[gadawg31]

Hello everyone,

Just joined today and was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction. My wife and I are looking at a Terrain (SLT1 pkg) and there are TWO things that my wife wants, but will add a great deal of money onto the vehicle price. She wants the "In-Seat DVD system and the Navigation" added. WOW what a price tag. Has anyone had either one of these systems added after they bought the vehicle? Where did you go or did you have the dealer install them? I know there are a ton of aftermarket rigs out there, but I want to put something very close to what the dealer will install. Can you buy these systems from GM and install yourself? Sorry for so many questions, but we wanted to make a sound decision before we get the vehicle next week. Every dollar saved is a big deal now days. Thanks.

gadawg

 

[RIT333]

I have always found that trying to buy GM-aftermarket products costs much more than just biting the bullet up front. So, I would suggest that you either try to live with a hand-held GPS and non-OEM DVD system and make some compromises, or maybe even gain in features, or else pay-the-piper up front. Just my opinion. For this reason, I bought an Equinox LTZ and got more equipment that I need, but am extremely happy with my decision.

 

[Cameron]

i had no interest in the rear DVD (no kids and im not back there to watch it) and i just couldn't justify the cost for the NAV system, not when you think about a Garmin or tom-tom for less than $200. Heck even my cellphone has GPS on it, just not Bluetooth so i cant link it up that way. But i have always been good with directions so looking at the gps on the phone seems to work for me when i am headed somewhere unfamiliar, no real need for the turn by turn.

 

[gar187er]

its cheaper to get the dvd players from the dealer....yea you might be able to geta shop to do the monitors cheaper, but you have to pay labor for wiring and all....


in dash nav is nice, but as was said, garmins are under $200 for a high end one now days....besides, id rather get a nice pioneer d3 installed before factory nav

 

[TheCrow1994]

its cheaper to get the dvd players from the dealer....yea you might be able to geta shop to do the monitors cheaper, but you have to pay labor for wiring and all....


in dash nav is nice, but as was said, garmins are under $200 for a high end one now days....besides, id rather get a nice pioneer d3 installed before factory nav

Personally, I'd much rather have the factory Navigation unit compared to the Pioneer Avic D3. I have the factory Navigation unit and LOVE it. My suggestion is go to a dealership that has an Equinox/Terrain with the Navigation system and spend some time with it performing the various functions. If you have the funds and like what it does, then get it. If not, then skip it and go with an alternative solution.

 

[oracle]

We traded a CRV with no equipment (basic trim) and we got the top of the line sans Navigation cause with Onstar you get basically the same turn by turn directions for $7.95/month.
The TV screens embeded into the seats are a total success.. you can ask the kids! We got tired of carrying the stupid portable DVD with wires, take it down if you're parking the car.. pain in the arse...

Buy the best you can and you'll cry once, settle for something less and you'll be always wondering...

 

[dodell]

you could also upgrade onstar to the navigation package...its about 100 bucks a year...the same for a nice tom-tom or garmin..but you always have an updated map and you can send directions from mapquest straight to your car. As for the factory dvd, everyone else is right its much cheaper just to have it factory installed...unless you just buy the portable ones and hang them over the headrests

 

[Terrain]

Make sure you actually try out a factory equipped nav. When I ordered my Terrain last September I was told there would be no map coverage in my area so I didn't spring for it. Since that time I have found otherwise and made sure to get the factory unit when I got my new Terrain. Having never owned a portable unit (except my Blackberry which I travelled back and forth from Iowa and Ohio with) I love the factory unit and will never buy another car without it.

Don't do what I did and regret it. Make darn sure you can be satisfied without it!

 

[scottyyyc]

I had no interest in the rear DVD, because I have no kids, not yet at least. Should that time come, I'll buy a cheap used laptop or 2. Throw in a car power adaptor, and in my opinion you have just as good a system for road trips (plus each kid can watch their own DVD).

I had no interest in Nav, simply because I rarely travel or cities outside my own, and I have no need for Nav in my own city, having lived here my whole life. The rare time I need to find something I pull out google maps on my iphone or blackberry.

 

[Narg]

It's hard to see why the OEM DVD system is thousands when you can get a portable DVD player from Wal-Mart for $100. They are extremely different though. You'll be lucky to get a cheap DVD play to last more than a few months. The OEM unit is made to withstand the harsh environment inside a vehicle. Freezing colds, oven like heat, humidity, vibrations, and yet still work when you hit the play button.

Also, OEM DVD helps keep the resale value much higher too. If that's worth anything to you later down the road.

