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Hi everyone! I'll start by introducing my ride. I bought this baby a month ago with 79,000 miles on the odo. It's a 2009, awd, and while it doesn't have HIDs or the Mark Levinson system, it still has NAV and the 18" wheels, so i'm happy. Has all maintenance records and the last one mentioned something about leaky back struts and a quote of $3000 to replace, which I'm asumming is the reason the last owner decided to get rid of it. I'm still laughing at that quote. Test drove 3 that were absolute crap before finding this gem. It's my first Lexus and I'm still stocked that I was able to buy it at such an early age (I'm 21, working hard for my stuff). Always loved Toyotas and Lexus (Lexuses, Lexi?) for their dependability.
I've been lurking around here and found all kinds of mods I want to do. I'll be broke in no time, I already accepted my fate. Some of my plans include retrofitting HID projectors (or fitting LED bulbs since they have come so far nowadays) and probably adding a sub. I already did window tint (20% fronts, to match rears and 5% strip on windshield) and had to replace a bald tire I missed when purchasing it (A car salesman lied to me, what a surprise).
But, before I start going big leagues on my mods, I want to add bluetooth streaming to my radio first. Now, I've gone through all the many threads posted with all kinds of options (and PRICE$) and while I like the high-end products like the BT45-TOY and GROM and all that, they're kind of expensive for my taste and the cheap options like FM transmitter and the cassette adapter (which I have) don't have the best sound. All of this bring me to this little player here: Wireless Bluetooth Car Kits Hands-free USB AUX Adapter For Toyota Lexus 300 RX
Now, I want to know if anyone has tried that one before and what's your experience with it. I know it will fit, since it goes in the CD changer slot in the back of the radio, like the high-end ones. And my experience with cheap A2DP devices over this past two years has actually been good, which gives me high hopes for this product. I suspect that the only feature missing will be the displayed information on the screen (title, artist, etc.) but i think it's a small sacrifice really. If no one has tried it, I probably will.
boi, this post turned out to be longer than what I anticipated . Thanks in advance guys, looking forward to hanging out with you often.
Welcome aboard! Nice example you got there. Here's my take on a few things.
Originally Posted by sotomic
I already did window tint (20% fronts, to match rears and 5% strip on windshield)
You sure it's 20%? I did 35% sides and 20% back on my Camry and it's much much darker than the rears of my Lexus. I'm thinking Lexus is about 40% and only on the rears to stay legal in most states. Remember, tint percentages work backwards, the lower the number the darker it is, 100% is transparent while 5% is limo/privacy tint.
But, before I start going big leagues on my mods, I want to add bluetooth streaming to my radio first. Now, I've gone through all the many threads posted with all kinds of options (and PRICE$) and while I like the high-end products like the BT45-TOY and GROM and all that, they're kind of expensive for my taste and the cheap options like FM transmitter and the cassette adapter (which I have) don't have the best sound. All of this bring me to this little player here: Wireless Bluetooth Car Kits Hands-free USB AUX Adapter For Toyota Lexus 300 RX
I looked into that one myself after seeing GROM cost double, but I found little to no long term reviews which I was suspicious of. Plus it doesn't say much on how it is compatible with Lexus/Toyota's radio all it says it is work, GROM tells you exactly what to expect. I sucked it up and bought a used GROM USB3 and bought the bluetooth adapter kit alongside a USB socket that goes were the power outlet by the shifter is. No regrets.
FM transmitters and cassette adapters are a waste of money, I've tried it myself. The GROM has proven itself worth every dollar. Since I want to keep this car fairly stock,
If you want easy and fairly cheap mods here's some of mine:
LED interior conversion, LED license plate, LED reverse, LED running rights (above DRL/high beam)
Weathertech FloorLiners
Weathertech Window Visors
eBay generic running boards
OEM Lexus trunk mat
Welcome aboard! Nice example you got there. Here's my take on a few things.
