<p>Looking for advice on after market options for using Ipod in a car. There is no cassette player so that’s out. I am willing to take it to a car stereo shop for installation.</p>
<p>I think there is an adapter to plug into the power cord at Apple; don’t think you have to get an installation…what kind of car are you trying to use it in?</p>
<p>It is a 2005 Mazda 3. I know there is a wireless adaptor that uses the FM radio but I have not heard great things about them.</p>
<p>DD has the one that plugs into your cigarette lighter and then it plays off your FM radio. It works fine with her Iphone but only if you put the Iphone on airplane mode. Otherwise you get static. You can buy them cheap on ebay.
We rented a car recently that had a plug in right in the dash. Went to Target and bought a retractable cable that plugged into the dash and the ipod. Nifty but I don’t think you will have the indash input on a 2005 car.
I’m not familiar with the ones installed by a car stereo shop so I’ll let others comment there.</p>
<p>cartera: if you can, go to Apple, Radio Shack and ask around…we have a 2006 acura; that was the first car that had the connection for the ipod wire I am referring to (it connects via the center console adapter)…not sure if 2005 mazda has that connection though…</p>
<p>it plays through the radio in the AUX function…</p>
<p>" I know there is a wireless adaptor that uses the FM radio but I have not heard great things about them."</p>
<p>You are wise to stay away from those - H bought and returned 3 different models because they never worked well!</p>
<p>I’ve been happy with my FM radio one, but then again, I don’t live in a very heavily populated area so there’s typically an open station. The ones that let you set the station manually (don’t have just a couple preset stations) work better, I think.</p>
<p>I have a DLO TransPod, which has worked fine with both my ancient 4th gen iPod and my iPod touch.</p>
<p>The 2005 doesn’t have the built in auxiliary jack.</p>
<p>I have a Griffin iTrip. You plug the iPod in and it plays on your FM radio. It took me a while to find a good station, but now i have no problems.</p>
<p>Especially since I got a power adapter to plug in to my cigarette lighter (plays iPod and charges at the same time). </p>
<p>I don’t have problems with it at home (fairly high-populated city) or at school (smaller town). Only sometimes, when it is a high-bass song, you get little bits of static. But I think it’s tolerable and I like the sound (and I’m a hopeless audiophile).</p>
<p>I have the iTrip too (kids laughed at the name). Most useful between Thanksgiving and the winter solstice.</p>
<p>I use a Griffin iTrip with pretty much no problems.</p>
<p>Here is a discussion on a Mazda forum: [Mazda</a> 3 audio inputs - Mazda Forums](<a href=“Mazdas247”>Mazdas247)
The Griffin iTrip is easy, but of low fidelity.</p>
<p>If you are willing to replace your radio, you can have iPod connectivity, receiver based iPod control, and Bluetooth for as little as $110 ([Jensen</a> BT1611I CD receiver at Crutchfield.com](<a href=“Jensen BT1611I CD receiver at Crutchfield”>Jensen BT1611I CD receiver at Crutchfield)). You could connect your iPod using an 1/8" mini-jack to an inexpensive receiver with USB and SD card playback for $50 ([Dual</a> XR4110 Digital media receiver at Crutchfield Outlet](<a href=“http://outlet.crutchfield.com/p_070XR4110/Dual-XR4110.html?o=p&tp=5684&avf=N]Dual”>http://outlet.crutchfield.com/p_070XR4110/Dual-XR4110.html?o=p&tp=5684&avf=N))</p>
<p>See [Learn</a> about iPod/MP3 Car Adapters - Expert Reviews and Articles](<a href=“http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Learn/Article/GroupMenu.aspx?g=770&c=3&tp=15]Learn”>http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Learn/Article/GroupMenu.aspx?g=770&c=3&tp=15)</p>
<p>The iTrip provides the added benefit of use outside your automobile.</p>
<p>I’ve used it in our fitness center which has an FM receiver.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for advice. I think I had more in mind what my$.02 posted, but I didn’t know if there was a good quality choice in the $100 ballpark that people recommended. I had done some research on the Mazda forum and had read that there was no auxiliary jack on the radio.</p>
<p>My car has the 1/8 inch jack, and I find it perfectly adequate. I would save the money on receiver-based controls, etc., especially in a five-year-old car, and just replace your radio with one that has the jack.</p>
<p>The fm adaptor works okay, but if you are on the road you’ll have to keep changing stations as what’s open in one locality keeps changing, it gets a bit tiresome. There was also a holder that never seemed to stay at a good angle.</p>
<p>I just called a couple of audio shops to get a price for replacing the radio with one that will accomodate the Ipod with the Ipod display and maintain the steering wheel controls and - wow - $400-$500. I guess I’ll find out what it costs to just replace the radio with one with the jack. She’ll lose the steering wheel controls - something I like because it decreases the amount of time spent with eyes on the radio.</p>
<p>I had my 2003 SUV set up with the built in “jack” for an iPod about 18 months ago. My initial inquiries were with the classic audio shops who could install the cable, but it wouldn’t interface with my steering wheel controls. I was turning the vehicle over to the kids and really wanted to eliminate the fiddling and eyes from the road issue. I wasn’t content with the info I was getting.</p>
<p>I did some internet checking and discovered my make of car had an after market product available through the dealership that WOULD work with the steering wheel controls, so I paid a bit more and had that installed. Kids love it and really appreciate the set up. They can control the volume and scroll through the playlist. I like knowing that the iPod distraction is pretty much removed. (I actually banned iPod use by the driver of the car after watching one of my children trying to drive and maneuver music with the iTrip - scary scary deal.)</p>
<p>Did you check with Crutchfield? My son’s 1997 Honda had an after market radio and we were able to get a cable and adapter for under $20 that snapped into the back of his radio. It does not charge his iPod, I don’t think, but it allows him to listen to his iPod through his speakers and he controls the iPod as normal. The people at Crutchfield are great and can tell you what is available for your car. You can also do this online by selecting your car model, radio, etc…</p>
<p>The tip of my son’s cable got messed up and we were able to replace it with one from Radio Shack.</p>
<p>[Crutchfield:</a> LCD TV, Car Stereo, Home Theater, Speakers, Plasma TV](<a href=“http://www.crutchfield.com/index.html]Crutchfield:”>Crutchfield: Car Stereo and Audio, Speakers, Home Theater, Pro Audio, TVs)
[iPod/MP3</a> Car Adapters at Crutchfield.com](<a href=“Apple & Android Integration at Crutchfield”>Apple & Android Integration at Crutchfield)</p>
<p>I did check Crutchfield and there is no simple cheap adaptor for her car model and factory installed radio. There are choices for over $100 that don’t include installment and I’m not trying it. One of the least expensive aftermarket radios has no CD player and I don’t see getting rid of that. Others work through the CD changer so the CD has to be disconnected for them to work. Taking it in for installation won’t be cheap and I’m not sure if the local installers will even install something not purchased through them.</p>
<p>I just noticed that Crutchfield sells installation for $79 through local installers. I will give them a call tomorrow to see if I can put something together at a reasonable cost. This is for a Christmas present for my D. All she wants is to be able to use her Ipod in her car - no other presents - so I’m willing to spend a reasonable amount - not $400 however.</p>