For years I've wanted to fix or upgrade the ICC as half the controls work. The cost of the replacement unit has put me off and I always wondered if I did install a replacement unit would it last in the Brisbane summer heat?
I fitted a 70 dollar tablet from Aus post used a heat sinc as a bracket on lower lip and phone magnet at top Used the 3.5 cable factory on in tissue holder spot can remove it when I like run all my apps and music and hot spot added an ob2 app for diagnosis if needed all for under 200 bucks and it leaves car original and no electronic or wiring hassles
@@Tyreker I had six stacker premium pack in mine disc player failed so I added input cable and tablet with SD card and hot spot if you need net can't go wrong did it for 200 bucks video on my channel but I'm currently making a panel to fit on ICC to attach to save money
I've thought about this and come to a fairly similar conclusion. I have an FG-X XR sedan that does all I want with a pretty solid Sync2 set- up. The navigation is ordinary, but my phone works fine for that and I'm not pay Ford a fortune for maps or for free maps as part of a dodgy service.. Back to my BF XR ute and I have to slum it with the 6 stack prestige sound system, and a now ancient Nokia phone only bluetooth kit. I mostly listen to MP3s now so the solution for me was to get a single DIN Aepro fascia and a cheap as chips name brand head unit. This allows me to ditch the POS Nokia kit, and the Ford AUX cable (the better amplified one similar to the ASL). I patched the loom to all plug into the factory wiring so everything still looks and is essentially factory. Bluetooth now works for calls and music. I have USB, and Aux In on the after-market head unit and extra USB charge sockets on the fascia. The factory sound makes all the noise, I have volume on the wheel, so all I need for under $200. Head unit + Fascia + BA/BF plug kit, still have CD on the rare occasion I might want it. Works for me, I find it hard to justify a $1500 stereo in a sub $10K vehicle. Good single DIN head units with bluetooth and RCA out are a dime a dozen and likely to be around for some time so if the thing ever dies it'll be easily and cheaply replaced.
I have an Aerpro double din head unit with a pioneer touch screen in my BF, I absolutely love it. Hands free calling, voice control. Plug and play with my phone. No more skipping cd's. Yes it was a bit pricey but I had saved for it. And it looks great in the Ford
I replaced the speakers in my FG and added an amp, all hooked into the stock ICC, and it really highlighted how crappy the stock ICC sound was. Lots of background hiss. After a few months I chucked a single-DIN DAB unit into the tissue box nook below the ICC and rewired the speakers into it. The ICC was retained for all the other controls. Was a good compromise.
I am considering replacing speakers in my AU or BA, in previous cars I have found even using a set of cheap 2-way Kenwoods I was able to get a nice bump in sound quality.
My brothers BA had the same thing. Mounted below the standard unit with a surround mounting plate and usb inputs on the plate. He had it done by an installer and looked stock. Single DIN unit with cd, Bluetooth. Awesome sound. New speakers. All you really need.
how'd you find the wiring?? I just bought the fascia to do it, but I'm still a little lost on the wiring aspect; what wires did you hook up outside of the speakers and what fuses did you use?
Being a liker of factory-stock, I’d keep the original ICC. Funny story time from my Ford dealership days- we supplied a BF Futura to our local (at the time) town Mayor. He specifically asked for a cassette player to be fitted to his car. Yes, a cassette player!
Did you do one as an option Ben I remember around that time there was a move to CD players here in Europe my last car with a tape player was a 2000 Vauxhall corsa
Makes sense in a way. He probably had a whole library of cassettes. Or maybe he took recordings from meetings. I've gone back to using the CD player in my car myself, since I'm just done with fiddling with screens or phones while driving.
@Matt, he actually did have lots of cassettes, and didn’t want to have them swapped over to CD. With that said, the CD player was still functional, and I recall seeing a few CD’s in the console, so perhaps he got caught up with technology.
I like your thinking, I added single din under ICC for Bluetooth phone and music in my Territory. My mate bought the Kayhan for his Fairmont Ghia with all options, then sent back for warranty, another one was sent to replace, and was sent back for warranty, then Kayhan offered to upgrade to new model for $800. No thanks, wouldn't refund either, then Kayhan sent another unit to replace faulty units, this one worked the best out of the 3, but still froze and had to be reset by button randomly, most of buttons don't work and get stuck, but the time lost in returning and waiting for replacements, the unit is out of warranty. Anyone looking at Kayhan, be very careful......But, I must say, they do look very nice.
I looked into the Kayhan. I did the research and was glad I did the research on em. Supposedly customer support is not a strong characteristic from Kayhan and if something goes wrong, which I've seen these things do have faults, you're unlikely to get any support. For money invested it's not worth it. I just went for an eBay Bluetooth unit. Works perfectly fine.
Why would you think investing in anything like car stereos are an investment ? You weirdos are everywhere thinking your cars are investable things ! It’s why I have shares in super retail group they own supercheap ! Is because I keep reading how dumb you as consumers are
My theory is Toyota does it because all their factory units are absolutely rubbish. Trying to connect my phone to newer ones is hit and miss and the older ones have no connectivity at all, the stereo was the last thing they upgraded to keep with tech movements and that's saying something
I can understand why they don't, if you need a touch screen they end up being a bit too small - and the non-touch screen Toyota head units never looked that great either!
You can get oversized screens that fit a single/double din from main manufacturers, both Alpine and Sony make 8-10" screens that sit slightly out of the dash, I'd do that with the double din slot if you want a big flashy screen from a decent company
I just recently fitted an Aerpro facia with the cheapest 6.8" JVC double din unit and I couldn't be happier, I now have proper control over all the speakers including the factory sub and a much better bluetooth system than Ford could offer until 2011/2012(FG2)
That's awesome mate! The Aerpro looks like the safer option out of the two, as you can literally put any double-din you want into it... now and in the future.
Great points - I do agree with everything you've said. We now have 5 BAs in the family, plus an SY Territory; the BAs all have their original ICCs (one with a single-DIN headunit below the ICC, the other 4 just have 3.5mm auxiliary inputs) but I did opt for a Kayhan for my Territory last year after a lot of research and a lot of deliberation. It cost me more than I paid for the car, but I desperately wanted CarPlay especially for longer trips, and for that alone I feel I have got my money's worth. Installation was easy, and I've had no issues with it (I understand that not everyone has been so lucky). Plus, I have plenty more cars I can put it in if I sell the Territory. I'm happy Aerpro have FINALLY released their fascia kit, even if it's 15 years late, but I personally don't like the styling either and the cost adds up pretty quick once you buy a decent double-DIN unit. I am interested in Kayhan's newly-released portable unit for CarPlay/Android Auto; it's not pretty (looks like a standalone GPS unit, comes with a suction cup mount) but it's way cheaper than the whole ICC unit and can be moved between cars pretty easily. I'm hoping it'll be a good in-between option for those wanting CarPlay/Android Auto without investing $1000+
having had the aero pro for a year now with ebay head unit with android auto gps wifi 8 core 4 gig ram 128 gig storage multi camera input havent had troubles with startup but miss the temp nobs and fan nobs for ease of use had people coment y the controls arnt centred can you have another look into this with factory options as well thanks
G’day Sean, TH-cam algorithms must have known I installed the Aerpro kit in a Falcon a couple of weeks ago. I know you uploaded this video about 18 months ago but thought I would provide the following information. I have five BA/BF falcons. I have always run a single DIN stereo in the Aerpro adapter that replaces the tissue box. That worked great, it was simple, and the head units I purchased had remotes so it made operation of the unit simple. The only let down was the poor sound quality connecting it via the ancillary leads, where you showed you had your Bluetooth device installed. As for the original head units being bullet proof I have the following issues. One has a colour screen which is deteriorated and also has dry solder issues relating to the speakers. Another two have dry solder issues relating to the speakers and controls and the remaining two were fine. Of note the remaining two without issues are both in BF’s, the earlier BA’s all had problems, possibly due to being older. Of course, none of the CD players worked but, that was not a problem. I did not go Kayhan only because of the issues you mentioned. I have never used one. Aerpro now do a kit, so it comes with the facia, double din player and all required leads and harnesses. Makes it much easier to purchase. If you had a problem with either the head unit or the facia, they can be replaced separately as opposed to the Kayhan unit. The Aerpro is easy to install, and keeps the operation of the vehicle controls simple with the push buttons and adds a nice modern feel via the Clarion Head unit. I don’t need the phone on a mount anymore although it does need to connected to the head unit via the USB input for Android Auto but I can now put that in the tissue box which I have reinstalled and keeps the area much tidier. The sound quality is much better and it eliminates the issues with the original head unit of dry solder problems and crappy screens. Cost is subjective, what is expensive to one person is chump change to another. For me, I give 10/10 for the Aerpro unit, it was a long time coming and now that they sell a kit, fantastic.
If I had the money I’d definitely go with the aerpro because I’ve heard a lot of bad about kayhan like shutting down awful customer support it goes on and aerpro has a long history of quality products
I am curious why they didn't try to mimic the stock ICC a bit more - perhaps even reusing the stock control dials for the A/C. The only thing I can think of is perhaps there's not enough depth for a double-din head unit up high where the stock screen is located.
I actually installed a single din head unit! Below the ICC unit, you will still have to remove the tissue box shelf and buy a fascia and holding brackets kit and AUX wire harness! I do recommend to run a 10amp wire fused from the battery to battery wire yellow on the head unit if want to keep pre set stations and a antenna splitter cable! and audio noise filter!
Ever since early 2000 standard car audio has improved a lot. All you would really need to do it replace the factory speakers with something more punchy and you're done
I've been running the Kayhan in my BA Fairmont for almost 6 months & so far so good. If you want a collectable car then I wouldn't install one (or at least I would not get rid of the old ICC when installing a new one) BUT if it's your daily drive and you want to use carplay/android auto for google maps, podcasts etc then I think it makes a 15 yr old car up to date in terms of driver interface & convenience. A $3 android launcher will give you a custom screen that looks more factory too. The price is hard to take & it took me years to convince myself to do it but given the price of a used car at the moment it's cheaper to upgrade the ICC than the whole vehicle.
