[discochris]

So on my 2012 JK I have very few options. (hard top, automatic, AC, tow package - that's it). On my list of upgrades to do, one is to upgrade the radio.

My question is if given the choice, would you go aftermarket, or would you buy one of the top end Chrysler units (all over the place on ebay.) I'm currently running an aftermarket XM radio as well into the aux input.

The one concern I have in going aftermarket, is whether it would be more likely to get stolen. Stealing car stereos seems like such a 1980's - 90's thing, but it has happened to me once. I picked up a soft top to run in the summer which of course will make it easier to steal things but would a factory unit be less likely to be ripped off?

 

[panthermark]

Aftermarket will give you far more options and a much better sound. But it will also be far more likely to get ripped off.

Your call...

I went base model, and upgraded to a 430 from ebay. But I also made sure I had Alpine, Sirius, and Connectivity so that everything was plug and play.

 

[55chevypost]

The 730n does more than most would ever want and cant beat the look of OEM,IMO.

 

[jwilson2598]

The 730n does more than most would ever want and cant beat the look of OEM,IMO.

x2 on this...

 

[lolpetewtf]

Aftermarket. It won't get stolen unless someone is specifically looking to rip off Wranglers. It is not like the 90s where you insert 4 pins next to the stereo and it pops out; you have to take the dash apart.

I can do it in 5 minutes because I did it so many times, but the average thief would not know where to start.

 

[discochris]

Aftermarket will give you far more options and a much better sound. But it will also be far more likely to get ripped off.

Your call...

I went base model, and upgraded to a 430 from ebay. But I also made sure I had Alpine, Sirius, and Connectivity so that everything was plug and play.

I decided to do the same. I just ordered a 430 RBZ with Sirius off ebay.
I had no interest in a nav unit considering the increased cost and limitations involved - plus I own two very nice Garmin GPS's. I don't have uconnect and am debating on whether I want to add it.

For the price and ease of install, it just seemed like the way to go.

 

[panthermark]

I decided to do the same. I just ordered a 430 RBZ with Sirius off ebay.
I had no interest in a nav unit considering the increased cost and limitations involved - plus I own two very nice Garmin GPS's. I don't have uconnect and am debating on whether I want to add it.

For the price and ease of install, it just seemed like the way to go.

Cool....
What was the version/product number on the one you ordered?

 

[discochris]

Cool....
What was the version/product number on the one you ordered?

I read your post on JK-forum. It's one of the newest ones, where the version number is 5091201 and has the anti-theft. So based on that, it will probably have the blue lighting, which, to me, is not a big deal. I confirmed that it will ship with the security code.

One thing to note for people who might be thinking of this. There are RBZ units that do NOT have Sirius built in. I almost made the mistake of buying one. This might not be important to some, but it was for me.

Do you know if the satellite antenna is standard, or is it a Chrysler specific part?

 

[panthermark]

I read your post on JK-forum. It's one of the newest ones, where the version number is 5091201 and has the anti-theft. So based on that, it will probably have the blue lighting, which, to me, is not a big deal. I confirmed that it will ship with the security code.

One thing to note for people who might be thinking of this. There are RBZ units that do NOT have Sirius built in. I almost made the mistake of buying one. This might not be important to some, but it was for me.

Do you know if the satellite antenna is standard, or is it a Chrysler specific part?

Satellite isn't standard, but most Wranglers come with Sirius already checked as an option. There might be a small window of 2011 radios that have green back-lighting, but i'm not sure. The newer ones do have updated software (which I don't have) which allows you "record/re-play" sat radio songs. I think it has a 45 minute buffer or something like that. Plus it allows you to mark favorites.

 

[discochris]

Satellite isn't standard, but most Wranglers come with Sirius already checked as an option. There might be a small window of 2011 radios that have green back-lighting, but i'm not sure. The newer ones do have updated software (which I don't have) which allows you "record/re-play" sat radio songs. I think it has a 45 minute buffer or something like that. Plus it allows you to mark favorites.

No what I was wondering is if the satellite antenna connector is the same as all other satellite radios have, or it if it is a Chrysler specific part.

 

[panthermark]

No what I was wondering is if the satellite antenna connector is the same as all other satellite radios have, or it if it is a Chrysler specific part.

