Is it okay to swap porsche head unit for aftermarket?

[ljd-924se]

I thought the radio was a MOST system on new boxsters, meaning all the wires going through the unit are fiber optic. In that case, there is no way the head unit could be easily swapped, with or without a dash kit. Of course the Bose ("Blose") also uses an amplifier that you would need to get signal to. And finally bose speakers are all low impedence (1 - 2 ohm), too low for the alpine unit to be stable. Most car audio speakers operate at 4 ohm. In order to upgrade to bose system, you basically have to replace the entire thing, which is not going to cheap no matter what components you use.

Porsche has really mucked it up with the audio systems in their new vehicles. No mp3, no ipod, horrible sound quality, and expensive to upgrade. Then again, if they're going to get anything wrong, i'm glad it was the audio.

ljd your my new daily hero, if everything you mention is true it sucks!!!

I still can't understand why the alarm would be upset if you change the sound system thought, i guess they are two seperate system in the car, anyone with more comments on this?

4 ohms seems to be quite standard for car stereo, 6 and 8 are usually home entertainement systems, but i never heard of lower ohms bar on cheap stereo systems which Bose is definatelly not.

[RandallNeighbour]

The alarm system will work fine with an aftermarket system in it, providing the installer finds the single wire requiring grounding.

Otherwise, the horn chirps when the car alarm is activated, much like when one leaves open the center console, glove box (for those of you lucky enough to have one of those wonderful things) or the front or back trunks are open.

My installer didn't know this, and wouldn't know which wire to ground anyway even if i told him... but I really like the horn chirp because I usually can't tell if the doors locked in the loud city in which I live and park. The chirp is a audio reminder that I have indeed locked the car. But it's not "standard" to leave it that way.

[mach schnell]

So I talked to my local Porsche dealer today - "Don't Do It!!" was what I was told - "it's all fiberoptics, yada yada yada" But, they did say if it's swapped correctly, it won't affect the computer, etc.

Then, off to Circuit City - where the Alpine was purchased and originally installed in my Beetle, along with my xm kit. Turns out there aren't face kits available yet for the 05/06 boxster nor are there wiring instructions/diagrams (at least at Circuit City) for the 987. Stinks as my Alpine/XM set up is amazing (not too mention a past Christmas gift from my wife) that will ultimately go when I let go of the Beetle. Turns out, can't even put it in our Subaru Outback as there isn't a kit for that either!

Too bad that Porsche insn't keeping up with BMW or MB in the area of stock radios and satellite and iPod compatabilities!!!!