When it comes to picking a car stereo there are plenty of factors to consider as not all of them will be to your tastes or needs.
Don’t settle for one that isn’t suited to you as a car stereo is often your entertainment hub on many long car journeys – providing you with a means to stay focused and content.
With so many different types of stereo on the market, making a choice is often difficult but here are a few factors you may wish to consider when making a purchase.
Ease of use
One of the main factors with any piece of technology is that you’ll want to be able to get the most out of it – and that revolves around whether or not you can use it.
If some functions are difficult to work out or if it’s completely mindboggling then it’s probably not what you’re looking for.
Although most car stereos do come with instruction manuals, so you’ll be able to get some guidance from those or from a professional fitter if you’re unsure.
If there are a lot of functions then it’s best to work out which ones you’ll need on a regular basis and learn how to use those first.
Buttons and controls
Tied in to ease of use is the size of the buttons and controls, as larger ones are often easier to operate, both when the car is stationary and in motion.
Any screens should be clear, enabling you to read any information displayed on them with relative ease while they should also have the capability to display the information you want to see.
Durable
Many car stereos are designed to be taken in and out of their slots to make your vehicle less appealing to burglars.
As a result they are designed to be durable as the chances are they’ll be thrown under a seat or into the boot if the car is ever parked up – which could damage the units otherwise.
Connectivity
The connection sockets on each car stereo will determine what other devices can be attached to it – some may have sockets for headphones while others can have USB connections.
Car stereos can also be designed to connect handheld devices such as iPods and mobile phones to them, meaning you can control the music on your journeys.
Additional cables will often be required to achieve this but it does mean you won’t have to put up with any more annoying adverts on the radio.