What would be best for an '03 F-250?

Im wanting to upgrade my sound system in the near future to something that has both MP3, satellite radio, bluetooth and GPS.

I'll be budgeting ~$1,000 for this. I would like as close to a factory install look as possible. Any suggestions?

Really? Nothing? Everyone is running around with stock sound systems? :thumbup:

I always like pioneer or alpine...they have always been good to me...pioneer most of the time is a better bang for buck...but they both will have working your looking for....but I'm not sure about the looking like factory part....

My first question is what do you listen to? Im not an audio guru when it comes to.cars. Not at all. So what might.be a quality component to car stereo.geeks.might lose to.something that is mediocre to my ears(i play guitar and am really good at sounds, noise, and texture whuch relates to audio quality) that are looking for specific things. I hate bass that isnt.tight.and.focused. Listen to rock or metal? You need 8" subs or maybe a single ten. I like really honky sounding midrange and very little treble with the bass ever so subtly pounding below the midrange.

Thats your first step is assessing your useage and music type. I mean a miles davis.aficionado has little use.for a system that is optimized for a buckcherry fan.

If you just want better sound all the way around pretty much replacing your stock junk with anything will do it. I mean anything. Get a headunit and replacement speakers. If you'll need more headroom and control get an amp to fortify the signal going to the speakers.

Im sure you'll be pleazed. With a 1k dollar budget you will be looking at a new headunit and replacing your stock speakers for.something newer. Im totally unaware of.what is currently "good".

Id get this http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_43550_Pioneer-AVH-P4400BH.html for the head unit. Your going to have to trim you dash to fit it. Its very easy to do. Our stock decks are 1 3/4 din.

Id also go to some 6.5's in the front doors, and not worry about the rear to much. Its more for fill. Then an amp to run the speakers off of. Depending on the quality of speakers and amp, that right there could be close to $1,000 for everything I mentioned or more if you go high end. If your looking for a sub to you can either build a box for pretty cheap or buy one. Spl2k makes nice boxes for our truck. The size of the sub kinda depends on what music you listen to.

TyCorr said:

My first question is what do you listen to? Im not an audio guru when it comes to.cars. Not at all. So what might.be a quality component to car stereo.geeks.might lose to.something that is mediocre to my ears(i play guitar and am really good at sounds, noise, and texture whuch relates to audio quality) that are looking for specific things. I hate bass that isnt.tight.and.focused. Listen to rock or metal? You need 8" subs or maybe a single ten. I like really honky sounding midrange and very little treble with the bass ever so subtly pounding below the midrange.

Thats your first step is assessing your useage and music type. I mean a miles davis.aficionado has little use.for a system that is optimized for a buckcherry fan.

If you just want better sound all the way around pretty much replacing your stock junk with anything will do it. I mean anything. Get a headunit and replacement speakers. If you'll need more headroom and control get an amp to fortify the signal going to the speakers.

Im sure you'll be pleazed. With a 1k dollar budget you will be looking at a new headunit and replacing your stock speakers for.something newer. Im totally unaware of.what is currently "good".

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I listen to Sirius news (I'm getting old), NFL channel and some music. I'm mostly interested in the Bluetooth so I can use my phone hands free and the Sirius or XM feature so I can get rid of the annoying little unit that sticks out over my cup holders.

AKHILF said:

Id get this http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_43550_Pioneer-AVH-P4400BH.html for the head unit. Your going to have to trim you dash to fit it. Its very easy to do. Our stock decks are 1 3/4 din.

Id also go to some 6.5's in the front doors, and not worry about the rear to much. Its more for fill. Then an amp to run the speakers off of. Depending on the quality of speakers and amp, that right there could be close to $1,000 for everything I mentioned or more if you go high end. If your looking for a sub to you can either build a box for pretty cheap or buy one. Spl2k makes nice boxes for our truck. The size of the sub kinda depends on what music you listen to.

Click to expand...

I looked at something similar to this but it was about $1,000. That's very close to what I'm looking for.

Would this one work OK? http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_66709_Pioneer-AVIC-Z150BH.html

I just upgraded my truck in March
Pioneer 4500BT head unit 7" touch screen.
Alpine amp 45w X 4 channel
JL C2 speakers
Pioneer B6 camera
It sounds really good! The stereo installer hooked up without the amp and let me listen to it and then hooked up the amp and let me listen to it. Huge difference. I also recommend the speakers. Good bass for a 5x7. I do not have an I-phone but the reviews I have read rave about those features. Blue tooth works well but my truck is a little noisy at freeway speeds for conversations. I am turning higher RPMs at freeway speed then most so my truck is noisier.

Cost was $1200 for the hardware. I paid $250 to get it professionally installed. I do not have the GPS built in. The cost is high to update the GPS data on head units. I have a Garmin that has free map updates so I move that into the truck for trips. My stereo can use the Iphone GPS and displays it and controls it from the touch screen.

I would build a system on Crutchfield and nail down what you want, then shop around. I bought local but did not save much $$. I could have saved a few hundred $$ by buying off Amazon but read about some MFGs not honoring warranties do to suppliers not being dealers. 2013 pioneer models are 3500, 4500 and so on. If you can find last years models of pioneer 3400,4400 and so on, you can save $$$. I also looked at Alpine but they cost more and are not as phone integrated as Pioneer.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_19741_Pioneer-AVIC-Z110BT.html

This is the one I have. Looks to be the older version of the link you posted. I really like it and functions very similar to Fords sync system.