Head unit replacement

P

Pebisit

New Member
Messages
16
Hi all, looking to change the head unit in my GC Sport as the one fitted (2013 car) is pretty rubbish. I've got this superb bit of kit that I had in my previous car:

www.pioneer-car.eu

AVIC-Z930DAB - Car Navigation Multimedia Receivers

Discover the Pioneer AVIC-Z930DAB Car Navigation Multimedia Receivers. Providing Flagship Wi-Fi® enabled high-end built-in navigation AV system with a large 7-inch 24 bit True Colour Capacitive Multi-touchscreen. Enjoy Apple CarPlay wireless, Android Auto, Waze, Bluetooth and DAB+ Digital Radio...
www.pioneer-car.eu www.pioneer-car.eu

Cost me a fortune and really want to put it into the Mas, have found some double DIN apertures for it, but there's a few bits that seem built into the factory head unit that I may not be able to access as a result??
Has anyone changed their head unit successfully and what are they missing, if anything??
 
Devonboy

Devonboy

Member
Messages
1,291
Its a nightmare. There are functions in the Head unit you do not want to lose. This is why most of us have fitted car play over the top of the standard unit - do a search on SM Car play....much simpler route to go
 
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mowlas

mowlas

Member
Messages
1,733
Pebisit said:
Hi all, looking to change the head unit in my GC Sport as the one fitted (2013 car) is pretty rubbish. I've got this superb bit of kit that I had in my previous car:

www.pioneer-car.eu

AVIC-Z930DAB - Car Navigation Multimedia Receivers

Discover the Pioneer AVIC-Z930DAB Car Navigation Multimedia Receivers. Providing Flagship Wi-Fi® enabled high-end built-in navigation AV system with a large 7-inch 24 bit True Colour Capacitive Multi-touchscreen. Enjoy Apple CarPlay wireless, Android Auto, Waze, Bluetooth and DAB+ Digital Radio...
www.pioneer-car.eu www.pioneer-car.eu

Cost me a fortune and really want to put it into the Mas, have found some double DIN apertures for it, but there's a few bits that seem built into the factory head unit that I may not be able to access as a result??
Has anyone changed their head unit successfully and what are they missing, if anything??
Click to expand...
As @Devonboy says, best route to go is the SportsMaserati CarPlay route! See here!

 
mowlas

mowlas

Member
Messages
1,733
If replacing the head unit, it will still have to be re-located on some other part of the car so you can still configure essential functions. Some people have installers who are smart enough to feed the original head unit display back into the new custom unit. But after all that is done you’ll like end up paying far more than the SportsMaserati solution and it still may not look as good. With the SM solution you also have the advantage of retaining the OEM look and feel whilst gaining the feature richness of a CarPlay solution.
 
SE_123

SE_123

Member
Messages
415
Personally I do not think there is any value in retaining the OEM look, or feel as it looks terrible...

I went down the Aucar headunit route and I am happy with it. It can also be switched back to OEM very easily. It retains the factory settings/controls too. Let me know if you have any questions. It's not perfect, but I'm glad I got it.


1SNAPFw.jpg
 
Swedish Paul

Swedish Paul

Member
Messages
1,810
Can I get mine to look like Brad Pitt? I don’t think I’d like my head replacement to look like the fella out of the Pouges.

I don’t know if the spell checker got that…
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,789
Swedish Paul said:
Can I get mine to look like Brad Pitt? I don’t think I’d like my head replacement to look like the fella out of the Pouges.

I don’t know if the spell checker got that…
Click to expand...

Isn't it about this time of year your head goes back to the lab for re-tuning?

C
 
P

Pebisit

New Member
Messages
16
SE_123 said:
Personally I do not think there is any value in retaining the OEM look, or feel as it looks terrible...

I went down the Aucar headunit route and I am happy with it. It can also be switched back to OEM very easily. It retains the factory settings/controls too. Let me know if you have any questions. It's not perfect, but I'm glad I got it.


1SNAPFw.jpg
Click to expand...
That looks superb, do you get all the modern features, apple car play, etc??
 
SE_123

SE_123

Member
Messages
415
Pebisit said:
That looks superb, do you get all the modern features, apple car play, etc??
Click to expand...
I'm not an apple device user, but I believe it works (wired connection)

I have my phone set so when the Bluetooth connects, my phone launches a wifi hotspot for the unit to tether to. The DAB radio and Google maps can work "offline" though.

Happy to answer questions
 
M

markiii

Junior Member
Messages
62
Devonboy said:
Its a nightmare. There are functions in the Head unit you do not want to lose. This is why most of us have fitted car play over the top of the standard unit - do a search on SM Car play....much simpler route to go
Click to expand...
what functions do you lose?
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,789
markiii said:
sounds good, assume for the sake of argument I was fitting something else?
Click to expand...

If you're talking about pulling the stock NIT and replacing it with an off the (Halfords) shelf head unit
a) If I recall the opening isn't deep enough to mount a standard DIN
b) You'll lose any of the functions accessed via that touch screen, and you'll get an error on the binnacle of 'system not programmed' or similar. The NIT is an integral unit of the car's network and you can't just pull it out without issue :( There's a load of settings about how the car works, units of measurement, what's displayed in the binnacle, sat nav (OK, enough said) and some other odd bits that you'll no longer be able to access

C
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,789
markiii said:
Brilliant thanks for that
Click to expand...

Just to note that the specific Android units designed as a replacement for the GT don't have that issue. They are programmed to emulate the NIT. There's a load available, nearly all from China so support *can* be an issue. As mentioned Robin Elliot has sourced and supplies and offers support.

Then there's the SI overlay. Not sure if this is still available.

C
 
C

cheburator

Member
Messages
143
CatmanV2 said:
Just to note that the specific Android units designed as a replacement for the GT don't have that issue. They are programmed to emulate the NIT. There's a load available, nearly all from China so support *can* be an issue. As mentioned Robin Elliot has sourced and supplies and offers support.

Then there's the SI overlay. Not sure if this is still available.

C
Click to expand...
I looked into the overlay - and yes, it's still available from Australia, and by the looks of it (post below mine) Matt at SportsItalia is still very happy to help people with this option too. When the bank balance recovers following a clutch job for the first time in 35k miles and a few while you are in there items I would be contacting him....
 
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Felonious Crud

Felonious Crud

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
21,180
CatmanV2 said:
Just to note that the specific Android units designed as a replacement for the GT don't have that issue. They are programmed to emulate the NIT. There's a load available, nearly all from China ...
Click to expand...
Do these come with the non-optional extras 'listen to everything I say', 'track my location all the time', and 'report it all back to the PRC' options?
 
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