frecapi

Audi dealer quoted me around $500 to install satellite radio in my A4 Avant with navigation, and pre wired for satellite. It is so incredibly expensive! Are there other options to install satellite radio? I would like to use the display I already have instead of adding another receiver on the dash. Has anyone gone through this? Can I buy a tuner somewhere and install it myself? Is it Audi specific or are there any aftermarket tuners?

Audi2.0TFSI

The unit mounts in the trunk and requires 3-4 plugs. There is also a plug that needs to be moved in the driver footwell. There is a write-up around here somewhere.

I have Sirius, and my wife has XM- I've worked on both. I prefer XM because the unit is cheaper (around $30-50 vs $100+ for the Sirius unit) and gets better sound quality, IMHO. But they are pretty much the same. I should also mention that XM customer service is BAD.

joec500

5 mins to install...Cleanest install and also the dealer cannot give you hard time if you come in for Electrical Warranty Work.

Pelican Pete

A friend of mine just bought a 2006 MB C350 and it came with Sirius. He also has a handheld XM receiver. He said that the sound quality on the Sirius is so bad that he prefers listening to FM radio instead. He's wondering if it's the MB-Harmon Kardon hardware that sounds so bad, or if it's the Sirius system which sounds so bad.

Just wondering what your experience has been.

Thanks,
P.

joec500

on Sirius sound better than others, I am guessing some of the more listened to stations have higher bandwidth, but there is some compression, like on low bit rate MP3. It's not the best quality, CD will always be better, and my home setup will always sound the best, but I really enjoy the programming. I would rate the sound quality 7/10, where a CD Source is 10/10

Reggie

<ul><li><a href="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec.html">Tech article</a></li></ul>

Reggie

XM sounded better, better playlists and better service

JohnStr

to get both line-ups?

Audi2.0TFSI

I had a very hard time with XM. I called to have my wife's activated and I wanted it done on a certain day, since it was a gift. (Hence why I did'nt use the website at first)

They messed it up, never billed me and never activated it (God only knows where my Credit Card info went).

I then tried the website. And it told me my account did not exsist and it could not find my radio code when I tried to create a new account. Now comes the fun part. I called several times. The first lady told me my radio code was invalid, verify the code on the unit, and call them back.

I called back after verifing my code (which was correct), and got a rude Indian woman that I could not understand because she BARELY spoke English. After 20 minutes trying to spell out my name and address, she was unable to help. She did find the code, but could not get it activated, since the unit was registered prior.(to the previous owner)

She then transfered me to a woman with a Hispanic accent. Another 15 minutes passed, spelling out my name and address, and she was kinda rude. I kept a positive demenor, and she found the radio code and activated the radio for me. I refused to give my credit card info again (since they lost it the first time), so I requested a bill, which was not a problem according to her and it would be right out.

It never came.

I got sick of waiting and after two weeks, I logged into the website and payed the bill online. I'm just glad I got more than a year till I have to deal with them again.

My suggestion- activate XM online, and pray your code is not "invalid"

Audi2.0TFSI

Sirius <i>sometimes</i> sounds metalic at higher volumes. XM is better in quality, hands down.