I have an 06 FEH that has the SAT button on the radio, but does not have the Sirius radio kit installed. Is the Ford dealer my only option to get the kit, and can I install it myself, does it come with adequate instructions? How long does the initial subscription last that comes with the kit?

I have Sirius radio at home and love it.

-Dave

 

Don't know all your other options for the 2006. I searched on the web until I found that Visteon made the Ford satellite receiver for my NAV/head unit, then went to the Visteon web site and found a local dealer-installer. Never saw the instructions, etc., because I bought the unit installed. I've installed Pioneer head units/ satellite receivers in another car (Miata) & the hardest part was taking the trim off to run the antenna wires, and getting the dash surround off.

There was a trial subscription of few months included with the unit.

 

slightly off topic but because I love the Sirius so much (first experience with it), I bought a bunch of the stock (which is currently in the doghouse)...

 

I've also looked into that. Any chance you have any of the detailed item info that your local Visteon installed used ?? I'm in a rural area, so would need to take as much info as possible when I visit either my dealer or the Visteon folks.

I've also looked into the new 'MIRGE' add-on directly from Sirius, which works with both the Sirius as well as the XM content/satellites. Very intriguiging...cost of about $180 including car kit, external rooftop antenna, etc. It would have to connect in through the AUX input that I also use with my iPod Touch, but the real problem might be in finding suitable 'dash space' to mount it, to be honest. I also don't like having a power adapter using up the power outlet, so if I go that way, I'd have to permanently wire it in place.

Thanks everyone......Gary

 

Never had any of the info that presumably came with the receiver, as I didn't deal directly with Visteon. Once I had figured out the Visteon part I needed and where to get it, I called a couple of local installers who do the aftermarket repairs for the Ford dealers (got their names from the Visteon web site), and one of them knew exactly what I was asking for and took care of it without problem. I never involved the Ford dealer at all. I should have ordered it when I bought the car, but my initial satellite experience had been with Delphi aftermarket add-ons, and I was not impressed with the sound or signal quality until my wife bought a Saab with factory satellite-- there was a huge difference, and then I wanted one for the MMH.

 

I contacted one of the internet Visteon distributors, and was quoted $329 for the Sirius kit. I also visited the Sirius website and they sell the SiriusConnect Universal Vehicle Tuner for $49.

http://shop.sirius.com/edealinv/servlet/ExecMacro?nurl=control/StoreItem.vm&ctl_nbr=2640&siId=2482698&scId=24750

My guess is that it is equivalent to the kit sold by Visteon, but maybe the cabling is not compatible. I have an email to Sirius to find out. I have not contacted Ford yet to find out the price of the kit directly from them.

-Dave

 

I'm not an expert on this by any means. I would just make sure that the Sirius Connect unit is compatible with the factory head unit (as you are doing). The price for the Visteon receiver is about what I paid, if I remember correctly. For the extra bucks, I got OEM interface appearance on the NAV touchscreen. Was it worth it? Hard to say: for me, yes. If you can get the same thing for 50 bucks on the non-NAV headunit, go for it.