Help Car Head Unit Recommendations

Wystri Warrick on 01/06/2021 - 12:40
Last edited 01/06/2021 - 12:42

Greetings fellow tight arses peeps!

Thank you to all that helped me in my previous post on buying my first car, a Toyota Corolla 2013 sedan with only 70k on the clock for $12,000!

As the advice I got in my previous car post was so helpful I’m back again!

My car only has a basic CD player, and I want to bring it up to date by installing a 2 DIN LCD head unit. The problem is I'm not sure if my car will support all the features that I want from a head unit, and I have no idea where to start searching for a head unit.
Also, if someone could recommend me some forums, car forums (Whirlpool?) to maybe post these questions there that would be great!

Some of the features I want are:

  • 2 DIN
  • Reversing camera with guidance lines that appear according to how the steering wheel is operated.
  • Wireless Android Auto
  • HD screen resolution
  • Capacitive touchscreen (Can't believe there are actually head units with resistive touchscreens)
  • GPS navigation
  • Bluetooth

Optional extras that would be nice:

  • Front camera for parking
  • Wi-fi
  • 4g Sim card

I can see there are many 2 DIM head units that meet my requirements on AliExpress for about $200-300, is this a bad idea buying a head unit from AliExpress?
I've bought so much shit from AliExpress, including electronics, so I know there’s good stuff to be had at a bargain price, but I also know there's a lot of shit on AliExpress too.

Pity I missed out on this deal. There's still this deal From harsh27. However there seem to be some people who've had a bad experience with this particular Sony head unit and Sony support seems to be pretty bad.

Any and all comments are welcome 😊

Automotive

Comments

  • Blue Cat on 01/06/2021 - 17:44
    +1

    Then there is me, driving my 2000 Corolla shitbox with no driver asists or cameras, not even ABS, and a simple CD player that plays my… backup .mp3 copies of my favorite songs for the last 5 (or more???) years:

    * laughs in experience *

    • Wystri Warrick on 01/06/2021 - 23:00

      Lmao. I'd hardly call any Toyota a shit box. Now if it were say a Holden or Ford, or any Yankee car for that matter, or South Korean brand before 2014 yeah then it's a shit box lol (awaits to be negged by Ford and Holden fan boys…)

  • forged on 02/06/2021 - 02:37
    +1

    Some relevant thoughts:

    Having driven my parent's car (also a 2013 Corolla, but with the OEM reversing camera, fixed guide lines), and now driving my own car without a reversing camera…
    I really miss the camera. I could reverse very quickly with it as I could get a clear picture of everything around the back of the car. I now have to take things a lot slower and think more carefully without it.

    Funnily enough, although I know about dynamic camera lines, and they look kind of cool, I never felt like I wanted them. After a bit of practice, I think you get a great feel for where the car is going to go without them. If anything I think they'd be a distraction when reverse parking, by encouraging you to line everything up perfect in one go.

    Also, not to bash, but OP, why buy your own car when still on L's? Seems expensive O_o

    • Wystri Warrick on 02/06/2021 - 03:11
      +1

      Hey forged, thanks for the post :).

      Yeah it's easy to get used to a reverse camera, it really does make parking easy. I will however be weaning myself off it as I gain experience.

      I bought my own car cause there was no other car for me to use :)

  • Myone888 on 02/06/2021 - 08:59
    +1

    Bad experience with Aliexpress. They don’t understand English and don’t take kindly to refund even if they sent incorrect item and not to mention with many confirmation emails. Aliexpress not recommended.

    • Wystri Warrick on 02/06/2021 - 12:13

      Yeah I've had a couple of bad experiences with with AliExpress, however just about all of my purchases have gone well

  • Euphemistic on 02/06/2021 - 09:03
    +1

    Don’t worry about moving lines on your camera. you don’t need a SIM card either.

    You should only use a reverse camera to determine how close you are to what’s behind you. Learn to use your mirrors for parking. Unless you have very well calibrated lines they’ll be useless.

    Why pay for a SIM for your car when your phone can do most of the work. Only for long trips? You’re kidding yourself.

    In my experience a brand name headunit will be a lot better put together. The cheap units I’ve had are buggy, laggy and generally glitchy. Sure, the brand name stuff cost more and have less features, but you’ll likely not use the extra features and appreciate the better user experience. The worst thing about the cheapine in my experience has been the unreliable Bluetooth. Forever in need of reconnecting and won’t answer phone calls etc.

    • Wystri Warrick on 02/06/2021 - 12:20

      Hey Euphemistic :)

      Good advice on the reversing camera :).

      Yeah you're probably right about the SIM card, I just love tech and electronics and get carried away at times :)

      What brand name and cheapie head units have you had good and bad experiences with?

