[Hoops]

Im wanting to install a new sat nav in the Porsche - double DIN that perfectly fits and compliments the dash etc. The model im most interested in at the moment is the Pioneer AVIC-F900BT Double DIN/DVD - Bluetooth - Nav etc (pic of it in a 997 below). Ive been chatting with a Pioneer outlet in Winchmore Hill (Creative Car Sounds) and they assure me its all singing all dancing bit of kit and will fit perfectly blah, blah. All sounded great til he gave me the price - he quoted me £1,400 all in which i felt sounded quite steep. He says its because of the special parts you need to order from Japan in order for it to properly fit the Porsche etc. He said the unit on its own is around £800 - (but ive found it from another source for about £670) and he said the parts are around £400 on their own - so he reckons he is charging £200 for labour. Can anyone tell me if this is a fair price?? Can anyone recommend a fitting company that would be familiar with Porsche etc that would do a highly professional job but cheaper?? Any help/advice appreciated.

[Turbo Power]

Try http://www.icecoldaudio.net/

Speak to Andy he knows his stuff and comes highly recommended.

[Hoops]

Thanks amar - spoke to Andy and he certainly sounded informed - he suggested i only really consider Alpine so ive got to rethink the Pioneer route now!! Thanks for info.

[booforty]

I've met Andy at Ice and seen his work and he comes highly recommended

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by booforty

I've met Andy at Ice and seen his work and he comes highly recommended

Should get on well with Steve then.

[roofer]

Audiocar, Lea Bridge Rd, just before Church Rd on the right.

[Steve A]

Originally Posted by willhollin

Should get on well with Steve then.

[mikem]

Andy`s a cool guy, beleive it or not, he fitted my Brembo`s.

Steve, why not fit it yourself ? Order the right fitting kit and it`ll be plug and play. Audioleads probably do a lead that`ll fit, then its just the fascia surround.

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by Steve A

At least someone's awake tonight.

[Hoops]

Im ashamed to admit I havent got the confidence or patience to try fitting the audio myself - safer to pay someone to do it for me!!

[G33]

Originally Posted by mikem

Andy`s a cool guy, beleive it or not, he fitted my Brembo`s.

Steve, why not fit it yourself ? Order the right fitting kit and it`ll be plug and play. Audioleads probably do a lead that`ll fit, then its just the fascia surround.

most likely true. all u need is a harness to connect it to porsche. then again ive got no idea with porsches! doubt its 400 quid in parts! mind u i paid £2000 for some geezer to fit a pioneer avic x1r to my golf r32. the unit was quite unique in the market at the time so thats prob why it was so pricey. i watched him do some of the install... i was genuinely worried. just find someone reputable

[Hoops]

Wise words Kin!!

[Ant Man]

I can too vouch for Andy's work, he did my current install:thumbsupres

Prestige Audio are also good. Isn't Chris Ward an employee of theirs?

[gIzzE]

Prestige have stopped doing car audio haven't they??

This is what you need...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/05-08-Porsche-...3286.m63.l1177


Now, it will dead easy to do yourself, if not a local fitter should be able to do it for around 1hour to 1h30mins labour max.


Now, I would say that the Pioneer would be my choice, the Alpine is a good system, but I like the way you can match the Pioneer backlighting to match your Porsche interior perfectly, I hate the Blue backlighting on the Alpine, looks cheap and tacky imho.

The problem with the Pioneer is it takes around 20 seconds to boot up, it will still play the radio straight away, but if you need to get into the ipod or nav it takes a while to get there.
However, once installed it matches and looks very OEM, especially with that trim piece that comes sprayed to match your interior perfectly.

[biscuits]

Prestige did the install in my 996 and I know Chris Knight very well (was my passenger to Nurburgring last year)... but they don't do car installs anymore.

I had the Alpine double din, with Blackbird nav, bluetooth & DVB tuners. Only thing with the Alpine is it doesn't sit as flush in the dash as the Pioneer and like Guy mentioned you can't customise the colours quite so much, otherwise the Alpine is the one if your after sound and function performance.

Just find someone you trust with your car... and I don;t think £1000-1200 is too far away from what a GOOD guy should charge.

[biscuits]

Just want to add... come resale time, make sure it is either done VERY well, or you can revert to the OEM head unit. No one will buy a 997 with an aftermarket headunit.

[Gibbo]

What's the full spec of your 997s, manual or tip, and are you enjoying it so far?

