Sirius or XM satellite radio with RB1 audio/GPS unit

Hi,

I have just purchased a new 2005 Chrysler Town & Country Limited with
the stock RB1 Navigation 6CD changer but without the Sirius satellite
radio option. What are my options for getting a satellite radio
subscription to play through the unit rather than as an add on unit? Is
it only limited to Sirius? Also, my salesman had said that with
installation it would cost upward of $500 rather than the $195 upcharge
had it been set up that way at the factory. Does that sound right?

Thanks,

Marc

 

Chrysler only makes (or sells) Sirius satellite receivers for its cars.
They sell the receiver itself and a vehicle-specific installation kit. It's
about $300 for the parts, check the link below for an example:

http://www.wyckoff-mopar-parts.com/sirsatradsys.html

The vehicle-specific installation kit contains the antenna, and the cables
necessary to it in your car. I bought both in 2003, when they first came
out, and had a dealer install it into my 2002 PT Cruiser. He charged me
$100 labor, but keep in mind this was the first one they ever did, so he
really didn't know WHAT to charge.

It worked great, and I loved Sirius with NO COMMERCIALS!!!!! on their music
channels. My wife wanted it in her 2003 PT so we bought the receiver and
installation kit, and I installed it myself. It wasn't too hard, but it was
scarey, drilling a 3/4 inch hole in the roof of a fairly new car. The rest
was just pulling interior trim out of the way and routing the cable to the
radio. Sometime later I bought and installed the RB1 Nav unit in my car and
was very happy with the whole setup.

I recently traded in my 02 PT for an 04 PT Cruiser GT. I put my RB1 Nav
unit into the 04, but left the Sirius receiver in the 02. I will be getting
a new Sirius receiver when I can afford it. If you can still get the dealer
to install it as part of the deal, go for it!

SRG

 

You do know you could put more music than you could listen to
in a day on mp3's on a DVD player with NO COMMERCIALS
don't you? (and probably less money than the subscription ;-)

Ted

 

There is now an XM Direct unit made for that radio. Your not tied to Sirius
anymore.

http://www.myradiostore.us/xm-radio-receivers/xm-direct-chrysler-rvr-d-001-c
hy100.html

 

Yes, I know someone who does exactly that. I could also burn as many cd's
with downloaded music as I felt and save the cost of the mp3 player. But
either way, you wouldn't get new music unless you updated the mp3 player,
you wouldn't get Sirius's comedy channels, different news channels, talk
channels, etc.

Let's face it, if the $13 per month cost is that important to someone, he
wouldn't be interested in satellite radio to begin with.

SRg

 

New receivers will soon support both Sirius and XM under an order from god
(the FCC). Some after-market units are on the street already.

Richard.