I'm looking at getting an '06 Outback with the dual zone digital climate controls. But the radio does not offer an aux input or mp3 capability, BIG PROBLEM!

So I thought no big deal, I just get exactly what I want with an aftermarket (either Kenwood or Alpine). But when I went to go order it from Crutchfield, they said that it would only work for models with manual Heater controls. They told me that their replacement dash panel is made to only hookup to the manual dials.

Any ideas?

 

i dont know how much you are planing on spending on your system but you could leave your stock radio in so you dont have to fuss with the headunit and dash... and get a product like the JL Clean Sweep or Rockford Fosgage 360. these help you intergrate your factory headunit with aftermarket products like mp3 players and amplifiers.
JL sells three different versions of their product. If you just want to add an auxillary source look into CL-SES.

here is the link for the JL product
http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_c...php?page_id=94
and the Rockford
http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/produ...1&locale=en_US

 

While both of the above have their place, its not behind a Subaru 6disc in dash unit. The 360 would allow you to feed the MP3 player into it and then downstream to an amp and utilize the high impedance inputs from the speaker leads, and convert them to low impedance to feed the amp with your radio and CD signals, but you'd have to install an aftermarket amp to pull this off. But at that juncture you might as well skip the 360, split a set of inputs on the amp and connect the MP3 player to the split inputs. Turn the radio off when your using the MP3 player, and vice versa so that only one source is feeding into the amp.

Check out this link https://www.i-club.com/forums/stereo-security-70/aux-added-05-wrx-6-disc-changer-not-fm-modulator-124134/. As long as your comfortable opening up your factory 6 disc unit and running a new line to your mp3 player, you're good to go. You will also need to record an entire cd of silence, to play in connection with your MP3 player, but definitely a nice way to keep the stock HU/interior appearance and have exactly what you want in terms of an MP3 player/ipod.

Chris