Originally Posted by 5150DS

Places on price grabber have the D3 (refurbished) for $550.

Originally Posted by Dan_K

Can't you retain the use of the dual climate if you solder the button on the ac panel?

I know people have done this before.

Originally Posted by FlSHRFun

Definitely go with the first option. PM Jason @ Riverside for a price.

As for headunit, I'd suggest the Pioneer AVIC-D3.
Just my opinion, I think this is the best bang for your buck.
Although the Z2 is a great headunit, I think it's not worth the extra money. You can get basically the same thing from a D3 but at a lower price.

Yes, the Z2 has a harddrive for the navigation. The D3 requires you to have a nav DVD in the unit to search.
People complain about having to take out their CD's to use the nav.
This won't be a problem if you purchase a CD-i200. This will allow you to hook up your iPod instead of listening to CD's.
Now, you can keep your nav DVD inside at all times and never have to remove CD's/DVD's.
Also, if you get the Z2, in order to insert a CD/DVD, the screen lowers itself to expose the CD/DVD insert. This can pose a problem if you drive a automatic.
If you're in park while you open the Z2, it can hit your shifter. Don't worry about the shifter, though. It's not going anywhere.
The Z2, however, might damage its motor and might have trouble opening/closing again.

This goes for all headunits with moving parts. Some say to get a flip screen... but IMO I think it looks tacky and a bit cheap. Especially since it has that lil' empty square below/above the flip screen (depending on how you install it).
People say that the flip-out screens only hit the shifter if you install it on the lower half of the double din.
So, they install it on the upper half of the double din with the empty square below.
Sure, it doesn't hit the shifter... but it sure does a good job of covering up the AC controls.
Now, you have to reach around the screen to control the AC or close the screen again.
Double-din screens look much cleaner and factory-installed compared to flip-out screens. Flip-outs belong in Hondas (just a joke, Honda-fans, please don't get touchy).
With the D3, there are no moving parts. So no worries about damaging any motors.

Also, with a lot of the headunits out there... a lot of them have buttons on the right or bottom of the screen.
This makes it pretty bothersome having to reach around the shifter to press buttons.
For example, the Z2 has all of its buttons on the bottom of the screen (and on the screen i.e. touchscreen) and the shifter will get really annoying.
The D3 has all the buttons on the left side for easy accessibility to the driver.

Another neat feature for the D3 is to color match the headunit to the rest of the car.
Since the AC is amber along with the rest of the car, I set mine to amber and it flows with the factory ambiance.
Looks weird when everything in the car is amber and you have this random blue (or whatever color) light in the middle of your dash.
I don't know whether or not if the Z2 can do this. All I've seen is blue.
Not sure if the Z2 can do this or not either. But the Z2 allows for customizable backgrounds and loading screens. Of course, I made mine a G35.

And you always add on more things if you want: (purchase separately)
Rear-View Camera, Bluetooth, XM/Sirius Satellite Radio, TV Tuner, Voice Recognition, iPod Integration, PAC-SWI PS (keep use of steering wheel controls), and Remote Controls.

And this is just MSRP: (pioneerelectronics.com)
Z2: $2200
D3: $1000

EDIT: My setup


Hope this was of help to you.

Originally Posted by cryptic26

Are these still the best two options out there? I have not been on this site in some time now and I was not sure if there have been any new headunit releases. Let me know so I can fix the stock garbage thats in my ride now.

Has anyone else ever tried to change the track (from the steering wheel control) and experienced a 5 to 10 second delay?

Originally Posted by cryptic26

Are these still the best two options out there? I have not been on this site in some time now and I was not sure if there have been any new headunit releases. Let me know so I can fix the stock garbage thats in my ride now.

Has anyone else ever tried to change the track (from the steering wheel control) and experienced a 5 to 10 second delay?

Originally Posted by DrewTheSuit

check out kenwood's dnx 8120

Originally Posted by Jason@Riverside

Get #1 and PM me for your FORUM PRICE!

Originally Posted by FlSHRFun

Definitely go with the first option. PM Jason @ Riverside for a price.

As for headunit, I'd suggest the Pioneer AVIC-D3.
Just my opinion, I think this is the best bang for your buck.
Although the Z2 is a great headunit, I think it's not worth the extra money. You can get basically the same thing from a D3 but at a lower price.

Yes, the Z2 has a harddrive for the navigation. The D3 requires you to have a nav DVD in the unit to search.
People complain about having to take out their CD's to use the nav.
This won't be a problem if you purchase a CD-i200. This will allow you to hook up your iPod instead of listening to CD's.
Now, you can keep your nav DVD inside at all times and never have to remove CD's/DVD's.
Also, if you get the Z2, in order to insert a CD/DVD, the screen lowers itself to expose the CD/DVD insert. This can pose a problem if you drive a automatic.
If you're in park while you open the Z2, it can hit your shifter. Don't worry about the shifter, though. It's not going anywhere.
The Z2, however, might damage its motor and might have trouble opening/closing again.

This goes for all headunits with moving parts. Some say to get a flip screen... but IMO I think it looks tacky and a bit cheap. Especially since it has that lil' empty square below/above the flip screen (depending on how you install it).
People say that the flip-out screens only hit the shifter if you install it on the lower half of the double din.
So, they install it on the upper half of the double din with the empty square below.
Sure, it doesn't hit the shifter... but it sure does a good job of covering up the AC controls.
Now, you have to reach around the screen to control the AC or close the screen again.
Double-din screens look much cleaner and factory-installed compared to flip-out screens. Flip-outs belong in Hondas (just a joke, Honda-fans, please don't get touchy).
With the D3, there are no moving parts. So no worries about damaging any motors.

Also, with a lot of the headunits out there... a lot of them have buttons on the right or bottom of the screen.
This makes it pretty bothersome having to reach around the shifter to press buttons.
For example, the Z2 has all of its buttons on the bottom of the screen (and on the screen i.e. touchscreen) and the shifter will get really annoying.
The D3 has all the buttons on the left side for easy accessibility to the driver.

Another neat feature for the D3 is to color match the headunit to the rest of the car.
Since the AC is amber along with the rest of the car, I set mine to amber and it flows with the factory ambiance.
Looks weird when everything in the car is amber and you have this random blue (or whatever color) light in the middle of your dash.
I don't know whether or not if the Z2 can do this. All I've seen is blue.
Not sure if the Z2 can do this or not either. But the D3 allows for customizable backgrounds and loading screens. Of course, I made mine a G35.

And you always add on more things if you want: (purchase separately)
Rear-View Camera, Bluetooth, XM/Sirius Satellite Radio, TV Tuner, Voice Recognition, iPod Integration, PAC-SWI PS (keep use of steering wheel controls), and Remote Controls.

And this is just MSRP: (pioneerelectronics.com)
Z2: $2200
D3: $1000

EDIT: My setup






My background wallpaper.


My loading screen.


Radio.


iPod integration. [CD-i200]


Playing video from iPod. Can play DVD's, too.


Navigation.


GPS antenna.


Rear-view camera.


Automatically switches when in reverse.


Color-matched buttons to amber.
Sorry for crappy picture. Camera phone.

Hope this was of help to you.