So I'm a new user on here. As if you couldn't tell by my username.. I am a girl and don't know much about cars (sad, I know). I feel like I'm getting ripped off. So I need help from anyone it would be greatly appreciated guys.

Here's my situation:

About over a month ago, my whole audio unit went crashing down on me. First, it was my cassette player (used an adapter to listen to my iPod).
So in order for me to listen to my iPod, I resorted to purchasing a FM transmitter, of which to power it I had to plug it in the power outlet. Which not even 6hrs from me purchasing it, I heard a pop and it started smelling burnt. In fear of something catching on fire, I immediately unplugged it of course. I tried listening to just the stereo itself, and no sound was coming out. I know the speakers isn't the problem, because the sound on the navigation system still works. Now, a couple days ago, I took it to Infiniti, and just for diagnosing what the problem was they charged me 220 dollars. They informed me that I was gonna have to replace the audio unit and then recheck the system and go from there... On top of that, for a new unit it was gonna be estimated at about 22 hundred for a brand new unit. I most definitely don't have 22 hundred laying around. So he suggested me purchasing a refurbished unit for 475. Now for parts and labor, on the refurbished unit, supposedly it is estimated to be at about 800.

I don't know what to do anymore, or who to go to, without getting ripped off.
Has anyone ever been through anything like this? Is there an easier way to go about it? Please help me..

 

You can always look into purchasing a used head unit from someone on here in the for sale forums. You can also just get an aftermarket HU with navigation and bluetooth for your iPod which will be significantly less than what the infiniti dealer quoted you. I just went aftermerket on mine, new HU, rear view camera, maintain the steering wheel control all for under $1100 i still ave to install all that.

Since you're a chick, i'm sure you will have no probs finding someone on here who will assist in the install of your stuff saving you a bunch of $$ if you were to go through the dealer.

 

I wouldn't waste your money on a stock HU. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to upgrade to an aftermarket double din. If you don't care about navigation, just get something like the Pioneer 3200BT (around $350) which will give you a great Ipod interface and bluetooth. If you go the cheap route and get the Metra double din kit, the whole thing should only end up costing you under $700 professional installed. If you want a nicer looking setup, you can go the JDM double din route and it will end up costing somewhere around $800-900 installed.

 

Just for fun, check your fuses.

 

If you do a little looking around here, you'll see that the stock headunits fail all the time.

There's bound to be some SoCal members that can give you a hand installing an aftermarket system, you'll lose the navigation voice, but gain so much more.

If you go single-din and a metra trim kit, you can do it as cheaply as $300.

 

Yeah, my brother was able to check my fuses and everything looks in order. Sucks cause he's too busy with work and can't really help me out as much.

 

@G35sedan03
@pondera
@Wrathernaut Thanks guys, sounds more reasonable. Looks like I'll be shopping around to see what works for me.
Now, what do you guys think why there's no sound coming from the stereo, and only from the navigation system? Is it due to the head unit?
Sorry, I'm learning all of this for the first time. But, I'm catching on. Thanks guys!

 

at this point, who knows what's wrong with your HU. With all the documented issues on the stock ones, it could be a bunch of reasons. mine went out years ago, the CD changer got stuck but the car was still under warranty then so it was free, got another stoch HU in there. This one is starting to have the intermittent issues with sound going off and then on again. Have fun shopping around, you got plenty of choices depending on what you want to do.

 

Yeah, I bought it as a used car. Thinking it wouldn't give me problems just yet. Now, that I've been reading around. It wouldn't be a good idea for me to buy a stock HU. Might just upgrade it, and save me the frustration of having to go through this again. haha

 

Could have damaged the ribbon cable that connects the front board and main HU. No real way to diagnose from here. Regardless the fix is still aftermarket HU.

 

Thank you. and yeah, it sounds more reasonable to just go with the aftermarket, instead of having to keep replacing the HU if anything keeps being damaged.