1 Factory Radio

[Mike_H]

To those that are running the 1 Factory Radio (@glwood, maybe). Is there a core charge or anything? Looking to replace my factory head unit for one with Bluetooth. The 165 bucks isn't bad, but I have a radio that I could turn in too. Probably isn't a core charge, as I'm sure they can go grab them by the dozen at any number of wrecking yards across the country.

If anyone has any experience with the Bluetooth versions, let us know how you like them, eh?

 

[glwood]

To those that are running the 1 Factory Radio (@glwood, maybe). Is there a core charge or anything? Looking to replace my factory head unit for one with Bluetooth. The 165 bucks isn't bad, but I have a radio that I could turn in too. Probably isn't a core charge, as I'm sure they can go grab them by the dozen at any number of wrecking yards across the country.

If anyone has any experience with the Bluetooth versions, let us know how you like them, eh?

Sorry, not here. I am no audiophile. My setup is the bone stock Mopar AM/FM/CD.

 

[Johnnie Hough]

Look here!

https://www.1factoryradio.com/

 

[dbbd1]

Interesting concept but the price is too high for my liking. Especially in the jeep, I like it looking stock but, I just added an iPod w/ aux adapter. For phone calls, I just use a headset (or more likely, I have no cell reception where the jeep is anyways).

 

[Mike_H]

Sorry, not here. I am no audiophile. My setup is the bone stock Mopar AM/FM/CD.

I thought you had replaced it with one of the retrofitted Factory Radios from 1factoryradio.com. No worries.

 

[glwood]

I thought you had replaced it with one of the retrofitted Factory Radios from 1factoryradio.com. No worries.

I've considered it. An aux input would be nice, and my cd player won't always eject the disk. But I pretty much just listen to two or three radio stations, so no big deal.

 

[toximus]

I was looking at these too. I will probably end up with one for my red LJ once I have a moment to give them a call and see what model I need.

 

[Mike_H]

I'm going to call tomorrow, and order one. Going to see if they offer a core charge or anything. My stereo works, but the CD player doesn't. Tired of only having the FM radio option. Will probably opt for bluetooth and may spring for Satellite...We'll see what they say when I talk to them.

Wow...the ways projects grow. I only took the dash apart to install the wiring for my seat heaters...Now I've got full LED's, I've got an Amp and Sub on order, and I'm putting a new radio in. Sheesh....No wonder my wife doesn't want me getting another Jeep!

 

[Daryl]

I recently bought one of theirs that was converted with an auxiliary jack. Works great. No core charge.

 

[astjp2]

Why not get one of those mopar nav units that are still available?

 

[Mark K]

Last year, I got two 1FR units, for the 2000 TJ and the 2002 Sport Trac. There was no core charge, but the Ford unit replaced an identical OEM head, so the company paid me $25 and provided a shipping label to send in the old unit.

The Jeep unit replaced a junk Kenwood head that never did play well with the TJ. Both 1FR units have worked well and provide all the 'interfacibility' I want. I found some wee Bluetooth plug ins that go into the radio jack and allow an iPhone to control the play from the Jeep kitchen in the back. And, I have the clock back, with the dimming function intact.

My OEM Jeep radio had no tape slot, just a CD one. I asked 1FR for one of those with the input jack and was told that those particular units "had some troublesome internal parts", so they did not offer those in modified form. Instead, I got a Chrysler unit with both CD and tape slots, which used the same Jeep wiring connector from the factory. Installation was therefore a snap.

 

[Mike_H]

Why not get one of those mopar nav units that are still available?

I looked into that, they are cool'ish, but having Factory Nav in my other two vehicles, I prefer Google Maps. What would have pushed me toward the in dash unit is if you could "make" your own nav DVD and then load it...The State of MI publishes GPX tracks for all the legal trails that they maintain. Would have been cool to build that database into a in-dash unit...but alas, Chrysler used a proprietary file format for their data, so I can't do that. You also can't use the CD player when Nav is active...You have to have the NAV DVD installed. Not a huge deal for me, but might be for someone.

 

[Mike_H]

I ordered one. 165 bucks. They said they used to buy back old radios, but quit doing it as they had too many come back that were beyond repair. Should be here Wednesday. I'll post some pics and a review once I get everything back together.

 

[alittleoff]

I recently bought one of theirs that was converted with an auxiliary jack. Works great. No core charge.

Same for me. I just wanted the music that's stored on my phone.
And when it's top and doors are off for the season, nobody gives it a second look.

 

[Mike_H]

Well, this was kind of a frustrating weekend. The radio is going back. Pretty disappointed. It came to me with a faulty volume knob, it was an older revision radio, so mounting was slightly different and it just up and quit working after driving it at high volume for a couple minutes.

After dicking around this weekend, trying to use High level (speaker) inputs to my new amp and getting massive amounts of hiss, I'm going to scrap the factory radio idea and just get a cheap head unit off Crutchfield. Sucks, but it is what it is. There are just too many power wires under the dash. The speaker wires will pick up that voltage and the amplifier then amplifies the noise. Plus, I'm not super crazy about the quality of the 1Factory Radios anymore...

Probably would work well for a guy who just wanted the factory system, but I'm not him.

 

[toximus]

Well, this was kind of a frustrating weekend. The radio is going back. Pretty disappointed. It came to me with a faulty volume knob, it was an older revision radio, so mounting was slightly different and it just up and quit working after driving a bit hard.

After dicking around this weekend, trying to use High level (speaker) inputs to my new amp and getting massive amounts of hiss, I'm going to scrap the factory radio idea and just get a cheap head unit off Crutchfield. Sucks, but it is what it is. There are just too many power wires under the dash. The speaker wires will pick up that voltage and the amplifier then amplifies the noise. Plus, I'm not super crazy about the quality of the 1Factory Radios anymore...

Probably would work well for a guy who just wanted the factory system, but I'm not him.

That's disappointing. I suppose I had better wait to order one until I'm actually ready to use it and put it to the test.

 

[Mike_H]

That's disappointing. I suppose I had better wait to order one until I'm actually ready to use it and put it to the test.

Yes, I would wait until you're ready to use it. They only have a 30 day return policy and 90 day warranty. Like I said, I think it would be a good solution if you just wanted to run the factory set-up. Adding an Amp is going to be difficult. You could go with the Line Out converters, but by the time you have three of them ( Front, Rear, Sub), its another 30 bucks, minimum. If I'm spending 200 bucks (165 for the radio and another 30 for LOC's) I might as well get the Clarion that everyone raves about.

 

[toximus]

Yeah. I'm only running Polk speakers as an upgrade. I have no further desire to upgrade the system any further. I'd just like to have BT since radio stations I enjoy aren't always available where I drive.

 

[suicideking]

If you're going to the trouble of changing the radio for added features, I would definitely go with aftermarket. Most factory radios are quirky at best with bluetooth, though usually livable. I added an inexpensive Alpine bluetooth receiver for around $200 installed. It has bluetooth and a USB input. So I put all my music on a USB stick and have the cable run to the glove box. The USB is nice because it doesn't drain your phone battery.

Pretty much any aftermarket unit is going to have better sound and be easier to use and program. If you're even considering an aftermarket amp or speakers, you will definitely want aftermarket.

 

[XJCJTJ]

I bought a Bluetooth adapter that plugs into the disc changer plug on the back. Looks bone stock.