Dealership can't get me my head unit? Urgent!
 

So I ordered my FR-S with the upgraded Pioneer premium head unit (the one in Canada that looks like the Bespoke but isn't the Bespoke head unit).
Anyway, they called me back today (5 days AFTER the car was ordered, but obviously not yet received since it just left port in Japan) and they said for some reason Scion won't let them order the upgraded head unit to install it, because the car was shipped from Japan with the stock head unit (ghetto buttons). How true is it that they can't get the upgraded head unit unless it was shipped with the car right from the beginning?

I really liked the layout of the head unit, because it had those lit up red buttons at night on the left side, with the touchscreen on the right. It would allow me to use a touch screen and also have actual buttons right there whenever I needed them while driving.

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The dealership called me and said they would buy a Clarion VX401 for the same price, and that it was ALL touchscreen.
That's all they told me and googling it hasn't resulted in much info, and that worries me because it might totally be crap and it would be hard to use an all touchscreen head unit while driving and trying to change channels and stuff.

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My other worry is that the Scion head units are generally wider than most other head units and I don't want it to look tacky with gap filler plates on the sides of the head units. The guy at the dealership said he "thinks" it might fully fill the gap but isn't sure.

He said I need to make a decision as soon as possible. I don't really see what decision I'm supposed to make cause he's basically saying "You can't have what you want. You can have this. Yes or no?" and I don't know what to tell him.

Any help or advice will be appreciated. Anyone familiar with the offered head units? Or if anyone can find a respectable review of the head unit, that'll be great, because this is really eating at me right now. :(

If your heart is set on the Bespoke head unit, there are plenty people selling them used as some find them not worth the money. If the clarion you have pictured is indeed the model the dealership is going to order, it looks to play DVDs so that is a pro over the bespoke as it doesn not play DVDs. I have the bespoke and tried to get my dealer to take the radio out and sell me the car with a stock head unit but they said no. If I were in your shoes and the clarion doesn't change the OTD price of the car, go with the Clarion. Get your car and you can always upgrade your radio later.

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To be honest the clarion is unpleasant looking....plus it has a aux port, isnt there a aux port near the shifter? will you end up with two aux ports?


edit: can you have the dealer take some $$ off the OTD price because of this and just buy a bespoke from someone on the forums?

I was told by my dealer that the upgraded stereo is installed after it arrives at port. Pretty sure the upgraded stereo isn't shipped with the car.

The thing is that the Bespoke is close to $900 when the non Bespoke that looks the exact same here in Canada is $500 installed. I prefer the non Bespoke which I don't think Canadian owners are selling and the unit was worked into my price so I don't wanna have to pay $500 outright by buying it from another owner.

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I have the Canadian upgrade deck and can tell you my biggest pet peeve is that the bluetooth music player doesnt show the track name or album art. I have to pick up my phone to change albums.

I'd get the clarion personally, but I don't know enough about it to make that call. The upgrade deck is meh.

I got the upgrade purely for the looks. I would be playing my music through a usb drive so not having bluetooth album art doesn't bother me. Plus the Clarion is ugly to look at and would need gap filling plates which would kick my OCD into hyperdrive and make me shit my pants everytime I look at it.
And it seems the clarion is catered towards iPhone and ipods specifically which is a no go cause I'm an android guy myself.

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Sounds like you have your answer then.

Get the dealer to order the deck and replace your stock one when it comes in.

It's a new car and it's costing you 30k, don't take no for an answer over a 500 dollar part they told you that you'd get.

That's the problem. I know what my answer is and I know I want the Pioneer head unit but the dealership says they can't get it even though I asked for it and obviously included it in my payments.
Any other head units that would be way better than either of the two options? Both features and performance wise and especially looks wise, because I could try to convince them to get me something else if I like it enough.
If not, what are my options if I want the Pioneer but dealer can't get it and I have to have it included in the price?

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They can get it, but they'll need to swap the stock head unit with another car that already has the upgraded deck.

I find it bizarre that they'd be willing to put in an aftermarket deck rather than work a deal with another dealership.

If that's really the case, do some research right now or go ask the audio guys what deck they'd recommend and make the dealer buy that one - that or get the dealer to kick in money for a much better one and have the dealer install it for free.

It might sound a little crazy to demand such a thing but remember the scope of this purchase and what they promised you in the first place. Don't be afraid to walk away from the purchase entirely if it's not what you asked for to begin with. How often do you buy a 30,000 dollar car?

Exactly. The first dealership I went to has the Blue M/T with the upgraded deck that I want and I told my dealership I will buy the car from them if they'll get it to me quickly. They said they'd trade with the other dealership and get me that car. They told me afterwards that the car at the other dealership was sold. The day after I went there when it was sitting on the lot for two weeks? Yeah right. So I called the other dealership and said it wasn't sold so obviously my dealership lied. Then I asked my dealer again and told them the other dealerships car wasn't sold (this is the only blue 6 m/t available anywhere around here at the moment) and they said they'd consider trading with them but they still refuse to do it even now that this problem is coming up. Apparently they don't have any FR-S's on the lot with the upgraded audio (I doubt it).
They don't seem that interested in giving me my car clearly even though the frs at the other dealership is STILL available. They said a trade would be a pain in the ass for them. Getting a customer what they want is a pain in the ass?

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The OEM unit is quite good. Touchscreens and the FRS' suspension are a bad combination. Save your money.

I know. But like I said, I wanted it purely for the looks. I've gone through my entire driving career so far with stock sound systems in cars and even this was a huge upgrade for me in terms of sound. I just want it look nice too.

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Fuck that dealer dude. They lied to you once, they don't deserve another chance.

The 2014's are coming out now (soon?) just wait for one of those. that or shop around.

I had to go through 3 dealers before I found one willing to sell me the car with not extra warranty bullshit. most of the dealers in Canada are NOT motivated to sell it would seem.

I'd tell them you're going to wait for a 2014 if they can't solve this deck issue. Then either wait or look elsewhere for an honest(ish) dealer. If they're going to lie to you about something as stupid as an upgrade deck to save themselves a couple hundred bucks (I'm sure they have that clarion in stock from another car or something.. why else that exact model?) Imagine how they are going to treat you in terms of servicing the car and warranty claims...


I had one dealer "offer me a deal" by offering me an FRS that was "new" but had actually been driven off the lot by some kid, it then through a CEL and he had to return it (crank sensor issue). The car was in the shop for 2 weeks and the dealer GM told me "It's really tuned up now, the guy who "almost" bought it wished his new one (replacement) was as fast" which is total horse shit. They said they'd give me 500 dollars off the MSRP! WOW!!! What a great deal for a god damned used car! They then told me the color I wanted was nowhere in Western Canada and they could secure the next one coming off a boat in 1 - 2 months after a 1000 dollar deposit.... right.

I shopped around and got a new FRS in the color I wanted WITH the upgrade deck (for free). It had 150km on it and was scratched to hell, but they paid for the paint correction and I really don't care about the 150km now that I've had the car for over a month.

Take your time, shop around and you won't regret it. Rush into a bum deal with a shady dealership and you'll regret it for the next 5 years till the car is paid off.