Advice on new stereo please.

[Mdon1983]

Hi all,

I'm not a fan of my current 6 disc changer fitted to my gen 2 mazda 6 as I can't stream music via bluetooth etc. I am considering replacing it with a double din touch screen stereo, something like the  pioneer units maybe. But I'd like it to still take CDs, maybe have navigation although not essential, stream bluetooth music and I'd like to keep the steering wheel controls.

Does anyone gave any units they recommend and if you have a Gen2 with after market stereo, what happens to the display. Does the trip computer and clock still work?

Cheers.

Mdon.

[JohnMcL7]

Did you find a suitable stereo?  I'd like to replace the stereo in my 6 as well with similar requirements, with the Skoda and other VW based cars other stereos were a problem due to the way VW set up the stereo (it doesn't have a switched live instead relying on communication from the car) so there were quite a few companies making VW specific stereos.  There seems to be hardly any for Mazda but I'm wondering if that's because simply that it's easier to fit a double din stereo? 

I realise there may be some implications such as losing the steering controls and possibly the BT phone but I don't mind that.

Thanks,
John

[Mdon1983]

Hi,

No, sorry, I asked on here and mazda 6 owners club and didn't receive any relevant reply. Neither forum is very active so at the minute I've still got the standard head unit.

[JohnMcL7]

Thanks for the reply, I'm having the same problem finding detailed information.  I've been reading through more active Mazda6 forums in the US but then there's the difficulty that I don't know how different the US and UK models are.  They clearly share some similarities but they're quite different in others, the problem seems to be the main display which stops working entirely on the US Mazda6's but the UK Mazda6 display is different - I think there are also problems with the UK cars but it looks like it might not take out the whole display.  The steering wheel controls and Bluetooth preparation also seem to be an issue.

Both seem to be fixable with adapters but the ones in the US (Metra, PAC-1) seems to be different to the ones here.  Annoyingly I found a video on Youtube of a Pioneer double DIN unit running in a European Mazda6 and the display appears to be working fine, someone asked how they got it working but the reply was it was all working properly and to speak to a local stereo specialist. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_fWIL3pNFE

John

[JohnMcL7]

I've been having a look and this site seems to have a good range of adapters including this one:

http://www.nexxia.co.uk/product.asp?s=Steering%20Control%20Adaptors&c=Mazda%20Steering%20Stalk%20Control%20Adapters&product_code=CTSMZ005.2

John

[SM25T]

I ended up changing my 2005 2.3 petrol Sport hatch for a 2011 2.2 180bhp diesel Sport tourer ... to get bluetooth capability !

And a lot more space and torque !!

[alexf1987]

Anyone looked at these http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=151660990784&alt=web

[JohnMcL7]

Anyone looked at these http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=151660990784&alt=web

A bit more info on this unit here (you may need to register to see it:):

http://w w w.mazda6oc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3837

If I was going that route I'd probably want the Android one mentioned at the bottom of this thread rather than Windows CE:

http://w w w.mazda6oc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3927

John