I recently got a Pioneer AVIC-z130bt installed in my 02 ES300. Prior I was using a TomTom iPhone holder mounted to the side of the dash, and I was running a tape adapter from the TomTom to the tape. It was ok, but it was messy and the audio quality was not that good. Also, the car started to look old inside. So, along with the Pioneer upgrade (https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...ml#post6646434), I made my own iPhone dock in the ashtray. It was pain, and I'm not sure if I recommend doing it. I actually cut my thumb a bit with my Dremel. But it all came out pretty good.

The tough part was dremeling through the ashtray and the ashtray holder because the iPhone cable wouldn't fit right. I had to drill in through the side a lot. I also had to dremel down the top of the ashtray so the ashtray would close with the dock. I used Gorilla Glue to hold the iPhone dock insert (3 for $10 at the Apple Store) onto the ash tray. Then, I painted the dock insert black.

The nice thing now is I've got a clean looking interior… no more cables, mounts, etc. My iPhone goes in smooth to the dock and when I'm done using it, I push in the ashtray. It all looks factory.

 

Very nice mod! I've been using the ashtray to hold my IPhone / IPod and still using the cassette adapter on my 96 w/original audio system. I think this mod would work out pretty well, and at the same time do the other I mod I saw CL to hook into CD harness. I see where this weekend or next is going. :>) My whole system works perfectly, including the CD changer in the trunk, but who wants to mess with CDs anymore? Thanks for the post and good pictures!

 

Yeah I was going to just keep the factory system and get a Vaistech iPhone adapter to plug into the system with a custom dock. But after driving a 06 is250 with navi, my es300 just looked old inside. Too many useless stereo buttons. And rd nice having navi on a big screen. The bomb is Pandora cause the title, station all show up on the screen and I can control everything there.

 

What happens if you decide to get a newer version of the iPhone and it doesn't fit?

 

Yeah, I thought of that. I'll need to get a new dock insert and pioneer a/v cable.

 

Or I might be able to save the cable by dremeling off the glue.