[nolec5]

Okay, I'm sure this has been covered, but I'm not the brightest star in the sky and I'm confused beyond belief after reading about 20 threads this morning.

I have a 2003 Nissan Murano and a 2005 Nissan Titan LE Crew Cab. I love both vehicles and plan on keeping both for a very long time.

Ideally, I'd like to have Sat radio in both vehicles and I'd also like to set both vehicles up where we can have direct plug in iPod.

Couple of questions:

1) Is this possible?
2) If I'm going to do Sat. Radio, would I be stupid to buy the stuff from the dealer?
3) Would it be even dumber to pay the dealer to install the XM radio stuff?

I'm just one of those that doesn't have a lot of time on my hands. I've had the Murano for over 2 years now and have wanted XM ever since I've had it but just never have the time to figure all this crap out! I just wish Nissan had made it a little easier from the beginning. I guess that is what I get for being an early adopter and buying the first year model car!

Thanks in advance for any help or any website that you can provide! I really appreciate it.

 

[lnichols]

Well let me ask you a question about this. Do you want to have a single XM solution that you can move from vehicle to vehicle, or do you want to buy two Nissan XM tuners, one for each vehicle.

If you want to do a single moveable solution, I would recommend you buy and XM TAO XM2GO unit (can be bought online now for $150 shipped). They have a deal right now where you can send in for a free second car kit and a $50 rebate. To work in the Murano you will need to buy a PAC Audio Aux Adapter that use the SAT button, and you can also run a lead for the iPod too (you can control the iPod though through radio). I believe the Titans have an aux in already. Total cost for this solution is about $200.

If you go the second route and buy Nissan Tuner for each, you are looking at about $520 for parts alone if you go through Grubbs Infiniti (Do it if you get Nissan gear). Well over $1000 if the dealer installs, and you are looking at an extra $7 per month for service on a second tuner. Also for the 03 Murano, you will need to find a pre-wire kit or a USA-SPEC cable which may not be easy to find now.

I would not recommend a dealer install unless you are not very good at DIY type tasks since they will rape you on the hourly fees. I bought the Tao to go in both the Murano and a Miata that I just bought and sold the stock Nissan Tuner. I like the Tao better because it gives more song information (16 characters instead of stock 10) and I can use it in the home.

 

[nolec5]

Hmmm, maybe I need to do some more research....

I really was after a stock look and was thinking I would be better off being able to controll the SAT through the stock radio but that doesn't sound like it would be the best bang for the buck.

I was hoping to be able to have dual SAT setup in both cars since my wife drives one car and I drive the other. I think she would be pretty POed at me if I set it up in one car but not the other. Just looking out for my well being here. Is it possible to set it up for both cars?

Can you direct me somewhere to look at this TAO XM2GO unit? What is the "second car kit" all about? Is that just to move the unit into the other car?

 

[GripperDon]

If both vehicles have

A tape slot then I would now recommend the Griffin Smart Deck. This is an exceptional adapter for the Ipod. It lets you control the Ipod from the radio using the tape controls. You can skip to next song, change volume fast forward rewind etc. AND it sounds the best of all tape adapter I have heard. Cheap at $29

Simple, no wiring, sounds good.


I like both the XM TAO XM2GO and the Delphi My Fi unit, these have much better Fm modulators than ever out before. Setting close to your radios they sound pretty good.

Also easy and cheap.

This way 1 radio and 1 ipod and no wires and not much installations required

Grip

 

[lnichols]

The Car kit is a cradle, micro antenna, cigarette lighter adapter, and tape adapter. The cradle has the connection for the Antenna, the power and Aux or tape adapter. It is essentially a dock. You get a car kit and a home kit which is a home dock kit with the unit. I have not installed in the Murano yet because it takes 10 weeks to get the free second kit and I am driving the Miata around more right now.

You can look at the Tao on their website at http://www.taolife.com/tao-main.html . So far I am happy with it and it seems to get better reception than the stock one so far, even with the smaller antenna, but it could have been the location I put the stock antenna. Someone had some pictures of one installed in a Murano, but I can't find them now.

 

[jaak]

You can do it with the OEM or with aftermarket.

As Grip says, the aftermarket is pretty straight forward. You don't get the radio integration of the SAT, but if you mount it somewhere accessable, it doesn't really matter too much, unless you have a burning desire for the steering wheel controls, etc.

If you want the OEM, then you have to hand wire a Pac adapter into the SAT harness with a switch to flip between the two. Not an elegant solution either. If simple is easier, just get a Pac adapter and aftermarket XM and the Ipod (of course).

I've been using my Ipod more, recently, so I think I'm going to finally break down and put my Pac in with the OEM XM. If you like, when I do it, I can do a "how to". Just don't be in a rush for it!

 

[rixmo]

Grip, did you get one of these Griffin adapters? I've got their air-click and am very satisfied. I actually tested out the tape player with a real tape and hit the fast forward button on the steering wheel. I didn't realize that the tape player has auto music search and forwards to the next song. I didn't know how that would work with this gizmo since there is no "next song". I forget where I saw this in a Sunday add recently. Must have been either Best Buy, Circuit city, or Comp USA.

 

[nolec5]

I like the look of that thing but it looks like a lot of wires and stuff. I guess I was looking for a cleaner look/install. But I guess there has to be some sort of a trade off for the cost different between that and the factory type install.

Does anyone have a link to the grubbs site that you mentioned before so I can have an idea of how much the factory install would cost? I'm sure it is going to make me sick.

Is going with an aftermarket headunit which is XM compatable an option?

 

[GripperDon]

Grip, did you get one of these Griffin adapters? I've got their air-click and am very satisfied. I actually tested out the tape player with a real tape and hit the fast forward button on the steering wheel. I didn't realize that the tape player has auto music search and forwards to the next song. I didn't know how that would work with this gizmo since there is no "next song". I forget where I saw this in a Sunday add recently. Must have been either Best Buy, Circuit city, or Comp USA.

Yes I have one, It just plugs into the ear phone hole and the cassette goes into the tape slot, One wire.

Grip

 

[rixmo]

Grip, How about when you either turn the car off, or the stereo, does it turn off the IPOD or does it only pause it and eventually time out? Same with on, when the tape senses forward motion, does it turn the IPOD on or do you have to do that too? The air click will turn it off if you hold down the play button for 3 seconds, but I'd love to be able to have the thing turn itself on and off. How does the forward button on the steering wheel work? Does it advance the song or does it send the smartdeck spinning looking for the end of the song? Thanks for your quick responses!

 

[Nissmo]

TAO here with two mobile kits. Works fine with PAC and if you have a relative (my son) he can connect you for $6.99 a month as a second or third on his XM deal.

 

[GripperDon]

All of these

Only do what the tape controls do, I have my XM time out and my Ipod Time out.