On 1/8/2012 7:20 AM, Steve Stone wrote:
One thing that's changed is that people are keeping their vehicles
longer and are willing to spend a little extra up front for something
they are going to live with for ten years, and those with older vehicles
that still have a DIN or double DIN opening for a head unit are willing
to replace it with something with more capability, not just digital
radio, but Bluetooth, iPod control, AUX-In, etc..


A fairly recent issue I stumbled across on aftermarket upgrading auto
radios is the CAN_BUS linkage of just about anything, including the
radio, to the rest of the the electronics in the car.
It creates a whole new headache above and beyond getting the replacement
radio to fit in the opening and matching the wiring harness.

That's right, and the few high-end replacement units that have CAN
capability are not cheap. When you buy a new car these days you'd better
get the features you want at the time of purchase since you're not going
to be able to add them on later.

Manufacturers need to be careful to not lose sales to a competitor that
includes capabilities that they try to charge extra for. It's sometimes
amazing what consumers will focus on when choosing one vehicle over
another. From the design of cup holders, to the audio system, when
you're deciding between very similar vehicles at similar cost, these
things make a difference.