Aftermarket Custom Fit Stereo

[TheRookie]

Looking for a custom fit aftermarket stereo for my Focus CC (that's the cabrio one),

I believe that the dashboard is pretty much the same as 2,5 generation.

The current stereo is an oval Sony (I know it has nothing to do with the Japanese brand but rather built by the same Visteon guys as the normal CD6000 series) which I actually quite like.

However, missus want me to put a rear view camera and a satnav so I was thinking of a inexpensive aftermarket stereos.

Does anyone here got any experience with Eonon, Xtrons, Zenec and the like?

They seem to be specifically designed for this type of a car, right?

[PaulR93]

I fitted a Eonon 5162 to my MK2.5 ZS it's great cause it's plug and play. It is a sat nav, TV, DVD, Internet the lot. Is near £300 but I would say worth it.

[Valleyboy22]

Fancied one of those stereos but was not sure if any good. Might have to put one of these on my birthday list lol.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Ford OC mobile app

[PaulR93]

I would like it will be your birthday after all lol. Just be prepared to get hit with Custom Tax I did one month after I got the stereo :(

[Valleyboy22]

Can u get one in the UK then? eBay has them I'm sure.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Ford OC mobile app

[PaulR93]

Yeah I think you can just a case of shopping around but I always just jump for the 1st one I see :')

[TheRookie]

PaulR93

Wow, finally someone who actually bought one! :)

I've got lots of questions so hope you'll be able to answer :)

Is the stereo stable? I mean, does it work as it should or are there some restarts, resets, bizarre behaviour, etc?

Is touchscreen sensitive enough and works when it is cold outside?

Is remote on steering wheel still works? What happens to the "Voice" button?

Have you wired rear view camera to the stereo?

Is satnav work alright? What software is it (guess not tomtom, right)?

Is bluetooth working with factory fit microphones?

[Valleyboy22]

Not many questions then lol

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Ford OC mobile app

[PaulR93]

The Rookie

It's a great stereo totally stable no issues what so ever it comes on when it should and goes off when you want it to.

Touchscreen is like a dream and as I live in the highlands the weather can get pretty cold at times but I have noticed no difference in the touch screen or operation of the stereo.

The steering when functions all work apart from the voice control as when you push it now nothing happens :(.

The rear view camera I will be fitting at some point and will keep you updated on that.

The Sat Nav software is good your right it's not Tom Tom it's another make beginning with K I think I will check when I go to work today but I read you can use Tom Tom maps.

bluetooth works great as it has also got its own microphone built in and you can play your music from your phone to the stereo which is handy :)

Hope this helps like I say I will post the name of the Sat Nav software soon :)

[higgsy]

I don't have one but can answer some of your questions as I researched this extensively in view to getting one, however I went with a Bluetooth/usb retrofit to the existing Sony unit as its a great stereo.

Voice button won't work, in fact existing wiring for hands free won't integrate with it, but you could butcher the mic in (ie cut the existing mic wiring and splice into the after market stereo wiring)

Stereo remote will work providing the stereo comes with the canbus interface/adapter for it (most do). The interface on a lot of the units let you map the buttons on the remote to the function of you choice on the stereo so you might be able to map the voice button to something else

Some have complained of poor radio reception on some units ( there are a lot of different units). Also poorer sound quality

Ensure you get a unit with the most powerful processor/ram. They run on wither windows embedded or android, if its android get one with the most up to date version as possible. There are ALOT of variations even though they all look pretty much identical

Reverse camera is possible on all of the units I looked at, you can get one that fits into the numbered plate light. There is a guide for fitting one of these in the guides section.

You can find some sellers dispatching from UK most from Hong Kong or China . as mentioned before be prepared for import tax and costly returns.

Sat nav some generic software from what I have seen, no tomtom etc, although there is possibility to load this software especially if you get an android powered unit

Reliability was inconclusive. I found people with issues and people that loved it, but as said before there are a lot of variations in these units.

I decided I didn't want to take the risk o. Something so expensive.

Sent from my Zetec S using the FOC for Android app

[TheRookie]

higgsy

I decided I didn't want to take the risk o. Something so expensive.

This is the exact thing why I am in two minds about it. Even the cheapest stereo cost 150 quid+ on eBay.

There is alot of info on http://www.china-rns.com/ but my German isn't very good so :(

PaulR93

Is the software called iGO by any chance?

[PaulR93]

No sure it starts with K but forgot to check will try remember the morn to check :)

[PaulR93]

The Rookie

Just checked the Sat Nav their my Eonon D5162 is running Kudos Navigator

[TheRookie]

Thanks!

Really don't know what to do with all that stuff... Here is what I've found so far:

1. The Chinese stereos as reliable as politicians - which mean they can do whatever they want regardless of what the advertising said,

2. The original Ford ones don't have camera input.

3. The Pioneer 9220 (special Ford version) is even worse than Chinese stereos.

4. The Philips one has never been sold in this country and it is rebranded Chinese copy anyway.

5. Zenec comes from the same stable as Xtrons but is warranteed by Connects2 which means the price is triple that of Xtrons.

Dear electronics manufacturers: I HATE YOU! :D