I Want My Xm Radio! - Any Advice / Words Of Wisdom?

[C6 Chris]

I cannot believe a car of this caliber does not come with Satelite Radio (but does come with a button labeled SAT). :chairshot:

I have talked to several dealers and received price quotes of $700 - $1000. Don't know the brand of the equipment, but thought you folks here could give me your input on what works what doesn't. Or what to look our for...:whistles:

[mrc88dal]

I just had the Vaistech XM interface installed in my 2006 RX400h and am very happy with it. The unit offers excellent reception and plays through the LCD head unit on the factory stereo. The unit also includes an Auxiliary input so I can listen to my iPod on the factory stereo(via the mini plug/music selection is on the iPod, not the stereo head unit) which is nice.

That said, I think if I would have chosen the Lexus XM box had that been an option for my 2006 RX simply for warranty reasons.

[C6 Chris]

I just had the Vaistech XM interface installed in my 2006 RX400h and am very happy with it. The unit offers excellent reception and plays through the LCD head unit on the factory stereo. The unit also includes an Auxiliary input so I can listen to my iPod on the factory stereo(via the mini plug/music selection is on the iPod, not the stereo head unit) which is nice.

That said, I think if I would have chosen the Lexus XM box had that been an option for my 2006 RX simply for warranty reasons.

Thanks for the reply. So there appears to be at least two solutions to add XM - THe Vaistech XM and the "Lexus XM Box". Is suspect Lexus does not make the unit that does this, does anyone know who makes theirs? Also, are they functionally the same?

[SW03ES]

The car does come with XM, its XM ready and the dealer installs the tuner and the antenna. It will operate seamlessly with the radio interface.

I think the Vais unit is the same (I have one of these coming for an iPod) but you get the added benefit of the aux in.

[C6 Chris]

The car does come with XM, its XM ready and the dealer installs the tuner and the antenna. It will operate seamlessly with the radio interface.

I think the Vais unit is the same (I have one of these coming for an iPod) but you get the added benefit of the aux in.

Thanks all for your valuable input!

So the Vais Unit comes with Aux In, but the Lexus Unit does not? Interesting. I guess the Vais unit gets installed by a third party and not Lexus if I go this route. Sounds like yours hasn't been installed yet, so have you actually compared the two installs and confirm is they are functionally the same, except for the Aux-In?

Also, where is the Aux-In actually installed in the car? Also, how does it work? Where is the button to switch between them?

[rgibson]

I just had the Vaistech XM interface installed in my 2006 RX400h and am very happy with it. The unit offers excellent reception and plays through the LCD head unit on the factory stereo. The unit also includes an Auxiliary input so I can listen to my iPod on the factory stereo(via the mini plug/music selection is on the iPod, not the stereo head unit) which is nice.

That said, I think if I would have chosen the Lexus XM box had that been an option for my 2006 RX simply for warranty reasons.

I went with the RX-XM kit from Factory Interactive for my '06 (no SAT button). The self installation DVD went through all of the steps and the installation was straight forward. Their kit uses a receiver that is Toyoto branded. The only custom part was their harness to go between the stereo head unit and the XM receiver. https://secure.factoryinteractive.com/order.html#rx-xm

[mrc88dal]

Quote: "Also, where is the Aux-In actually installed in the car? Also, how does it work? Where is the button to switch between them?"

On the Vaistech unit, the actual AUX input jack is on the box which is behind the center console. The installer will run a cable from the box to the location of your choosing. In my case, it runs under the carpeting/trim and pops up in the sliding console cupholder. That way, I can reach the iPod to make tune selections. Since I don't have a SAT button, I simply push the AM button repeatedly until the AUX input comes up on the radio display and then activate the iPod. On your radio, you'd likely push the SAT button repeatedly.

[icontrolman]

I cannot believe a car of this caliber does not come with Satelite Radio (but does come with a button labeled SAT). :chairshot:

I have talked to several dealers and received price quotes of $700 - $1000. Don't know the brand of the equipment, but thought you folks here could give me your input on what works what doesn't. Or what to look our for...:whistles:

I negotiated the XM antenna down to $308 for parts and labor. It was to close the purchase of the vehicle. The dealership is in Roseville CA. They are really nice to deal with. Good luck

[silvercorvette]

I am glad it is an option. Some people like the entertainment system and the NAV system. I wanted the NAV so I bought a car that had it, but I would really be angry if I was forced to buy an entertainment system that I would never use. having it as an option lets me make the choice as to what I want in my car. If it were included it would be added to the base price of the car. I don't know much about XM but I did have Sirius for three months. I had the S50 which (worked? almost worked) in the house and car. I got fed up with poor reception and loss of signal every time I went under a bridge or a bunch of trees. I really didn't see any value to the monthly fee I was paying. When I drive I listen to AM talk radio, CDs or tapes so as far as I am concerned things are fine the way they are. Also keep this in mind both XM and Sirius are loosing huge amounts of money and are in danger of going out of business. Sirius and XM are trying to merge in a last ditch attempt to save both companies. The FCC needs to approve the merger and so far it looks like they may not approve the merger. Anything can happen but both companies could go under within the next year.

