recommend a cakit for a phone

Goldstar

I would like to hear peoples opinions on carkits and their experience of different models and makes. Is it difficult to fit them yourself and which is the best - nokia , parrot etc. I am looking for a bluetooth model which will mute the radio when a call comes in and have the call through the speakers.

How much do they cost and whose price is the best?

Bluefoam

I had a Sony Ericsson HCB 300 in my last car (with its own speaker), it was excellent. I fitted it myself - with some help from a friend.

Am planning to get a HCB 400 that works through the built in speakers for my current car.

They are about €70 on the interweb...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sony-Ericsson-HCB-400-Bluetooth-Car-Kit-For-K810i-W880i_W0QQitemZ180275369823QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

listermint

My mate had this one in two cars. Has had previous models of them aswell. The quality of the voice pick up is amazing and it connects straight into your existing speaker system. Cuts out the radio when calls are incoming and the display will show your contacts list on it. Im going to get one when i have a spare quid or two.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Parrot-3200-Hands-free-Car-Kit_W0QQitemZ190242719285QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item190242719285&_trkparms=72%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318

Victor_M

Stay away from the Nokia CK-7W bluetooth kit at all costs unless you have a Nokia phone and never plan on upgrading to a non Nokia.

The parott kits seem to be the best.

cormie

How about replacing your head unit with a bluetooth compatible one, this way if you change phone, all you have to do is connect it up and away you go

Guy:Incognito

cormie wrote: »

How about replacing your head unit with a bluetooth compatible one, this way if you change phone, all you have to do is connect it up and away you go

The same is true most or all blutooth car kits.

cormie

Cool, didn't know that, I assumed they would be manufacturer dependent, as in you couldn't use a nokia with a SE carkit

-Chris-

My experience is that Sony Ericsson car kits have pretty poor reliability compared to Nokia and Parrot. Parrot is more "universal" than Nokia.

AFAIK, it's your radio rather than the car kit that dictates whether you can mute the radio or not.

Guy:Incognito

cormie wrote: »

Cool, didn't know that, I assumed they would be manufacturer dependent, as in you couldn't use a nokia with a SE carkit

What I've found is that some features on the carkits dont work with all manucfacturers, ie my SE carkit wont read the phonebook off some other manufacturers phones. The basics all work though (make /recieve calss, mut radfio etc).

AudiChris wrote: »

AFAIK, it's your radio rather than the car kit that dictates whether you can mute the radio or not.

Any carkits have a cable to mute the radio (I've yet to come across a radio that doesnt work) and any carkit I've done anythign with so far, offer a mute cable for whatever radio you have to put the sound through the car speakers.

-Chris-

Stekelly wrote: »

Any carkits have a cable to mute the radio (I've yet to come across a radio that doesnt work) and any carkit I've done anythign with so far, offer a mute cable for whatever radio you have to put the sound through the car speakers.

Yes, but not all radios have somewhere to hook that mute cable to.

As far as I know, the mute cable won't work with any Audi with MMI.

I also recall a majorly common car also not muting (I think it was the 2001 Mondeo, but I'm not definite). It annoyed the particular sales reps hugely - all the other cars muted the radio, but theirs didn't. Same phones, same phone kits, all supplied by the company. The radios were the decisive factor.

Bluefoam

I had a 00 Focus which had no mute.

cormie

Stekelly wrote: »

What I've found is that some features on the carkits dont work with all manucfacturers, ie my SE carkit wont read the phonebook off some other manufacturers phones. The basics all work though (make /recieve calss, mut radfio etc).

Cool, might look into getting one as my headunit with the bluetooth isn't the best and the signal can be very bad at times.

Sandwich

Used to have the old CARK126, worked fine with Nokia 6310i and 6230. Then briefly a Motorola L7i with Nokia CK300 - worked pefectly btw. Now using a E51 with the CK300. Really good when you install the carkit software, with big fonts, and car specifica menu system. Most satisfactory.

Goldstar

what about these . have u any experience of the Parrot CK3100 or the Parrot 3200LS Color Bluetooth hands free car kit or the nokia ck15W bluetooth or the Bury CC9060.

somebody said that the nokia kit isnt as compatible with other phone brands. has anyone else any experience of this?

-Chris-

Parrots are good, very good.

Bury talks to you and reads your texts - very cool, but a bit gimmicky

Nokia is the no-frills option.

Goldstar

will nokia work as universally with other phones as the parrott will?

-Chris-

AFAIK, no. Apparantly the Parrot is more "universal".

sjg1234

Where can i get a parrot ck3100, I have heard they are the best kits. Im working away quite a bit so it sounds like the parrot is whats needed for heavy car use. I'm also looking for installation but im on the road pretty much all the time so need installation down the country.

Any good suggestions mucho appreciated,

thanks,

:)

cashmni1

sjg1234 wrote: »

Where can i get a parrot ck3100, I have heard they are the best kits. Im working away quite a bit so it sounds like the parrot is whats needed for heavy car use. I'm also looking for installation but im on the road pretty much all the time so need installation down the country.

Any good suggestions mucho appreciated,

thanks,

:)

Carkits.ie

LJB 21

I got the ck3100 a few months ago from parrot.ie , they supply and fit anywhere in ireland and there cheeper than carkit. hope that helps.

return guide

cashmni1 wrote: »

Carkits.ie

+ 1

I got a parrot in istalled by these guys a couple of months ago. the installation was very and the kit itself is excellent.

I have had Nokia and Siemens kits over the years but the Parrot is a superior kit.