I just went with the Pioneer AVH-W4400NEX. It was $100 less and has all the same features with the exception of the parking lines for my rear cam. I absolutely love it. I use Android Auto and it works flawlessly without wire. Don't waste money on the Sirius add on, I use my Sirius app and I know at least it works on Android Auto. Google Maps and Waze both work well. I use Waze. Since the unit comes with a GPS antenna, It always locates you so if you lose cell service your still on the map. For the install I used the Maestro ADS-MRR Universal Radio Replacement and Steering Wheel Interface along with the HRN-RR-CH1 IDATALINK MAESTRO CH1 / CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP HARNESS FOR ADS-MRR for easy wiring. Worked really well. If you have a factory amp and upgraded Alpine setup, the IDATALINK will keep that functioning. You will need an antenna adapter for the radio. I'm not sure if your going to use the USB in the center console or not but I could not easily find the uconnect module in my 2014, even though I had just helped a friend install a MVH-1400NEX in his Jeep a month earlier. They must have relocated it further in the dash. I used the BATIGE USB 3.0 & HDMI to HDMI + USB3.0 AUX Extension Dash Panel Waterproof Car Flush Mount Cable and mounted where the lighter would be on the dash, The other USB is in the glovebox. I never use Apple Carplay so I will just leave it there. Again the 4400 is exactly the same in very way. I couldn't justify the extra $100 for parking lines. I added the back up cam and there already there. I also added a front cam. I love it...unk:unk:unk::

 

Yep, the 4400 and 4500 are wireless. they also have wireless mirror link. This shows your phone on screen and allows you to use all your apps on your phone.

Forgot to mention, you do not need to buy the Pioneer in motion bypass. There is a way to bypass with following simple directions on you tube and takes about 10 second to do once your up and running and everything is back in place. Also, most of the aftermarket head units require the removal of the steel bracket that has the screw from the top of the dash. I didn't like that it kept moving a little bit so I found a screw toward the back of the dash that was a little left of center, I measured and drilled a hole in the dash toward the back and used a sheetrock screw with a small washer. When the rubber tray is back in you don't see it at all. and its solid as a rock, no movement or rattles!

Wow..thanks for all the info! I will check out the 4400. I don't need to parking lines either. I'm most excited about the front cam! Great suggestion on just using the Sirius app. That's what I listen to most of the time. I don't even know what the Pioneer in motion bypass is lol. I'll definitely check out youtube. Thanks!

 

I have the 4200 w/detachable face. I think it's pretty close in features to the 4500. No issues with the face and it's been in since May 2017.
I use Google maps through the unit with my samsung phone. No issues. Also has Waze but I don't think I've ever used it.

The 4200 has wired AA and Carplay. 4500 is wireless, I believe. Every now and then when I plug in my phone there is a message on the screen and I have to unplug and replug. Not sure you'd have that issue with wireless.

 

Yep, the 4400 and 4500 are wireless. they also have wireless mirror link. This shows your phone on screen and allows you to use all your apps on your phone.

 

Forgot to mention, you do not need to buy the Pioneer in motion bypass. There is a way to bypass with following simple directions on you tube and takes about 10 second to do once your up and running and everything is back in place. Also, most of the aftermarket head units require the removal of the steel bracket that has the screw from the top of the dash. I didn't like that it kept moving a little bit so I found a screw toward the back of the dash that was a little left of center, I measured and drilled a hole in the dash toward the back and used a sheetrock screw with a small washer. When the rubber tray is back in you don't see it at all. and its solid as a rock, no movement or rattles!

 

I also have the 4500NEX, installed July 2019. I don't go off roading but the detatchable face is secure and shouldn't just come off. It requires pushing a button to have the screen tilt out to you and then you have to press a release button. I lke the option of taking the screen off and taking it with me when I have the top off.

I use Android Auto and either Google Maps or Waze.
I mostly listen to music from music stored on my phone (28G).
I also put a SD card in it full of music in case I don't have my phone.

