I've just bought a 57 plate Mk2 Focus. It's a silver 1.6 TDCI estate, in Ghia trim (I wanted cruise!) and has the newer Sony radio, with the smaller enclosure as used in the facelifted Mk2. It doesn't have Bluetooth at the moment, and I'd like to add it as I find it really useful. I don't need a particularl fancy system, but I would like audio streaming if possible. Am I right in thinking that the factory system is a) expensive b) hard to find d) awkward to retrofit and d) doesn't do streaming? It would be nice to be able to use the buttons that are already on the radio rather than add a Parrot system, but I'm not totally averse to doing so. Would a Parrot system be able to use the factory skip buttons on the steering column controls and the buttons on the stereo?

The alternative of course is to add a whole new radio. Are there any good ones that don't look really tacky like so many of the single/double DIN ones do? I live in Manchester and work in Salford, and neither are particularly salubrious places, I don't want the car getting broken into. I'm not convinced by some of the ones on eBay, as I've heard bad things about cheap-and-cheerful Chinese units that last 6 months and have terrible sound quality and UX to boot. I'm also unconcerned about satnav, so don't particularly want to spend money on that if I can help it.

Take a look at the Parrot MKi9100 or MKi9200 systems

The late Focus MK2 and early MK2.5 did (optionally) have the oval shaped GEN 2 Sony radio. This radio is technically almost the same as the older square shaped GEN 1 SONY radio. This radio does support the old 1st generation bluetooth/Voicecontrol with mono sound.

From about the second half of 2008 the GEN 2 Sony radio was superseded by the GEN 3 Sony radio. The GEN 3 Sony radio looks identical to the GEN 2 Sony radio but is technically different. The GEN 3 Sony radio does support the newer 2nd generation Bluetooth/Voicecontrol system with stereo sound and (optional) USB, Bluetooth Audio (A2DP) and Ipod support.

So does it have auxiliary input save some cash.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bluetooth+aux+car&safe=off&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMIjq_a-7jyyAIVgzgaCh37kACz

It has an Aux input, yes. I'd want calls though- I carshare to work and it's useful to be able to let people know if I'm running late or whatever.

The car was first registered on the 31st of October 2007 (and coincidentally I bought it on the 31st October this year!) so definitely has the GEN2 unit. Shame it's not compatible with the newer Bluetooth modules from the Mk2.5. It sounds that if there aren't any decent aftermarket ones, then I'll just fit a Parrot one. Much cheaper too! Do any of them interface nicely with the factory buttons? Even if it's just skip on the steering column buttons it's better than nothing.

It has an Aux input, yes. I'd want calls though- I carshare to work and it's useful to be able to let people know if I'm running late or whatever.

The car was first registered on the 31st of October 2007 (and coincidentally I bought it on the 31st October this year!) so definitely has the GEN2 unit. Shame it's not compatible with the newer Bluetooth modules from the Mk2.5. It sounds that if there aren't any decent aftermarket ones, then I'll just fit a Parrot one. Much cheaper too! Do any of them interface nicely with the factory buttons? Even if it's just skip on the steering column buttons it's better than nothing.

They ha :)ve built-in mics for calls