A Sirius Question About A 2004 Es330

[WSiebert]

I have killed another large number of hours on a number of Message Boards, including this one, discussing Sirius satellite radio automobile installations.

I have the CD/Nav system set-up and have decided that I am just tired of the audio options in my ES330 with 2300 miles on it. That includes my MP3 player! I drive 110 miles round trip a day and every one that I know that has a satellite radio seems to love it.

I bought my son a Sirius satellite radio for his truck and during my research became very intrigued with commercial free radio.

I just can't believe that it is not possible to get one installed professionally that looks great and works as advertised, but then I trip over a post that says, "You can't put it in a Lexus.". :cries:

I would really appreciate if any one else has recently done some research and has any new suggestions, especially if you have an ES330.

[SW03ES]

Ah! Here you are. I posted to your thread at the Sirius backstage board.

I'll copy/paste that post here:

I just installed Sirius in my 2003 ES300 w/nav and ML, its identical to yours. You however have one wonderful thing I don't have. You see in 2004 all Toyota/Lexus headunits are satellite ready. If you notice on your nav screen there is a button that says "AM-SAT", I dont have that button.

Now this means you have several options. One, you can have a Lexus dealer install the Lexus XM kit. This will operate through the headunit and it will be seemless, you will have a new "XM" screen and all the song titles and such will be right there on the nav screen. I have been told that Sirius can be installed this way also with an adapter.

The problem is that the majority of the Sirius units are the rather large PnP devices and the hard install kits like the Audiovox and Kenwood are old technology at this point. So its hard to hide them, and the ES doesn't have a lot of room to install things. Its even hard to find a shop that still has them. Like you I wanted an install in the sunglass holder or in the ash tray or something. I was in a 97 Jag XK8 yesterday that had a little Apline controller mounted in the headliner which was pretty slick I thought.

I didn't encounter as much resistence from install shops about the Lexus as I thought I would. Like you I've heard things on forums about people being unable to find installers that would do it. I don't know if the shops around here are just more used to high end cars or what...

I see you're not too thrilled about the install in the armrest, and I wasn't either but I've gotten used to it now and its not a big deal at all. Its probably the ideal way to do it in this car and its very easy to do yourself.

Lexus' response to your inquiry will be "We do not support or reccomend installations of equipment by anyone other than a Lexus dealer" thats their response to everything.

I'd look into an installation that uses the headunits satellite ready status though.

Check out www.soundgate.com for adapters. Look under "Toyota" not Lexus. If you decide to let the Lexus dealer install the XM kit don't let them tell you it won't work, the Toyota Solara has the exact same navigation screen/headunit and the kit works on it.

[WSiebert]

....... You see in 2004 all Toyota/Lexus headunits are satellite ready. If you notice on your nav screen there is a button that says "AM-SAT", I dont have that button.

Now this means you have several options. One, you can have a Lexus dealer install the Lexus XM kit. This will operate through the headunit and it will be seemless, you will have a new "XM" screen and all the song titles and such will be right there on the nav screen. I have been told that Sirius can be installed this way also with an adapter.

The problem is that the majority of the Sirius units are the rather large PnP devices and the hard install kits like the Audiovox and Kenwood are old technology at this point. So its hard to hide them, and the ES doesn't have a lot of room to install things. Its even hard to find a shop that still has them. Like you I wanted an install in the sunglass holder or in the ash tray or something.

I didn't encounter as much resistence from install shops about the Lexus as I thought I would. Like you I've heard things on forums about people being unable to find installers that would do it. I don't know if the shops around here are just more used to high end cars or what...

I see you're not too thrilled about the install in the armrest, and I wasn't either but I've gotten used to it now and its not a big deal at all. Its probably the ideal way to do it in this car and its very easy to do yourself.

Lexus' response to your inquiry will be "We do not support or reccomend installations of equipment by anyone other than a Lexus dealer" thats their response to everything.

I'd look into an installation that uses the headunits satellite ready status though.

Check out www.soundgate.com for adapters. Look under "Toyota" not Lexus. If you decide to let the Lexus dealer install the XM kit don't let them tell you it won't work, the Toyota Solara has the exact same navigation screen/headunit and the kit works on it.

I REALLY appreciate your post, Steve and I hope that you were not put off by my first impression of the center console install.

I wondered what that AM-SAT button was for, but hadn't looked in the Owners Manual.

Now where do I start? ;)

I have a few very good high end audio installation shops around me, but they only install XM. I really think that Sirius is a better service for me, but I keep getting pushed back to XM.

I called my local Lexus dealer for assistance and they were going to make some calls to try and find me an approved Sirius installer. If Lexus has a satellite solution, I would have thought that they would have attempted to sell me XM.