If you want easy and fairly cheap mods here's some of mine:
LED interior conversion, LED license plate, LED reverse, LED running rights (above DRL/high beam)
Weathertech FloorLiners
Weathertech Window Visors
eBay generic running boards
OEM Lexus trunk mat
About the window tint: The shop pretty much promised me that 20% would match the rears with SunTek brand tint. I was skeptical since i did my moms 2008 Rav4 two years ago with 35% and that was pretty close. When I picked up the RX, I was surprised how close it got, considering 20% is actually darker than the rears. Either the shop lied to me or I'm missing something. It's a reputable shop around here so I don't know. I'm not paying too much attention to it since I really liked how it turned out--they matched it almost perfectly and I'm usually picky and OCD about that stuff. P.S: When I took my moms Rav4, they measured the rears at 28%. When you put 35% in the front, it goes down to 27-28% since the front windows aren't 100% clear, they have a very light, kinda greenish tint to them.
I agree about the Ebay adapter. There is no good review and doesn't say what to expect, versus GROM which is pretty much guaranteed to work. I think I'll try the ebay one, though. If it fails, at least I'll be able to give a review on it and if it works it could be a more economical solution for everyone here. I also like to keep things fairly stock or looking like stock on my rides so that's why I'm doing this now. Not having the ML system or the HIDs is killing me though, I really wanted those, so that's why i'll probably retrofit some projectors and add a mild sub to the system.
Thanks for the suggestions; I'll probably do LED everything soon, but the Weathertech stuff will have to wait as I gotta save up for it. This stuff expensive! lol
i use a cassette adapter hooked into the ear phones socket on a small unit that plays USB sticks. I power it from the bottom power adapter so the only lead visible is to the cassette adapter.The unit sits on the tray near the adapter and is "out of sight "I find the sound quality is more than acceptable. You will always have road noise, so it is impossible to achieve a lounge room standard.( i would say superior to playing an actual tape) $5 for the adaptor and $10 for a unit to play the USB is good value.
Are the above solutions still using the cassette head to transfer the sound?
i use a cassette adapter hooked into the ear phones socket on a small unit that plays USB sticks. I power it from the bottom power adapter so the only lead visible is to the cassette adapter.The unit sits on the tray near the adapter and is "out of sight "I find the sound quality is more than acceptable. You will always have road noise, so it is impossible to achieve a lounge room standard.( i would say superior to playing an actual tape) $5 for the adaptor and $10 for a unit to play the USB is good value.
Are the above solutions still using the cassette head to transfer the sound?
I have the cassete adapter, it's fine for what it is, but it really is not the best sound quality in my opinion. Lots of details are lost on the top end and there's a lot of white noise with mine for some reason. GROM and that ebay adapter plug in to the CD changer port in the back of the radio and should give the best sound quality that BT audio streaming can give, which is better than what the cassette adapter offers. I could do the USB player or generic bluetooth receiver and connect it through the cassette adapter via the AUX 3.5mm cable, but the quality would still be bad for me, since it still going through the cassette player.
I'm not expecting to get lounge room sound quality but I know I can have better sound quality than with the cassette adapter. Right now my '10 Toyota Corolla with an appropriate AUX port and basic 6 speaker system sounds much better than the RX and it's kind of annoying tbh.
Truth is, I'm obsessed with this little adapter right now, but after I get tired of it I'll probably bite the bullet and just buy the GROM Vline Infotaiment Upgrade, which will have all kinds of apps and updated maps. It's just too expensive right now
some people have a better ear for music than others. I am 67yrs with all the drop offs in hearing, so the difference to me in quality is very small. The cassette adapter provides me music at a quality (and price) that is great for me. ( similar to listening to FM radio I would think)
some people have a better ear for music than others. I am 67yrs with all the drop offs in hearing, so the difference to me in quality is very small. The cassette adapter provides me music at a quality (and price) that is great for me. ( similar to listening to FM radio I would think)
I'm in my early 30's and I agree with you... I haven't really looked into the whole BT streaming piece yet (I'm intrigued by this post to do so now...) but I'm pretty content with my $5 cassette adapter for now... Is this whole GROM thing a tough install or anyone can do it?
