Ipods

[anthonyvickery]

I have a 2008 Boxster S with PCM and would like to be able to plug my Ipod into the sound plus system. At the moment, I use a Belkin Tunecast to send a radio signal from the Ipod to the car stereo, but its not ideal.
My local dealer advised that Porsche can fit a kit, but that its expensive and does not allow you to control the Ipod from the car. He said that there is a better third party mod available -does anyone know what it is and have any experience?

 

[Tony Daniel]

I use the this.

I use an 8GB USB stick instead of an IPod though but I believe it gives you full control of an IPod through your PCM head unit.

 

[anthonyvickery]

Tony
Many thanks, that is just what I was looking for. Any idea how much it costs to have it installed?

 

[Tony Daniel]

Can't help you on that I fitted mine myself, a good car audio specialist should have no problem with the install.
I'm using a USB stick and just have the Dension unit mounted in the front boot space, in there it was easy to install. If your intending on using your IPod you may want it fitting in your glovebox or centre console which will be a little more complicated.

 

[Black80XSA]

Fitting anything other than the very poor quality Porsche ipod interface will invalidate your warranty - i'd say carry on with your Belkin, its pretty comparable with the wired Porsche option !

 

[tobesetc]

I have a Dension Gateway 500. Not cheap, but it does everything you can want, and more. Plus (and this is why I got it) it will connect to the optical MOST connectors that some Bose/Upgrade cars have factory-fitted.

http://www.dension.com/index.php?pageID=11

 

[Tony Daniel]

ORIGINAL: Black80XSA

Fitting anything other than the very poor quality Porsche ipod interface will invalidate your warranty - i'd say carry on with your Belkin, its pretty comparable with the wired Porsche option !

You can check with Porsche if you like but I fail to see how if your RMS fails they can turn round and say it was caused by something plugged into the stereo, if the PCM stops working maybe but its only connected via a fibre optic cable, its not going to cause any sort of power surge. There must be thousands of people with the Dension units fitted to the MOST systems in Porsche and Audi cars and I've never heard of anybody having problems.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Porsche are refusing to issue warranties to cars with non-Porsche batteries, or even wiper blades!

This is a ridiculous situation but indicates that if there is a way they can wriggle out of a claim then they will.

There is an owner on the forum who has been refused a warranty partly because his GT3 has GT3RS wheels on it. The only difference? The colour they are painted.
This is just petty and does not reflect at all well on Porsche.[]

 

[colinbythesea]

I put a Harmon Kardon unit in my year 2000 car but it would need an aux in on the radio for such a unit to work. See here:

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=374078&mpage=1&key=&#374078

You can get a good quality line (aux in) to FM link if you can find a small modulator box. I found one on eBay and use it in my Focus. It sits in the aerial connection so it gives a much better quality link than the transmitters. I am sure one could be dropped on in by removing the radio and unplugging the aerial line, you will need to find 12V for it as well. Then find a route out for a cable. It could be easily removed if the car had to go in for repair.

 

[anthonyvickery]

Thanks very much everybody.
The Dension was what I was after and it costs £485 fitted, plus I have to get my OPC to 'turn on' the CD multichanger option as its needed.
The suggestion was that the if I took my car along to the OPC, then the Dension dealer could fit it there and then and they are trying to arrange this for me. There will, no doubt, be some payment to OPC required for services rendered but thats fair enough.

This business about the warranty seems to crop up regularly and it concerns me that
a) Porsche only give a two year warranty and;
b) that I thought the OFT had ruled that these sort of ridiculous restrictive practices by motor manufacturers were illegal and you can take your car anywhere for service so long as its done properly and 'suitable' parts fitted.
Porsche behaviour certainly looks very shabby compared to Toyota who recently did a recall on my 8 year old Previa (yes 8 years old!) and it hasn't been near a Toyota dealer for the last 5.
Isn't this exactly the sort of issue that PCGB should be taking up on members behalf???

 

[spyderman]

ORIGINAL: anthonyvickery

This business about the warranty seems to crop up regularly and it concerns me that
a) Porsche only give a two year warranty...

Kia: 7 years or 100000 miles - four times round the Earth!

b) that I thought the OFT had ruled that these sort of ridiculous restrictive practices by motor manufacturers were illegal...

That only seems to apply to the warranty you get with a new car.

 

[berty987]

Dump the porsche warranty and fit a dension. Buy your warranty elsewhere for less money and it will cover the cost of the dension and still give the same cover.