I looked into this when the new iphone ditched the 3.5mm audiojack, which i had been plugging into the aux input to play music in my BA. I got really excited when I saw the features and the big touch screen, was even ready to fork out the $1000+ for all the options I thought i'd use, reversing camera, amp, etc, but then I read the customer reviews online, and was grateful I did. People were slamming them for awful quality product and even worse customer service. I kept my money.
I totally agree with you. As a car audio retailer since 1997, I always liked to offer clarity instead of loud ‘doof doof’ multi subwoofer systems. Since car manufacturers started making different design fascias, integrating instrument clusters and having impressive features, I started to specialise in Factory fitted system upgrades, including DSP amplifiers which when connected to standard equipment speakers was more than enough for many customers. Next stage above that was to upgrade the speakers, and perhaps a subwoofer, which not only keeps the car’s functionalities, but also maintains original appearance, while having great sound which masks off road & engine noise.
I love the idea of modernising the icc but I have never been able to live with the cost.... better spent elsewhere on the car was always the conclusion
Great video. Picking up a BA XR6 tomorrow with the Premium Audio system. I'm adding a single din head unit so I can have bluetooth hands free calls, as I do a lot of work out of my car. Also adding a reversing camera and upgrading the front door and parcel shelf speakers to Kicker 6x8 (will fit 5x7 specs). This is waaaaay cheaper than the $1,600 alternatives mentioned. Most importantly, I will be using every ounce of this upgrade on a daily basis. Your remark of useless functions, apps, etc that you won't use after a couple of days is right on point. Again, fantastic video. Keep up the good work.
I have a 2006 BF XT wagon and we found a second hand parrot bluetooth unit on ebay for $100. It hooks up to the aux on the standard icc unit and gives me bluetooth music, phone (has a mic for clarity) etc. It's all I need. We're fairly limited on income so it was the best option too. Great video mate 😀
Way back when I owned my BFII XR8 Ute, it came with the factory amplified auxiliary input and I added a factory Bluetooth system from the SY Territory. Gave me all the features I wanted and after turfing the paper speakers for some middle of the range Rockford speakers it did the job. None of these aftermarket giggers really float my boat.
Thank you mate, you just made up my mind for me. I’ll be keeping the factory one in my BF Fairmont, because like you, I don’t really need all that stuff either.
I just purchased a 2010 Ford Territory and was looking up head unit upgrade videos and came across your video. Now i'm just going to install a bluetooth module, I like the simplicity of the stock unit and I dont see why i'd spend around $1000+ just for a screen to display GPS that my phone can do just fine.
i pulled the lower shelf and cigarette lighter out of mine, had a car stereo shop make up a harness that plugs into the aux plug for the original stereo and slotted a double din head unit into the space where the shelf came out i set the original stereo to aux, turn the volume to max on the new unit and now i can use the steering wheel volume controls or the original stereo volume controls allows me to have Bluetooth music and calls as well as reverse camera running off the new stereo also bought a usb plug hub which i routed from the old cigarette lighter and into the centre console so i can run my charging cables off it way cheaper than replacing the icc with kayhan or aero pro and you have a wide variety of stereos to choose from
Hi Sean. As I love watching your channel and content, I would like to provide the audience on my feedback. If the Aeropro has reliability, then that will be definitely a preferred option. Adv: 1 - External 7" aftermarket unit of your choice that has all the mod-cons; moderinise the car with Android Auto and Apple car play... etc. 2 - Aero provides a patch loom for your selected 'popular' brand head unit that can retain factory functionalities without splicing wires, steering wheel controls etc. 3 - You can add an external reverse camera integrated into the unit. 4 - Separate HVAC controls and not like Kayhan. 4 - Future upgradability to a newer head unit without replacing fascia. Disadv: 1 - Cost. 2 - Reliability if it fails due to 1 year warranty adding two points of failure (head unit and/or fascia). Note: Factory ICC fails with the screen and also the connectivity to the rear connector causing the ICC to go blank. Usually a light bash/thump on the corner of the ICC can cause connection however dry solder fail and need another CD/ICC unit and reprogramming the CODE to fix. . However we are talking about a 15+ year unit. I'm not affiliated with any brand etc. Just considering at this stage for my BA XR6
Had a kayhan gen 2 unit for just over a year on a BF, was flawless, used hotspot and ran off wifi, nil issues over that time, absolutely loved it, way better than android auto, fully functioning apps and support from Kayhan is awesome
I much rather retain my stock ICC in my 02 ute unit but lately the CD's skip, asking would just requiring a laser clean or a replacement unit be the needed.
I just have a bluetooth FM Transmitter for my AU works great and didn't have to mess with replacing the head unit and the Steering controls still work for volume. And it was $25.
definitely leaving the stock dual-zone icc in my bf mkii fairmont ghia. Looks amazing in the piano black and fits the whole interior perfectly, beautiful car to be in, especially with the zf 6 speed...
Absolutely agree with you. The tablet part of these units is clearly substandard for the price and really not designed to be installed in a car. I wanted Bluetooth and USB playback for my BA Falcon Ute so I bought a single-DIN Pioneer stereo and an Aerpro mounting bracket for it. Total cost was about $130. It does everything I need. Granted, the buttons on my steering wheel no longer do anything, but I don't miss that at all.
Something that may have helped me if i knew sooner. My ba xr6 head unit stopped working. Using vids in here learned how to remove it. Did that, unplugged and replugged a few connectors on the unit, put it back and works like new again. Just a dodgy connection. Still dont know if it was plugs under the unit, one on the unit or where the head unit plugs into the car at the back, but reseating them all worked
I have the aerpro setup with Ken wood CarPlay etc steering wheel controls as well . Heard bad reports on Kayan setup effecting operation of system, but this one although maybe doesn’t look as glamorous has been really reliable for 18 months. Volume up and down on steering wheel is a little slow but fine.Original factory setup is safer for driver due to big buttons etc
I've had a couple of double din higher-end source units in my cars (non-Falcons), which would be the sort of thing you'd put in the Aerpro unit. The first one I bought (Clarion) had everything - DVD, CD, GPS built in, about 12 years ago it cost almost $2k. Plus installation which if I had to pay for that, would have been at least $400 more. Even those have boot times probably between the 5-10 seconds mark, however if they're on a source like CD or radio, the sound starts before the unit is actually ready to be operated. My current, one year old Kenwood takes about 10 seconds (I'll have to time it, I'm interested now) to boot up, connect to my phone and start playing spotify (it's got a spotify app built in that runs via a bluetooth connection to my phone). I get in my other car with a basic CD/Radio head unit and the fact it's almost instantly on is so refreshing. As it stands, I basically just use the reverse camera, spotify or radio on this Kenwood (which also offers android auto/carplay, DVD, CD, screen mirroring, HDMI input) but given it was only about $700, I'm okay with that. I also use it for its RCA preouts for the two amplifiers running all my speakers.
I agree with what you saying about the media system I bought my BF XR6 brand new in 2006 I've been happy with the base system in the car but it started playing up last year. My wife and I have been driving visiting Southern Australia and Tasmania last year I did a 6000km round trip in November the radio completely bombed out. So I put a Aeropro with a JVC sound system with android auto we just coming back from Tasmania it's been fantastic can use the GPS and Spotify or your own downloaded music were there is no reception plus the reverse camera. It does take a bit for it to fire up but we think it's worth it.
Have to admit I can't deny your reasoning behind your comments. It makes total sense. Like others have done Ive made a small compromise and added a single din media player with Bluetooth, dab radio and basic android auto functions and it does the job perfectly. The last single din lasted about 8yrs and I only just upgraded it about a month ago and cant complain. Completely agree if you need nav just mount your phone it just works so much better anyway.
I grabbed the early model android, and yeh i dont use much of it, however i love it looks loads better than stock, there not for everyone sure, if you drive the car alot everday across the day, then load times arent a thing, but if it sits for a week or so then load times are shit slow
I'm considering a Kayhan unit for my BA GTP. Its got the premium sound system. It's a beautiful cruising car and i think it would add to that experience with just a little bit of tech into the otherwise brilliant BA/ BF platform. Great vids mate.
i like the look of the kayan system but you would be swapping one integrated unit for another, i am opting for the double din conversion taking back controll of my options in choice again.
I just went with the single din unit mounted underneath which I bought complete from universalfuze with the aerpro mount and their plug in wiring loom so no mods are needed the the car. Works great and gives bluetooth, handsfree calling and better sound quality. Keeps factory look and with 6.5 speakers using aerpro wiring adaptors and speaker mounts also great and no mods needed to car.
I do airport transfers and long distance car & driver work and Im about to put a BA FAirlane Ghia in the fleet for country work purposes...better than a Caprice, work that one out! Ive looked at these head unit replacements and the Aerpro where I can select a double DIN unit is exactly what I need, along with two tablets on the headrest mounts for rear passengers. Thanks for the tech compare, much appreciated, mate
I had installed a Overline icc replacement in my 2005 BA Ghia. The reverse sensors didn't work and my key fob remote was less effective in giving me ability to lock and open the car. You can't also program your remote once the Overline was installed. Everything else worked fine on the Android unit, including the HVAC and Bluetooth. But I eventually had my stock ICC unit repaired by my mate (he resolved every solder joint - which fixed it), and I sold the Overline and refitted the original ICC unit. I just need to get a decent Bluetooth device and that'll do me.
The overline unit, in the link you provided in the description, looks amazing and, after reading customer reviews, I think it is probably the best option to go with.