 

[fireman591]

You can save hundreds by buying an aftermarket navigation radio. Check with a local car radio shop and I am not talking best buy. They can quote you a price. They also sell adaptors so you don't loose the steering wheel controls ,onstar and rear camera. The quality of the aftermarket radios is also much better than the low bid radios that GM installs. I always get the bare bone radio and rip it out as soon as I take delivery. You can also sell the stock radio and put it towards the new radio. Goto crutchfield.com for a look at the radios that are on the market. They also have a double din computer that fits. it has radio,nav,rear camera,wifi and full computer functions. It is awesome but it costs over $1300.
http://www.revo-sys.com/revosys_x500_dual_core_2din_car_pc.php

 

[Terrain]

You can save hundreds by buying an aftermarket navigation radio. Check with a local car radio shop and I am not talking best buy. They can quote you a price. They also sell adaptors so you don't loose the steering wheel controls ,onstar and rear camera. The quality of the aftermarket radios is also much better than the low bid radios that GM installs. I always get the bare bone radio and rip it out as soon as I take delivery. You can also sell the stock radio and put it towards the new radio. Goto crutchfield.com for a look at the radios that are on the market. They also have a double din computer trhat fits. it has radio,nav,rear camera,wifi and full computer functions. It is awesome but it costs over $1300.
http://www.revo-sys.com/revosys_x500_dual_core_2din_car_pc.php

Come again?

These vehicles have an integrated centre stack, which means you are grossly underestimating the amount of work required to upgrade the audio system...

 

[fireman591]

Come again?

These vehicles have an integrated centre stack, which means you are grossly underestimating the amount of work required to upgrade the audio system...

It is a standard double din opening. I would not recommend it for the do it yourselfer but the pros at stereo shops do this everyday for a living. There are also people out there that make adaptors for a living to allow aftermarket stereos to work with our cars. It is not the space shuttle it is a GMC Terrain. I did an upgrade on my Corvette this spring. Now that was a pain in the A$$. The Terrain stack looks like a piece of cake. I recommend calling the pro's to get an idea on cost for such an upgrade. They will be able to help the original poster out.

 

[Terrain]

It is a standard double din opening. I would not recommend it for the do it yourselfer but the pros at stereo shops do this everyday for a living. There are also people out there that make adaptors for a living to allow aftermarket stereos to work with our cars. It is not the space shuttle it is a GMC Terrain. I did an upgrade on my Corvette this spring. Now that was a pain in the A$$. The Terrain stack looks like a piece of cake. I recommend calling the pro's to get an idea on cost for such an upgrade. They will be able to help the original poster out.

IT IS NOT A DOUBLE DIN OPENING. It is an integrated centre stack.

You need to go do some research (including some sort of test drive) before you try to "help" your fellow posters.

 

[fireman591]

IT IS NOT A DOUBLE DIN OPENING. It is an integrated centre stack.

You need to go do some research (including some sort of test drive) before you try to "help" your fellow posters.

It can be done. It just boils down to cost. There are aftermarket bezels that will change the look of the stock stack. You need to do a little research on your own and look at some of the work these stereo shops can do. I do agree that the theta platform radios are a pain in the butt as far as upgrading to an aftermarket system but like I said in my other post people work on this stuff everyday for a living. It will take some time before Metra and the other aftermarket parts makers get products out to the box stores for the theta cars but it takes them a year or two.
I heard the same negativity that you have in the Corvette community years ago when people wanted to replace their Bose systems. Not only were those intergrated in the dash with a 1.5 din but the speakers had their own amps and subwoofers built in. It all boiled down to a few adaptors and the availability of the bezel to turn the 1.5 din into a double din. Don't be negative Nancy, Call the pros and ask them what it will cost. That is what the original poster is asking.

 

[Terrain]

^ Wow, you are quite verbose. And actually the OP was asking about nav and RSE, not aftermarket audio systems, but whatever. I'm just saying this system has parts and pieces in various places in the dash and it is not as easy as buying an adapter or a wiring harness.

Do you have some links to the sites that can provide a replacement centre stack (c/w nav) for our vehicles? There are quite a few people on this board that would love that sort of upgrade without having to pay the $3,345 for OEM.

The main suggestion I have for the OP is to make sure he can live with his choice. Nothing worse than laying down this kind of cash only to be disappointed. Been there with my Terrain and it cost me in the end.

 

[fireman591]

I just got off the phone with a buddy who is an engineer at the tech center in Warren MI. He suggested not straying away from the OEM systems. There are other functions that the stock radios do that no aftermarket radio can do. IE the "Active Noise Control". He stated that it would be a long time coming before an aftermarket adaptor would be available to replace that function. Thanks Terrain for making me upset enough to call an engineer ;D So Terrain I stand corrected. :'( I guess I would bite the bullet on the nav unit. The dvd player or players in the back would be a piece of cake to add. You can do the aftermarket flip down units or the headrest units. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Terrain]

Thanks Terrain for making me upset enough to call an engineer ;D

You were talking to one all along. Just not the kind that plays with electrons.

No worries though, really. Just want to keep the information on here nice and clean for the benefit of the others.

 

[fireman591]

You were talking to one all along. Just not the kind that plays with electrons.

No worries though, really. Just want to keep the information on here nice and clean for the benefit of the others.

No worries ;D I was shocked when he told me about that noise stuff

 

[Terrain]

No worries ;D I was shocked when he told me about that noise stuff

Yeah, that noise thing is only on the 4-cylinders. There are others on here that know a lot more about it than I do, as well as the impact of toying with the audio system in vehicles so-equipped.