Noob is soon to be the new owner of a 2005 Prius …

… and I feel like the very first thing I need to do is figure out how to get my iPhone connected. In my old 2001 Celica GT, I used a USA Spec iPod Interface (I'd offer a link, but I'm such a noob here that I can't) that sounded great, but came with its own set of frustrations. (Siri was routed through my Bluetooth earpiece rather than the car stereo, for one thing; also, it wanted to start playing music from my iPhone 4S immediately upon connection, and often offered novel theories about what the last thing was I'd been listening to.) And I lost it when I lost the Celica, so I'm in the market for something new anyway.

So I went looking for a way to connect my iPhone 4S to a Prius and I found the VAIS SoundLinQ3 SL3B, which sounds better in many ways. My old Celica's factory radio could offer only disc and track numbers on its LCD display, so seeing artist and title information on the Prius' screen is a definite plus. I like the Bluetooth, too, so I don't end up with cables strung all over — and it feels more future-proof, since I won't be buying something that works with my trusty iPhone 4S with a 30-pin dock connector but isn't compatible with an iPhone 5/5s (or 6?) when I finally decide it's time to upgrade.

But a few questions for anyone with some experience:

1) Do I seriously need to take apart virtually the entire dashboard if I want to access the back of the factory radio?

2) Is there an easy way to mount adapters like these inside the dash, where it would be accessible for firmware updates, etc.? Would I be better off mounting it in the footwell? I think I want it hidden, but not hidden so well that I'd need to take the dash apart if I ever need to access it.

3) Can anyone offer their experiences with the SL3B, or VAIS in general? I'm no audiophile, but getting near-CD quality, whine-free music and Internet radio is what I'm going for. I was happy with the sound from the old USA Spec box in my Celica with factory radio and speakers; can anyone tell me about how they think Bluetooth audio sounds on this VAIS kit? I see where they offer a wired version as well, which they call the SL3i, which feels a lot like my old USA Spec gizmo, but I love the idea of maintaining a factory look — and not having wires dangling from behind the dash, or having to fish them under the carpet, etc., etc.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts anyone can offer, and I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

 

I've seen pictures of some nice setups like that, too. My own goals are pretty simple, tho' — give me a way to get CD-quality sound (or something close) on my factory stereo from my iPhone, and I'm a happy man. Especially if it's Bluetooth and I don't have wires all over the place. I'm not looking for satellite radio, aux in, USB, etc., etc. That's why the VAIS gizmo appeals to me.