• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Bluetooth in your car

ski stef

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
1,029
Points
36
Location
Breckenridge, Colo.
Anyone know how to install or how to get a kit to hook up bluetooth in your vehicle? I've been trying to find something for my 2006 Audi a4 but haven't had any luck. My girlfriend has it in her truck and it really is nice to be handsfree when talking on the phone. She got hers hooked up by installing a new CD player but that really isn't an option in my vehicle...
 

ctenidae

Active member
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
8,959
Points
38
Location
SW Connecticut
My wife used a BlueAnt system that worked really well. Not through the car's stereo, but it's like a speaker phone that clips to your visor. Had great sound, good noise isolation, and maybe too good a range (if she forgot to turn it off, it would try to pick up her cell phone in the house from the garage). Voice activation, phonebook, etc etc.
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
Have you checked with Audi? They may have had something available that worked with the factory stereo.
 

ski stef

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
1,029
Points
36
Location
Breckenridge, Colo.
I haven't checked with Audi direct but from what I've read they charge you a ridiculous price. I will now call just to see what they say. Ive seen some stuff on amazon but the reviews are always 50/50 and I dont want to purchase something I don't know how to install or not know if it's going to work.

I have seen the blueant product and it does look pretty good especially after your review but if there is a way to hook it through my own audio system id rather do that. Especially since the functions are there on my steering wheel
 

ctenidae

Active member
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
8,959
Points
38
Location
SW Connecticut
I have seen the blueant product and it does look pretty good especially after your review but if there is a way to hook it through my own audio system id rather do that. Especially since the functions are there on my steering wheel

Hardwiring it is a whole other kettle of fish. A car stereo shop could probably set you up somehow. Odd for Audi to include the buttons if the car's not set up with a system, though.
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
What buttons do you have on the steering wheel, just audio controls for the radio, or something specifically for answering calls? If its the latter I'd think that you already have the capability in the car, it just needs to be setup. Like c-ten said, its unlike Audi to put in buttons that don't do anything. If not I'd also recommend checking with a stereo shop, I'm almost certain there's an after market solution that would integrate into you existing radio. Be prepared though; the last time I looked into such a system it wasn't particularly cheap, and that was just for the unit I would have installed it myself. Its worth looking into though.
 
Last edited:

ski stef

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
1,029
Points
36
Location
Breckenridge, Colo.
there are two buttons that when i press them it comes up in my screen control "no function" I bought the car used and unfortunately there is no manual...and it is a real pain to find answers on how to figure this out. Turning my blutetooth on for my phone doesn't trigger anything in the vehicle. I guess I will try to call audi or a stereo shop or look for a manual to order online.

I have done some research on the blue ant and some other manufacturers and they definitely are a little pricey ($150+).
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
there are two buttons that when i press them it comes up in my screen control "no function" I bought the car used and unfortunately there is no manual...and it is a real pain to find answers on how to figure this out. Turning my blutetooth on for my phone doesn't trigger anything in the vehicle. I guess I will try to call audi or a stereo shop or look for a manual to order online.

I have done some research on the blue ant and some other manufacturers and they definitely are a little pricey ($150+).

Check out some of the many Audi forums out there, you may be able to find some helpful information.
 

ctenidae

Active member
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
8,959
Points
38
Location
SW Connecticut
there are two buttons that when i press them it comes up in my screen control "no function" I bought the car used and unfortunately there is no manual...and it is a real pain to find answers on how to figure this out. Turning my blutetooth on for my phone doesn't trigger anything in the vehicle. I guess I will try to call audi or a stereo shop or look for a manual to order online.

I have done some research on the blue ant and some other manufacturers and they definitely are a little pricey ($150+).

Did a quick forum scan, and it does appear the buttons are dead, which is a weird thing for Audi to do, but there it is. Good news is, it might be relatively easy for an installer to retrofit a system.

THis is the BlueAnt set up we have: http://www.amazon.com/BlueAnt-Super...3NGS/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1335962997&sr=8-8
 

mlctvt

Active member
Joined
Mar 24, 2006
Messages
1,533
Points
38
Location
CT
Do you have a smartphone and an AUX in for your in dash radio
If you do just get the car kit cradle for your phone. Plug the phone into the cradle each time you get in the car and plug the earphone jack that comes with the car kit into the phone. Your calls will now go throuh your stereo speakers. When you receive a call your phone should give you options to answer or ignore also you can hands free dial, use voice commands, listen to music etc. The music you're listening to will pause when a call comes in and it will switch to the phone function when you answer the call.
The nice thing about the car kits is they usually cost just about $50 and you can move them from car to car.
I bought one for each car so I don't have to move it.
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
Do you have a smartphone and an AUX in for your in dash radio
If you do just get the car kit cradle for your phone. Plug the phone into the cradle each time you get in the car and plug the earphone jack that comes with the car kit into the phone. Your calls will now go throuh your stereo speakers. When you receive a call your phone should give you options to answer or ignore also you can hands free dial, use voice commands, listen to music etc. The music you're listening to will pause when a call comes in and it will switch to the phone function when you answer the call.
The nice thing about the car kits is they usually cost just about $50 and you can move them from car to car.
I bought one for each car so I don't have to move it.

That will work well, as long as you're listening to music from you phone.
 

ski stef

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
1,029
Points
36
Location
Breckenridge, Colo.
bah, unfortunately I don't have the AUX input in my car. Supposedly there is one in the glovebox or something but I have yet to see that.
 

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
Does that car have a tape deck? Our 02 A6 has one and it's worked well for the Aux jack on our phones. We mainly use it for pandora. I have an Aux jack on my Jeep and I have used it for speaker phone before. I wast listening to a podcast, picked up a call and hit speaker. The caller's voice came through the stereo speakers...it was pretty slick.

If your car doesn't have a tape deck, the options get a bit more expensive. I did a quick google and couldn't find much of anything that was plug n' play.
 

ski stef

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
1,029
Points
36
Location
Breckenridge, Colo.
it does have a tape deck...so if I just get a cd casette adapter and plug that into my iPhone I should have some sort of version of what I want haha but I could hear incoming and outgoing through the speakers? I lost that adapter awhile back I'll have to pick up a new one but I think they are relatively cheap.
 

mlctvt

Active member
Joined
Mar 24, 2006
Messages
1,533
Points
38
Location
CT
it does have a tape deck...so if I just get a cd casette adapter and plug that into my iPhone I should have some sort of version of what I want haha but I could hear incoming and outgoing through the speakers? I lost that adapter awhile back I'll have to pick up a new one but I think they are relatively cheap.

Yes it should work. I have an old Miata that doesn't have an AUX in so I use the cassette adapter along with my Droid car mount. They cost about $10. After a while they start making noise from the gear wheels wearing in the adapter itself and I just get another one. I'm on my 3rd one now.


Here's one for only $2
http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Aud...DJOO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336146812&sr=8-1
 

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
In theory...it should work. The tape adapter will act like headphones. Whatever comes out of the headhone jack (when it's plugged in) will come right out of the speakers. May want to try a few "test calls" in the driveway first to make sure it works.
 

ski stef

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
1,029
Points
36
Location
Breckenridge, Colo.
Finally got a GoGroove flex smart x2 off of amazon. Was only $44 free shipping and was here within 5 days of ordering. Music quality is amazing when synced with the right station. Phone call quality is good considering. I can hear the person fine and they can hear me fine. Nice with the iPhone because Siri can write texts for me hands free. LOL. Idk how much I will actually be using things like that.....maybe just for fun for the first week and the excitement will de down. But my music list just quadrupled for my car so I am really stoked on that. Hopefully someone calls me on my way home from work today!
 
Top