I have a 2001 Monte Carlo LS with an OEM headunit and amp. I'll preface this with saying I want to keep the OEM look of the headunit and I don't really care much about cost. The head unit is the one with both the cd player and cassette player in it so there's no aux or band button. I was wanting to add a bluetooth kit to it (the BT45-GM15) and it says its compatible with a 2001 but the radio must have a band button (which 2001 headunits don't have from what i've seen). It also says it works through the XM1 input but XM wasn't introduced in montes until 2003 iirc. Its very confusing to me as I'm new to this. Would I have to replace my headunit with a XM compatible 2003-2005 headunit, and would the 2003-2005 headunit be compatible with my car (ofc after tech2 reprogramming)? Would it also keep all of my radio options with the 03-05 headunit after tech2 reprogramming (door chimes, keyfob programming, door locking options, etc)?

 

Ive not messed with those, but there are easier options than having to deal with a tech 2 and such - you can get ones that are FM modulated - easy ones that are totally wireless, and better sound quality ones that plug in line with the antenna (totally concealed box behind the dash).

 

Definitely a lot of options. I am playing with devices that plug into the cigarette lighter to play music from USB/SD or bluetooth with my phone over FM to my radio. Small, CHEAP and simple. I tested a bunch and never found one with good hands free calling (each has problems with echo, or hard for the caller to hear me or me to hear the caller), so I gave up on those.

If you are set on this device you found, you may need to call and get some specific information. I messed with something that sounds like it called iSimple and I was not impressed. It was plug and play, but the way it handled navigation on the radio was clunky in my opinion so I sent it back.

I know in the Monte from 00-05 it had some shifts. Such as the earlier years have a differ amp than the later years. My guess, the radios are probably ALL interchangeable. I've done some testing with the XM stuff. I have a 2000 Monte with a factory CD player (not a combo unit) and it does not appear to support XM, but it has an AUX button as I believe some vehicles had a optional CD changer that goes in the trunk. I have a 2004 Monte, but it did not have XM.

If you REALLY want the factory look, here's what I can suggest (but it's a LOT of work). First, you CAN upgrade your radio to one that supports XM and supports MP3 on CD. TO do so, you need radio part number 10348717 found in the 04-05 Cavalier and Venture Van (it will work with the wheel controls and all the reset options). I did this swap years ago:
http://crzyz28/mycars/2004montess/pr...MP3_radio.html
Years later, I added a XM receiver (no antenna as I did not want to make holes in the roof for a service I wasn't going to use). But I needed the receiver in order to get the XM option to light up on the radio and from there used the XM audio lines for an AUX jack. And here is my entire journey for the XM receiver:
https://montecarloforum.com/forum/fw...g-heavy-58519/

 

I can't remember - do 2000-05s have an auxiliary port? If Bluetooth is all you're looking for, why not just get a wireless Bluetooth receiver? That's what I did in my 2006 SS (pic below) since I wanted to keep the stock appearance - just paired the receiver with my phone and, boom, I have a setup exactly like modern cars with built-in Bluetooth. Works pretty well, the only downside is the receiver has to be charged periodically. You can get these on Amazon. If you don't have an aux port, they make ones that plug into the 12v socket.

 

I am not aware of any factory radio for the 00-05 with an aux port and the 06+ is a different animal, not sure what it would take to make it fit. I added an aux jack by hi-jacking the XM audio.

 

Since my radio has a tape deck and CD I bought this cassette adapter from amazon for $20 and it's bluetooth. It actually sounds great and no humming and I can stream my XMRadio from my phone app. I should have got the one with the microphone so I could make a phone call thru the radio speakers.

 

I have experimented with the cigarette light adapters that broadcast to FM. Most have great sound (just have to verify it is real stereo). Some of the ones had bad phone quality in the car. But almost all if not all had bad quality for the person on the other end of the call. So I limit these to just audio (not hands free calling).