Hey guys.Im strongly thinking of buying this avic d3 model ffrom america and working it in europe but i need every1's opinion and knowledge to make sure if it works here.If you got any information at all please tell me everything.any extra's i might need to fit or any tips i can use.
Every post is greatly appreciated!
I dont think it will work in Europe.
what wont work in it....its just i priced them here and the same unit here seems to be about 3 times the price, a load of shit!!!!
Because one is designed for europe and one is not. Different tuners, different traffic info, different region coding on dvds, etc.
If you buy the US version you are wasting your money. The European nav disks do not work in them.
some functions work, some don't, but don't forget what you pay in europe for these working functions:)
I got mine z2 refurbished in US (legal, not stolen! - hate stolen stuff) for ~600EUR with shipping to NY. European equivalent (used, origin unclear) is ~twice more on ebay.
WHAT WORKS:
I drive in Central Europe (Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Germany, Austria), I use it for CD/MP3 playback (works fine, good sound quality, advanced sound settings - I have an amplifier), rear view camera (works - very important for me, saves space and very convenient), music from harddisk (works, and I will fix the ATA protection "when I have time", so it will work even better with more mp3:), and radio (works, but not TA or AF), and DVD (works, because most people to not use originals - make a copy of your region 2 DVD through Shrink DVD and keep your kids happy in the car).
PROBLEMS:
GPS does not work, so does radio TA (quite bad, because I got used to it from before). Needless to say, makes no sense to try watching anything but original region 1 DVDs. Note to European readers of this message - please check the number of films available on region 1 DVDs and the prices - if you are into quality films, you will end up having a lot of originals from region 1.
I did not even bother connecting the GPS antenna, because I know all the US gps functions and maps are useless. However, the GPS device must use maps from certain companies, tomtom, garmin or other. It is a PC, very simple and stupid, but a PC. If I really have to fix the GPS (at this point I have done to much driving in the cities I go to to rely on GPS 'navigation' - I have my own shortcuts), I am sure I can google out some smart guy on the web who has some solution to it.
INSTALLATION...
... is easy. Cables are labelled/marked in the packaging (interesting to note, the unit is made in Chine, but cables are 'Made in Japan'), so just look at the installation manual, and do it.
Here are some comments (these may be against Brussels designed safety regulations, so think about using them:) - take the risk in EU!
1 - connect ground, +12V permanent and +12V ACC cables to begin with.
2 - connect your amplifier or speaker cables (sort out cinches/channels and colors of the wires; requires diligence, but easy)
3 - think whether you want to connect the driving lights input; if you drive with lights on all day and year, the dimmed display will be difficult to see on a sunny day. On the other hand, the display is quite bright on the night of December 24th - think about installing a little switch to control the input from lights, if you are bothered by display brightness.
4 - speed control and hand brake inputs - just test their role in your car. The first one is apparantly related to navigation (when you are in a tunnel, the navigator calculates your position). I did not connect it. The second one decides which functions work when the the car is parked/moving. My idea was to have all the functions working regardless whether I am driving or not. So I am driving with the handbrake 'on' all the time:)
CONCLUSION
Think about what you expect from your car stereo for the money that the american unit costs. When I checked the cost pioneer/jvc units with similar functions in EU, the results I found are more expensive (you may be luckier - please check the price yourself) than the north american avic z2. So I think it was worth it. Even if GPS does not work, and it does not have TA function. I like quality sound, and hate cables and ipod connectors and chargers (even with rockbox). Avic Z2 does the job. And also gives hope that "some day" I will load the EU maps.
If the GPS doesn't work, why didn't you just buy one of the US model DVD players w/ screen? Pioneers with a 6 inch screen are US $499 retail. With 7 inch screen and six disk DVD changer are $999. Seems like a waste to spend so much on nav that doesn't work anyway
I believe all you need is the european GPS antenna to secure GPS function in europe. I have an Avic D3 in a 350Z that will soon join my Acura in eastern europe and the GPS in that car works fine.
I doubt the head unit is different, as vehicle voltage is the same from the USofA to europe. Good ol' 12 volts. The satellite network is different but that is where the correct antenna comes in. That is what feeds the signal to the head unit.
Just my opinion.
some functions work, some don't, but don't forget what you pay in europe for these working functions:)
I got mine z2 refurbished in US (legal, not stolen! - hate stolen stuff) for ~600EUR with shipping to NY. European equivalent (used, origin unclear) is ~twice more on ebay.
WHAT WORKS:
I drive in Central Europe (Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Germany, Austria), I use it for CD/MP3 playback (works fine, good sound quality, advanced sound settings - I have an amplifier), rear view camera (works - very important for me, saves space and very convenient), music from harddisk (works, and I will fix the ATA protection "when I have time", so it will work even better with more mp3:), and radio (works, but not TA or AF), and DVD (works, because most people to not use originals - make a copy of your region 2 DVD through Shrink DVD and keep your kids happy in the car).
