New Car!, Hurray! Options

[sicknasty413]

Greetings,

Picked up my new car Friday (though it isn't new, lol). It's a 1999 Mercury Cougar. It's in ridiculously good condition. Here are some miscellaneous facts about it-

-V6
-Power windows, locks, and mirrors
-Working heater and AC (aka, the polar opposite of my last car)
-Relatively new radio/deck
-Relatively new front speakers
-Relatively new tires

Here are some pictures-



















Let me know what you guys think

Cheers,

[hamwbone]

Nice I miss my smalled 2 door (eclipse) but i dont miss steping down low into the car and sitting on my balls once a week... lol.

What you upgrading from?

[sicknasty413]

lol my ol' p.o.s. 1978 Oldsmobile Omega haha

[throwingks]

You gotta mod the steering wheel! And, name the car Snarf.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO3ZbQiGNkk

This post has been edited by throwingks: Feb 1 2009, 10:57 PM

[sicknasty413]

^ hahahahaha you're right

[sicknasty413]

Alright, so I've had the car for a few days, and I love it. It's awesome. I drove to school today for the first time in like 2 months. haha.

But now I need some entertainment in it. lol. It has a relatively new deck, but I mean, come on, it doesn't even have an iPod port thing (or anything else that would allow me to hook up an MP3 player). So I'm looking at getting a new deck, but I think I want one of those flip-out screen deals. Though I'm not too sure if it'd fit, plus it seems as if the gearshift would be completely in the way. I really want some type of screen though so that I can hook up a slimbox or a computer. Being an ultimate nerd, I need these types of things on-the-go. lol

Any recommendations for flip-outs (I have no idea what they're actually called)? I don't really need one with GPS, but it wouldn't hurt. One that would allow for a future addition of GPS would be kind of cool too. But I honestly don't travel much, so it's not that big of a deal. I'd really like to find one with multiple inputs (especially HDMI, since a lot of computers don't have composite, but a lot can go from DVI->HDMI), HD Radio (well, I'm not sure, anyone know about HD Radio?), Bluetooth definitely, and an iPod port thing (that is compatible with an iPod Touch).

I think having a computer in the car would be pretty sweet. Anyone know of any mobile computing solutions? Mini-box.com seems to have some decent solutions, but the prices are kinda eh. I wouldn't mind building my own rig, but I don't know.

I don't really have any money right now, so this is all kind of theoretical/down the road. haha.

This post has been edited by sicknasty413: Feb 3 2009, 07:00 AM

[hamwbone]

i lovvvvver HD radio, nothing better then free stations. try to get it built into the deck, dont get any HD radio ready shit.

[bucko]

Alright, so I've had the car for a few days, and I love it. It's awesome. I drove to school today for the first time in like 2 months. haha.

But now I need some entertainment in it. lol. It has a relatively new deck, but I mean, come on, it doesn't even have an iPod port thing (or anything else that would allow me to hook up an MP3 player). So I'm looking at getting a new deck, but I think I want one of those flip-out screen deals. Though I'm not too sure if it'd fit, plus it seems as if the gearshift would be completely in the way. I really want some type of screen though so that I can hook up a slimbox or a computer. Being an ultimate nerd, I need these types of things on-the-go. lol

Any recommendations for flip-outs (I have no idea what they're actually called)? I don't really need one with GPS, but it wouldn't hurt. One that would allow for a future addition of GPS would be kind of cool too. But I honestly don't travel much, so it's not that big of a deal. I'd really like to find one with multiple inputs (especially HDMI, since a lot of computers don't have composite, but a lot can go from DVI->HDMI), HD Radio (well, I'm not sure, anyone know about HD Radio?), Bluetooth definitely, and an iPod port thing (that is compatible with an iPod Touch).

I think having a computer in the car would be pretty sweet. Anyone know of any mobile computing solutions? Mini-box.com seems to have some decent solutions, but the prices are kinda eh. I wouldn't mind building my own rig, but I don't know.

I don't really have any money right now, so this is all kind of theoretical/down the road. haha.

