Rav 4 2004 - Which Satnav Double Din Stereo To Buy?

July 1, 2013

hi I have just got a Rav 4 2004 with minimual miles on the clock and am wanting to get a uptodate all in one satnav and dvd player for te double din on the dash what would you recommend for under £500

I have found a couple on eBay for under £300 and the clarion nx501e

let me know what you are thinking the ones on eBay say they are the official replaclements for the rav4 but one has a curved bottom and I am sure it is for the 2006 model or above please help me with this thanks lee

July 1, 2013

Hi Lee - and welcome to TOC. As a starter, would it be possible to add some detail to your vehicle description as it appears on your profile? This helps when people are replying to your posts as it enables them to give ( if you're lucky! ) model specific rather than generic advice.

Now, double din in-car entertainment systems:

The whole job is much easier if you can get a short adaptor loom that allows you to connect your proposed ICE head unit to the car wiring loom. It is possible to splice wires but you would need connector plugs for the head unit anyway so the adaptors are worth it. Have a look at http://www.connects2.co.uk/ProductInformation.aspx?id=14075&p=CT10TY01 There is a degree of standardisation amongst the head unit manufacturers so it should not be too much of a problem to get the right cable.

The other thing you will probably need is the plastic facia adaptor that marries your new headunit to the existing dashboard. The company in the link above supply some adaptors but don't list one for the 2004 RAV. There will no doubt be others who make them and half an hour on Google will probably produce an answer.

Once you have found out which head units fit the loom and facia adaptors that you can purchase, the interesting bit ( selecting a head unit ) begins. Here there are a few considerations:

1) Cost - you could probably blow a couple of thousand pounds on a unit if you were sufficiently determined, but you seem to be taking a more modest ( sensible! ) approach.

2) If you are going to use the SatNav extensively - particularly abroad - you need to be sure that the maps are up to date when you buy the unit and that, ideally, you can purchase updated maps at a reasonable cost. A question to ask the headunit supplier.

3) The other feature that seems popular is the facility to connect an iPod ( or MP3 player ) and control it from the headunit. The degree of control available varies a good deal between makes/models. Another question to ask a potential supplier!

4) The user interface and features available on the SatNav also vary and are worth investigating.

5) Some units also allow you to connect your mobile phone for handsfree operation. Generally this is done with bluetooth these days.

I did a similar conversion on my 2008 RAV and don't regret it a bit. My process involved looking at what was available at what price and then finding a local(ish) supplier where I could have a look at the unit in the flesh before buying. I ended up with a Sony XNV L-77BT which has most of what I wanted.

HTH