04 Stereo Upgrade?

[PHATCAT67]

Finally!!!! The 02 Lse Got Totaled, So I Picked Up This 04 Ls V8 Sport!!! Talk About Power!!!! Anyways!!! On This One It Is Equipped With 10 Speaker Audiophile System- Can It Be Upgraded To Thx Navi? Just A Question... Probably Know The Answer Already But It Is Worth A Shot....

 

[lexmarkz00]

i've been wanting to know that as well

 

[SoonerLS]

It can, but, IIRC, it's way expensive. The figure that leaps to mind is $2500, but it's been a long time since I looked. From what I recall, there's a new head unit, new amps, the deletion of the two knee speakers, plus the DVD-based brain of the Nav system that goes in the trunk. It wasn't cheap in either parts or labor...

 

[2001LS8Sport]

It can, but, IIRC, it's way expensive. The figure that leaps to mind is $2500, but it's been a long time since I looked. From what I recall, there's a new head unit, new amps, the deletion of the two knee speakers, plus the DVD-based brain of the Nav system that goes in the trunk. It wasn't cheap in either parts or labor...

Sooner...I need to do some research for the LS, but I can definitively tell you it is not feasible on the Aviator. The speakers between the two systems are driven differently for one. There is also a module in the system that would need to be integrated. Steering wheel controls don't automatically integrate. There are shielded cables, twisted pairs, and on and on. The only way to make it work on the Aviator was to actually replace the entire main body harness...and that was incredibly expensive. The Aviator also was voice activated and you would need the rear view mirror. I believe the LS didn't have this feature...but that could have changed. I looked at doing this for months and literally combed through every wiring diagram and circuit for both systems and realized that the cost was incredibly prohibitive. It was sooo much easier and cheaper to get a Pioneer AVIC-D1 double din unit or similar. Not only that, from what I've seen, the Pioneer is actually a better NAV unit than the factory one. XMTraffic for example and spectacular navigation screens. You have to get past a couple of lock outs that are ridiculous, but that's easy enough.

 

[SoonerLS]

You might be right. Obviously, with the right amount of money, anything can be done, but there are some things that are cost prohibitive. It's been six months since I investigated the possibility of switching to the Nav/THX unit, so I may be mis-remembering, but I could have sworn that it was a possibilty, at least for my '04. It was so much more than I was willing to spend at the time that I didn't pursue it beyond the price.

I have since learned (thanks to someone who's converting from the factory Nav/THX unit to an aftermarket setup) that there were wiring harness changes during the '03 production run that effectively make the early- and late-production '03 Nav units non-interchangeable.

 

[SoonerLS]

It was sooo much easier and cheaper to get a Pioneer AVIC-D1 double din unit or similar. Not only that, from what I've seen, the Pioneer is actually a better NAV unit than the factory one.

That would probably explain why Ford/Lincoln has switched to Pioneer for their new OEM Nav units.