  • Rockets84 on 02/06/2021 - 11:41
    +1

    I've got a double DIN Sony XAV-AX200 installed into my 04 Holden Berlina with Aepro kit (facia, brackets, Holden to ISO harness with steering control). I've got a reverse cam installed as well. No moving lines as a kit on the steering rack would be required for that. Been driving for 25 odd years so I don't actually use the reverse cam all that much as I just rely on my mirrors and doing what I've always done. Just use the reverse cam to see how close I am to something or check there's nothing behind the car occasionally.

    I pretty much just used Android Auto previously and now Apple CarPlay with it as that does everything I want. Both work via a wired cable but that doesn't bother me as it also charges. I've been looking into some wireless adapters but they expensive and I don't like my phone in my pocket while I drive & would put the phone in the same place where the cable is any way so not worth it for me. I see a lot of these Android based head units have all these features and I just don't see them as necessary if you use Android Auto or CarPlay. The Teyes lane exit and DVR stuff for dash cam would be useful but not necessary. The main reason I got that particular Sony was because it had a physical volume dial. I hate Vol Up / Down buttons as they are too slow and a dial is easy to find without taking your eyes off the road.

    • Wystri Warrick on 02/06/2021 - 12:33

      Hey Rockets84 :)

      Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with your Sony XAV-AX200.

      Yeah Android Auto via cable is probably better, it's a more reliable and faster connection. Only pitfall I can see is it charging my phone, I only like to charge it once a night when the battery is empty to maximise is life.

      Gotta definitely agree with you on the physical volume dial, it's so much more intuitive and faster.

      • Blue Cat on 02/06/2021 - 18:13
        +1

        I only like to charge it once a night when the battery is empty to maximise is life.

        This ain't no 2000's grandpa, modern batteries LOVE being charged throughout the day and not being depleted, compared to being sucked dry and then recharged fully again!
        Unless, you actually have a smartphone with NiMH batteries, but I would be interesting to find a smartphone with them myself!

    • Densor on 02/06/2021 - 15:26
      +2

      The trade off for a physical volume button is the screen size. I was lucky that the steering wheel buttons worked perfect with my Teyes head unit. The up / down volume buttons are on the left hand side of the screen. Not sure if this was designed for the left hand drive market, or just beneficial for anyone sitting in the passenger seat. They are lit up of a night, but definitely hard to find during the day.

      • Rockets84 on 03/06/2021 - 10:09
        +1

        I don't mind having a slightly smaller screen for a physical dial. On my Sony the wheel is quite small. I've got buttons on the steering wheel for Vol Up & Down too that work with the Sony but I rarely use them as I find them too slow. My wives '19 Kia Carnival has a volume knob on the unit and on the steering wheel there's a wheel which is very nice to nice and I use the steering wheel control mostly because the volume on the unit is on the left and it's quite a reach away.

  • HeWhoKnows on 02/06/2021 - 18:12
    +1

    Head for anything that fits and has Bluetooth
    Nothing else matters

    • Euphemistic on 03/06/2021 - 17:20
      +1

      So close, no matter how far

  • OzHunterNSW on 03/06/2021 - 10:34
    +1

    Ebay

  • Bigbabo on 18/01/2022 - 22:43
    +1

    Hi Op, what did you end up buying? I'm looking at teyes for my Honda Accord euro as well. But the price is a bit expensive. $680 for a head unit. Im not sure if it's worth it. Not sure about the quality vs other Chinese brand such as junsun, ossurest. if anyone have any ideas please let me know. Thanks

    • Wystri Warrick on 19/01/2022 - 09:09

      Hi Bigbabo, I ended up buying the T'eyes CC3 head unit for about $550 for my Corolla. I can definitely say it's worth the money, it really is a awesome head unit.

      Have a look at Navifly head units, they are cheaper than T'eyes. Both Navifly and T'eyes head units are made by the same company, Navifly and T'eyes are just resellers.

      I'm about to start work, so I'll chat more this evening, and provide some links.

      • Bigbabo on 19/01/2022 - 11:21
        +1

        Just wondering when did you buy it? I don't get why that even when I purchase from the Australia website there is a tax and shipping fee is ridiculously high. How many gb of ram you got? I'm looking to get the 4gb +16 one.

        • Wystri Warrick on 23/01/2022 - 11:41

          Hi Bigbabo, really sorry for the very late reply, I've just been so exhausted from work and overtime.

          I bought it in June last year for $308USD, along with OBD II, microphone, and a reverse camera with a total shipping cost of $54.90USD.

          I bought this one, the option A one with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage. While it's only got 3GB of RAM is always run really fast, never had any lag from the Android system, pre-installed apps, nor any of the few apps I've installed - only apps I can remember installing ATM are a live wallpaper, and YouTube Vanced.

      • Bigbabo on 19/01/2022 - 11:24
        +1

        I had a look at Navifly at aliexpress. Their price seems more reasonable. How do you that Navifly and teyes are made by the same company? Any difference in term of quality. Thanks

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