No insult intended to these companies that routinely sell me stuff, but I really do NOT want Circuit City, Good Guys, and Best Buy touching my new car, but they are the Sirius car dealer/installers in my area.

I really don't need a PNP unit, but is that where all of the technology advances are taking place? I was very intrigued by the idea of the Kenwood KCA-R70FM in the sunglass holder. If the Audiovox and Kenwood technologies are old, doesn't any other mobile audio manufacturer make a more modern technological equipment.

So, if I stick with Sirius, I need a SoundGate KNTOY1 adapter. Now here comes a stupid question on my part!

What other equipment do I need to tie a satellite radio to the AM-SAT button? A Sirius head unit? A Sirius Satellite Radio Tuner? An antenna?

Can I control some aspects of a Sirius solution with the Lexus Touch Screen?

I really do NOT wish to fall prey to the XM full court press.

Why does this have to be so hard?

[WSiebert]

I am feeling less XM pressure!

A Sirius Back Stage post advises that all I need is:

SoundGate KNTOY1 adapter to connect to my ES330 Nav Screen

Kenwood Sirius SR-902 tuner

Kenwood CX-SR20 antenna

Now, I just have to find an experienced installer in So. Cal!

[WSiebert]

Steve,

I decided to follow up on idea about the availibilty of an XM radio kit for my ES330.

I telephoned Lexus Cerritos today and spoke to the parts department. They thought that a XM kit might be available in May 2004, but admitted that they were embarassed, not to know more. They suggested that I call 1-800-25-Lexus and speak to Customer Service. I called and was told that satellite radio is only an option in the LS430 and offered to take my request as a suggestion.:chairshot:

Why in the world is it not easier to add satellite radio technology to a new car or at least to get some assistance from the manufacturer?

I am NOW getting seriously *BLEEP*ed off about this subject!

[SW03ES]

Bear in mind that just because they say the kit won't work doesn't mean it won't.

[WSiebert]

For more information on this subject, click here B)

[steviej]

quick question?

does satellite radio reception suffer the same problems that dish TV signals do in bad weather?

I am kinda getting interested in what you did SW03ES.

steviej

[SW03ES]

Doesn't seem to, I get a couple dropouts here and there, but its really very good.

[HubJunky1]

theres a 4 second sort of signal advance, so if you go into a tunnel you'll probably lose service (if there isnt a signal repeater around) but most of the time you wont have a dropout just going under a small bridge and I've never personally had any problems from weather, even with snow all over the antenna

[WSiebert]

This just in from my use of "Contact Lexus."

Dear Mr. Siebert,

Thank you for contacting Lexus Customer Satisfaction regarding your 2004 ES 330. Currently, XM satellite radio is only available on the 2004 LS 430. Lexus is in the process of developing a kit for the 2004 ES 330 but I apologize that no specific date is available. I am sorry for any inconvenience this situation may have caused you.

If you have any further concerns, you can also reach the Lexus Customer Satisfaction Department at 1-800-255-3987, Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time.

Sincerely,

Richard Hollingsworth

Customer Satisfaction Representative

:D

[SW03ES]

They already have one LOL!

Buerocrats!

[WSiebert]

I don't know.

I went to a meeting yesterday, with what what looked like the Car Audio Extreme Make Over team. Wiring drawings of the ES330 via Sound Gate. Conference call with a Sound Gate rep. An Alpine rep and a Kenwoood rep. All pulled together by my high end local Audio shop. They sounded like surgeons conferrring on an operation.

If we go this way, he loses this and maybe that. If we go that way, he definitely loses that and maybe not that. We can't take the wires this way or that way. I did'nt even mind losing the CD changer and discussed installing a 10 CD changer and a MP3 storage facility.

When all was said and done, the issue seems to involve some wiring and my Nav and this bright group of intelligent young men walked around to every other vehicle on the lot, (also being detailed) and pointed out how they would gain success with each and every car.

It seems to me to be a serious oversight on the part of this Japanese manufacturer. I could be wrong, Steve, but I am just going to wait for Lexus and the magic XM kit.

The reason being that everyone knew that I was willing to spend whatever it took to achieve a solution. And I mean whatever! And NO ONE, including Lexus could step forward and comfortably say, I've got it!

I am not a nervous nelly by nature and remain a little frustrated by this entire experience. :cries:

I do very much appreciate the wisdom from both Message Boards. Will advise, when I eventually achieve success. :D

[SW03ES]

I've got Sirius satellite radio installed in mine, might not be the perfect solution for you but it works great and I didnt have all this hassle...

[MS_ES330]

Did the XM kit ever come out?

[WSiebert]

Did the XM kit ever come out?

Not, that I have been able to determine!

[itmdtr]

Look around in this forum, another member was asking about XM in a 330. I made a LS430 kit work in a ES330. But that was for a customer that "had to have" sat radio.