 

Yeah, I was going to load music on an SD card as well. Did you do the bypass wire or on screen bypass for in motion?

 

If your going to wire a rear back up cam do not wire to reverse lights. The Pioneer has a rear cam trigger wire that you hook up to the wire harness. You hook up both front and rear cams to 12v keyed power. If you are going to wire yourself, you can grab 12v keyed power from the red wire on the radio wiring harness. By doing this the back up cam will work when you put in reverse and will also be viewable at all times along with the front camera. Feel free to message me if you have any questions.

 

Thanks! Trying to decide if hubby is going to tackle this or if I'll have it installed somewhere. He's familiar with installing stereos, but I'm nervous if we have to trim anything lol. Really appreciate your help!

 

I've had detachable face-plates on almost every vehicle for the past 18 years or so (probably around 20 cars and trucks) and I've never once had one fall off or had any other issues relating to that aspect. Mostly Pioneer, some Kenwood. Like others, running Pioneer 4400s right now and very happy with them. The UI on recent Pioneers is a little weird but you quickly get used to it.

 

I had one a long long time ago and never had any problems with it. I thought it odd it would just fall off. I considered Kenwood, but think I'm going with the Pioneer. Anything will better than UConnect lol. Thanks!

 

My suggestion is to watch these videos to see if the hubby feels up to the task

 

My suggestion is to watch these videos to see if the hubby feels up to the task

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRyDyqopsF4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_72ZgspNGk

Thanks! I've watched a couple myself and wondered if I could do it myself lol!

It's not a top priority for him since it's not his daily driver and doesn't deal with the aggravation of UConnect. He's busy trying to figure out what wheels to get for my street tires haha!

We did stop by to see the head unit in person yesterday. I have to say I was not all that impressed with it. Didn't help that a nice bright easy to use Kenwood was right next to it. The Pioneer looked grainy and wasn't as easy to use compared to the Kenwood. And now I think I may want one with Nav. The only time we use the Nav is when we are wheeling out in the middle of nowhere when we don't have a signal to use our cell phones. A handful of times it has helped us get back to camp so hubby thinks it would be a good idea to have it.

So....I have no idea what I'm going to do now I like the Kenwood DNX696S. But not dead set on it.

Thanks for your help!

 

Just had a 2300 die on me after a year of use and replaced it with another Pioneer, DMH-C2550NEX

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130DMC2550/Pioneer-DMH-C2550NEX.html?tp=5684

So far pleased with it. Be sure to get it from a reputable place, not amazon. If you get it from Amazon and something goes wrong, Pioneer will not guarantee anything.

If you want Nav obviously this won't get it to you, but you get Apple Car Play and Android Auto and I believe you should be able to download maps for offline use.

Cannot go wrong with either unit and best of luck. Install is pretty easy, but many places do it for free. I just like to do it myself so I know it is done right.

 

Well hope this one lasts longer for you than the first one! I had considered Amazon, but figured it would be better to buy from Crutchfield or a local place. Most sellers I found were not authorized dealers on Amazon.

Our main use for Nav is to set our camp spot so we know how to get back (especially for night wheeling!) and to see what trails we've already done etc. Most of the trails don't show up on our phone maps and we often don't have cell service.

Do you use SiriusXM on yours? Can you scroll through the preset channels? That's one issue I found with Kenwoods. I didn't see it mentioned about the Pioneers but it may be a non-issue for most people. Thanks!

 

Ive had both Kenwood and Pioneer. I was pleased with both. The bright screen of the Kenwood is nice although did cause issues with glare and polarized glasses for me. Both units have use of the maps offline because they use a GPS antenna into the head unit and will get you to your pre added destination. The Kenwood of comparable price did not have wireless feature and most don't include Nav without the addition of the nav module. I'm not saying Pioneer is better than Kenwood, I'm saying that you are getting a great bang for the buck. I still have a Pioneer Supertuner3 in my 66 Mustang and plays flawlessly. I'm sure there's side by side comparisons out there in you tube land.

