QuestionJustin,
Hopefully you can answer this: We are going through hell trying to get a Honda dealership to provide a straight answer to our simple question. Maybe you can give some help. We bought a 2008 Honda Pilot EX, assuming it came XM radio ready (only sign up for subscription required to use). Well, once we contacted XM, they said the ID indicated that this auto needed an XM receiver installed. Can you provide a summary of what's required so we can ask for it intelligently? Also, can we go somewhere else for the installation? Circuit City, Best Buy? Can we do it ourselves? We've checked with six dealerships and have received wildly varying estimates; from that I have correctly discerned that the dealerships can make some nice money on these installations. Thanks!
AnswerHi Len,
In the Honda Pilot, various models had an XM tuner built in, which would require nothing more than an activation. That was NOT a standard option on the EX (but it was on the EX-L), so unless you specifically asked to have it added, and your bill of sale suggests you had it added, then you don't. That being said, it means your factory deck *probably* supports the addition of the factory tuner.
The bad news is you'll need to buy it from a dealership to get it, as the hardware to put it in is almost certainly going to be proprietary.
If you want to add aftermarket XM support (which will inevitably be far cheaper), you can get FM transmitting XM radio hardware which you can install yourself, or you can go to a place like best buy, and likely buy an aftermarket deck with native xm support (and/or with an addon) and still get it all done cheaper than the dealership would charge.
Go to http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=458810&da=y to view a PDF with step-by-step instructions on removing the panels/hardware needed to get at the factory XM tuner to see if your car has one, and you're interested in definitively finding out.
Justin