Im running the kayhan in my territory. It's a nice unit but I wouldn't say it's quality matches the price. Buttons have been sticking and sometimes I get the white screen on mine. Turn the unit off and on and it works fine but it's still annoying for a 1k+ unit. The wiring with it was not neat at all and is rats nest behind the unit. Ive got a sim card in it so I dont have to hotspot it but the receiver isn't that great and won't pick up low reception so im just hot spotting the unit anyway. I'll have my work break in the car so being able to watch TH-cam and vlc is pretty good but apart from that I only use Spotify, maps and calls. The only add on i got was premium sound. Great video and a good eye opener for people wanting to update the unit. To be honest if I had the Bluetooth unit you had I wouldn't have upgraded the unit. Maps is nice but if you get the directions through Bluetooth you don't need to see the map.
Thanks for the comment mate - it is good to hear honest feedback from people and it'll help anyone reading who might still be on the fence about buying one.
Having a BA XR8 I installed the overline ICC.Ok it’s $800 but I have Bluetooth for music,satnav,hands free phone,worth every cent and had no issues at all with the series 2 version.
I’m a fan of keeping the inside looking stock, not sure with Ford units but there used to be a few people around that could modify factory Holden units which improved functions and sound quality. Long time ago when this was a fairly new car my nephew found a thin screen that installed in front of the factory unit. I don’t know much about this but I remember when the second screen was switched off you had the factory stereo running but when you turned on the second screen it blanked out the factory one and you had a new screen. This was connected to some sort of processor underneath the passenger seat and he had it loaded with DVD player, sat nav and a few other things so it sort of gave you 2 head units in the one face and it also improved the sound quality. I don’t know much about it but was pretty impressed with what he could do at the time
You are missing the point, no offence but it takes time to get used to using AA properly. The ability to voice control your music, voice control your maps, voice control adding stops, voice control asking questions to google on the fly is invaluable. Never having to listen to an advertisement makes it worth it. I have the Alpine 702d in my VE Clubsport and it's amazing.
You get a aerpro surround fp9042 which fits under your main head unit then just put in any single din radio don't need to touch the ICC unit if you need some tips more than happy to help Cheers John
I've used one for a year now with an old JVC head unit for BT and USB music etc. Just feed the output of this into the AUX input on the standard head unit so all the volume controls still work etc. Not interested in Android Auto etc as I use a simple use a Garmin SatNav that's wired permanently to cover BT calls and Navigation purposes - the fact that it has built in maps is useful once you get away from urban areas. Oh, and use a Wolfbox clip-on mirror for reverse camera and dashcam etc - hint use s smaller OEM Ford mirror so that it clips on properly with no overhangs - just looks neater.
I just installed good speakers and a sub into my FG Falcon. I've purchased a android auto Sony double din as well I'm just waiting for the areopro for the FG and yes it's crazy expensive but for me I'm a tech head that wants to bring the old ford into the new age
I have a slightly older version of the Kayhan unit, and yes while I agree with what you're saying in this video, I tend to use a fair bit of the features on the unit, from having my own music downloaded onto the unit, from the torque app with custom gauges. and the part about it taking a bit to boot up, while that is true, most people wouldn't worry too much about it, as when you start the car up, you would just be putting your seatbelt on or driving out from your home or where ever you are and by the time you get onto the road, it turns on and starts playing music or whatever you want. I love the unit though, it's really quick to respond and I find it to be a nice little centre piece for the car, it also goes quite well with a dual or triple gauge pod on ontop
After having a play with my mates FG with the Kayhan its excellent..its really useful for running torque or other OBD apps which we use on our turbos all the time. If you've tuned or modified your vehicle they are a great replacement for a million guages.
I have to upgrade the ICC in my 2010 FG XR6, the factory screen is R.S and there is CD stuck in the player. I am leaning towards the Aerpro unit, mainly because the cost and also, I can choose what double din player I want to put in it. A bottom of the range or a top shelf unit.
Reversing camera and map was what I wanted it for mainly. But never really thought about longevity figured pioneer or kenwood would be viable options 🤔
I added a separate reversing camera screen to my Falcon Ute. The screen is attached to the dashboard with very strong double-sided tape, located just behind the left indicator. The hardest part was working out a secure way to mount the camera in the tailgate.
There's a rear-view mirror upgrade I'm considering at the moment which has an inbuilt LCD which would let me use a reversing camera on the AU. Or ASL do a rear camera system which hooks into the stock full colour ICC on the BA. Both look like awesome options!
Even though you didn't agree with buying one, you even added a link to buy em for those who do want one.. top bloke! :) Money is no problem for me so I will be buying one with all the bells and whistle one day, my friend has one with the reverse camera and it works so good. I'll be keeping the original ICC unit an store it in the shed tho
Yeah I'm fully with you on that. I personally think that those after market screens look really poxy on those Falcons. Just because they look really out of place on the car. Like a really modern screen surrounded by an older interior. And I think that they look even worse on the FGs.
I have a Kayhan in my mk2 Ba xr8 ute I’m quite happy with it they have there apple car play add on at like $250 but you can add apps to the unit so I bought a $70 version of the plug in CarPlay and downloaded its app sorted. I think they capitalise on people being lazy and ticking those extras even the reverse cam the one I bought for like $20 works fine. But as far as the unit goes very happy with it Apple car play is great too
Hi Shaun, I've owned my BA for almost 13 years now. In my experience, this factory ICC has been a headache for me. I've had to replace three of them (two of them died, the first one died when the car was only seven years old) and one of them the illumination was temperamental and, the cheapest fix at the time was another unit. After my third one carking out on me, Kayhan released the ICC for sale to the public. After some thinking and having another temp ICC installed without programming, I decided to bite the bullet and go forward from there. Since I always wanted a head unit that was interactive and had features like navigation and android auto. My original Kayhan did have the black screen of death after a week. After some discussion with Kayhan, Kayhan CEO advised me to bring the car over (back when the owner was still operating from his home in Melbourne). After some troubleshooting at their end, they decided an on the spot replacement. I was the very first customer that experienced this issue. He was going to the engineers about what had happened. I'd spoken to the owner and, the programmer happened to be around the same time (actually just landed in Melbourne from China), so they decided to apply some fixes in an upcoming firmware update. I was able to speak to the owner and, he was great to talk to in general. Almost three years later, my unit is still running fine. There has been a weird issue with the android auto cutting out during the cooler months when I run the demister on full bore, which I think it's got to do with the heatsink on the original unit (I believe this has been rectified on the later revision). However, I have found an app that can provide wireless android auto, so I no longer need to worry about the dongle. Pro-tip, don't bother buying those accessories through Kayhan. There are a shitload cheaper through sellers like eBay and their apps out there that can do Carplay and Android Auto without any dongles. The bootup time takes around 20-30 seconds. However, if you're reversing, the backup camera monitor will overlap the android screen. Android will still load up in the background while you have the reverse camera monitor running. Furthermore, you can have the unit do a soft shutdown/sleep mode. It will make the ICC wake up instantly when you apply power to the ICC. These ICC aren't for everyone. You are correct that you are going to use a few apps 99% of the time. However, for someone who drives a lot, love using mobile mirroring and utilizes a GPS a lot, it's a great addition to the user driving experience. If people are happy with their ICC, then feel free. I won't judge you different if you prefer the factory ICC and keeping your car stock. Good video regardless Shaun
Thanks for your comment mate, it is great to hear what people have experienced with them. The boot time is longer than I imagined, but I suppose you just end up living with it.
Mate I'm pleased you took the time to post your comment. I've got a BA GTP that I'm considering putting the Kayhan into. It's not a daily driver so the load up time isn't an issue for me. It's a nice cruising car so I think that little bit of tech will suit. I think your comments may have helped me make up my mind. Cheers
@@robkeogh4593 the newest kayhan iccs only takes about 5-10s to boot up, the newest one is slightly up spec'd And that's only when the car has been off for a while, otherwise its instant
I've had issues with the audio cutting out, screen cutting out and even the engine completely cutting out in my old BA (the immobilizer/key code unit goes through the ICC). I took the ICC apart and checked the solders on the PCB for the pins of the plug that connects to the wiring loom. Found there were a lot of dry joints. So cleaned out and resoldered all the PINs and it never missed a beat after that. Made a video of that and a few people have come back saying that it has fixed problems they've been having.
Waze is the biggest thing I like having with Android Auto/Carplay on my Kia. Legally can't touch the phone even when mounted, yet allowed to touch a car display.
I've been tossing up whether to get the Kayhan unit but ultimately would prefer to go a name brand (Pioneer, Alpine, Kenwood) Android based unit, with a view to being able to install Torque Pro on it.
Another great video Sean. You have inspired me to buy a BA as a project. An XT - cosmetically awful but straight, rust free and all original. Has the 5.4 litre Windsor and auto tranny. Love the fact that it looks like a fleet car with standard wheels etc. Will use plenty of your tips to help improve its appearance and give the old girl a second chance.
My screen blew due to glovebox bending overtime and the globe in the glove box stayed on and battery got low on charge and now the screen isn't working. What would you recommend as the original screen have this tendency I have a mk2 turbo fg
On my 2nd aerpro. First one the control module stopped working (ac controls etc) had to buy a 2nd unit as firts one was put of warrant by about 4 months. My 2nd one has an issue where the fan control down button gets stuck every time its pushed
Agree 100%. I just put one in- not a head unit but still the same software- and they are temperamental, at least mine is, drops screen mirroring etc, phone won't connect half the time, and the mini usb won't talk to my iphone except to charge it.
Glad I watched this I not long ago brought my self a, ba xt sports falcon. And was thinking of buying one of there. But you brought up some good points. And after thinking about what I'll do with it. I think I'll just buy a ICC unit from a Fairmont with the colour screen instead.. and upgrading the speakers. Thanks for the great info mate.
@@MotoringBoxTV true. But I'm like you. I only really use it for music and music on my phone. Not much else. So I'll be going the Fairmont ICC colour screen. Looks nicer and will upgrade speakers. Thanks again for the info. This vid helped alot. Cheers mate
I had wondered about the two after market replacements you mentioned, but was always worried about quality/longevity and price - which is quiet high for head unit. Great video for anyone tossing up what to do - keep doing your thing man! p.s I don't think you're talking shit, very valid points and great discussion :)
Thanks mate. If the money isn't a big deal it might be worth a gamble, but I suspect people in that camp probably aren't even watching a video like this.