I was looking into this a while ago, when I was car browsing, it's best if you have a double din car (2CD rack basically) which yours has, I'm sure you could modify the gear shift so it's smaller right?? TS may no about that, you can also build a small computer in your boot (using mobile like VIA) and run wires to the front placing the display to where you would like it. Apparently you can get diag software to, so if anything appears wrong on your engine the computer display would pick it up. I was thinking of doing this if I did get a second hand car, so it might give me a hint at what's wrong.

Also for Ipod get an FM transmitter (or whatever radio waves you use) there about £30 here and you just tune your radio into your Ipod also if another (say friends car) is following or infront they can listen to on some on the same channel.

This post has been edited by bucko: Feb 3 2009, 06:17 PM

[sicknasty413]

Thanks for the replies

@ hamwbone - Sounds good. I'll definitely find one with HD built-in

@ bucko - Good idea about the diagnostic software, that'd be really interesting. As for an iPod FM transmitter, eh... a few of my friends have them and they're not that great, but I guess it depends which brand you get. I'd much prefer a permanent iPod solution, or -at the very least-, one with a 2.5mm (or is 3.5mm?) jack.

[bucko]

Thanks for the replies

@ hamwbone - Sounds good. I'll definitely find one with HD built-in

@ bucko - Good idea about the diagnostic software, that'd be really interesting. As for an iPod FM transmitter, eh... a few of my friends have them and they're not that great, but I guess it depends which brand you get. I'd much prefer a permanent iPod solution, or -at the very least-, one with a 2.5mm (or is 3.5mm?) jack.

I looked into to it the other day, you need at least OBD2 for software readouts on a PC

OBD1 is pretty good though if you just get a code scanner.

Here is some links I found that may be of interest (regarding OBD2).

http://www.chetcodigital.com/vGauge/vDash.htm

Edit another software app, see the PDF some good screens.

http://www.palmerperformance.com/products/pcmscan/index.php

^ software looks really good but many more software as well

http://www.sterntech.com/obdii.php

^ an open source OBD2 code reader

I think you can download info from this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-OBD2-OBD-II-Diag...tem?refid=store

^ I think this is for VW cars but other similar items exist

It's really cheaper to get a £14 code reader and check it up on the net but for geekness stuff that I like the software readouts look amazing, and I have a netbook to. apparently the connection has to be 3feet from the drivers pedals by international law. It be nice to have it running on a car computer as well, but it would pay for it self. It's what most car repair places use anyway apparently and you can fix it your self and wipe the engine code so your car can pass MOT once you update the log books you have fixed it.

This post has been edited by bucko: Feb 6 2009, 01:15 AM

[ubernewb]

sorry, but that's not a double din opening.. you could make one fit, but you're looking at quite a bit of modification and fabrication in order for it to not look of complete ass.

besides, engine monitoring and management simply isn't worth the expense unless you are running a heavily modified car.

get yourself a basic indash and call it a day.. leaving yourself open for gps is good, but nowadays it's better to just get one at the beginning if you're thinking about it at all. buying it in seperate pieces will end up costing you quite a bit more in the long run. and then there's no guarantee that the deck you have today will work with the nav add-on you buy later on.

[sicknasty413]

Not a double din, say what!? What size is it then? I'm car-illiterate, so bear with me. lol

And a basic in-dash? Aren't those all double din?

[throwingks]

Single DIN is about 7" x 2". Double DIN is about 7" x 4". That looks to be in between 2" and 4", So you would have to shave to make a double DIN fit.

[lordvader129]

Single DIN is about 7" x 2". Double DIN is about 7" x 4". That looks to be in between 2" and 4", So you would have to shave to make a double DIN fit.

its probably the ford-sized opening, which is bigger than DIN but smaller than double DIN (although from the pic it looks larger than ford, but IIRC ubernewb is an expert in this catagory)

And a basic in-dash? Aren't those all double din?

they make single DIN dvd players/screens

[Mikesshunk]

I'm loving the license plate. Probably the geekiest one I've ever seen.
Nice car by the way.
And @ lordvader, I'm pretty sure that would be a Ford sized opening. I don't know much about cars but if I'm not mistaken, doesn't Ford own mercury?

This post has been edited by Mikesshunk: Feb 9 2009, 04:14 AM