New head unit - pros and cons of Maestro?

I'm finally breaking down and putting in a Kenwood head unit with wireless carplay. Looks like there are two ways to go - the Maestro or a standard harness.

I'm curious what is lost by going to standard harness - there must be something in the OEM display that will no longer work with a Kenwood unit unless the maestro is hooked up? Or is it only cons - i.e. get the OBD data unlocked?

I don't really need all the OBD features - have a reader, and have the software, etc. but I'd hate to lose something as well.

Any thoughts would be great, thank you!

 

I think the Maestro let's you retain your steering wheel controls and the display on the dash.

** I could be wrong though.

 

Meastro retains everything except for the factory mic. You will lose steering wheel controls without it.

 

I don't know what a 'standard' harness is.
I have the Maestro with my Kenwood HU.
I've also used it for 2 Pioneer and another Kenwood HU, I easily reflashed it for each one.
With the Maestro you can flash the steering wheel buttons to do specific tasks, or just use the default and it will work like the OEM HU.
The only thing it doesn't do that the OEM did, was able to scroll the presets of XM.

I rarely use the OBO features except for the TPMS readout.
But I'd say the Maestro is worth the money..


https://youtu.be/822YDVj5GoA

 

Ah, got it. Sounds like Maestro is the way to go. Def want the steering wheel buttons to work!

 

You can retain steering wheel controls with other modules, but you're maybe saving $50 and not getting any of the other benefits of the Maestro RR mentioned above. I had a Crux SWC module that worked ok, but it was nice swapping over to the Maestro to get OEM controls back in the head unit, along with music info in the center dash.

 

I pulled the factory unit out 2 weeks after I got the truck so don’t really remember much if any type of loss, the maestro with the kenwood was a tremendous gain, as far as sound, info and navigation, and keeping the steering controls a huge plus on my unit as the volume control, and Chanel select are pretty small on the stereo itself

 

You also gain the ability to see exactly WHICH tire is low and also the pressures/temps of the 4 tires.