I had a BF Mk2, and had an ASL Automedia touchscreen installed with GPS and reverse camera fitted to the stock ICC. It kept the stock look but looked fantastic when the GPS was on or I put it into reverse. I have a photo of it if you'd like to see it but I can't figure out how to put it into the comments...
for a fraction of the price i got the aux cables that hook up under the fuse box and a touch screen double din kenwood deck took out the shelf and cigarette lighter under the icc and slipped the deck in there. ran a plug-in lighter bank from the cigarette lighter to the centre console compartment for phone charging etc and robert's your mother's brother. can also play cd and dvds which the kayhan unit doesn't do
I had upgraded my head unit on my Jeep JK with an android one. Best thing I ever did, and yes I used the shit out of it! That being said the radio on the Jeeps were stand alone without the HVAC unit. I got a VE SS now and im in the same boat as the Falcon guys. The factory unit is ok (mine is the v model) but is a nightmare to replace as its all one unit with the HVAC controls.
Thank you for this video. I'm seeking your as well as any general opinion please. So my son recently purchased his first car, Ford (FG) XR6 Ute (... saved for it himself!!). The thing is it's got a bit of a mish-mash of after market rear camera (sitting off to the right side of the dash) & blue tooth doggle - kind of clutter/untidy the cabin. Anyway, I thought it would be nice (and safer) if everything was centralized in the console - maps, rev camera, music, etc. Looking at helping him get the FP9650SK Install Kit, along with the Pioneer DMH-Z5350BT (non wireless). Yep, a bit costly - but does anyone out there have any experience of this head unit AND do they perhaps feel that the FP9650SK Install Kit sets the screen uncomfortably too low to refer to when driving? Many thanks for your input.
I personally couldn't be bothered to muck around with the flash units. Simplicity is bliss, and there are options out there to add a bit of pep to the factory style units.
I also wonder about power drain with the engine off. At least with the Ford IIC you can sit in the car for a little while, radio on, and have no problems with battery drain. Can the same be said in terms of these basically tablet based units? For BT music I just pop a speaker in the cup holders and stream from my phone (the BT phone unit installed doesn't have BT music, it was installed by the previous owner). Easy as.
I have a DigOptions unit in my VE Commodore purely because the AUX jack crapped out, and the built in module was only Bluetooth 1.0. I gotta say, they're actually not too bad. They certainly look a lot nicer than the Aerpro kits, and they have tactile controls that closely replicate the OEM look and feel. I use it mostly for Torque (for gauges) and for Android Auto (through Headunit Reloaded). I don't even have the radio plugged in as Spotify has me handled there. The sound quality out of the internal amps of these things do indeed suck, but that goes for pretty much any Headunit. It's always better to output sound via RCAs to an external amp, which is exactly what I did with my unit.
Thank you for you views on this as I have been toying with the idea of an upgrade in the ute I'm inclined to agree with you in that once the novelty wears off you're probably mostly just using the radio I did fit the bluetooth adaptor to the stock unit and this gives me alternative auxiliary I find the sound quality is quite good on the stock system anyway especially since somebody had upgraded to the premium speakers Reckon I'll stick with it cheers
Your arguments are well thought out. However my ICC is starting to crap out track select or aircon off/on on occasion fail to respond. So I'm in need of replacement. As such I had been considering an aftermarket model however after listening to you I think I'll upgrade from my monochrome and install a BT module.
I got the aepro in piano black and it's great. 700 bucks feels overkill for what it is since the only wiring in it is for the buttons the rest is taken from the original unit and put in. not only did I want Bluetooth but my original icc cut out for days at a time so I had no music, aircon or central locking. I got a cheap head unit it it works amazingly. eventually I'd like to update it to something better since I'm pretty sure some head units can actually have a display of your aircon and setting like the original head unit. atm mine just has Bluetooth. I wanted normal radio but I needed an adapter so I just went without. all in all its not bad but if you want all the features than you'll have to spend a little extra getting a certain head unit with a working display and not rely on the buttons and eyeballing it
I have a kayhan, I use the Bluetooth, google maps, waze, digital radio and Spotify almost daily, not to mention torque through the obd11 Bluetooth adaptor, I've even put a sim card in it so I don't have to use my phone for anything as I have a zfold2 and it's hard to get mounts, but even if I could get a mount I prefer not to have mounts on my dash, so for me the kayhan is a winner, as you said it's very expensive, $1500 all up for mine but I think it's 100% worth it
@@MotoringBoxTV I forgot to mention that the digital radio is playing within seconds, probably as quick as factory, pretty sure the unit I have does not fully shut down when you turn the car off, the older units were probably slower, I've heard lots of bad things about the original unit, I've also had no problem with support, when I first got it I tried to update the firmware, it went into a boot loop, support was available 24/7 but couldn't fix my problem, they wanted me to send the unit back but since I live in Melbourne I lobbed on their doorstep on a Saturday morning and they were happy to fix it on the spot
I totally agree with what you're saying about the Kayhan unit. The generic android head units are god awful. They're slow, they often have little to no over the air updates/support from whatever manufacturer they came from, and the sound quality out of the box just isn't good. If they break, you need to fork out another $1100 to get a new unit and nobody wants to do that on a car that's probably only worth that much, realistically. That being said, I bought an Aepro fascia kit for my BF Fairlane and I'm absolutely loving it. I put a Sony XAV-3000 head unit in it, mainly for Android Auto so I can use maps and have a reversing camera as well on that chungus of a car. The options this lands you with are much greater in terms of longevity and upgradeability. New in-car tech coming out? No worries, grab yourself a new head unit with that in-car tech if you want, and whack it in. Plus you have the Sony factory warranty and the Aepro factory warranty separately, so if one piece of the puzzle breaks, you don't have to throw the whole box away. It did end up costing me, in total, about $1250 (the Aepro unit cost an extra $100 because I opted for the reversing sensor beeper), so aroun the same cost as the Kayhan unit with one or two addons. It really is a case of 'to each their own' and personally, I just wanted to update my daily driver a little bit, so I can call my mum, my brother, my girlfriend while I'm driving and not have to worry about copping a fine from the cops, or skip a track without having to touch my phone, or whatever else the case may be. Still, I've kept my old dual zone ICC in my garage in case I do ever want to go back, but I can't see myself doing so any time soon
Also, with the Sony unit, it takes about 2 seconds to boot, so I'm pretty happy with that. It lets me turn the car on, plug my phone in and I'm off to the races. It's especially handy with the factory phone holder in the centre console!
work has an RTV with 778,000km, original motor, original gearbox and the original ICC. the screen is all but stuffed but you can just see what it says, and it still works, and it still pumps with the Bluetooth module in it. I was contemplating installing a touch screen in my BA ute but, I agree with you, I think they’re not the best looking and honestly, look really cheap.
Hi Sean, I really enjoyed you honest opinion on stereos for the Falcons, I have a bog stock BF gas Falcon and i agree with you when you said you only used a couple of features on your stereo. I only use the radio and the cd player, im not even sure if the thing has the capacity to fit bluetooth. Cheers mate, Phil NZ
Can some1 please help...I own a BA and my cd player is playing up, intermittently stops for a split second then continues playing the song. What is that component called so I know what I need to look for to replace it or even better can the problem be fixed.....Thanks
Recently purchased myself a BA Fairlane with the premium sound and I have to say I think the factory ICC works brilliantly, does everything you really need it to do (aside from bluetooth😪) and the sound quality is amazing.
Thankyou for this video. Am considering returning to a Falcon ute. Loved my BA XR6 ute back in the day. As soon as it was released, I had to have one. lol I agree, these units will be generic garbage as they grab whatever they can software/hardware wise. I would how ever would like a similar facia which can accommodate reputable head unit, such as Kenwood, jvc etc. I have one in me Navara, just need a facia to accommodate in a Falcon with a high screen level height similar to kayhan. Any company making them?
Do you own a Kayhan or Aerpro unit? Tell us your honest thoughts in the comments below!
For years I've wanted to fix or upgrade the ICC as half the controls work. The cost of the replacement unit has put me off and I always wondered if I did install a replacement unit would it last in the Brisbane summer heat?
I fitted a 70 dollar tablet from Aus post used a heat sinc as a bracket on lower lip and phone magnet at top Used the 3.5 cable factory on in tissue holder spot can remove it when I like run all my apps and music and hot spot added an ob2 app for diagnosis if needed all for under 200 bucks and it leaves car original and no electronic or wiring hassles
Hey I want to install a 6 CD stacker into my Ford BF and can’t find anything online about it
What do you recommend I do?
@@Tyreker I had six stacker premium pack in mine disc player failed so I added input cable and tablet with SD card and hot spot if you need net can't go wrong did it for 200 bucks video on my channel but I'm currently making a panel to fit on ICC to attach to save money
I've thought about this and come to a fairly similar conclusion. I have an FG-X XR sedan that does all I want with a pretty solid Sync2 set- up. The navigation is ordinary, but my phone works fine for that and I'm not pay Ford a fortune for maps or for free maps as part of a dodgy service..
Back to my BF XR ute and I have to slum it with the 6 stack prestige sound system, and a now ancient Nokia phone only bluetooth kit. I mostly listen to MP3s now so the solution for me was to get a single DIN Aepro fascia and a cheap as chips name brand head unit. This allows me to ditch the POS Nokia kit, and the Ford AUX cable (the better amplified one similar to the ASL). I patched the loom to all plug into the factory wiring so everything still looks and is essentially factory.
Bluetooth now works for calls and music. I have USB, and Aux In on the after-market head unit and extra USB charge sockets on the fascia. The factory sound makes all the noise, I have volume on the wheel, so all I need for under $200. Head unit + Fascia + BA/BF plug kit, still have CD on the rare occasion I might want it. Works for me, I find it hard to justify a $1500 stereo in a sub $10K vehicle. Good single DIN head units with bluetooth and RCA out are a dime a dozen and likely to be around for some time so if the thing ever dies it'll be easily and cheaply replaced.
