Anyone have a pioneer Avic-Z2 or Avic-D3?

[mattw]

I'm thinking about getting one but I can't decide which. The Z2 has all the features I want, but the D3 has a way better GUI and Ipod interface. I'd like to hear about any of your experiences (good or bad) with either one of these. Or if anyone knows of another good HDD in dash nav system that can rip cds, other than the JVC one, I'd like to hear about it.

[Manedwolf]

I'd considered it, but then I'd heard on several forums that the cooling fan on the unit is quite loud.

[Perd Hapley]

I'd recommend the Panasonic Eggroll.  It has 22 Gigs of cache buffer, in-dash styling mousse, and you can download a patch from this website that will straighten out the capitalization on your iPod.  Or Ipod, I should say.  I've had mine for about thirty years, and it has never been gooey or ripped up any of my CDs. 

[Manedwolf]

Pioneer heads and add-on units are excellent in maintaining standards. They've kept the IPbus system for a long time, meaning that a head from 2000 can plug right into an XM unit from 2005 or an iPod interface from right now, recognize and use it with just one single digital cable connector that can be daisy-chained. It's like USB, almost.

I like that. I just don't know that the current AVIC line is worth it, yet...both due to the cooling van noise I mentioned, and also because the graphics are still not up to par with what I expect for 2007, very blocky, somewhat clunky interface.

I'd wait for the next model. I can fit a double-DIN in mine, so I'd been eyeing it, but I wanna wait.

Also, check to see what the preouts are, on the some of the AVIC series, they were horribly weak voltage levels, which would lead to loss of signal in the run to an amp in the trunk.

Right now, I stilll have a DEH-P4000 head, IPbus-connected to a GEX-P910 XM reciver and CDB-20 analog input. The rest goes via Monster Cable back to the big Infinity amps in the trunk and the rest of the system.