After looking into the costs and work involved adding bluetooth to the Harmon Kardon stereo plus finding that to connect an ipod it would still have to be done the Mickey Mouse way of using the Aux port in the back of the car I decided to go with an aftermarket option.

I have read many forum posts about it being difficult due to the installed setup and integration, and I consulted a few car audio companies. Only one gave me the real options of keeping the top screen live by moving the HK stereo to the boot. So I chose them as they knew what they were talking about and had done one before.

Afrer a little deliberation I decided that the nav and stereo in the Range Rover is pretty dire, and isn't helped by the stereo looking like its made by Fisher Price.

I was going to go down the route of a head unit with integrated nav, but decided against it as I thought the position of the head unit is too low to keep looking down at.

Since I've had the car I've alternated between the factory nav and my TomTom Live. I travel into Europe very regularly and although the screen size and map layout of the factory unit is quite good its lack of speed cameras and live info didn't give me the confidence of the TomTom.

So.... I decided to get the installers to rip the HK head unit and amp out. This renders the top screen dead.
I decided that I wouldn't use the factory nav, and the 4x4 info is of no real interest. The only other thing is settings and I have no plans to change the language of my dash.

On the dead screen I have mounted the tomtom, it now has power fed from behind the dash over the top of the screen. So is very neat.

I now have a Pioneer X5600BT headset, which gives bluetooth for phone and audio, iPod connection in the glovebox and also USB so I can plug a hard drive in with movies which can play whilst driving. None of this nanny c**p telling me what I can and can't do.

The amp has been replaced by a 5 channel JL XD700, which is far superior to the HK one and a Focal sub woofer in the boot.

Also had a reverse camera installed at the same time.

The result is fantastic, sounds amazing and the bluetooth phone is very clear.

The guy said the other RR they did the owner spent £4k on the system and mine sounds just as good for just under half the price.

I will put the old head unit, amp and probably nav (once I take it out) up on fleabay and this will probably get me back a big chunk of what the new system has cost.

For all those who ask about aftermarket stereo, I'd say go for it, but get it done properly. It makes the HK look very tired and old indeed.

Any pictures?

I did look into getting the sub, amp and speakers upgarded a year or so ago but everywhere I went said it was a total nightmare so didint bother.

After reading some posts on different forums I too was under the impression that its a nightmare, but it isn't. So long as the installers know what they are talking about.

I was given two options;

1 - To keep the top screen working the factory head unit would need to be relocated to to the rear of the car and kept connected. This would ensure that the factory amp and all the info you get on that screen functioned.

2 - Replace the amp with something better, fit a new head unit, and lose the top screen.

BTW I did mention that I didn't want the system to sound bad and them blame the factory speakers but the shop said the factory speakers are fine for the result I wanted. So all factory speakers have been left.

I did toy with the idea of getting a head unit with dual zone, and having the top screen replaced with a standard TFT screen in the hope that the nav from the new head unit could be shown on the top screen. Unfortunately none of the manufacturers can provide this. Only the movie feed can be sent to another screen. Hence I stuck with a TomTom up top.

My personal advice would be to anyone, go for it. IMHO the factory system is old and if like me you need to upgrade to add bluetooth etc. the cost doesn't make sense when you can install decent, new equipment.

Photos below.... I don't know why they appear on their side. The image host seems to have rotated them!

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

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I am currently toying with the idea of doing something similar to my RRS. I cant be doing with the current stereo and the AUX in is just a joke for external playing from a player or phone.

Can you tell me who did the install for you? I have had the same trouble you have had with countless people telling me it cant be done, yet I find folk like you that have done it! It clearly can be done, I think most fitters shy away from it due to the integration of the cd player and satnav etc.

When you say settings, do you mean that you lose the settings on the dash controlled by the button on the end of the headlight stick?

Cheers

Im ripping the HK ( ) out of mine this week, its not really that hard to do, iv made a speaker loom to go from my new head unit to where the defunct HK amp is, got an adaptor to connect the steering controls to the new headunit.
Treating all the rattily doors and door cars with dynamat, fitting a Genesis amp and JL W7 sub, headrest screens ect
will post some pictures up when its done.
All Harman JBL stuff is rubbish cant wait to get rid and the sat nav is so old fashioned its not worth having.

Yanos wrote:

I am currently toying with the idea of doing something similar to my RRS. I cant be doing with the current stereo and the AUX in is just a joke for external playing from a player or phone.

Can you tell me who did the install for you? I have had the same trouble you have had with countless people telling me it cant be done, yet I find folk like you that have done it! It clearly can be done, I think most fitters shy away from it due to the integration of the cd player and satnav etc.

When you say settings, do you mean that you lose the settings on the dash controlled by the button on the end of the headlight stick?

Cheers

So now that you have lost steering wheel controls to navigate around the computer menu on the dash how are you going to make changes if you need too.

Cheers

Garry 07MY RRS TDV6
Arctic Frost
Aspen Interior

The only thing you can't really do is change language, or reset MPG/Trip stats.

Trip can be reset manually on the other clock and MPG is not that accurate anyway. Unless I want to change the language there is no real downside.

As mentioned, its possible to have the existing head unit relocated to the boot if you want to keep this functionality.


For me, the gains everywhere else far exceeded keeping a Fisher Price looking stereo, which had no bluetooth functionality for my phone. A Sat Nav which required me to accept terms and conditions everytime it was used and having to use an Aux port in the rear! to connect an iPod.

I did forget to mention one other downside though, the voice commands don't work either

Most of the things that you mentioned will not be impacted as they are controlled by the i button on the indicator stork so you can reset mpg etc. What you will not be able to change are the settings within the menu that are set by the volume and forward and back buttons on the steering wheel - you will loose the ability to change things like speed alarm, the time the headlights stay on, temps etc - not such an issue if you are happy with the settings you already have as they should not change.

Cheers

Garry 07MY RRS TDV6
Arctic Frost
Aspen Interior

Hi triplemmm - how much did it all cost if you don't mind me asking?

£1500

but you can get back around £600 by selling the old head unit and amp.

Plus that price included a sub (not everyone's cup of tea) and reverse camera. So around £1100 without those.