I have an Aerpro double din head unit with a pioneer touch screen in my BF, I absolutely love it. Hands free calling, voice control. Plug and play with my phone. No more skipping cd's. Yes it was a bit pricey but I had saved for it. And it looks great in the Ford
I replaced the speakers in my FG and added an amp, all hooked into the stock ICC, and it really highlighted how crappy the stock ICC sound was. Lots of background hiss. After a few months I chucked a single-DIN DAB unit into the tissue box nook below the ICC and rewired the speakers into it. The ICC was retained for all the other controls. Was a good compromise.
I am considering replacing speakers in my AU or BA, in previous cars I have found even using a set of cheap 2-way Kenwoods I was able to get a nice bump in sound quality.
My brothers BA had the same thing. Mounted below the standard unit with a surround mounting plate and usb inputs on the plate. He had it done by an installer and looked stock. Single DIN unit with cd, Bluetooth. Awesome sound. New speakers. All you really need.
how'd you find the wiring?? I just bought the fascia to do it, but I'm still a little lost on the wiring aspect; what wires did you hook up outside of the speakers and what fuses did you use?
Being a liker of factory-stock, I’d keep the original ICC. Funny story time from my Ford dealership days- we supplied a BF Futura to our local (at the time) town Mayor. He specifically asked for a cassette player to be fitted to his car. Yes, a cassette player!
Did you do one as an option Ben I remember around that time there was a move to CD players here in Europe my last car with a tape player was a 2000 Vauxhall corsa
Daniel, no, we got it done as an aftermarket addition through an auto electric business we used.
@@danielrussell446 the last car made with a cassette player was a 2010 Lexus
Makes sense in a way. He probably had a whole library of cassettes. Or maybe he took recordings from meetings. I've gone back to using the CD player in my car myself, since I'm just done with fiddling with screens or phones while driving.
@Matt, he actually did have lots of cassettes, and didn’t want to have them swapped over to CD. With that said, the CD player was still functional, and I recall seeing a few CD’s in the console, so perhaps he got caught up with technology.
I like your thinking, I added single din under ICC for Bluetooth phone and music in my Territory. My mate bought the Kayhan for his Fairmont Ghia with all options, then sent back for warranty, another one was sent to replace, and was sent back for warranty, then Kayhan offered to upgrade to new model for $800. No thanks, wouldn't refund either, then Kayhan sent another unit to replace faulty units, this one worked the best out of the 3, but still froze and had to be reset by button randomly, most of buttons don't work and get stuck, but the time lost in returning and waiting for replacements, the unit is out of warranty. Anyone looking at Kayhan, be very careful......But, I must say, they do look very nice.
It does sound a bit hit and miss for sure. Some people get a good one and love it, whilst others haven't been so lucky.
I looked into the Kayhan. I did the research and was glad I did the research on em. Supposedly customer support is not a strong characteristic from Kayhan and if something goes wrong, which I've seen these things do have faults, you're unlikely to get any support. For money invested it's not worth it. I just went for an eBay Bluetooth unit. Works perfectly fine.
Good to know mate!
Why would you think investing in anything like car stereos are an investment ? You weirdos are everywhere thinking your cars are investable things ! It’s why I have shares in super retail group they own supercheap ! Is because I keep reading how dumb you as consumers are
@@iamasmurf1122 looks like you might have jinxed yourself, their share price has dropped down from $12.20 to $11.70
Bro your one the most genuine people on TH-cam .. very refreshing 😁
All manufacturers should give a standard Double Din for the radio slot, would make upgradability alot easier in all cars.. 10yo Toyota's FTW
My theory is Toyota does it because all their factory units are absolutely rubbish. Trying to connect my phone to newer ones is hit and miss and the older ones have no connectivity at all, the stereo was the last thing they upgraded to keep with tech movements and that's saying something
idk if this still the case, but Mitsubishi were also pretty good at putting standard double DIN head units in cars like the Lancer and ASX.
I can understand why they don't, if you need a touch screen they end up being a bit too small - and the non-touch screen Toyota head units never looked that great either!
You can get oversized screens that fit a single/double din from main manufacturers, both Alpine and Sony make 8-10" screens that sit slightly out of the dash, I'd do that with the double din slot if you want a big flashy screen from a decent company
I just recently fitted an Aerpro facia with the cheapest 6.8" JVC double din unit and I couldn't be happier, I now have proper control over all the speakers including the factory sub and a much better bluetooth system than Ford could offer until 2011/2012(FG2)
That's awesome mate! The Aerpro looks like the safer option out of the two, as you can literally put any double-din you want into it... now and in the future.
Great points - I do agree with everything you've said. We now have 5 BAs in the family, plus an SY Territory; the BAs all have their original ICCs (one with a single-DIN headunit below the ICC, the other 4 just have 3.5mm auxiliary inputs) but I did opt for a Kayhan for my Territory last year after a lot of research and a lot of deliberation. It cost me more than I paid for the car, but I desperately wanted CarPlay especially for longer trips, and for that alone I feel I have got my money's worth. Installation was easy, and I've had no issues with it (I understand that not everyone has been so lucky). Plus, I have plenty more cars I can put it in if I sell the Territory. I'm happy Aerpro have FINALLY released their fascia kit, even if it's 15 years late, but I personally don't like the styling either and the cost adds up pretty quick once you buy a decent double-DIN unit. I am interested in Kayhan's newly-released portable unit for CarPlay/Android Auto; it's not pretty (looks like a standalone GPS unit, comes with a suction cup mount) but it's way cheaper than the whole ICC unit and can be moved between cars pretty easily. I'm hoping it'll be a good in-between option for those wanting CarPlay/Android Auto without investing $1000+
Good to hear you're enjoying it mate.
having had the aero pro for a year now with ebay head unit with android auto gps wifi 8 core 4 gig ram 128 gig storage multi camera input havent had troubles with startup but miss the temp nobs and fan nobs for ease of use had people coment y the controls arnt centred can you have another look into this with factory options as well thanks
G’day Sean,
TH-cam algorithms must have known I installed the Aerpro kit in a Falcon a couple of weeks ago. I know you uploaded this video about 18 months ago but thought I would provide the following information.
I have five BA/BF falcons. I have always run a single DIN stereo in the Aerpro adapter that replaces the tissue box. That worked great, it was simple, and the head units I purchased had remotes so it made operation of the unit simple. The only let down was the poor sound quality connecting it via the ancillary leads, where you showed you had your Bluetooth device installed.
As for the original head units being bullet proof I have the following issues. One has a colour screen which is deteriorated and also has dry solder issues relating to the speakers. Another two have dry solder issues relating to the speakers and controls and the remaining two were fine. Of note the remaining two without issues are both in BF’s, the earlier BA’s all had problems, possibly due to being older. Of course, none of the CD players worked but, that was not a problem.
I did not go Kayhan only because of the issues you mentioned. I have never used one.
Aerpro now do a kit, so it comes with the facia, double din player and all required leads and harnesses. Makes it much easier to purchase. If you had a problem with either the head unit or the facia, they can be replaced separately as opposed to the Kayhan unit.
The Aerpro is easy to install, and keeps the operation of the vehicle controls simple with the push buttons and adds a nice modern feel via the Clarion Head unit. I don’t need the phone on a mount anymore although it does need to connected to the head unit via the USB input for Android Auto but I can now put that in the tissue box which I have reinstalled and keeps the area much tidier.
The sound quality is much better and it eliminates the issues with the original head unit of dry solder problems and crappy screens.
Cost is subjective, what is expensive to one person is chump change to another. For me, I give 10/10 for the Aerpro unit, it was a long time coming and now that they sell a kit, fantastic.
If I had the money I’d definitely go with the aerpro because I’ve heard a lot of bad about kayhan like shutting down awful customer support it goes on and aerpro has a long history of quality products
I am curious why they didn't try to mimic the stock ICC a bit more - perhaps even reusing the stock control dials for the A/C. The only thing I can think of is perhaps there's not enough depth for a double-din head unit up high where the stock screen is located.
Bought overline unit 12 months the touch screen stopped working and alot of glitches when it did work
I actually installed a single din head unit! Below the ICC unit, you will still have to remove the tissue box shelf and buy a fascia and holding brackets kit and AUX wire harness! I do recommend to run a 10amp wire fused from the battery to battery wire yellow on the head unit if want to keep pre set stations and a antenna splitter cable! and audio noise filter!
I agree with you 100% mate. The original unit in my BA has lasted nearly 20 years, and I doubt these Chinese ones wouldn't even last 5 years.
The 6 CD changer has eaten my CDs :(
@@bksniperguymy stacker loves a diet of my favourite cd’s😂😂
Ever since early 2000 standard car audio has improved a lot. All you would really need to do it replace the factory speakers with something more punchy and you're done
True - I did that in my old NC Fairlane and it made a big difference. But then again the stock speakers in that had cardboard elements in them.
@@MotoringBoxTV Ah! I guess speaker quality has improved as well over time
Good quality single DIN unit installed under the ICC is enough for me, added Bluetooth and DAB+ to the car with extra sound settings.
I've been running the Kayhan in my BA Fairmont for almost 6 months & so far so good. If you want a collectable car then I wouldn't install one (or at least I would not get rid of the old ICC when installing a new one) BUT if it's your daily drive and you want to use carplay/android auto for google maps, podcasts etc then I think it makes a 15 yr old car up to date in terms of driver interface & convenience. A $3 android launcher will give you a custom screen that looks more factory too. The price is hard to take & it took me years to convince myself to do it but given the price of a used car at the moment it's cheaper to upgrade the ICC than the whole vehicle.
Out of interest, which launcher did you go with?
Agama
Downside is that speed & weather info is from GPS, not CANBUS, but otherwise it’s shmick
@@petergreaves2914 ah yep, I use that too!
