once it's re-programmed it should be like it was there the whole time.


I kept my stock radio and completely re-did everything from that on though. Mostly to keep the xm, steering wheel controls, onstar, etc. Just found a krazy awesome processor and threw amps & speakers off of that. I am kind of itching to get one from the newer malibu's that has the usb in the back for ipod, so i've kind of been looking into this as well. Good luck

 

I mainly want to keep mine for looks and steering wheel controls. If only there was one with an aux port that would be perfect. But late 90's was before ipods and such were really around.

 

Most aftermarket headunit manufacturers have adapters to retain steering wheel controls. Those older headunits usually go pretty quickly when I get a car with one in it. Stock radio in my first two Camaros only lasted a month if that, the IROC two months only because I didn't have the money for one when I first got it. Stock radio in my Suburban only lasted three days before I had a new radio in it LOL. In fact, the only cars I've had where the original radio stayed (the 73 or my old S-10 doesn't count because it already had an aftermarket radio when I got it) were my 04 Dale Jr, the 98 GTP (only because I didn't have the money to get a new one before I totalled it), my 96 GMC Sierra (didn't have the money for one), and the Monte I have now (only because I'm probably getting rid of it, otherwise I'd have a new radio in it when I had the extra money).

Next newer truck (04 or newer) that I get will probably keep the stock radio if it has factory satellite radio. Seen a few with factory Nav that if I snagged one that unit would DEFINITELY stay.

I prefer the aftermarket units in general cause I can hide my iPod in the console or glovebox and control the iPod from the head unit. That, and many of them you can change the color on the HU to match the theme of the car.

 

I'd love to have aux ports on my factory decks, but I'm pretty happy with the sound from connecting MP3 players through a cassette deck adapter. I've tried a couple FM converters to play through the radio, but they don't sound that good.

 

FM adapters don't sound worth a crap. Cassette adapters are ok, but if you have decent speakers (like the Bose speakers in some of the 6th gens), the limitations can be heard. I know I can hear it in mine.

 

I love my aftermarket radios, first thing i chang out on a car except the edge i dont think they make adapters for it

 

If my 06 didn't have an aux port it woulda been gone in the first week. I was looking into the direct connect boxes for the stock radio so you can run the ipod off the stock unit, but i haven't heard many good things about them

 

Yeah i usually swap out for the aux inputs aswell so i can use my hard drive ive got

 

If i didn't have that aux. i woulda definitely swapped for the malibu if not went all aftermarket. The malibu unit looks the same but has this little bugger on the back. Just plug in the ipod and it's all run off the front. Can't justify paying 200 for one though, especially since the aux. port is working just fine

 

I took one of those radios out of a 2010 Silverado