Here is an article about the merger

http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/26/news/compa...us_xm/index.htm

There is a good chance that your XM radio may suffer the same fate as a beta max or an 6 track tape. There may not e enough subscribers to support to cost of launching and maintaining satellites. With loss numbers like these it looks like XM will be out of business unless some miracle happens

The latest figures include $82.3 million in losses from restructuring its debt and other non-operating losses, the company said. Excluding non-operating items in both periods, XM's quarterly loss narrowed to $45.9 million from $88.4 million.

Its gross cost per subscriber addition increased to $112 in the quarter, up from $98 in the same period a year ago. The company added 398,012 net subscribers in the period, ending the second quarter with 6.9 million subscribers, an increase of 56 percent over the year-ago period.

Here is a link to the article

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8...;show_article=1

[silvercorvette]

When I am on a long trip I bring along CDs of old radio shows that I buy from this company

http://www.radiospirits.com/

It may not be for every one's taste but listening to the old shows and stories really makes the time pass quickly on a long drive. I haven't tried this yet but I may wind up buying or renting a talking book to play on my next trip to Texas from New York

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When I read stuff like this I am glad it is not included and sold as an option that gives they buyer a choice. I would be very angry if I was forced into paying for a radio I don't want. Even if it is put into the car as standard equipment it doesn't mean that you aren't paying for it. All the standard equipment that comes with the car has to be paid for and they just jack up the base price of the car so the buyer has to pay for it, I would rather have the choice as to what I want and not have Lexus decide what I want.

Here is some more bad news for both XM and Sirius, if the merger does not go through both XM and Sirius will probably go out of business. I may be wrong but I am very reluctant to spend money on a radio company that no longer sends out a signal.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/04292007/busin...eter_lauria.htm

AWFUL TIMING

MERGER CRITICS KEY ON KARMAZIN'S $31M PAY

By PETER LAURIA

Click to enlargeApril 29, 2007 -- As if the pending merger between satellite radio operators Sirius and XM didn't face enough hurdles, news of Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin's $31 million pay package has provided even more ammunition for the combination's critics.

With CEO compensation becoming a hotly debated flash point among institutional shareholders, Karmazin's pay, disclosed in a proxy filing last Monday, even if deserved is certain to catch the attention of regulators.

"Details of Mel's pay package couldn't have come at a worse time for Sirius and XM," said Sanford Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett.

"Their credibility is already stretched pretty thin on Capitol Hill after weeks of anti-trust grilling. This will add fuel to the argument that their merger attempt is a way to enrich management rather than listeners."

The National Association of Broadcasters is already seizing on that argument to open a new front to rail against the merger.

"This outlandish pay package confirms that the proposed monopoly Sirius-XM merger was crafted mainly to enrich the companies' CEOs and their close friends on Wall Street," said NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton. "The notion that consumers or small shareholders would benefit from a government-sanctioned monopoly is pure fiction."

News of Karmazin's compensation kicked off a harsh week for the Sirius-XM merger that included the release of several analyst reports that put the chances of regulatory approval at less than 35 percent and a lackluster earnings report from XM (Sirius reports earnings on Tuesday).

Only $4.25 million of Karmazin's pay stemmed from salary and bonuses. The remaining $27 million came from restricted stock and options grants that were used to entice the former Viacom COO to join Sirius in 2004. Those options vest automatically on each anniversary after they were granted for the next few years.

Moreover, Karmazin has not sold a single share of Sirius stock on the open market since joining the company. In fact, he has done quite the opposite, investing $20 million of his own money to buy up Sirius shares.

Even so, given the movement among investors to have a "say in pay" and the downward trajectory of Sirius' stock price, compensation expert Alan Sklover thinks Karmazin is going to have a hard time justifying his package.

"No matter how cynical we've become about executive pay, Karmazin's compensation has to be taken into account when considering the merger," Sklover said.

And while Karmazin's pay won't have a direct impact on whether the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission approve the merger, the negative attention it stirs up certainly can't help its chances. peter.lauria@nypost.com

[korchen]

Where have you installed the actual antenna?

[NeoN]

The car does come with XM, its XM ready and the dealer installs the tuner and the antenna. It will operate seamlessly with the radio interface.

I think the Vais unit is the same (I have one of these coming for an iPod) but you get the added benefit of the aux in.

so your saying the car is XM Ready but needs the dealer Varis add-on right? This runs $300-$400 right?