About the window tint: The shop pretty much promised me that 20% would match the rears with SunTek brand tint. I was skeptical since i did my moms 2008 Rav4 two years ago with 35% and that was pretty close. When I picked up the RX, I was surprised how close it got, considering 20% is actually darker than the rears. Either the shop lied to me or I'm missing something. It's a reputable shop around here so I don't know. I'm not paying too much attention to it since I really liked how it turned out--they matched it almost perfectly and I'm usually picky and OCD about that stuff. P.S: When I took my moms Rav4, they measured the rears at 28%. When you put 35% in the front, it goes down to 27-28% since the front windows aren't 100% clear, they have a very light, kinda greenish tint to them.
I agree about the Ebay adapter. There is no good review and doesn't say what to expect, versus GROM which is pretty much guaranteed to work. I think I'll try the ebay one, though. If it fails, at least I'll be able to give a review on it and if it works it could be a more economical solution for everyone here. I also like to keep things fairly stock or looking like stock on my rides so that's why I'm doing this now. Not having the ML system or the HIDs is killing me though, I really wanted those, so that's why i'll probably retrofit some projectors and add a mild sub to the system.
Thanks for the suggestions; I'll probably do LED everything soon, but the Weathertech stuff will have to wait as I gotta save up for it. This stuff expensive! lol
Interesting to hear, I had my old Highlander measured it was about 40% so could be a fluke or different measuring technique. Didn't measure the RX as I'm not tinting the fronts, cops have been pretty bad about it in my area. But at the end of the day, if it looks how you want it, can't complain, legal or not LOL.
Glad it wasn't just me on the eBay adapter, I don't mind trying cheaper alternatives but it's gotta work. If you're trying to sell something, as a vender you gotta provide all the details, these cheap kits are just lacking in the detail department which sketches me out. GROM or bust shall I say.
I maintain an LS430 that's a package right under UL and I'll say an unpopular opinion, ML is overrated especially if you enjoy bass-heavy music. It's great for classical and music heavy on highs and mids but that's about it. It is better than the base Pioneer system in my RX but it's not miles ahead. I find this the case with most premium sound systems on any luxury car, even BMW's Bang & Olufsen is alright at an additional $3-5K depending on vehicle. Save your worries, get a good DSP, amp, and speakers/subs and wire them correctly you'll blow out any ML system Lexus has ever released.
While AFS HID is nice on my RX, you really can't tell it's there unless you're in the country or the street lights are out. Most urban city lights will wash out your HIDs. I wouldn't say you're missing out on much unless you drive in darkness a lot. While I don't recommend HIDs or LEDs in reflector setups, try it, see if you like it.
Originally Posted by joedaddy1
hey.. i'm selling my grom for $10 in the classifieds, if you are interested.
some people have a better ear for music than others. I am 67yrs with all the drop offs in hearing, so the difference to me in quality is very small. The cassette adapter provides me music at a quality (and price) that is great for me. ( similar to listening to FM radio I would think)
I definitely hear you, I have the cassette too and, honestly, it's totally fine 90% of the time and I suspect that it will be fine for pretty much anyone. I'm just really that picky with my audio; the cassette muffles music at loud volume and drives me nuts everytime I want to crank it and blow off the speakers, so that's the reason behind my project.
Originally Posted by iRX400H
I'm in my early 30's and I agree with you... I haven't really looked into the whole BT streaming piece yet (I'm intrigued by this post to do so now...) but I'm pretty content with my $5 cassette adapter for now... Is this whole GROM thing a tough install or anyone can do it?
Any BT streaming adapter that connects to the CD changer port in the back side of the radio will require some extra work. Mainly involves taking off the shift **** and the trim sorrounding the shift lever and the little wood trim below the radio. After that, there's (4) 10mm screws below the radio to remove and that's pretty much it. Pull the radio out and plug-in the new device.
