Ok I am new to this forum. I was looking into buying an avic-z1 for my 2004 Wrx Sti. Can it be installed to this car?

Now for the rest of my worries, while reading reviews of this z1 the only "cons" I've read was options being disabled while driving, so I was searching around and found this forums. :)

Unfortunately there is so much information in the Hacks/Mod sections its overwhelming. I'm so confused about flashers and some posts say you dont need one anymore. Also what is the thing about the headlights when you turn the car on?

I just plan to use my z1 for music, nav, and in conjunction with my Treo 700p

Can someone explain what things I need to do to make everything fully functional while driving, flasher or not? I'm not sure. All this stuff about parking brakes and GPS detecting motion.

Also anything else that would be relevant/helpful for a newbie.

I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure it can be installed in a WRX, I have heard of these before. Check with crutchfield or someone else for this.

As for full functionality. Any Z1 that you get can be made to give you full functionality all the time, no lockouts.

June 06 models and before required flashing the headlights when you start your car, you can buy one of my circuits to do this for you automatically if you don't want to do it manually.
http://www.sminntech.com/z1flasher.html

If you have a july 06 and newer unit, you just ground 2 wires.

It's all here: http://www.sminntech.com/z1flash.html

If all you are worried about it the lockouts, then those can be taken care of. I don't know for sure about the fit in your car, but I think it works.

Fits like a glove in the wrx. The rest of it has beeen answered for ya.

ducatiboy said:

If all you are worried about it the lockouts, then those can be taken care of.

Ok so how do you do that? How do you enable all the functions while your driving, some reviews I read said you have to stop and use the parking brake to like change routes and check Point of Interests

How do you set it up so you dont get locked out while driving, and dont have to flash headlights and can use parking brakes etc . Seems a bit confusing, and would like to know before I purchase

Thx

It depends on the manufacture date of the unit you get. Before July 06 leaving the parking brake wire unconnected and flashing the lights would bypass the z1. Ducati's circuit makes that automatic. July 06 and new require adding a pin to the rca output harness and grounding that and the parking brake wire. Oh and this will not in anyway affect the operation of the parking brake in the car.

cntrylvr79 said it very well. What I was saying was that with all the conflicting things out there, once you get one and you see what month it was made, we can point you down which way will work. Either way, even though there are 2 different ways, you can bypass a Z1. You don't have to worry. Once you get one and get the manufacturing date, we can help you bypass which ever one you get. Exactly what is required is shown on the link I posted earlier:
http://www.sminntech.com/z1flash.html

Ok and just for final verification, "bypass" means being able to use all features at all times while driving?

djam said:

Ok and just for final verification, "bypass" means being able to use all features at all times while driving?

Yessir!

Ok so once I purchase my unit and ground the two wires, then I wont have to flash my headlights or anything weird. I will be able to watch dvd's and have full fuctionality while driving at all times.

djam said:

Ok so once I purchase my unit and ground the two wires, then I wont have to flash my headlights or anything weird. I will be able to watch dvd's and have full fuctionality while driving at all times.

If you get a July 06 or newer one, yes, everything will be abailable all the time with just 2 wires grounded. I highly recommend NOT watching DVD's while driving it's very unsafe and dangerous. But it technically is possible by grounding the 2 wires. If you get a June 06 or older one, then you will either have to flash your headlights or install something like my circuit to "do it for you" and you will have the same full functionality (as the July 06 units with the 2 wire grounding), it just depends on when your Z1 was made as to how you get there.