Ipod Use With Ls 430 Premium Audio

[sictransit]

I'm considering the purchase of a 2002 or 2003 LS 430 soon, and most of the cars I've looked at have the Mark Levinson premium audio system. I would like to be able to integrate an iPod into this system. As you might expect, the 2002 and 2003 audio systems don't seem to support iPods, so I'm wondering what my best option for integrating an iPod into the car would be.

I don't want to use a cassette adapter or a FM transmitter.

So:

- Is there a good way to integrate an iPod into the 2002 or 2003 Levinson premium audio system

- If not, what are my options for replacing the Levinson audio system with an equally good one that will integrate with my iPod? Is it possible to install a more recent (and iPod compatible) Levinson premium audio system into a 2002 or 2003 LS 430? Can that be done without replacing the navigation system as well?

- Do any model years of the LS 430 have good iPod integration?

Any advice on this situation would be appreciated. Thanks!

-- Daniel

[91ls400]

You will find this question presented many times on the forum.... check out Vais Technology. They work specificly on toyota/lexus equipment.

http://vaistech.com/aic100i.html

If you click buy now at the bottom it will let you check to see what configurations have been tested to work...

[billsoter]

Don't be too quick to dismiss a cassette adapter. I have a 2003 LS with the stock audio system and I use a cassette adapter with my Ipod. It sounds quite good and the way the LS console is configured it almost appears that it was made for an Ipod/Cassette combo. There is a small drawer just Ipod size about 3 inches below the cassette input. The drawer closes with the Ipod in it and all you can see is 3 inches of thin wire laying flat between the top edge of the drawer and the cassette input.