Vais SL2 IPod: Getting Done Right Now, Nav 9.1 Update: Done

scdroptop · 10-28-09, 05:26 PM

As the title says, put in my new 9.1 disc I got in the mail the other day and the update went smooth. Finally my home is on the map!

When I took Ebony into Sewell today she's going to get the Vais SL2I iPod adapter (ran through the middle console) as well.

$292 for the part with CL Discount (I know, I know...see my reasons below) and the entire thing is being installed for $595 with a one year warranty.

The reason why I chose the dealer to do this is three fold: 1) No time to do it myself 2) My preferred installer cannot get to it and is booked till the end of the year and 3) it's in there now...might as well and Sewell Matched Park Place's price...which Sewell was almost $100 more ($692) than PP.

I know I am sort a wimp for not trying to install it myself, but honestly I am a little scared I will mess up my Pebble Beach interior and not be able to get it back right or damage something...If it was a regular interior car I would do it. I am not "great" with electronics, so I thought I would leave it up to the pros and let them do it. I have done celing fans and light fixtures in my last three homes for the past ten years or so, but that's the extent of my electrician skills. I didn't want to pull out the stereo and scratch the hell out of the red leather or mess up the Pebble Beach Logo, which are both extremely rare to find. With the warranty, loaner car and convenience, what the hell, right??? I am curious as to what others have paid for install alone? I got a quote from Earmark Audio for $500 but it wasn't a Vais unit.

JohnnyCake · 10-28-09, 09:02 PM

$595? -- Holy crap -- apparently I should be really, really nice to the buddy who did mine. But I feel your pain. I've completely rebuilt the engine for my old MG solo, but there is something about seeing the "guts" of my SC which gives me the willies.

scdroptop · 10-28-09, 09:54 PM

I know, i know. I am less of a man because I am not attempting this? I honestly would have done it on my red/ecru. After learning about how rare the PB parts are, I dont' want to jack up the PB logo on the console or rip/tear the red leather.

My normal installers who did my infiniti are not booking anymore in 2009, otherwise they would have probably done it for around $350 installed!

That's why they call them Stealerships! I shouldn't complain...I am getting probably $2500-$3000 worth of warranty work for free and I'm cruising around in a nice new ES350 in the pouring nasty rain here in Dallas.

Bon · 10-28-09, 10:24 PM

I installed a VAIS unit today and pulled my climate control dash module for the first time and it's petty exciting "Don't tear the leather, don't tear the leather . . ." My mantra for the day. The radio extraction certainly requires some care as well. Hey, so does the console wood. Did I mention the balky connectors?

I installed a VML and soon discovered that I really need the SL2i-UP. Oh, boy, I get to do some of this all over again! At least the folks at VAIS technology group are good folks and will exchange it without a hassle. They're not making me remove the radio wiring adapter so I can leave it in place and just return the VML for an exchange; good people!

The problem with the VML is that it doesn't have a "simple" mode for the iTouch. Since the SC doesn't have a decent radio/nav unit I couldn't control the iTouch directly and running the iTouch with just track numbers, etc. is way too clumsy.

I now have a week's wait for the round-trip exchange, Patience, patience. . .

My usb wire exits from the center arm rest and allows the iTouch to lay on the console either on the wood or just behind the shifter on the left. I have a silicone skin so it stick like glue in either location. I think I'll be really pleased after I get my SL2i-UP!

scdroptop · 10-28-09, 10:30 PM

Bon-congrats! You are almost there. Warning: this will be the longest week of your life! It will itch like a mosquito bite! At least you tried it and got there...based on all the comparisons I did it sounds like the SL2i-UP is the way to go also. Good choice!

Bon · 10-28-09, 10:36 PM

I'm trying to distract myself with about 15 different Zaino Bros polishing products. In about a week my SC should glow in the dark! And sound good too!

Harold57 · 10-28-09, 11:00 PM

Be sure to post pictures when you are done, preferrably of the process but also of the finished product. That may give some of the rest of us the nerve to do it ourselves also.

bcisco513 · 10-29-09, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scdroptop

As the title says, put in my new 9.1 disc I got in the mail the other day and the update went smooth. Finally my home is on the map!

When I took Ebony into Sewell today she's going to get the Vais SL2I iPod adapter (ran through the middle console) as well.

