I hooked up my iPhone with one of the Kensington LiquidAUX for iPod and iPhone.

http://us.kensington.com/html/14492.html



It's got a cigarette lighter plug, an iPhone/iPod connector, a 3.5mm plug for the aux jack, and a wireless remote control that straps onto the steering wheel. The remote is 2.4ghz RF and has pretty good range. It's also tiny and easy to remove from the steering wheel mount if you want to stick it somewhere else.

It worked pretty good overall. The remote works well and it charges my iPhone (1st generation).

However, I did pick up some ground loop noise.

So went to Radio Shack and snagged a ground loop isolator. That cured the noise, but didn't want a console full of wire and adapters. So I carefully sawed open the plastic case of the isolator, snipped the 3.5mm plug extender cable that came with the Kensington unit in half and swapped it with the RCA Phono wires on the isolator. Then glued the case back together with Oatey ABS cement.

It's not as nice as having full touch on the screen, but it isn't a bad solution, keeps the iPhone in the console out of sight and the remote is on the wheel.

Sounds pretty good too.

 

Why not get the Lexus ipod adaptor that works with the stock steering wheel controls?

 

A few reasons, I've heard conflicting info about whether it works at all in the IS-F and that it isn't very good anyway. This is also pretty inexpensive too. It can also be moved from car to car.

 

I will personaly wait for the vais tech solution to be upgraded to isf ( if needed) plus iPhone 3g (if needed) to be available. This would give a nicer integration. I just wish lexus had embraced iPod integration earlier ( not with addons) like Mercedes.

 

Four adapters are ready for your car. Check our website for various adapters that will integrate iPod right into you Radio.

 

Thanks. Which model has been proven to work on the ISF with ML? And with iPhone (inc. 3G)? I assume, also, that the iPhone can still work with the car Bluetooth while being used to play music with the VAIS box at the same time? Also where should the iPhone be located, I am afraid that it may not get a good signal in the glove box? Finally, is there an illustrated procedure with lots of photos (taking apart audio panels is never easy, there is always some funky clips that break, some invisible screws, some surface to scratch, etc.?

Thanks.