General Panda - Handsfree car kit

[Panda4X4_Skydome]

Hi,

Have bought the Panda 4x4 I have previously posted about - 55 Reg Black with Skydome, and 3rd rear seat belt....so far it's very good !

I now have a few plans...

Firstly - ..I'd like to fit a handsfree car kit - probably the Nokia CK-7W if I can find a discrete place to hide the button that this kit needs to operate. I'd also like to route the sound through the car speakers if possible - but at the very least mute the radio.

From the handbook with the CD player (not the MP3 one) it shows it has a menu item for phone and explains that you can control the volume through the headunit ..so I'm hoping this is possible...but does anyone have any info on the pinouts from the radio - or better still know of any options that Fiat may do ?

Secondly (for now) - has anyone had the dealer fit alarm installed ? - part price is low at about £120 ...and it claims low fitting time. Given that I just read the panda can be broken into in 8 seconds (fastest of cars tested) I though this might be an idea.

Thanks in advance

 

[Wee Smurf]

I decided against going for the Nokia car kits as they limit you to certain phones... You might end up having to upgrade your car kit when you upgrade your phone. Instead I went for a Parrot hands-free kit. It connects into the back of the Blaupunkt CD-Radio and automatically mutes the radio when a call comes through and uses the car speakers. It connects to your phone via bluetooth so you don't need to connect it into the car and run the risk of forgetting it and leaving it in the car. I've found the Parrot ideal for me, easy to use and it shows you who's calling when a call comes through... I believe you can now get them through Carphone Warehouse, although I bought mine on the internet...

 

[Soepy]

I'm actually thinking about the same things. What's the cheapest FIAT-approved alarm, and how to interface with the standard CD-player (for a laptop, in this case). What Parrot car-kit do you have, exactly? There are too many on their website.

 

[Panda4X4_Skydome]

Thanks for the reply...

Where abouts do you have the parrot display located ? - as that's the bit that puts me off a parrot kit as I don't want to see the display (or wires etc). On my other car I have the Nokia CK7W which is also bluetooth but I have the button hidden in the ashtray (I don't smoke!).


With the parrot kit installed on the Panda Blaupunkt CD /radio do you get to control speaker volume using the headunit volume control ..o just from the parrot control ?

Thanks again..

 

[Wee Smurf]

I have the Parrot CK3100...

The control is quite small and fits nicely to the side of the radio pod, in the space between the radio and the dials... I didn't want it stuck up on the dashboard in my way. You can mount the microphone directly onto the control unit, but mine is mounted up beside my skydome control...

Sorry no pics, really need a laptop for home so I can put pics of Dez on here...

Volume-wise I just use the Parrot control as it's nearer for me... and I'm only wee...

 

[gtergy]

Hi

I own a 1.2 Dynamic and have a Noki 7W in the car.
The mic is at the top of the A-pillow, and the phoneholder to the right of the radio. You wrote that the kit need the button to operate... I have choosen not to fit the button since I do need it. I've choosen to route the sound to the car-speakers - and my radio controls the volume.

So go for it...

 

[Creamola]

You can get the Parrot for 75 quid here: http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/prod...m9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=88519&_LOC=UK

BUT how easy is it to take out the Panda CD player in order to connect the Parrot to the back? Is this a dealer or DIY job?

 

[Wee Smurf]

I will admit that I didn't install the Parrot myself. I got it installed at the same time as my alarm and i-pod adapter...

But the radio looks like it comes out just like any other car radio. There's holes either side of the radio for the prongs to remove it...

 

[Creamola]

I will admit that I didn't install the Parrot myself. I got it installed at the same time as my alarm and i-pod adapter...

Thanks Wee Smurf. I am interested in the IPod adapter - what model was that - and does it work OK?

 

[Panda4X4_Skydome]

Have just read that the new Alessi Panda comes with bluetooth built in.

http://www.fauk-customerservices.co.uk/Fiat/PandaAlessi/equipment.htm

I've also seen on the fiat.it site that you can configure other panda models with this option for €200 ...but I've found little other details on it....any one seen or know any more info on this ?

Also- looking at the Alessi I see that it has a couple of interesting items..firstly it has a passenger sunvisor with a mirror on the rear that is nearly the same size as the sun visor, and on the other visor you can write on the back of the sunvisor (has a penholder ) ...
and then in the boot - they have a two flaps that make a false floor so that with the rear seats folded flat you have a level floor all the way through ...seems to me like a useful idea.

With these items in mind - does anyone know when Fiat UK will start selling the Alessi and if they will sell spares to non Alessi cars ?

 

[Wee Smurf]

I got the Dension Ice-link off www.ipodmycar.com.

You can get it installed with a holder, or without the holder. However, I got mine wired into the glovebox without the holder. I don't like having anything on show in my car.

It plugs into the back of the radio and uses the cd changer slot. You can then control it from the radio. The first 5 "cds" are your first five playlists on your i-pod. The sixth allows you to choose your cd. I tend to build up playlists as opposed to trying to select a particular cd from my i-pod, because if your i-pod is anything like mine with almost 200 cds on it so far, believe me it's easier to just go for playlists...

I have had no problems with my Ice-link at all.

I obviously have a problem with just too many toys... Good job I can't think of any more to buy right now...