AVIC-D3 Review!

[Thug541]

Hello there,

Ok, so my AVIC-D3 is semi-installed. I am waiting for the metra dash kit, but I can still give a good review.

Looks:
This is one of the finest looking units out right now. The black trim is a bit glossy, and a Matte finish would prob. match our dash a bit more, but still a fine looking unit. You can match the button lights up to your dash lights exactly (up to 32000 possible color combinations) and you can change the on screen color theme to the 5 primary colors. Compared to my old AVIC-N1 the screen is slightly smaller(6.5 inches vs 6.1 inches) but nothing tragic. It hurts to know there are some 7 inch screens out there, but i'm ok with that.

iPod integration:
Ok, out of any head unit I have ever used this possibly might be the best ipod integration. All you need is the $30 cable, plug it in the back of the unit, and I have mine running through my glove box. Right when you plug the ipod in, the avic switches to ipod mode immediately and starts playing. The main ipod screen shows "Song name", "Artist Name" and "Album Name" so those with organized music collection will be happy. On the right of the screen you have a circle which resembles the iPod's click wheel. Menu will take you back to the previous screen as if you were on an ipod, left and right go back or forward a track. There are a few tabs at the top that list some of your search options. Artist, Song, Playlist, Podcast and Video I believe are there. Tho the search is not as seemless as the ipod itself, it is prob. the quickest ipod search on a headunit I have used....close second being the new Alpine units. The connector charges the iPod when plugged in as well (you do have the option to turn this off if you want). All and all, this make the unit worth its price of admission.

Navigation:
If you have ever used any navigation from the AVIC line its standard fare here. They are using the newest Nav discs currently and I got a chance to test out the accuracy today. No issues here. I am actually driving to Florida at the end of the month so I will be able to give a full long drive impression when I come back, but other than that, the Nav works great and looks sharper than my old Avic.

I haven't tried an MP3 disc or regular Audio disc yet, but i am sure they are similar to the previous unit. The radio works well so theres no issue there. I am waiting for them to release the upgraded Bluetooth module and maybe i'll get XM one day, but so far, this unit is great. And its offered at a ridiculous price.

I will warn you tho, if you have an older avic you will be upset about some of the buttons that were on the unit directly are no longer there and you have to use the touch screen to navigate to it (such as quickly switch EQ settings).

Other than that, I am quite pleased.

 

[vanden_jason]

Any pics of the installed unit? and I thought the bluetooth adapter was already released?

 

[Thug541]

Well here's a quick update. I am uploading a video onto youtube for a video review, when it is finally done processing i'll put it up. But here are some pictures....sorry about the quality, they came out blurry. I'll update when the video is ready.

 

[Thug541]

Here's the video:

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[ChopstickHero]

cool review... sweet deck. i like the gui alot. not sure about the fergie song though. lol

 

[Thug541]

Bump for reactions to the review

 

[meinp5]

Very nice writeup! I have been debating which headunit i want to get - this really will help a lot!

 

[mhrebin]

sick. yea ive been lookin at this unit for some time, since i first read reviews.

how much did you lay out for it after all was said and done.
where did you get it?

i think it has a sirius radio option on it. no?

 

[Thug541]

sick. yea ive been lookin at this unit for some time, since i first read reviews.

how much did you lay out for it after all was said and done.
where did you get it?

i think it has a sirius radio option on it. no?

$980 shipped with a discount at crutchfield. That also comes with the mounting trim for our radio. I paid my installers $200 to have it installed, however with that I learned the previous owner of my car had done some hacking and so they improviesed the install....which turned out not to be to my liking.

Since they didnt' do the bypass and I wanted it I decided to find a way to mount it better (using zip ties no less!). So I wish I could take back some money from the install, but oh well, you live and you learn.

And yes, it has support for sirius, but is more XM favored as they have the XM traffic and enhanced GUI for XM.

 

[benflagg]

You can bypass this one, I really like the pioneer units, but was going to end up going with an eclipse, because you cant do anything while moving in the pioneer. Is this still the case?

 

[Thug541]

You can bypass this one, I really like the pioneer units, but was going to end up going with an eclipse, because you cant do anything while moving in the pioneer. Is this still the case?

No theres a bypass. The quick of it is ground the parking brake wire, and in the wire harness there is a cellular mute wire...if you aren't going to use it, move that wire out of its pin, to the pin right below it and ground that wire with the parking brake ground. Viola....bypassed avic system.

 

[benflagg]

cool, what was the cellular mute wires original function? This will prob let me set my sites back on a pioneer.

 

[Thug541]

cool, what was the cellular mute wires original function? This will prob let me set my sites back on a pioneer.

For phones to be hooked up to the radio basically. But since this is a bluetooth capable unit (buy the adapter) most people will end up using that.

 

[benflagg]

Cool, I was worried that the mute wire had something to do with the bluetooth, now that it is clear that it does not.......D3 here I come!

 

[mhrebin]

how does the unit sit inside the center of the bezel. like how is it held in place. because i know my headunit now just sort of angles a little bit down and then stops. but i wish it was mounted to something behind it to keep it from moving around.

 

[Thug541]

Yeah I ran into that problem. My original opening was messed up and the bottom was cut, so I can't comment on how it would fit in an unmodified opening. To fit mine, i fabbed some brackets and zips ties actually. I wanted to secure the back unfortunatly I didn't. The dash kit however allows the radio to sit securely in place.

 

[benflagg]

Do you have to swich discs every time you want to navigate?

 

[Thug541]

Do you have to swich discs every time you want to navigate?

I use my ipod so the disc is always in my unit. But if you listen to CD's than yes, you have to input the disc to get the directions, but then you can remove it when the directions get saved to memory.

 

[Kooldino]

Nice video review. I was looking at the AVIC-N3 not too long ago, but I wasn't impressed with it, so I decided against it.

What bypass are you talking about? Is it to play DVDs when the car is moving?

PS - Don't listen to Chopstick. That Fergie song is hot.

 

[Thug541]

Nice video review. I was looking at the AVIC-N3 not too long ago, but I wasn't impressed with it, so I decided against it.

What bypass are you talking about? Is it to play DVDs when the car is moving?

PS - Don't listen to Chopstick. That Fergie song is hot.

Haha, yes to play DVD's while moving. More importantly to change navigation options while moving.

EDIT: Oh and I read your thread...and you are going to hit your forehead when I say this but, when a CD is in on random on the AVIC-N series, to pick a random next song you press down or up. Left or right on the knob just goes to the next song on the list. I liked it this way as I can go to a song that I see, or just go random.