.
trunk monkey
trunk monkey
Lead Lap
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,759
Likes: 416
From: Texas
I was wondering about a replacement unit also. With the size of the OEM radio, I would think that an aftermarket with a video screen would be available that has NAV features in it also would be available. Since it costs around $300 to upgrade the NAV DVD and another $300 (or so) to add on extra audio or video sources to be able to play MP3s, it seems that it would be easier to replace it with an all in one unit. Then you just don't use the current NAV unit on the dash at all, unless you convert it to a DVD player. Has anyone researched for a decent all-in-one unit like that?
Last edited by Harold57; Feb 7, 2009 at 08:38 AM.
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 3,874
Likes: 396
From: Ohio
I agree. Although I have not played a cassette player in a car in quite a few years, I have found that the cassette insert is the best interface for iPod for those cars lacking a direct plug (which is fairly new). Those FM adapters are just not very good, and I have tried a few of them.
I never really understood all the objections and negative comments about the archaic cassette-tape player in our radios. I'm not so old (42), yet I use the cassette player frequently. My old Grateful Dead tapes are too good to mothball, and they sound great in the ML deck. I also use an iPod, but I tend to only listen to it in my LX that has a hard-wire connect, since the FM-adapter I've used in my SC sounds like crap.
Pole Position
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 10
From: NM
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 3,874
Likes: 396
From: Ohio
The cassette adapter is nice because it is fast, convenient, there is no installation required, and it can be moved from car to car. It probably does not provide the higher audio quality or remote control of an iPod provided by more sophisticated units, but for general use, and dollar for dollar, it is an excellent solution to the iPod problem. I'd love to have vais units in my cars, but the cost exceeds the benefits I would derive.