Car audio recommendation wanted

[dullard]

I'd like a new radio, but I know nothing about car audio. I spend 95% of my time listening to the radio. However, when I can't find anything good, I like to listen to my own music. My current device can no longer read CDs.

Low price is good, but it isn't a must. Ideally it'll have a slot for a memory card and I could simply forgo a CD player entirely. A port for connection to an external device is ok, but I'd much rather just put in a memory card and never have to mess with it. I could use Bluetooth when I get a new cell phone next month, is the quality ok or is it hit and miss like Bluetooth phone calls? Is HD radio worth it at the moment? I have no plans to pay for radio.

I also need new front speakers as an ex blew them with her terrible music. I am not an audiophile, anything that doesn't sound like crap should be good enough.

This will be for a 2002 Honda Civic. Is there a good Civic installation guide (I've heard that this requires taking half the car apart)?

Finally B&M is perferred over online so I can ask for it as a Christmas gift. But if nothing good is at a B&M store, I could order it myself online.

What would you recommend?

 

[bobdole369]

You'd probably be very happy with something like this:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Pioneer+...&skuId=9197175

Crutchfield will let you put in your car year/model and tell you what size the holes are, etc, and even tell you what fits. THey are wicked expensive. On the plus side their phone support and pre-sales staff are absolute experts.

Pioneer speakers are a little ghetto, but very well built for the money, I'm partial to Boston Acoustics stuff, Infiniti, JL Audio, Polk are all good brands. If you are moving up from stock - you really can't go wrong - just make sure your speaker "peak" or "RMS" watts is greater than the same number on the radio.

As for installs, I don't know much about the civic so I can't really help ya there. I'm certain there are honda civic enthusiast forums with detailed info out there.

 

[jtvang125]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Alpine+-...=1218060486350

Can't go wrong with Alpine. This one has a usb port unlike the pioneer suggested. Get a 4gb flash drive and fill it with all the mp3s you want. 4gb not enough? Well there's 8gb, 16gb, 32gb, 64 and even 128gb flash drives now if you have the money.