I looked into this when the new iphone ditched the 3.5mm audiojack, which i had been plugging into the aux input to play music in my BA. I got really excited when I saw the features and the big touch screen, was even ready to fork out the $1000+ for all the options I thought i'd use, reversing camera, amp, etc, but then I read the customer reviews online, and was grateful I did. People were slamming them for awful quality product and even worse customer service. I kept my money.
I totally agree with you.
As a car audio retailer since 1997, I always liked to offer clarity instead of loud ‘doof doof’ multi subwoofer systems.
Since car manufacturers started making different design fascias, integrating instrument clusters and having impressive features, I started to specialise in Factory fitted system upgrades, including DSP amplifiers which when connected to standard equipment speakers was more than enough for many customers.
Next stage above that was to upgrade the speakers, and perhaps a subwoofer, which not only keeps the car’s functionalities, but also maintains original appearance, while having great sound which masks off road & engine noise.
I love the idea of modernising the icc but I have never been able to live with the cost.... better spent elsewhere on the car was always the conclusion
Yup, same here.
Great video. Picking up a BA XR6 tomorrow with the Premium Audio system. I'm adding a single din head unit so I can have bluetooth hands free calls, as I do a lot of work out of my car. Also adding a reversing camera and upgrading the front door and parcel shelf speakers to Kicker 6x8 (will fit 5x7 specs). This is waaaaay cheaper than the $1,600 alternatives mentioned. Most importantly, I will be using every ounce of this upgrade on a daily basis. Your remark of useless functions, apps, etc that you won't use after a couple of days is right on point. Again, fantastic video. Keep up the good work.
I have a 2006 BF XT wagon and we found a second hand parrot bluetooth unit on ebay for $100. It hooks up to the aux on the standard icc unit and gives me bluetooth music, phone (has a mic for clarity) etc. It's all I need. We're fairly limited on income so it was the best option too. Great video mate 😀
Sounds like a good way to go mate, especially on a budget.
Even have forscan after your suggestion and have the police speedo programmed in 😀
Way back when I owned my BFII XR8 Ute, it came with the factory amplified auxiliary input and I added a factory Bluetooth system from the SY Territory. Gave me all the features I wanted and after turfing the paper speakers for some middle of the range Rockford speakers it did the job. None of these aftermarket giggers really float my boat.
Thank you mate, you just made up my mind for me. I’ll be keeping the factory one in my BF Fairmont, because like you, I don’t really need all that stuff either.
I think your spot on mate.
I just purchased a 2010 Ford Territory and was looking up head unit upgrade videos and came across your video. Now i'm just going to install a bluetooth module, I like the simplicity of the stock unit and I dont see why i'd spend around $1000+ just for a screen to display GPS that my phone can do just fine.
i pulled the lower shelf and cigarette lighter out of mine, had a car stereo shop make up a harness that plugs into the aux plug for the original stereo and slotted a double din head unit into the space where the shelf came out
i set the original stereo to aux, turn the volume to max on the new unit and now i can use the steering wheel volume controls or the original stereo volume controls
allows me to have Bluetooth music and calls as well as reverse camera running off the new stereo
also bought a usb plug hub which i routed from the old cigarette lighter and into the centre console so i can run my charging cables off it
way cheaper than replacing the icc with kayhan or aero pro and you have a wide variety of stereos to choose from
Thanks 🙏 You’ve saved me lots of problems and money .
Hi Sean. As I love watching your channel and content, I would like to provide the audience on my feedback. If the Aeropro has reliability, then that will be definitely a preferred option. Adv: 1 - External 7" aftermarket unit of your choice that has all the mod-cons; moderinise the car with Android Auto and Apple car play... etc. 2 - Aero provides a patch loom for your selected 'popular' brand head unit that can retain factory functionalities without splicing wires, steering wheel controls etc. 3 - You can add an external reverse camera integrated into the unit. 4 - Separate HVAC controls and not like Kayhan. 4 - Future upgradability to a newer head unit without replacing fascia. Disadv: 1 - Cost. 2 - Reliability if it fails due to 1 year warranty adding two points of failure (head unit and/or fascia). Note: Factory ICC fails with the screen and also the connectivity to the rear connector causing the ICC to go blank. Usually a light bash/thump on the corner of the ICC can cause connection however dry solder fail and need another CD/ICC unit and reprogramming the CODE to fix. . However we are talking about a 15+ year unit. I'm not affiliated with any brand etc. Just considering at this stage for my BA XR6
Had a kayhan gen 2 unit for just over a year on a BF, was flawless, used hotspot and ran off wifi, nil issues over that time, absolutely loved it, way better than android auto, fully functioning apps and support from Kayhan is awesome
I much rather retain my stock ICC in my 02 ute unit but lately the CD's skip, asking would just requiring a laser clean or a replacement unit be the needed.
I’ve had the kayhan unit in my car for around 5 months and have no complaints with it
I just have a bluetooth FM Transmitter for my AU works great and didn't have to mess with replacing the head unit and the Steering controls still work for volume. And it was $25.
definitely leaving the stock dual-zone icc in my bf mkii fairmont ghia. Looks amazing in the piano black and fits the whole interior perfectly, beautiful car to be in, especially with the zf 6 speed...
Absolutely agree with you. The tablet part of these units is clearly substandard for the price and really not designed to be installed in a car.
I wanted Bluetooth and USB playback for my BA Falcon Ute so I bought a single-DIN Pioneer stereo and an Aerpro mounting bracket for it. Total cost was about $130. It does everything I need. Granted, the buttons on my steering wheel no longer do anything, but I don't miss that at all.
Something that may have helped me if i knew sooner. My ba xr6 head unit stopped working. Using vids in here learned how to remove it. Did that, unplugged and replugged a few connectors on the unit, put it back and works like new again. Just a dodgy connection. Still dont know if it was plugs under the unit, one on the unit or where the head unit plugs into the car at the back, but reseating them all worked
I have the aerpro setup with Ken wood CarPlay etc steering wheel controls as well .
Heard bad reports on Kayan setup effecting operation of system, but this one although maybe doesn’t look as glamorous has been really reliable for 18 months. Volume up and down on steering wheel is a little slow but fine.Original factory setup is safer for driver due to big buttons etc
I've had a couple of double din higher-end source units in my cars (non-Falcons), which would be the sort of thing you'd put in the Aerpro unit. The first one I bought (Clarion) had everything - DVD, CD, GPS built in, about 12 years ago it cost almost $2k. Plus installation which if I had to pay for that, would have been at least $400 more. Even those have boot times probably between the 5-10 seconds mark, however if they're on a source like CD or radio, the sound starts before the unit is actually ready to be operated. My current, one year old Kenwood takes about 10 seconds (I'll have to time it, I'm interested now) to boot up, connect to my phone and start playing spotify (it's got a spotify app built in that runs via a bluetooth connection to my phone). I get in my other car with a basic CD/Radio head unit and the fact it's almost instantly on is so refreshing. As it stands, I basically just use the reverse camera, spotify or radio on this Kenwood (which also offers android auto/carplay, DVD, CD, screen mirroring, HDMI input) but given it was only about $700, I'm okay with that. I also use it for its RCA preouts for the two amplifiers running all my speakers.
I agree with what you saying about the media system I bought my BF XR6 brand new in 2006 I've been happy with the base system in the car but it started playing up last year. My wife and I have been driving visiting Southern Australia and Tasmania last year I did a 6000km round trip in November the radio completely bombed out. So I put a Aeropro with a JVC sound system with android auto we just coming back from Tasmania it's been fantastic can use the GPS and Spotify or your own downloaded music were there is no reception plus the reverse camera. It does take a bit for it to fire up but we think it's worth it.
I just upgraded my door and parcel shelf speakers, and wired in an amp to run an aftermarket sub. Original ICC is perfectly fine.
Have to admit I can't deny your reasoning behind your comments. It makes total sense. Like others have done Ive made a small compromise and added a single din media player with Bluetooth, dab radio and basic android auto functions and it does the job perfectly. The last single din lasted about 8yrs and I only just upgraded it about a month ago and cant complain. Completely agree if you need nav just mount your phone it just works so much better anyway.
I grabbed the early model android, and yeh i dont use much of it, however i love it looks loads better than stock, there not for everyone sure, if you drive the car alot everday across the day, then load times arent a thing, but if it sits for a week or so then load times are shit slow
I'm considering a Kayhan unit for my BA GTP. Its got the premium sound system.
It's a beautiful cruising car and i think it would add to that experience with just a little bit of tech into the otherwise brilliant BA/ BF platform.
Great vids mate.
i like the look of the kayan system but you would be swapping one integrated unit for another, i am opting for the double din conversion taking back controll of my options in choice again.
I just went with the single din unit mounted underneath which I bought complete from universalfuze with the aerpro mount and their plug in wiring loom so no mods are needed the the car. Works great and gives bluetooth, handsfree calling and better sound quality. Keeps factory look and with 6.5 speakers using aerpro wiring adaptors and speaker mounts also great and no mods needed to car.
Thanks for this video I like simplicity also 👊😁
I do airport transfers and long distance car & driver work and Im about to put a BA FAirlane Ghia in the fleet for country work purposes...better than a Caprice, work that one out! Ive looked at these head unit replacements and the Aerpro where I can select a double DIN unit is exactly what I need, along with two tablets on the headrest mounts for rear passengers. Thanks for the tech compare, much appreciated, mate
Thanks mate, this is very helpful, and realistic.
Thanks again brother, love your vids..honest reviews..
I had installed a Overline icc replacement in my 2005 BA Ghia. The reverse sensors didn't work and my key fob remote was less effective in giving me ability to lock and open the car. You can't also program your remote once the Overline was installed. Everything else worked fine on the Android unit, including the HVAC and Bluetooth. But I eventually had my stock ICC unit repaired by my mate (he resolved every solder joint - which fixed it), and I sold the Overline and refitted the original ICC unit. I just need to get a decent Bluetooth device and that'll do me.
The overline unit, in the link you provided in the description, looks amazing and, after reading customer reviews, I think it is probably the best option to go with.