$292 for the part with CL Discount (I know, I know...see my reasons below) and the entire thing is being installed for $595 with a one year warranty.

The reason why I chose the dealer to do this is three fold: 1) No time to do it myself 2) My preferred installer cannot get to it and is booked till the end of the year and 3) it's in there now...might as well and Sewell Matched Park Place's price...which Sewell was almost $100 more ($692) than PP.

I know I am sort a wimp for not trying to install it myself, but honestly I am a little scared I will mess up my Pebble Beach interior and not be able to get it back right or damage something...If it was a regular interior car I would do it. I am not "great" with electronics, so I thought I would leave it up to the pros and let them do it. I have done celing fans and light fixtures in my last three homes for the past ten years or so, but that's the extent of my electrician skills. I didn't want to pull out the stereo and scratch the hell out of the red leather or mess up the Pebble Beach Logo, which are both extremely rare to find. With the warranty, loaner car and convenience, what the hell, right??? I am curious as to what others have paid for install alone? I got a quote from Earmark Audio for $500 but it wasn't a Vais unit.

I am still waiting for the installer in boston to call me back with a quote. I also wrote to Vais tech and they tell me my 06 SC will not have text anywhere not even on the radio ! I was hoping it would be shown on my Nav screen ! oh well , will post what they give me a price for ... if they ever call back ! BTW Vais recomended this installer so hopefully he knows wnat he is doin !

Bon · 10-29-09, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcisco513

I am still waiting for the installer in boston to call me back with a quote. I also wrote to Vais tech and they tell me my 06 SC will not have text anywhere not even on the radio ! I was hoping it would be shown on my Nav screen ! oh well , will post what they give me a price for ... if they ever call back ! BTW Vais recomended this installer so hopefully he knows wnat he is doin !

There's no hope to get text or nav/audio integration on your 06 SC with VAIS. I spoke with VAIS yesterday and they confirmed this information. Not even the 2010's. Unbelievable; the 2001 LS's have text capability.

JohnnyCake · 10-29-09, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcisco513

I also wrote to Vais tech and they tell me my 06 SC will not have text anywhere not even on the radio !

The good news is that that is just wrong. I have the Vais unit in my 06, and Artist, Title, Station, etc. all appear on the ML radio display. Also, it integrates with the hands-free system, so you can say, "Satellite Radio Two" or whatever.

scdroptop · 10-29-09, 05:12 PM

+1 ^^^ 2005-2009 SC's all can display artist, title, station, etc. The only drawback I hear is that you either need to sort all your songs into a bunch of playlists or make one big giant playlist with all your songs, because you scroll through the playlists. This is what the tech told me when I dropped off my 05 yesterday to get it done. We shall see.

Bon · 10-29-09, 06:34 PM

Quote:

The good news is that that is just wrong. I have the Vais unit in my 06, and Artist, Title, Station, etc. all appear on the ML radio display. Also, it integrates with the hands-free system, so you can say, "Satellite Radio Two" or whatever.

Quote:

+1 ^^^ 2005-2009 SC's all can display artist, title, station, etc. The only drawback I hear is that you either need to sort all your songs into a bunch of playlists or make one big giant playlist with all your songs, because you scroll through the playlists. This is what the tech told me when I dropped off my 05 yesterday to get it done. We shall see.

I sure hope you all are right!

I called twice: once for tech support and the other to customer service. Both times I got the same person, though. I asked him what emulation mode to use to get the artist and song text and he was certain that it can't be done on the SC. I tried both MD and CD emulation and neither was giving me text. Now, I was working with the VML but they're supposed to behave the same in this regard. Scdroptop, please post your results when you get yours back. Oh, yeah, I want my text!

JohnnyCake · 10-29-09, 06:42 PM

Ah, I thought you were talking satellite -- I don't have the iPod adapter. My bad.

scdroptop · 10-29-09, 08:29 PM

From ebay courtesy of vais...shows the different types of text you can see. My technician told me at the dealer, and I communicated with Brian at Vais that this unit would show text on the screen. Now that I look at this...I'm wondering which screen-the LCD for nav or the stereo display?

My 2003 old school Infiniti FX35 was able to display text on the nav screen...I'm pretty sure it will look like the non-RX picture attached. See all three. This is the SL2IUP

Jackalope · 10-30-09, 05:39 AM

Geeeez guys. The install just ain't that tough. Took me about two hours.