New and looking for head unit replacement with CarPlay options.

Awesome to own a Tundra. Took my new 2019 on a 3600 mile trip this summer pulling a 25ft Airstream with a Thule bike system carrying 4 bikes. The truck pulled like a champ and the only downside was no Apple CarPlay. But no big deal. Although I am trying to determine which head unit I should go with....

Here is my Tundra.... pic attached.

 

Welcome from TEXAS

MGM CRÜE

 

Welcome. Trade it in for a 2020. You might not lose as much money compared to getting a new stereo and install. While keeping it oem. Push button start is an option too.

 

kenwood, alpine and pioneer all have car play units. still cheaper than trading your truck for a 2020..

 

$520 Kenwood DMX7706S 6.95" Digital Media Receiver w/Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Kenwood DMX7706S what I got recently.

 

Congrats on the new truck!
I’ve never used apple carplay (iPhone noob), on my trip I just Bluetooth the music from my phone.

 

I don’t remember the except model, but I have the pioneer with wireless car play. Highly recommend it as no cables for car play!

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I’m such a noob to stereo systems.... I am most concerned with retaining the majority of the TOYOTA features but making sure I have CarPlay. And it’s not really for streaming tunes - it’s the map functions, audible and etc. I have some research to do - no doubt.

 

Welcome from NY.

 

Welcome from Alberta Nice truck!

 

Just put a Kenwood 996XR in my 16' and am really happy but I use Android Auto 90% of the time (google maps on the head unit is crazy great). Girlfriend uses an iPhone and everything looks fine but I honestly wouldn't know if it didn't.

There are aftermarket units you can purchase that go between the truck system and the new head unit that retain the factory bells and whistles and can add a few more depending on which deck you choose.

 

I’m in the same boat, didn’t realize how much I’d miss CarPlay. Kenwood seems to be pretty popular on here. I’d especially love a wireless option.

 

So I just got a Kenwood DMX906S. I will give updates on the install.

 

I've wanted CarPlay for some time and have been aggravated that it took Toyota so long to come out with it. I recently upgrade my daughters 2011 4Runner with a Kenwood receiver with CarPlay and decided to upgrade my 18 1794 recently. Looked at the Tesla units and others, but like a few others, I bought the Kenwood Excelon DNX996XR. It's sitting in a box in my office while waiting for the trim kit, which arrives today. Bought it through James from Taylor's Audio. Great deal on the unit and he took care of wiring the harness, so it's all a plug and play install. Pretty straightforward.

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/car/excelon/dnx996xr/

 

Agreed. Recently, like in the last year or two, they rolled out a few vehicles here and there (not across all new vehicles, mind you) with CarPlay. It's been available by other companies for years. It's not going away. It's a competitive advantage for having CarPlay and AA. Toyota dropped the ball, IMO.

 

Couldn’t agree more.

The DNX996XR looks like a great option, a little pricey but I’ll be doing more research on that offering for sure.

 

True, top of the line. Probably will be cheaper in the spring once the the new HUs come out. 200.00 Rebate going on now though through 9/30, plus saved a few hundred on top of that going though James.

 

I have seen on youtube that there are some options available that don't make you replace the radio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX_5eNjc78w

I wonder if anyone on here has done something like this yet!

 

There's another similar option as well, but for 450.00 you might as well get a new head unit. Each of these have its quirks, like one you can't use the OEM headphone and another weird popping noise. I wanted wireless CarPlay, so these are out.

https://youtu.be/RvN58WY-ceI

 

I prefer the oem look. Plus I love all of my steering wheel audio controls. Aftermarket is out of the question for me.

 

You don't loose your steering wheel controls with an aftermarket unit. Not an issue there. If you look at post#5 - the picture - you'll see the trim kit makes it look pretty OEM. I went down the same path, like the OEM look as well, but you hard use any of the OEM buttons on the sides, except maybe the volume know. I use the steering control 98% of the time anyway.

 

I installed the Kenwood DMX906S, a JL Audio JX400 amp,

$138 Maestro ADS-MRR Universal Radio Replacement and Steering Wheel Interface

Maestro ADS-MRR, Metra 99-852 Dash kit.

I lost the navigation, the eco system that tracks mpg, and some of the other entune functions. The steering wheel functions still work. The OEM microphone had to be replaced. See the picture attached, the new mic is behind the mirror and works great.
I love having CarPlay back and the sound is great.

 

lol

 

Another option would be to mirror your phone via beat-sonic . https://youtu.be/UH0yhrRWWOo , was going to go this route but tried the Phoenix Android HU and am very satisfied with it.

 

I'm looking at installing the exact same HU, Maestro and Metra Dash kit. I was wondering if you installed this into a CM with the JBL, formerly?
I ask because I have a CM with the JBL and took the Tacotune route and kept the stock HU and amp and installed the Recurve. Curious of how you approached the wiring?

 

Looking to get the same unit. On your pic, you are playing through Bluetooth but you don't have any album art on the screen, just the default graphic. Any ideas? Everything that I have found on the web says that it should work.