Im running the kayhan in my territory. It's a nice unit but I wouldn't say it's quality matches the price. Buttons have been sticking and sometimes I get the white screen on mine. Turn the unit off and on and it works fine but it's still annoying for a 1k+ unit. The wiring with it was not neat at all and is rats nest behind the unit. Ive got a sim card in it so I dont have to hotspot it but the receiver isn't that great and won't pick up low reception so im just hot spotting the unit anyway. I'll have my work break in the car so being able to watch TH-cam and vlc is pretty good but apart from that I only use Spotify, maps and calls. The only add on i got was premium sound.
Great video and a good eye opener for people wanting to update the unit.
To be honest if I had the Bluetooth unit you had I wouldn't have upgraded the unit. Maps is nice but if you get the directions through Bluetooth you don't need to see the map.
Thanks for the comment mate - it is good to hear honest feedback from people and it'll help anyone reading who might still be on the fence about buying one.
I have been looking to install, thanks for your honest advice.
I will keep it stock standard.
Fantastic advice mate. I know this was posted 2yrs ago but I've got a SY Territory Ghia and yeah you've saved me a huge amount of money mate!
Having a BA XR8 I installed the overline ICC.Ok it’s $800 but I have Bluetooth for music,satnav,hands free phone,worth every cent and had no issues at all with the series 2 version.
I agree with you my son put a aftermarket one his Holden nothing but trouble with it specially with the air-conditioning controller .
I’m a fan of keeping the inside looking stock, not sure with Ford units but there used to be a few people around that could modify factory Holden units which improved functions and sound quality. Long time ago when this was a fairly new car my nephew found a thin screen that installed in front of the factory unit. I don’t know much about this but I remember when the second screen was switched off you had the factory stereo running but when you turned on the second screen it blanked out the factory one and you had a new screen. This was connected to some sort of processor underneath the passenger seat and he had it loaded with DVD player, sat nav and a few other things so it sort of gave you 2 head units in the one face and it also improved the sound quality. I don’t know much about it but was pretty impressed with what he could do at the time
You are missing the point, no offence but it takes time to get used to using AA properly. The ability to voice control your music, voice control your maps, voice control adding stops, voice control asking questions to google on the fly is invaluable. Never having to listen to an advertisement makes it worth it. I have the Alpine 702d in my VE Clubsport and it's amazing.
You get a aerpro surround fp9042 which fits under your main head unit then just put in any single din radio don't need to touch the ICC unit if you need some tips more than happy to help
Cheers John
True, they're for automatic cars only I believe.
A company called DNA make them for manual cars aswell
I've used one for a year now with an old JVC head unit for BT and USB music etc. Just feed the output of this into the AUX input on the standard head unit so all the volume controls still work etc. Not interested in Android Auto etc as I use a simple use a Garmin SatNav that's wired permanently to cover BT calls and Navigation purposes - the fact that it has built in maps is useful once you get away from urban areas. Oh, and use a Wolfbox clip-on mirror for reverse camera and dashcam etc - hint use s smaller OEM Ford mirror so that it clips on properly with no overhangs - just looks neater.
They fit manual or auto
I just installed good speakers and a sub into my FG Falcon. I've purchased a android auto Sony double din as well I'm just waiting for the areopro for the FG and yes it's crazy expensive but for me I'm a tech head that wants to bring the old ford into the new age
I have a slightly older version of the Kayhan unit, and yes while I agree with what you're saying in this video, I tend to use a fair bit of the features on the unit, from having my own music downloaded onto the unit, from the torque app with custom gauges. and the part about it taking a bit to boot up, while that is true, most people wouldn't worry too much about it, as when you start the car up, you would just be putting your seatbelt on or driving out from your home or where ever you are and by the time you get onto the road, it turns on and starts playing music or whatever you want. I love the unit though, it's really quick to respond and I find it to be a nice little centre piece for the car, it also goes quite well with a dual or triple gauge pod on ontop
After having a play with my mates FG with the Kayhan its excellent..its really useful for running torque or other OBD apps which we use on our turbos all the time. If you've tuned or modified your vehicle they are a great replacement for a million guages.
Yes they're looking great.
I have to upgrade the ICC in my 2010 FG XR6, the factory screen is R.S and there is CD stuck in the player. I am leaning towards the Aerpro unit, mainly because the cost and also, I can choose what double din player I want to put in it. A bottom of the range or a top shelf unit.
Reversing camera and map was what I wanted it for mainly. But never really thought about longevity figured pioneer or kenwood would be viable options 🤔
I added a separate reversing camera screen to my Falcon Ute. The screen is attached to the dashboard with very strong double-sided tape, located just behind the left indicator. The hardest part was working out a secure way to mount the camera in the tailgate.
There's a rear-view mirror upgrade I'm considering at the moment which has an inbuilt LCD which would let me use a reversing camera on the AU. Or ASL do a rear camera system which hooks into the stock full colour ICC on the BA. Both look like awesome options!
Even though you didn't agree with buying one, you even added a link to buy em for those who do want one.. top bloke! :)
Money is no problem for me so I will be buying one with all the bells and whistle one day, my friend has one with the reverse camera and it works so good.
I'll be keeping the original ICC unit an store it in the shed tho
Yeah I'm fully with you on that. I personally think that those after market screens look really poxy on those Falcons. Just because they look really out of place on the car. Like a really modern screen surrounded by an older interior. And I think that they look even worse on the FGs.
I have a Kayhan in my mk2 Ba xr8 ute I’m quite happy with it they have there apple car play add on at like $250 but you can add apps to the unit so I bought a $70 version of the plug in CarPlay and downloaded its app sorted.
I think they capitalise on people being lazy and ticking those extras even the reverse cam the one I bought for like $20 works fine.
But as far as the unit goes very happy with it Apple car play is great too
Hi Shaun,
I've owned my BA for almost 13 years now. In my experience, this factory ICC has been a headache for me. I've had to replace three of them (two of them died, the first one died when the car was only seven years old) and one of them the illumination was temperamental and, the cheapest fix at the time was another unit. After my third one carking out on me, Kayhan released the ICC for sale to the public. After some thinking and having another temp ICC installed without programming, I decided to bite the bullet and go forward from there. Since I always wanted a head unit that was interactive and had features like navigation and android auto.
My original Kayhan did have the black screen of death after a week. After some discussion with Kayhan, Kayhan CEO advised me to bring the car over (back when the owner was still operating from his home in Melbourne). After some troubleshooting at their end, they decided an on the spot replacement. I was the very first customer that experienced this issue. He was going to the engineers about what had happened. I'd spoken to the owner and, the programmer happened to be around the same time (actually just landed in Melbourne from China), so they decided to apply some fixes in an upcoming firmware update. I was able to speak to the owner and, he was great to talk to in general. Almost three years later, my unit is still running fine. There has been a weird issue with the android auto cutting out during the cooler months when I run the demister on full bore, which I think it's got to do with the heatsink on the original unit (I believe this has been rectified on the later revision). However, I have found an app that can provide wireless android auto, so I no longer need to worry about the dongle. Pro-tip, don't bother buying those accessories through Kayhan. There are a shitload cheaper through sellers like eBay and their apps out there that can do Carplay and Android Auto without any dongles.
The bootup time takes around 20-30 seconds. However, if you're reversing, the backup camera monitor will overlap the android screen. Android will still load up in the background while you have the reverse camera monitor running. Furthermore, you can have the unit do a soft shutdown/sleep mode. It will make the ICC wake up instantly when you apply power to the ICC.
These ICC aren't for everyone. You are correct that you are going to use a few apps 99% of the time. However, for someone who drives a lot, love using mobile mirroring and utilizes a GPS a lot, it's a great addition to the user driving experience. If people are happy with their ICC, then feel free. I won't judge you different if you prefer the factory ICC and keeping your car stock.
Good video regardless Shaun
Thanks for your comment mate, it is great to hear what people have experienced with them. The boot time is longer than I imagined, but I suppose you just end up living with it.
Mate I'm pleased you took the time to post your comment.
I've got a BA GTP that I'm considering putting the Kayhan into.
It's not a daily driver so the load up time isn't an issue for me. It's a nice cruising car so I think that little bit of tech will suit. I think your comments may have helped me make up my mind.
Cheers
@@robkeogh4593 the newest kayhan iccs only takes about 5-10s to boot up, the newest one is slightly up spec'd
And that's only when the car has been off for a while, otherwise its instant
I've had issues with the audio cutting out, screen cutting out and even the engine completely cutting out in my old BA (the immobilizer/key code unit goes through the ICC). I took the ICC apart and checked the solders on the PCB for the pins of the plug that connects to the wiring loom.
Found there were a lot of dry joints. So cleaned out and resoldered all the PINs and it never missed a beat after that. Made a video of that and a few people have come back saying that it has fixed problems they've been having.
Waze is the biggest thing I like having with Android Auto/Carplay on my Kia. Legally can't touch the phone even when mounted, yet allowed to touch a car display.
The new usits keep all the original buttins which I find super intersting, what do you think?
I have an Eonon in my AU and a Joying in my EB. They're not too bad, for cheap Android units anyway! Steering wheel controls are a must though!
I've been tossing up whether to get the Kayhan unit but ultimately would prefer to go a name brand (Pioneer, Alpine, Kenwood) Android based unit, with a view to being able to install Torque Pro on it.
Sounds like the Aerpro unit might be for you!
Another great video Sean. You have inspired me to buy a BA as a project. An XT - cosmetically awful but straight, rust free and all original. Has the 5.4 litre Windsor and auto tranny. Love the fact that it looks like a fleet car with standard wheels etc. Will use plenty of your tips to help improve its appearance and give the old girl a second chance.
Did you mean the 5.4 v8 barra?
@@snapped4433 yes you are correct. Learning all the time! Cheers.
@hieronymusbosch9421 haha yeah I was going to say the xt's didn't have the boss 5.4 😂
Stereo in my AU is fine just needs 2 rear replacement speakers. Might mount my phone instead too much other stuff to keep on top of.