Originally Posted by joedaddy1
hey.. i'm selling my grom for $10 in the classifieds, if you are interested.
Why didn't I login earlier? I actually ended up biting the bullet on a GROM that was for sale on ebay. Owner was asking $90, I offered $50. Just confirmed the purchase. Thank you for posting it here though. Maybe someone else in here will be interested!
Interesting to hear, I had my old Highlander measured it was about 40% so could be a fluke or different measuring technique. Didn't measure the RX as I'm not tinting the fronts, cops have been pretty bad about it in my area. But at the end of the day, if it looks how you want it, can't complain, legal or not LOL.
Yeah, seems like everyone gets different percentages for those factory windows. Makes you wonder what's Toyotas technique. So far, no problems with the law; seems like everyone and their mom do window tint like this around here in Indy. It gets pretty hot out so it's kind of a necessity lol.
Glad it wasn't just me on the eBay adapter, I don't mind trying cheaper alternatives but it's gotta work. If you're trying to sell something, as a vender you gotta provide all the details, these cheap kits are just lacking in the detail department which sketches me out. GROM or bust shall I say.
I agree, it's kinda risky and makes you wonder if it will be worth it to go through the installation process more than once due to a bad unit or so. I guess we will never know. Actually came across a GROM BT adapter on ebay, offered $50 for it and got it. For the same price as the generic brand, it's a no-brainer.
I maintain an LS430 that's a package right under UL and I'll say an unpopular opinion, ML is overrated especially if you enjoy bass-heavy music. It's great for classical and music heavy on highs and mids but that's about it. It is better than the base Pioneer system in my RX but it's not miles ahead. I find this the case with most premium sound systems on any luxury car, even BMW's Bang & Olufsen is alright at an additional $3-5K depending on vehicle. Save your worries, get a good DSP, amp, and speakers/subs and wire them correctly you'll blow out any ML system Lexus has ever released.
It seems to be the norm around internet forums: the upgraded audio is never worth it, just go aftermarket since better and cheaper, that's what they say. That's why I didn't sweat it too much when buying the vehicle. My aunt has ML and HIDs on hers and also test drove a couple others with these features and while I think they sound better, it's not drastically so and at the end what mattered to me was the mechanical condition of the car and this one won by a large margin. So aftermarket it is, but I don't think I'll go big either since I think that the factory 8 speaker system doesn't sound bad, so I'm just planning to add a small sub for now.
While AFS HID is nice on my RX, you really can't tell it's there unless you're in the country or the street lights are out. Most urban city lights will wash out your HIDs. I wouldn't say you're missing out on much unless you drive in darkness a lot. While I don't recommend HIDs or LEDs in reflector setups, try it, see if you like it.
I do drive a lot at night and around some pretty dark country roads at times, so lightning is kind of a big deal for me. I'm not planning to retrofit the AFS system though. What I'm doing is taking the lenses off to put in some aftermarket HID projectors and gluing the lenses back on. I don't believe in putting HIDs on reflectors, since it's not effective and i'd just end up blinding oncoming drivers. Now with LEDs, I believe I can actually pull off mounting them on the reflectors but I'm worried that it simply won't be as good as a proper projector retrofit, regarding range, light cutoff and the risk of blinding others. I'm still debating on which one to try first, lol.
OP, JUMP ON THIS.
Also, saw the marketplace post a little bit too late, lol. Would have loved to get it for that cheap though.
iSimple trasnzitBluHF. it is fm modulated but taps right into the FM antenna (hence uses it as an aux cable). Very good quality and no FM station signal loss /drift or anything like that due to the hard wired fm antenna connection.
09-18-18, 12:22 AM
Another Bluetooth Streaming Idea Thread (lol)
. Thanks in advance guys, looking forward to hanging out with you often.
