Libra14

PLEASE HELP! I just purchased a 2008 ES 350 and I want to upgrade the radio with two things and I don't know how or what to purchase!

#1) I want satellite radio - I don't know if it's XM or Sirius or if it matters since they've merged but it says my car had a Sirius radio installed before it was originally sold - so what the heck does that mean I need to get so that the SAT will actually work so I can get the radio ID number off of it for the SAT company to begin my free trial???

#2) I rarely listen to local radio stations (which is why I was excited about having SAT radio available to me...or so I thought) and I use my iphone a lot in the car for music. So I would like to have my iphone's ipod to be integrated into the navigation screen so I can go through my music and select songs on screen instead of in the AUX mode using only the phone to choose songs, fast forward, etc.

I've looked up the VAIS products but I'm SOOOO CONFUSED as to what I need to get and where these boxes will go in the car. They have so many products that I don't know what I'm supposed to choose. Which ipod product...which SAT product b/c they have one of XM and one for Sirius????? Can I get both; SAT product and Ipod product??

I really, really hope someone out there can help me! The despair, frustration and anxiousness I feel is overwhelming b/c I feel like there is a solution right at my fingertips but I can't figure it out as I do not have a mind for these automotive things.

Any help in some direction would be greatly appreciated.

2008ES

Not sure if this is what you're asking, but if you switch the mode to SAT and change the station to 000 I believe the ID number will appear on the screen. I use the Mode button on the steering wheel to switch to SAT.


The only nav integration with a 2008 will be with the Vais product or something similar. Just going from memory here, I believe these products operate in the satellite mode so you will have to choose either iPod or satellite but not both. I just use the audio input for my iPod and live with it, it's not worth it to me to make internal mods to my car, even though I would love to have the iPod controls on the nav screen/steering wheel buttons. VaisTech is a rep on these boards, perhaps PM him for help figuring out which system you need to purchase.

__

MadMax96

This is an XM Satellite radio question so I figured it might belong here and didn't want to start a new thread.

I recently picked up a 2008 CPO ES350 that has the factory XM receiver installed. It works fine on the preview channel but I have no intent of purchasing a subscription.

I did notice, however, that when I press the CD/Aux button, it doesn't go to Aux - only CD mode. Note also, that I didn't have anything connected to the 1/8" headphone jack at the time. My 2007 didn't require anything to be plugged in for me to switch to Aux, but it also didn't have the XM receiver.

So my question is - if you have the XM receiver installed, does that DISABLE the Aux port?

Or perhaps does it now require something to be connected? <- I can't imagine that being the case but who knows...

All I know is if I have to open up the console to disconnect to get my Aux port working, I'm not going to be happy. If I have to go through the trouble, I'll rip it out and install a VAIS unit while I'm in there.

EDIT - figured it out. Apparently the stereo can detect if a headphone cable is plugged in to the Aux port, even if the other end isn't attached to an MP3 player. Once the cable was plugged in, I was able to switch it to Aux mode.