What model Kenwood were you looking at?

 

Thanks for the input! I know I'll be happy with either one. I'm looking at the DNX696S model that has nav. But now just discovered that Car Play only works with a wired connection. Guy at the stereo place said it was wireless

 

I have the 4400 in my truck. Love it got it for around 300 bucks. The only thing is the wireless CarPlay can be finicky. When I first got it it was awesome then apple updated the IOS and it's been weird ever since. It won't auto connect to the wireless CarPlay anymore. But if I plug it in and unplug it it'll be fine.But it was nice just having to get into the truck and it was automatically connected. no cords needed. Also, for some reason I can't find a usb stick that'll update the unit. It doesn't like any of the usbs I have

 

Make sure you check to see if your 4400 firmware is up to date. That is very important!!! As Apple updates their software so does Pioneer.

 

I added the Kenwood DNX696S and love the android auto, cameras and other options. Much improvement over the OEM unit.

 

That's the one I'm looking at. Is android auto wireless or wired? I want the option of both. Guy at the stereo place said it was wireless, but reading the info on Crutchfield says it only works with wired connection. Do you have the SiriusXM module? If so, can you use steering wheel controls to go through your preset stations? Somewhere I read that you can't with the Sirius presets that it only works with radio presets.

 

So I did a thing today. I bought the Pioneer. I had so many browser windows open from Crutchfield comparing products, reviews, etc. I opened another one and entered my search criteria yet again and saw that the Pioneer AVIC-W8500NEX was now $685...compared to $1195 in the other window I had open from yesterday! I liked that one (saw some videos showing the that picture didn’t look grainy etc) and the Kenwood that was priced similarly. Hubby agreed with me that it was stupid to spend that much on a stereo. So when I saw it priced at $685 I jumped on it before they changed the price back lol. So hopefully I’ll be happy with it. It will be 100x better than what I have now. Thanks for the input everyone!

 

That's a steal and a half, congrats! How is it less than the 4500?!

 

So this is my exact situation and I shared your anxiety picking between the Pioneer and Kenwood. It was the 8500NEX vs the DNX996R about even priced. but then the NEX dropped in price BUT the Kenwood screen.
So i tried reading about both but opinions are opinions.

then i started thinking about getting a non-NAV and adding a garmin on a Vector Off-Road bar....now I literally have no idea what to do.

 

My suggestion for you https://www.wranglerforum.com/f40/alpine-ilx-w650-install-and-review-2359511.html

Do you really need a navigation if you have CarPlay? or android auto?

 

I have mine in the original mic location. If I remember correctly I just removed some of the plastic that held the stock one, the plastic cover for the stock one just pops out. Watch out though. With my hard top the mic is fine. With the soft top people can't hear me so I use my headset instead. Of course with the top open or the doors off, forget about it...

 

So Best Buy wanted $100 to install the stereo and $130 for each camera. But he suggested I sign up for their yearly total tech support for $200 and I can cancel at anytime. If I need anything else installed within the year it would be free. Only issue is they can't do it until 4/2 because they need a whole day to do the install. He said they've done lots of Wranglers so he's familiar with the install. We may make an attempt at installing the stereo and have them do the cameras. Not sure yet. For $200 I think I'd rather have them do it, but I don't know if I can wait that long lol.

 

That seems like a pretty good price, I wonder why each camera is $130...the rear one is the most hassle and my first time took me 45 minutes to run all the cables (not counting wiring). Though after i spliced and all that jazz I came across as wire harness that could have saved me a lot of trouble.

A month is a long time to wait!

 

Anyone with a 4500NEX consider the 2550NEX? The 2550 is wired carplay, which is ok with me, a slightly smaller screen and half the cost.

 

I do not have it so can't answer. Didn't want to ignore you. I ultimately wanted navigation which took me to the 8500NEX

 

If you guys want to take a ride to NJ, I will help you install it free of charge!!!