That I don't know. I'm assuming they are the same across the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep line (since my 430 came out of a Town and Country and fits fine. Plus a lot of people use RBZ's out of Rams), but I don't know about aftermarket parts.

 

[discochris]

I got the RBZ installed today. They forgot to send me the security code with the unit, but the seller replied within an hour with the code (nice of them, because they were on vacation this week). It works perfectly and install was a snap. Less than 45 minutes beginning to end.

Yes, it does have the blue lighting, but that doesn't really matter, because the screen is bright enough at night that it's not really noticeable. It booted up immediately with the Jeep logo as well. Not sure if that's because it came from a Jeep, or if it's because it read the computer.

My existing XM antenna from my portable unit works fine with the Sirius on the 430, which was nice because I didn't have to re-do that wiring. I did have to get a 9 dollar adapter to extend the jack because the 430 has the clip on FARKA connector, but that was no problem. In addition, a pleasant surprise was that the Sirius is already working, meaning there must be some time left on the contract on the unit - I won't bother to move it over to my existing account until it stops working, so I'm getting free satellite radio in the Jeep for now.

I really like the 430 the little I've played with it. I'm not a car audiophile, so this is really a perfect solution for me, and a far better bargain than aftermarket would have been.

Now I have to work on filling the hard drive with music as well.

 

[discochris]

Uploaded 4000 songs to the hard drive today with a 32gb flash drive. The upload took about four hours. It took a lot longer to convert a bunch of my songs from AAC to MP3. (we have a 6500 song collection on our Mac Mini server).

All the album and artist info copied over fine, so now I don't have to deal with wires, iPod interface or anything else. So far I'm really pleased with my decision.

 

[panthermark]

Very cool!
Yeah, from what I can tell, the newer versions have different software which auto-updates to the Jeep Logo (and you also have a few more features like marking favorite artists and rewinding songs on Sirius)....but they also have the blue LED lighting. On another forum some people have changed the back-lighting on the dash to match the radio....others have had someone change the back-lighting on the RBZ to match the dash. As you (an others have said), it isn't a huge deal because the screen is blue anyway. But my guess is that at some point Wranglers will go to blue dash lighting as well.

My Sirius booted right up as well. I'm not sure if "my account" that transferred over, or if their is time left on the original unit. I'm thinking it is my account, because I can't see a unit from a mid 2010 still having time on it.

In the end, the RBZ upgrade is pretty easy....and worth the money....especially if you can snipe a unit for even cheaper.

So are you running a different satellite connector?

 

[frankorego]

I can do it in 5 minutes because I did it so many times, but the average thief would not know where to start.

I just got my jeep last month a Sport S with the 130. Just bought the 430 off ebay like suggested. Now I just need to know how to swap them. Is there a wiki or thread that show how to swap them? I know there is a bolt behind the window switch and under the rubber insert on top of the dash but was wondering if the center radio bezel just pops out after removal of those bolts?

Thanks
Frank

 

[panthermark]

I just got my jeep last month a Sport S with the 130. Just bought the 430 off ebay like suggested. Now I just need to know how to swap them. Is there a wiki or thread that show how to swap them? I know there is a bolt behind the window switch and under the rubber insert on top of the dash but was wondering if the center radio bezel just pops out after removal of those bolts?

Thanks
Frank

1st page has instructions.

Installed an RBZ Mygig in my 2012 JKU

4 bolts to remove the dash.

Two under the steering wheel.
One under the rubber holder on top of the dash.

Use a wide flat-head screwdriver (or something wide and flat) to gently pry out the power window pod. That 4th bolt is in there.

Once you do it more than once, swapping HU's is a 10 minute job.

 

[frankorego]

Awesome. Thanks! :dance:

 

[discochris]

I've found a bit of a glitch with the 430 RBZ. I thought I'd loaded all 4000 songs to the hard drive, but I hadn't. It seems to stop at 2048 songs, with no rhyme or reason as to which songs it leaves out. It will load additional songs after that, but it's sketchy as to how many or why. I've pared my list down to 2000 songs, and that seems to work, but there's something a bit wonky about it that it would do that, despite a whole ton of hard drive space remaining.