Replaced a AU deck with a Sony XAV Av5000, way better than my FG Mk2 ICC
My screen blew due to glovebox bending overtime and the globe in the glove box stayed on and battery got low on charge and now the screen isn't working. What would you recommend as the original screen have this tendency I have a mk2 turbo fg
On my 2nd aerpro. First one the control module stopped working (ac controls etc) had to buy a 2nd unit as firts one was put of warrant by about 4 months. My 2nd one has an issue where the fan control down button gets stuck every time its pushed
Agree 100%. I just put one in- not a head unit but still the same software- and they are temperamental, at least mine is, drops screen mirroring etc, phone won't connect half the time, and the mini usb won't talk to my iphone except to charge it.
Glad I watched this
I not long ago brought my self a, ba xt sports falcon. And was thinking of buying one of there.
But you brought up some good points.
And after thinking about what I'll do with it. I think I'll just buy a ICC unit from a Fairmont with the colour screen instead.. and upgrading the speakers.
Thanks for the great info mate.
Some people love them. Definitely worth thinking carefully about though before purchasing.
@@MotoringBoxTV true.
But I'm like you. I only really use it for music and music on my phone.
Not much else.
So I'll be going the Fairmont ICC colour screen.
Looks nicer and will upgrade speakers.
Thanks again for the info. This vid helped alot. Cheers mate
I had wondered about the two after market replacements you mentioned, but was always worried about quality/longevity and price - which is quiet high for head unit. Great video for anyone tossing up what to do - keep doing your thing man! p.s I don't think you're talking shit, very valid points and great discussion :)
Thanks mate. If the money isn't a big deal it might be worth a gamble, but I suspect people in that camp probably aren't even watching a video like this.
I had a BF Mk2, and had an ASL Automedia touchscreen installed with GPS and reverse camera fitted to the stock ICC. It kept the stock look but looked fantastic when the GPS was on or I put it into reverse. I have a photo of it if you'd like to see it but I can't figure out how to put it into the comments...
for a fraction of the price i got the aux cables that hook up under the fuse box and a touch screen double din kenwood deck
took out the shelf and cigarette lighter under the icc and slipped the deck in there. ran a plug-in lighter bank from the cigarette lighter to the centre console compartment for phone charging etc and robert's your mother's brother. can also play cd and dvds which the kayhan unit doesn't do
I love the factory piano black unit in my 03 BA Fairmont Ghia love the styling of it wish they'd make one the same with all these features
I had upgraded my head unit on my Jeep JK with an android one.
Best thing I ever did, and yes I used the shit out of it!
That being said the radio on the Jeeps were stand alone without the HVAC unit.
I got a VE SS now and im in the same boat as the Falcon guys. The factory unit is ok (mine is the v model) but is a nightmare to replace as its all one unit with the HVAC controls.
Thank you for this video. I'm seeking your as well as any general opinion please. So my son recently purchased his first car, Ford (FG) XR6 Ute (... saved for it himself!!). The thing is it's got a bit of a mish-mash of after market rear camera (sitting off to the right side of the dash) & blue tooth doggle - kind of clutter/untidy the cabin. Anyway, I thought it would be nice (and safer) if everything was centralized in the console - maps, rev camera, music, etc. Looking at helping him get the FP9650SK Install Kit, along with the Pioneer DMH-Z5350BT (non wireless). Yep, a bit costly - but does anyone out there have any experience of this head unit AND do they perhaps feel that the FP9650SK Install Kit sets the screen uncomfortably too low to refer to when driving? Many thanks for your input.
I personally couldn't be bothered to muck around with the flash units. Simplicity is bliss, and there are options out there to add a bit of pep to the factory style units.
I’ve got a BA enforcer and the sound sounds easily good enough for me. I would like a tape player put in it
I also wonder about power drain with the engine off. At least with the Ford IIC you can sit in the car for a little while, radio on, and have no problems with battery drain. Can the same be said in terms of these basically tablet based units? For BT music I just pop a speaker in the cup holders and stream from my phone (the BT phone unit installed doesn't have BT music, it was installed by the previous owner). Easy as.
I have a DigOptions unit in my VE Commodore purely because the AUX jack crapped out, and the built in module was only Bluetooth 1.0.
I gotta say, they're actually not too bad. They certainly look a lot nicer than the Aerpro kits, and they have tactile controls that closely replicate the OEM look and feel.
I use it mostly for Torque (for gauges) and for Android Auto (through Headunit Reloaded). I don't even have the radio plugged in as Spotify has me handled there.
The sound quality out of the internal amps of these things do indeed suck, but that goes for pretty much any Headunit. It's always better to output sound via RCAs to an external amp, which is exactly what I did with my unit.
Thank you for you views on this as I have been toying with the idea of an upgrade in the ute
I'm inclined to agree with you in that once the novelty wears off you're probably mostly just using the radio
I did fit the bluetooth adaptor to the stock unit and this gives me alternative auxiliary
I find the sound quality is quite good on the stock system anyway especially since somebody had upgraded to the premium speakers
Reckon I'll stick with it
cheers
Your arguments are well thought out. However my ICC is starting to crap out track select or aircon off/on on occasion fail to respond. So I'm in need of replacement. As such I had been considering an aftermarket model however after listening to you I think I'll upgrade from my monochrome and install a BT module.
I got the aepro in piano black and it's great. 700 bucks feels overkill for what it is since the only wiring in it is for the buttons the rest is taken from the original unit and put in. not only did I want Bluetooth but my original icc cut out for days at a time so I had no music, aircon or central locking. I got a cheap head unit it it works amazingly. eventually I'd like to update it to something better since I'm pretty sure some head units can actually have a display of your aircon and setting like the original head unit. atm mine just has Bluetooth. I wanted normal radio but I needed an adapter so I just went without. all in all its not bad but if you want all the features than you'll have to spend a little extra getting a certain head unit with a working display and not rely on the buttons and eyeballing it
I have a kayhan, I use the Bluetooth, google maps, waze, digital radio and Spotify almost daily, not to mention torque through the obd11 Bluetooth adaptor, I've even put a sim card in it so I don't have to use my phone for anything as I have a zfold2 and it's hard to get mounts, but even if I could get a mount I prefer not to have mounts on my dash, so for me the kayhan is a winner, as you said it's very expensive, $1500 all up for mine but I think it's 100% worth it
Glad you're enjoying it 👍
@@MotoringBoxTV I forgot to mention that the digital radio is playing within seconds, probably as quick as factory, pretty sure the unit I have does not fully shut down when you turn the car off, the older units were probably slower, I've heard lots of bad things about the original unit, I've also had no problem with support, when I first got it I tried to update the firmware, it went into a boot loop, support was available 24/7 but couldn't fix my problem, they wanted me to send the unit back but since I live in Melbourne I lobbed on their doorstep on a Saturday morning and they were happy to fix it on the spot
I totally agree with what you're saying about the Kayhan unit. The generic android head units are god awful. They're slow, they often have little to no over the air updates/support from whatever manufacturer they came from, and the sound quality out of the box just isn't good. If they break, you need to fork out another $1100 to get a new unit and nobody wants to do that on a car that's probably only worth that much, realistically.
That being said, I bought an Aepro fascia kit for my BF Fairlane and I'm absolutely loving it. I put a Sony XAV-3000 head unit in it, mainly for Android Auto so I can use maps and have a reversing camera as well on that chungus of a car. The options this lands you with are much greater in terms of longevity and upgradeability. New in-car tech coming out? No worries, grab yourself a new head unit with that in-car tech if you want, and whack it in. Plus you have the Sony factory warranty and the Aepro factory warranty separately, so if one piece of the puzzle breaks, you don't have to throw the whole box away. It did end up costing me, in total, about $1250 (the Aepro unit cost an extra $100 because I opted for the reversing sensor beeper), so aroun the same cost as the Kayhan unit with one or two addons.
It really is a case of 'to each their own' and personally, I just wanted to update my daily driver a little bit, so I can call my mum, my brother, my girlfriend while I'm driving and not have to worry about copping a fine from the cops, or skip a track without having to touch my phone, or whatever else the case may be. Still, I've kept my old dual zone ICC in my garage in case I do ever want to go back, but I can't see myself doing so any time soon
Also, with the Sony unit, it takes about 2 seconds to boot, so I'm pretty happy with that. It lets me turn the car on, plug my phone in and I'm off to the races. It's especially handy with the factory phone holder in the centre console!
work has an RTV with 778,000km, original motor, original gearbox and the original ICC. the screen is all but stuffed but you can just see what it says, and it still works, and it still pumps with the Bluetooth module in it.
I was contemplating installing a touch screen in my BA ute but, I agree with you, I think they’re not the best looking and honestly, look really cheap.
Hi Sean, I really enjoyed you honest opinion on stereos for the Falcons, I have a bog stock BF gas Falcon and i agree with you when you said you only used a couple of features on your stereo. I only use the radio and the cd player, im not even sure if the thing has the capacity to fit bluetooth. Cheers mate, Phil NZ
Can some1 please help...I own a BA and my cd player is playing up, intermittently stops for a split second then continues playing the song. What is that component called so I know what I need to look for to replace it or even better can the problem be fixed.....Thanks
Love my kayhan I use most of the options all the time . My standard ICC went blank. that's why I went kayhan ICC.
Recently purchased myself a BA Fairlane with the premium sound and I have to say I think the factory ICC works brilliantly, does everything you really need it to do (aside from bluetooth😪) and the sound quality is amazing.
Thankyou for this video. Am considering returning to a Falcon ute. Loved my BA XR6 ute back in the day. As soon as it was released, I had to have one. lol
I agree, these units will be generic garbage as they grab whatever they can software/hardware wise. I would how ever would like a similar facia which can accommodate reputable head unit, such as Kenwood, jvc etc.
I have one in me Navara, just need a facia to accommodate in a Falcon with a high screen level height similar to kayhan. Any company making them?