Blu Logic BT telephone kit installed

After mucking about for the last 15 months with less-than-stellar solutions for Bluetooth telephone, I bit the bullet and bought an "open box" Blu Logic kit from eBay for $35 shipped.

Installation was fairly straightforward (with one exception, which I'll discuss below). There wasn't any need for Toyota to design the G2 so that half the dashboard has to come out to remove the radio, but that's the path to run wires to the switch panel anyhow, so it all worked out swell.

The exception was the microphone module. The Prius-specific installation manual I found online showed a little stick-on microphone module that attaches to the shift/park switch/air vent bezel to the left of the MFD. That's not what I received in the kit, and I'm glad, because it looks kind of ugly and mounts pretty far from the driver's mouth.

What I received instead was a rectangular microphone module that looked like it might pop in to the microphone spot in the roof console. Except it didn't - clearly it was designed for a different (later?) model of Toyota. However, with a little cutting and swearing, and gobs of hot-melt glue (which is all hidden above the roof console) I did manage to mount it in the spot where I assume the factory-optional BT microphone would go.

Total install time was about 3 hours, but half of that was futzing with the microphone module and running the cable down from the roof. All in all, I wish I'd done it 15 months ago when I bought the car.

Just a note for anyone considering this kit. It works for TELEPHONE CALLS ONLY. Now way, no how can you stream music from your phone. That's fine for me, but it might not be for everyone.

 

It was about half what eBay sellers charge for sealed-box kits. I like a bargain. But who knows if the other kits have the "right" microphone. Yes, it was a good value - I think the MSRP on the kit when the G2 was new was close to $200.