PROBLEMS:
GPS does not work, so does radio TA (quite bad, because I got used to it from before). Needless to say, makes no sense to try watching anything but original region 1 DVDs. Note to European readers of this message - please check the number of films available on region 1 DVDs and the prices - if you are into quality films, you will end up having a lot of originals from region 1.
I did not even bother connecting the GPS antenna, because I know all the US gps functions and maps are useless. However, the GPS device must use maps from certain companies, tomtom, garmin or other. It is a PC, very simple and stupid, but a PC. If I really have to fix the GPS (at this point I have done to much driving in the cities I go to to rely on GPS 'navigation' - I have my own shortcuts), I am sure I can google out some smart guy on the web who has some solution to it.
INSTALLATION...
... is easy. Cables are labelled/marked in the packaging (interesting to note, the unit is made in Chine, but cables are 'Made in Japan'), so just look at the installation manual, and do it.
Here are some comments (these may be against Brussels designed safety regulations, so think about using them:) - take the risk in EU!
1 - connect ground, +12V permanent and +12V ACC cables to begin with.
2 - connect your amplifier or speaker cables (sort out cinches/channels and colors of the wires; requires diligence, but easy)
3 - think whether you want to connect the driving lights input; if you drive with lights on all day and year, the dimmed display will be difficult to see on a sunny day. On the other hand, the display is quite bright on the night of December 24th - think about installing a little switch to control the input from lights, if you are bothered by display brightness.
4 - speed control and hand brake inputs - just test their role in your car. The first one is apparantly related to navigation (when you are in a tunnel, the navigator calculates your position). I did not connect it. The second one decides which functions work when the the car is parked/moving. My idea was to have all the functions working regardless whether I am driving or not. So I am driving with the handbrake 'on' all the time:)
CONCLUSION
Think about what you expect from your car stereo for the money that the american unit costs. When I checked the cost pioneer/jvc units with similar functions in EU, the results I found are more expensive (you may be luckier - please check the price yourself) than the north american avic z2. So I think it was worth it. Even if GPS does not work, and it does not have TA function. I like quality sound, and hate cables and ipod connectors and chargers (even with rockbox). Avic Z2 does the job. And also gives hope that "some day" I will load the EU maps.
If you buy the US version you are wasting your money. The European nav disks do not work in them.
How sure are you about this? My wife has her US D3 in Spain and will be going to Germany in May and the info we got from Pioneer was that it would work and that you just had to reset the radio and load the new disk. 
Last time I checked, Spain and Germany were both in Europe... Call me a stupid American, but I think I remember that from one of the times I wasn't asleep in Geography class.
Yes, I'm digging this back up.
I understand Spain and Germany are in Europe, bonehead. I was asking how sure he was that the D3 wouldn't function since zenica said in his post all that was needed was the software and a new antenna. I'd much rather swap antennas than pay 950 Euros for a unit that shouldn't cost more than about 600 Euros if all I need is a new antenna and software.
Way to misread a post though. Sheesh. 
to @ll
Did you try this:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=13185&p=86156&hilit=d3+europe#p86156
Let us know if this will work in europe. In the future i will take my avic-d3 to europe and i what know it will work or not.
P.S. Someware i did read is very importent what kind of version do you will mod...
i have trued the link listed above and i still haven't had success making the Euro NAVI disc to work on the US AVIC D3.
jzsax, Can you clarify? Does the head unit give an error reading the European disc? is there a code or some other
text on the screen that may help identify the malfunction? I have other branded GPS systems designed and sold in the
US working fine in Europe so I am understandably curious.
jzsax, Can you clarify? Does the head unit give an error reading the European disc? is there a code or some other
text on the screen that may help identify the malfunction? I have other branded GPS systems designed and sold in the
US working fine in Europe so I am understandably curious.
ok.... here is what i have done so far.... i have used the link above trying to get the US AVID d3 to work with the Euro NAVI Discs...
The Navi Disc Versions i have are the US and Euro CNDV_90MT
i have also tried changing some of the string values within the file DVI.DAT which contains the market version for the discs... Other files remained stock, unchanged. I Changed the value from EU to UC and the US AVIC was able to read the discs. Default location is Berlin Germany for disc three. However, the time zone is still off and not adjustable to a GMT +1 time zone and there is no Satellite lock... The antenna is getting a good signal but i am sure it does not know the transmission signature for the Satellites here in this time zone...
i Really believe that the key to make this work is in the OS that gets loaded from the disc when you , say (Upgrade Navi disc versions or Change Languages) This is what has the Satellite Information for the AVIC to know what to look for here in Germany...
There is no need for a different Antenna. It is just a matter of giving the AVIC the right information so it can know what to look for around here.