Other head unit and entertainment options

[Donny Carlson]

Visteon makes head units and other car electronics for car manufacturers including Ford. They also sell units for dealers to install. I am not exactly sure if these are available without going through a dealer, but these are some interesting products, particularly if they are compatible or can be modified to work with the Marauder wiring setup.

Here is the Visteon satellite radio head unit, which can set to work with either either a Sirius or XM Radio application. The Visteon web site says that the FCC has mandated that future head units must work with both services and that systems that will play both services are forthcoming (meaning you can suscribe to both at the same time if you wish). this unit can be programmed for either, but not both at the same time. You can, though, switch services without the need to buy another tuner, just reprogram it for the other service.

http://www.visteon.com/about/features/2002/images/feature_080602.jpg

It has a single CD slot in th top, and you can see the DIN holes like our OEM head units have. Their kit comes with an antenna.



http://www.visteon.com/products/automotive/images/specs/fes.jpg

This DVD player is integrated into the center console between the seats. An interesting and clean design, imo.



Anybody know if you can buy Visteon electronics outside the dealer network?

[hdwrench]

might be interested in the cd/sirius head unit. i have 0% interest in any mobile dvd.

[jjaguda]

You can buy Visteon products outside of ford. I bought the factory sat tuner that comes in a kit (with ford part #s), for my '04 Mach 1. The '04 Machs already have the "SAT" button on the radio/head unit. I got the kit from "Radios and More" - http://www.radiosandmore.com (http://www.radiosandmore.com/) The manager is VERY helpful (I believe his name was Ron).

The problem for the MMs is that ford changed (as I understand it) the harness set up somewhere b/t '03 and '04). The Radios and More manager believed that the MACH 300 radio from an Escape would work, but he had never done the swap himself.

I really tried to keep the stock set up, but finally decided to start from scratch with equipment that I know works well ( I have three Sirius accounts and I am thinking of adding Sirius back to my Mach which already has the Mach 460). I even retained the steering wheel controls.

I've done a bit of research on the Sat/tuner/Visteon/need more [radio] power MM questions. Let me know if I can help.

Man, I love my MM!