Standard Equipment And Options

[Coss]

Last time I checked, the CD player option didn't seem to be available yet. Plus the options they did have for the stereo were ones that I had no interest in because of cost. Swapping out of standard AM/FM stereo for a combo AM/FM CD player stereo shouldn't be that hard or expensive.

It's a 1DIN space, if what they're offering is not good enough in stock, and the option is too expensive; go to a local car audio shop and have them install something that fits your need and budget.

Unless they design one that only fits the Elio like they did for the C2 generation Corvettes. Replacing one of those is not cheap.

Why do they have to have a special design for the Elio? Because the ends of the 1DIN slot are curved? That's not a problem for any competent Audio shop; you trim the hole to the shape you need, and slide the unit in. Problem solved. If anything, you can trim the hole, and if any part of that opening extends beyond the edges or the stereo, you use an adapter plate to fill it.
If you look further into the options available, that "special" trim panels that you can order can be color coordinated, wood, CF, or metal; those are panels that are put in over the stock dash; I doubt if they cover what is already there. They have removable panels that get covered, and attach over the dash; so modifying one of those panels is a breeze.

 

[Maurtis]

Last time I checked, the CD player option didn't seem to be available yet. Plus the options they did have for the stereo were ones that I had no interest in because of cost. Swapping out of standard AM/FM stereo for a combo AM/FM CD player stereo shouldn't be that hard or expensive.

They mentioned previously that even the base stereo will have USB, AUX, and bluetooth connectivity.

http://www.elioowners.com/threads/hi-im-drew.7387/#post-150761

WIth USB you can plug in a phone, iPod, or just a small USB stick. I love using the small "nano" sized USB sticks. I have no idea if the CD player in my Miata or my wife's Venza even work, we have never used them. The last time I used an audio CD was to rip the last of my old CDs to computer about 6 years ago?

I would not be shocked if the Elio does not play CDs.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Guys....GUYS!!!!

I think we're missing something:

Hippster and millenials would finally buy cars.

SOMEONE CALL MARKETING!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ty]

Unless they design one that only fits the Elio like they did for the C2 generation Corvettes. Replacing one of those is not cheap.

The Elio will have a standard Single DIN radio. There are already a ton of radios made that will fit the Elio just fine.

 

[Ty]

They mentioned previously that even the base stereo will have USB, AUX, and bluetooth connectivity.

http://www.elioowners.com/threads/hi-im-drew.7387/#post-150761

WIth USB you can plug in a phone, iPod, or just a small USB stick. I love using the small "nano" sized USB sticks. I have no idea if the CD player in my Miata or my wife's Venza even work, we have never used them. The last time I used an audio CD was to rip the last of my old CDs to computer about 6 years ago?

I would not be shocked if the Elio does not play CDs.

Same here. I have a USB thumb drive that's so small it hardly even sticks out of my Truck's USB port. I have tons and tons of songs on it. But, I tend to listen to good old fashioned (I know AM is older) FM radio though... USB drives don't typically mention traffic issues or tornado warnings...

 

[Ty]

It's a 1DIN space, if what they're offering is not good enough in stock, and the option is too expensive; go to a local car audio shop and have them install something that fits your need and budget.


Why do they have to have a special design for the Elio? Because the ends of the 1DIN slot are curved? That's not a problem for any competent Audio shop; you trim the hole to the shape you need, and slide the unit in. Problem solved. If anything, you can trim the hole, and if any part of that opening extends beyond the edges or the stereo, you use an adapter plate to fill it.
If you look further into the options available, that "special" trim panels that you can order can be color coordinated, wood, CF, or metal; those are panels that are put in over the stock dash; I doubt if they cover what is already there. They have removable panels that get covered, and attach over the dash; so modifying one of those panels is a breeze.

It's my understanding that Elio is using a standard 1DIN slot for the radio. The curved pill shape is simply that... an insert to make the radio pill shaped. The overall hole is 1DIN. At least, I think it is.

 

[TheAsterisk!]

They mentioned previously that even the base stereo will have USB, AUX, and bluetooth connectivity.
...
I would not be shocked if the Elio does not play CDs.

No real need to play CDs, and it eliminates a (small) mechanical system in favor of solid state electronics, so it should be somewhat cheaper to produce and more robust to physical shock.

The only iffy point for me is which codecs the unit can play off the USB drive. About half of my collection (FLAC and OGG) is almost never playable in all but high-end head units, but MP3, M4A/AAC and WAV usually work, and sometimes WMA files, too. That's what the auxiliary port is for, though- simple enough.

It's my understanding that Elio is using a standard 1DIN slot for the radio. The curved pill shape is simply that... an insert to make the radio pill shaped. The overall hole is 1DIN. At least, I think it is.

Yeah, it seems to be. I agonized over that in a thread somewhere on here not too long ago. Given sane design decisions, it looks like it's a single-DIN mount with a small plastic panel around it facing the cabin to keep it flush. You'd just need an aftermarket kit to replace that panel with one with a rectangular hole, instead. Similar kits already exist for many cars- I had to inventory a whole wall of Metra kits in hanging bags when I worked at a Best Buy a few years ago. As long as the bracket itself behind the dash conforms to standards, the face shape and panel are rarely any issue.

 

[Ty]

No real need to play CDs, and it eliminates a (small) mechanical system in favor of solid state electronics, so it should be somewhat cheaper to produce and more robust to physical shock.

The only iffy point for me is which codecs the unit can play off the USB drive. About half of my collection (FLAC and OGG) is almost never playable in all but high-end head units, but MP3, M4A/AAC and WAV usually work, and sometimes WMA files, too. That's what the auxiliary port is for, though- simple enough.

Yeah, it seems to be. I agonized over that in a thread somewhere on here not too long ago. Given sane design decisions, it looks like it's a single-DIN mount with a small plastic panel around it facing the cabin to keep it flush. You'd just need an aftermarket kit to replace that panel with one with a rectangular hole, instead. Similar kits already exist for many cars- I had to inventory a whole wall of Metra kits in hanging bags when I worked at a Best Buy a few years ago. As long as the bracket itself behind the dash conforms to standards, the face shape and panel are rarely any issue.

I don't think you'd need a panel to make the DIN size hole. The hole in the dash IS DIN. The pill shape is really small compared to a single DIN opening. At most, you'll want a kit to kind of surround the hole but maybe not much.

 

[Yakatak]

One issue that you can run into, even with a standard DIN "hole", is depth, which is not standardized.

 

[Coss]

One issue that you can run into, even with a standard DIN "hole", is depth, which is not standardized.

Give me a hammer and a piece of 2x4 and I can fix the depth problem