Cheap and cheerful Double Din recommendations

[Shnozz]

I want to swap out the archaic Mercedes stereo with a Connects2 adapter kit. Looking for recommendations for a cheap and cheerful double din unit to put in that offers carplay and the usual jazz. It's a sheddy car so want to keep it proportionate so chinese no names welcomed as well as other known brands.

[alorotom]

Have a look on AliExpress/Wish - I got a blistering PX6 Android 10 headhunt with wireless CarPlay, AndroidAuto, Full DSP, etc... for £230 delivered from China. That looks more OEM than the OEM solution.

Still retains full steering wheel control, dash displays etc...

[mercedeslimos]

Keep an eye out on FB Marketplace - I got one for my B7 A4 Cabriolet a few days ago for fifty quid, an Xtrons unit, which would have been maybe 200-odd new. I find the OEM solutions then need extra modules for Bluetooth and nav etc and cost a fortune. I bought an A-Sure unit for my vRS Octavia and it was brilliant for three years, and looked just like a factory RNS nav unit!

[Shnozz]

alorotom said:

Have a look on AliExpress/Wish - I got a blistering PX6 Android 10 headhunt with wireless CarPlay, AndroidAuto, Full DSP, etc... for £230 delivered from China. That looks more OEM than the OEM solution.

Still retains full steering wheel control, dash displays etc...

Many thanks - will look at these.

[Shnozz]

mercedeslimos said:

Keep an eye out on FB Marketplace - I got one for my B7 A4 Cabriolet a few days ago for fifty quid, an Xtrons unit, which would have been maybe 200-odd new. I find the OEM solutions then need extra modules for Bluetooth and nav etc and cost a fortune. I bought an A-Sure unit for my vRS Octavia and it was brilliant for three years, and looked just like a factory RNS nav unit!

Ta - will have a browse. Never considered a S/H one but makes sense.

I must admit in my B7 A4 Cabriolet I didn't even contemplate doing a "full" swap out and I have added a bluetooth interface to the original stereo. Seems to work well enough but of course none of the sat nav or better features but at least able to place music/google maps via the phone. My Merc has damage to the laminate on the original screen too so thought I would do a more complete job. However, might spur me to follow suit on the Audi too!

The ironic part being that will make the Aston's archaic infotainment system to be the most useless of the bunch!

[mercedeslimos]

Shnozz said:

mercedeslimos said:

Keep an eye out on FB Marketplace - I got one for my B7 A4 Cabriolet a few days ago for fifty quid, an Xtrons unit, which would have been maybe 200-odd new. I find the OEM solutions then need extra modules for Bluetooth and nav etc and cost a fortune. I bought an A-Sure unit for my vRS Octavia and it was brilliant for three years, and looked just like a factory RNS nav unit!

Ta - will have a browse. Never considered a S/H one but makes sense.

I must admit in my B7 A4 Cabriolet I didn't even contemplate doing a "full" swap out and I have added a bluetooth interface to the original stereo. Seems to work well enough but of course none of the sat nav or better features but at least able to place music/google maps via the phone. My Merc has damage to the laminate on the original screen too so thought I would do a more complete job. However, might spur me to follow suit on the Audi too!

The ironic part being that will make the Aston's archaic infotainment system to be the most useless of the bunch!

I find the Audi entertainment systems to be lamentable at the best of times. Cheap fun summer car but one I can actually use all year round if needs be. They often have a Bose amp so you'd need the adapter bits but it has to be better than a twenty-year-old CD player that puts out 7 watts per speaker!