My review of the GTA Car Kit (Ipod/Itouch/MP3 player) – my contribution to this forum.
I am truly pleased with my purchase of the GTA Car Kit. In fact, WOW!!! The Ipod/MP3 player is user friendly in many ways. This is the best unit I have seen on the market. After many weeks of research, I made the decision. It is by far the most impressive system available. The price is reasonable and it well worth the cost. I will not bore you with all the details. I will list some selling points that were important to me.
The seller for GTA Car Kit is Max (
http://gtacarkit.com). He is very helpful and knows how to provide customer service well. Max will answer all your questions. I called and emailed him countless times. He returns emails and calls in a timely manner – even on Sundays. Max is an impressive businessperson. He treated me respect and made me feel very important. Feel free to email or call him with your questions.
The GTA unit is very small and easy to install. Max provides a YouTube video explaining the entire process. The process took me 20 minutes to install and I did not need a professional to mount it. I took my time and concentrated on the installation. It helped to watch the video multiple times. A long medium sized screwdriver and a wedge tool to get the front stereo panel off is required. The module was quick to install and the process was exactly as he stated in his video. It is literally a snap in place installation. There is no soldering or wire cutting and no need to disconnect the car battery. Here is the video
GTA Car Kits - Honda Odyssey 2005-2010 installation instructions of iPhone, Ipod, AUX and MP3 - YouTube
The module comes with two wires that either can connect to the Ipod. One cable can connects to the bottom of the Ipod. This charges the Ipod when the engine is running. It keeps the Ipod battery from dying on long trips. The other connector is a 2.5mm that connects to the top of the Ipod if charging is not required. This is a long enough cable so back seat occupants can select and interact with the Ipod. I appreciate that the manufacturer provided a long cable. Some sellers do not provide this cable or it is very short.
Interacting and playing music via GTA Car Kit is not difficult at all. You can use the radio head unit to select and change songs. It is very simple to understand and it does not limit you to a preset number of playlist. Be aware many mp3 players that restrict the number of playable playlist.
Here is why I am extremely happy with this unit
Plug and play – connect your Ipod and play songs immediately. Some units take awhile to categorize to start to play.
Use the ipod cable or 2.5mm cable is up to you.
Supports my second gen and latest Itouch 32Gb unit without issues or restrictions
The song starts again where I left off even after a week of not playing music. In other words, if I turn off the car at song 101, and I come back three days later, it starts where I left off. I have a DICE unit on my BMW that starts at the same first song even if I return four hours later. Imagine turning on the car and the same song plays every time…at the beginning?
Max – a great business man with a flair for customer service
I am happiest most with how I can continue to interact with the Ipod while it is plugged into the Ipod cable. To do this, plug in the Ipod and leave stereo setting on D1. I am able to use the Ipod to select song as it continues to charge. I can see the songs and playlist on the Ipod screen. It is fully interactive. Unlike my DICE unit, I cannot interact with the Ipod. As such, I cannot see the songs or playlist.
Music sounds phenomenal – There are no whirling or whizzing noises when the music is playing.
Response time is awesome – songs start immediately when the stereo on.
RDM button - pick a playlist and the GTA module with randomize the songs within the playlist...truly awesome.
Max also sells an optional adjustable universal car holder. My advice is for you to get one. The holder is strong and it connects securely onto the air vent. The designers did a great job. It firmly holds the Ipod where it is visible and easy to use. There are cushions on the side to keep it from scratching the Ipod when it is in the holder. To clamp the Ipod onto the holder, just squeeze the sides of the holder. Push a button at the rear of the holder, which is easily accessible, to release grip. I like how the Ipod cable fits snuggly at the base of the holder. It does not interfere with the holder. Hurray to the designer of the holder. By the way, I use it to hold my Blackberry phone at times too.
I hope this helps you in deciding what Ipod/mp3 player to purchase. I truly understand how difficult this process can be. Needless to say, I am pleased to give Max my business and my hard-earned dollars. I am confident GTA Car Kit will continue to be successful with their product and business.
