2007 toyota 4runner satellite radio

[bigsilver]

Hello all,

I am brand new to this forum and am hoping to give and recieve helpful information about car related topics.
I just purchased a 2007 4runner special edition and I have to say that I just love it.  It is so well built and can tow
my boat effortlessly. My problem is I would like to install satellite radio and the stereo head unit in the truck is sat.
ready. However I went to the dealer and asked them, they came up with nothing on their computer for 2007 but an
XM package is available for 2008. They are the same truck. I told the dealer that I wanted sirius and not XM and they
said that the plug in the back of the head unit is for XM and for sirius it is different. Now I was also told that the two
satellite radio providers have merged. My preference was alway for Sirius because it had more variety. You would think
that the plug in the back would be universal but it's not. I also found out that half of the dash board has to be ripped out
just to get at the head unit and the dealer wants to charge me over 700.00 to install which is way out of my range. Having
said that, can the portable units that are mounted on a holder and attached to your heating vent be hard wired? Because I
do not want to use my aux and my 12v outlet because I use them for other things. I could settle for the portable unit if it can
have 12v hard wiring somehow.

Sorry for the long rant but does anyone know of somebody who specializes in satellite radio installations in the toronto
area because i am in my truck alot and I listen to the radio always and I am just sick and tired of the revolving door of the
same music all the time. My cousin had a grand cherokee that he leased for two years and he had satellite radio and it was
just amazing. Sooo much variety.


I anyone can help me on this issue it would be grateful

Thanks

Bigsilver

[inco]

The best place in Toronto for car installations used to be Kromer Radio. It would be worth a visit to any of these places because that's all they do - and the labour cost is a lot less.

[Careener]

Yes it can be hardwired.
Here's a kit..I can't comment on the quality.

http://www.tss-radio.com/4runner-suv-20032008-custom-mount-p-4397.html?osCsid=33fc5b50a20985b208f5ab354bc0b0d7

[Weexy]

XM and Sirius have merged -- I have XM in my car and its a combo of XM and Sirius channels.

You've likely checked this, but just in case not... hit the XM button - if you can see channel 0, 1 and 247 the receiver is there, but not activated

From XM's website:

http://www.xmradio.ca/help/faqs/category.cfm?topic=in-vehicle#35

[bigsilver]

I just got off the phone with the guys at Kromer radio in toronto and he said that xm and sirius have merged only in the US and up here in canada they are still two separate companies. Now I have to somehow find the TOYSC1 receiver for my truck which is not
going to be easy. Does anyone know if these recivers are available up here? If not , I will have to order it from the states.

Thanks inco and WxyOne18. I did hit the sat radio button as soon as we got the truck and nothing came up so there is no receiver installed at all.

Bigsilver

[tpl]

Bigsilver.   The RADIO for XM or Sirius is different. They use different satellite orbits and stuff.    The PROGRAMMING is mostly the same now. 

SO if you check the actual channels you'll find that  for example    Deep Tracks   is 16 on Sirius and IIRC 47 on XM   and so on.   

I don't listen to the sports and talk channels but I think they are different  between Xm and Sirius.

If you go to  http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/   ( which seems to be off the air this weekend)  or the individual websites for Sirius and Xm you should be able to find out if the channels you want on Sirius are also on XM.

It may well be that you can just get the Xm radio for the truck.

[Careener]

On the page I linked to they mention hardwiring should take 30-60 mins.
There is a link to the parts and a mount for an external unit. That's going to be your cheapest route.

http://www.tss-radio.com/4runner-suv-20032008-custom-mount-p-4397.html