[Hoops]

Gizze - first of all thanks for your reply - very useful. Funnily enough that is exactly the same picture that the audio guy sent me to show me how it would look in the Porsche - may be this is where he will source the bits from and then charge me a premium on top? Although it would seem the Alpine is better in terms of performance, function and sound - i still feel the FIT in the dash is really important and this gives the Pioneer the upper hand for me. I keep hearing how Alpines tend to stick out proud of the dash surround and i do think they look a bit ugly and cheap. Also, for whatever reason, if i went with Alpine ive been told that the Bose amp that is in my 997 will have to be bypassed and thus made redundant?? Apparently it wont work with the Alpine?? This will involve more cost having to bypass it and buy a new amp etc. So, it will probably be back to my original choice of the Pioneer F900BT.
Ive managed to source an F900BT for about £680 (but i wonder whether it might be reconditioned, imported etc??) - so if i bought the kit that Gizze mentioned, the cost in parts would be around £880. I then need to find someone to fit it all professionally. This should still cost me less than the £1,375 that the audio guy quoted me.
Will i need any other "parts" other than the item that Gizze mentioned??? Are there any other hidden costs involved??

[Hoops]

Gibbo - my 997 S came fairly loaded (Sports Chrono/Porsche -20mm sports suspension/special order interior etc) and ive fitted some carbon bits and the 19" GT3 rims and tyres - its got PCM but no bloody sat nav - which didnt bother me massively as i bargained that into the purchase price - but when i looked into having the Porsche sat nav retro fitted i learned how crap it is and i feel i would rather spend the same/similar money on a system that really works and performs well and also has other useful functions that the Porsche system doesnt have like intergrated bluetooth etc. Car came with Parrot but i'd like it intergrated into the screen for number display etc. I hear what you are saying Paul about fitting an aftermarket sat nav to a 997 but i slightly disagree that no-one would buy it - mine is a one owner, mega low milage mint example that will soon have some very desirable extras fitted (full GT3 kit) and i think as these cars come more and more out of warranty etc people that have done research on how useless the Porsche sat nav will see the benefit of a better system. If the worst came to the worst when i come to sell i will sell the aftermarket system and then put the money into fitting the original Porsche sat nav in - but i dont see it coming to that.

[Speedtrap]

Originally Posted by booforty

I've met Andy at Ice and seen his work and he comes highly recommended

I have always used Andy in the past for all my JL installs - good job and decent prices.

[Gibbo]

Originally Posted by bmwbailey

Gibbo - my 997 S came fairly loaded (Sports Chrono/Porsche -20mm sports suspension/special order interior etc) and ive fitted some carbon bits and the 19" GT3 rims and tyres - its got PCM but no bloody sat nav - which didnt bother me massively as i bargained that into the purchase price - but when i looked into having the Porsche sat nav retro fitted i learned how crap it is and i feel i would rather spend the same/similar money on a system that really works and performs well and also has other useful functions that the Porsche system doesnt have like intergrated bluetooth etc. Car came with Parrot but i'd like it intergrated into the screen for number display etc. I hear what you are saying Paul about fitting an aftermarket sat nav to a 997 but i slightly disagree that no-one would buy it - mine is a one owner, mega low milage mint example that will soon have some very desirable extras fitted (full GT3 kit) and i think as these cars come more and more out of warranty etc people that have done research on how useless the Porsche sat nav will see the benefit of a better system. If the worst came to the worst when i come to sell i will sell the aftermarket system and then put the money into fitting the original Porsche sat nav in - but i dont see it coming to that.

The car sounds a really nice spec I assume it's a manual you have brought. For me finding a car with the -20mm steel springs would be my choice without hesitation. I am not a hardcore driver but if you are going to get a Porsche you should get proper suspension on it and not the electronic rubbish. There cannot be many around and therefore yours will be desirable come resale time for this option alone (for the right customer obviously).

I did not think much of the Porsche Nav/Phone and to be honest never really used it as I am a techofobe and I drove it for fun so I knew where I was going so NAV had no interest to me.

I like the GT3 kit and it does look good on a Silver, Red or White car, especially -20mm. I would just make sure you are keeping the car for a couple of years as the wheels, After Market Nav & Bodykit will probably not add much come resale apart from the obvious desirability.

Hope you enjoy your new toy.

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by Gibbo

I would just make sure you are keeping the car for a couple of years as the wheels, After Market Nav & Bodykit will probably not add much come resale apart from the obvious desirability.

Steve always keeps his cars a long time so that shouldn't be a problem.