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240 Are Auslander's radio units off Aliexpress?

Have you checked out the Continental/VDO TR7412UB-OR?

It?s Bluetooth, USB and Aux in. Very modern but matches the 240?s well and a variety of other older cars. It has an orange backlight and there is a blue backlit one too.
 
I have a Pioneer MVH-S322bt in the lower slot, happy with it. Only displays blue but I don?t really care as it plays all my music well. I do like the new Pioneer Sync app, I used a flash drive for my music and I can use the sync app on my phone to scroll through the music on the flash drive rather than scrolling using the tiny screen and wheel
 
Radtap said:
I have a Pioneer MVH-S322bt in the lower slot, happy with it. Only displays blue but I don?t really care as it plays all my music well. I do like the new Pioneer Sync app, I used a flash drive for my music and I can use the sync app on my phone to scroll through the music on the flash drive rather than scrolling using the tiny screen and wheel
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what amp are you running and how many speakers/sub?
 
Every Alpine radio I've heard has sounded fine. The Alpine's from the early/mid 2010s had a nice layout/interface.

The Kenwoods from the early 2010s sounded good and had a great interface/layout but were prone to breaking (usually the dsp)

The Jensen Heavy Duty and the VDO/Continental radios had a nice, simple design, but sounded awful with little/no ability to customize brightness/color.

Pioneer DEX-P99RS is the best head unit I've ever heard. Now discontinued and sells for quite a bit in good condition, but can sometimes be found for a good price due to a screen that won't power on, which is usually just a bad ribbon cable that costs about $20 to replace.

Blaupunkt SQR DAB maintains that '80s tech vibe. Build can feel kind of "cheap" and it has OK sound, but should be better for the price.

Mcintosh MX406 would give it a Mercedes-esque classy vibe...haven't seen one in-person, yet.
 
You can get any head unit. Just get at least a 250-300 amp. Alpine, jlaudio, etc. All good stuff. I use kicker speakers. You can do 4 inch speakers in front, and 6.5 in the parcel shelf. You can get fit 5.25 speakers in the front but you need those 3d printed speaker adapter/grilles that someone was selling a few months back.
 
VolvoLatAm said:
what amp are you running and how many speakers/sub?
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Polk 5.25 in the doors, 6x9 on rear deck, kicker 46CXA660.5T amp, kicker square 8in sub 46L7T84, everything running through the amp with speakers front & back bridged. Built my own box you can see in my project thread, really happy with it and the balance front/back with those speakers feels perfect.

The Polk DB 522 5.25 will clear the window mounted directly to the door panel so no need for adapters unless wanted
 
VolvoScout said:
The Jensen Heavy Duty and the VDO/Continental radios had a nice, simple design, but sounded awful with little/no ability to customize brightness/color.
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So pass on swapping this in my 940 with a broken stock unit? I really like the design as it looks the most original but back on the hunt I guess..
 
PNW760 said:
So pass on swapping this in my 940 with a broken stock unit? I really like the design as it looks the most original but back on the hunt I guess..
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There?s companies that will update older stereos so you can connect with blue tooth or add a missing aux port, some will upgrade the internals so it plays a little better. Also retro style stereos found in a lot of classic muscle cars today, exact replicas of the originals with modern guts and Bluetooth
 
Radtap said:
Polk 5.25 in the doors, 6x9 on rear deck, kicker 46CXA660.5T amp, kicker square 8in sub 46L7T84, everything running through the amp with speakers front & back bridged. Built my own box you can see in my project thread, really happy with it and the balance front/back with those speakers feels perfect.

The Polk DB 522 5.25 will clear the window mounted directly to the door panel so no need for adapters unless wanted
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what wiring kit did you go with?
 
VolvoLatAm said:
what wiring kit did you go with?
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No kit, I just measured the lengths I needed and ordered all new speaker wire and power wire for the amp, amp power wire runs along the drivers side of the car and speaker wires all run along the passenger side with the RCA cables to avoid interference. I got away with 16ft of 4gauge for the main power. Need about 35 feet to wire the door speakers and if you mount the sub and amp in the trunk you?ll need maybe 3-4ft to the rear deck. Ran separate channels for when I eventually get a bigger amp and switch to 5 channel
 
PNW760 said:
So pass on swapping this in my 940 with a broken stock unit? I really like the design as it looks the most original but back on the hunt I guess..
Click to expand...

I'd be more inclined to fit an FM modulator to a vintage radio then install the VDO/Continental and Jensen again.

Looks like RetroSound is releasing an '80s style radio for BMW and Mercedes; I wonder if it'll fit the 240. Has anyone tried RetroSound before? Are they any good?
https://www.retromanufacturing.com/collections/retrosound-grand-prix-radio
 
I?m partial to period correct aftermarket cassette radios. I have an old JVC cassette player that has been in my car for years. It also has a cd changer input which can be used as an auxiliary input. I used it for as a hardwired auxiliary input for years and then installed this Bluetooth unit last week. That being said if I could do it all over again i would?ve connected the Bluetooth unit to an OEM volvo radio that has an EQ port. Many 80?s and 90?s head units came with cd changer inputs or even 3.5mm inputs that can be repurposed if you?re looking for modern functionality. Getting your hands on an actual vintage head unit and then adding Bluetooth is also frequently more affordable than the retro style car stereos that are available now. This is the Bluetooth unit I have.


NVX Universal Waterproof Bluetooth 4.0 Audio Receiver for Marine / Boats / Cars / ATV [VUBT2] https://a.co/d/dt355a9
 
PNW760 said:
Surely the VDO/Continentals aren't *THAT* bad? Are they?
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I've got the non-bluetooth Continental in my car...and while it's not bad, there's no EQ or fade/balance settings IIRC. It's been a while since I've even turned it on (or driven the car :(). It LOOKS like it belongs, but it doesn't really perform at a level near to it's price. When I upgrade again I'll be doing more research.
 
I have a Kenwood kmm-bt322u that I used in my 240 upper dash for a while and was happy with. Looks like that model is discontinued but there's similar looking newer ones.

The colors are adjustable and the styling is muted so it doesn't look too out of place in the dash. Has all the usual connectors you'd expect for a mid/low end unit, Bluetooth which works well, remembers settings when you disconnect the battery, etc. EQ/fade options. Overall I was pleased with it and will be installing it in the new wagon at some point. :nod:
 
I'm currently running an Alpine CDA-105 in my 242. 1989 vintage Sony XS-3051 5.25" speakers in the doors, using the 1990-93 grille bases and the Sony grilles. Hat shelf has a pair of mid-2000s Sony XS-V6942 6x9 speakers mounted with Boston Acoustics speaker grilles. More protection for the cones and less garish looking, since there's the grille mesh, whereas the Sony grilles looked like they belonged in a riced-out 1996-2000 Honda Civic hatchback. Still using the built-in amp on the CDA-105.

Next month, will probably be going to a more period-correct radio, a Kenwood KRC-810 cassette deck that will require external amplification (got an Alpine MRV-T500 that will be running the front speakers and will likely pick up a second to run the rear speakers). May get a Kenwood changer modified so it can work either as a changer, or as an adapter for an aux input, so my phone can be played through the system. Part of the reason for the period correct deck: Radwood PNW is at the end of next month.
 
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