 

:funnypost: Haha! Thanks for the offer. Would be a long haul for us!

 

The video wire from the rear cam will usually have the red cam power wire running along with it, if so, you can ground in the back by the taillight and use a pigtail off the red power wire from the radio. I added 2 pigtails to power front and rear cams. It is key on power so the cams are powered all the time and can be used while driving. Theyvdraw almost now power and wont be a problem adding both to the radio circuit. Be careful where you take power from for the cams. Some sources may cause interference with the camera video, known as signal noise. That's the reason I took off the radio red wire. The purple wire on the radio harness and maestro unit is the cam trigger wire. You just hook those up to each other. That activates the stereo to open the reverse cam screen. As long as your cams are powered on all the time it will work.

 

Thank you!

 

I just abandoned the the metal bracket all together. Cutting the trim was pretty easy. Hardest part is only running the backup camera. Once you have all the wires connected it is should be easy.

Have fun and enjoy the new system. Night and day!

 

I just cut the bottom part of the metal bracket off. I wanted to retain the top for support. Glad I did because I added a 67 designs phone holder a year or so afterwards.
And it only took 2 minutes with a Dremel.

 

I've been looking at the 67Design mount and the vector offroad bar....not sure which way to go.

 

I would at least try to keep it. If you bundle up the wires in an organized manner you should be fine getting things fitted in.

Here's an old thread that talks about the bracket.
https://www.wranglerforum.com/f202/...actory-rear-radio-bracket-in-aftermarket-installation-1042241.html#post16324106

 

So I really am bad about waiting. I didn't install it but I went ahead and took apart the dash and pulled out the stereo. I plugged everything in and started the car (disconnected battery during) and it worked! The speakers were really loud at volume 13.

GPS seems to work. HD radio sounded good but no data showed up on the screen and it kept saying analog. I'll figure it out later.

I then put pulled it out and put my non-functional 430N back in 😞.

So I'm now super excited and ready for the weekend.

 

Hilarious! You have less patience than I do lol. I've just been staring at everything in the box still. Can't wait to get it installed!

 

I did read somewhere on this post about the metal bracket that has the screw in the dish on top of the dash. I can tell you that I tried like hell to make that bracket work, and no luck. With the Pioneer 4400nex it makes the flip down screen rub on top because it forces the front of the unit up. Here is my alternative and the dash is solid and does not rattle or move. I removed the 7mm bolt on the dash and drilled a hole in the back of the dash cover. I used a 2" sheetrock screw w a dab of black silicone that I put in the hole directly to keep the screw from backing out.

 

I'm looking at the 67Design bracket that needs that screw to screw it down for stability...otherwise I wouldn't care as much.

Just bought since Dremel wheels to cut the dash and metal bracket. Tomorrow morning here I come!

 

great thread, very helpful. One thing, where is the best place to splice into wiring for the back up cam? I see some use the reverse light and others somewhere up front. Suggestions with idiot proof explanation please

 

I wouldn't splice the reverse light. I have the factory sub upgrade with the 12V outlet. I had to take the sub box out anyway to run the wiring so I just spliced off the 12v outlet. Quadratec sells a wiring harness that you can use so you don't have to splice but it's like $30.

One think I've noticed is that there is some small rattling and I cant figure out if it's coming from the stereo and if I need to find some foam to wrap around.

I noticed that the bottom sticks out more than the top too so I'm wondering if I didn't screw down enough or something.

The GPS adapter I'm placing near the ac vent on top of the dash. There is a part that comes out (saw it watching vector offroad dash) and the cable fits and easy access to dash to route to behind the stereo.

 

AlphaKev so you spliced into the rear 12 volt by the floor sub?

 

I have a 2012 so my sub is on the right side. Yes, i spliced in but wish I had gotten the harness because it would have been easier to undo instead of splicing, soldering and all that jazz.