Z130BT - Any Regrets?

[Y2HBK]

Hey everyone. I have a 2011 Dodge Challenger with the factory radio. I had a Kenwood DNX 8120 in my last vehicle - and enjoyed it for the most part but am not looking into spending as much money this go around. There are a few models I have been looking at - Alpine INA-W910, Clarion NX501 & Kenwood DNX9980HD (only if its a must). For the time being I will be leaving the factory Boston Acoustic system in, but will eventually rewire and upgrade.

 

Any real regrets with the Z130BT? I have a friend that can get one with his discount including the factory warranty from Pioneer (authorized) for $750. This seems to be pretty good deal?

 

If I go through eBay the Clarion is around $600, the Alpine around $1k, the Kenwood around $1.2k.

 

Main features I am interested in in order of importance:

 

-Navigation & Traffic

-HD Radio

-Customization for aftermarket setup

-Quality screen for DVD playback

-iPhone controls for music playback

-Maybe Sirius/XM add on at some point

 

Thanks for the feedback!

[VBLUE42]

You will get the best iDevice interface with the Pioneer and the worst navi. The other options you list are option with all units. but if you can get a 130 for that price it really shouldn't matter. Its a no brainer.

[Lucky_Bagota]

Don't know about the new 130 im kinda in the same boat as you as far as a new radio but the nav on the alpine sucks big time. The kenwood i will say has a decent nav but the damn thing takes forever to load up, and is incredibly slow.

[NFrazier]

As an installer I deal with a lot of indash navigation units. By far I like the Z130BT better then the Kenwood 7180, Clarion 501, Alpine 910, among some JVC units, etc. The navigation does do some weird things sometimes but overall I am happy with it, and most customers are as well.

 

The Clarion 501 has a lot of problems (especially if you're using it for an extended period of time) with the internal memory running out and freezing the entire unit.

 

The Kenwood unit's interface is SLLLLOOOOWWWW. They added a lot of animations so it takes 1. Longer to boot up, 2. Long time to get from one source, to the menu, to another source. They also made some of the "buttons" in the menu systems so small. I don't have fat fingers but it takes NUMEROUS times to get the touch screen to actually recognize the command on these little "buttons."

[r33gtr]

I just installed 130 in my R33 GTR . Loads up really fast . Sound is nice and crisp but needs an amplifier for sure . So far so good no regrets!

[redponyragtop]

Yeah, I regret spending over $1K on a system that:

1) Has a GPS nav system without half the smarts of an ordinary Garmin

2) Has an audio system that can't be operated while driving a car because there are so many selections to make on a touch-sensitive screen that misses half the touches

3) Can't maintain consistent ingoing and outgoing volume on it Bluetooth phone connection and has to be reset every month or so

4) Turns the contents of an iPhone into an endless alphabetic scroll screen that takes so long to select from that I no longer listen to music by artists whose names fall at E or later in the alphabet

5) Plays only a random fraction of the music on my SD card, although all of it was copied from the same Music directory on my computer

6) Has no Mac compatibility

7) Offers MSN Direct as an extra-cost cable option, although MSN Direct has shut down

 

Maybe I should stop there before I get too upset.

 

Replies with solutions to any of these issues would be most welcome.

[Johnny Utah]

I got a z130 in my 2011 4runner. It's sweet, if you were having to pay full price, i could see you maybe having second thoughts since there are many alternatives. But, at that price point ($750), i would def. jump on it. The z130BT is the king, the only downfalls, are the price and using the Nav..but, so far i am happy with the nav. I've had my z130 for about 5 months.

 

good luck