I would like to listen to the music on my iPod in my car. I have a cigarette lighter that I can plug into, but nothing that connects to my stereo. Does this mean I can't get any stereo sound?

Well, I'll be curious what responses you may receive on this question - I'd also love to use my iPod w/ my car music system but do not have a direct mini-stereo plug option which would probably be the best regarding sound quality. One of the main options that I've seen (and once owned - did not work and threw away - it was cheap!) is a FM transmitter, i.e. plugged into the iPod, a FM signal of your music is then picked up by the radio in your car (of course, on a frequency that is not already, hopefully, being used by a FM station in your vicinity) - the reviews of these devices are usually quite poor to average at best - check a few out at Amazon HERE - so not too promising.

So, unless someone posts a product that interacts well w/ the iPod and a standard car radio, I may have to wait for my next car and make sure the sound system will accommodate the iPod; of course, I guess one could bring some portable speakers in the car that are powered by the cigarette lighter adapter!

There are a few companies out there that offer "inline" adapters for many later model cars (I got one for my '06 Jeep.) They plug into the wiring harness in back of the radio, and have an iPod lead that comes out to plug into. It works great! I can actually plug my iPad into it and play games in stereo (not while driving of course). I haven't listened to the radio in the car since I installed it, my iPod nano carries my whole music library. If your car radio has built in CD controls, they will work on the iPod (skip ahead & back etc) but you can easily use the iPods own controls. Sorry, I don't remember the brand I got, bet you could google around for iPod car stereo adapters though. Good luck! It's worth the effort. Many local car stereo places should have, and even install them.

What kind of car do you have? Make, model and year. When I go to work tomorrow I'll check our catalogs, we were actually doing some installs a while back.

Originally Posted by Jeeper

There are a few companies out there that offer "inline" adapters for many later model cars (I got one for my '06 Jeep.) They plug into the wiring harness in back of the radio, and have an iPod lead that comes out to plug into. It works great! I can actually plug my iPad into it and play games in stereo (not while driving of course). I haven't listened to the radio in the car since I installed it, my iPod nano carries my whole music library. If your car radio has built in CD controls, they will work on the iPod (skip ahead & back etc) but you can easily use the iPods own controls. Sorry, I don't remember the brand I got, bet you could google around for iPod car stereo adapters though. Good luck! It's worth the effort. Many local car stereo places should have, and even install them.

What kind of car do you have? Make, model and year. When I go to work tomorrow I'll check our catalogs, we were actually doing some installs a while back.

Thanks for that - it's a Mini Cooper 58 reg (September 08).

Originally Posted by giradman

Well, I'll be curious what responses you may receive on this question - I'd also love to use my iPod w/ my car music system but do not have a direct mini-stereo plug option which would probably be the best regarding sound quality. One of the main options that I've seen (and once owned - did not work and threw away - it was cheap!) is a FM transmitter, i.e. plugged into the iPod, a FM signal of your music is then picked up by the radio in your car (of course, on a frequency that is not already, hopefully, being used by a FM station in your vicinity) - the reviews of these devices are usually quite poor to average at best - check a few out at Amazon HERE - so not too promising.

So, unless someone posts a product that interacts well w/ the iPod and a standard car radio, I may have to wait for my next car and make sure the sound system will accommodate the iPod; of course, I guess one could bring some portable speakers in the car that are powered by the cigarette lighter adapter!

They are the ones I was looking at on eBay but wasn't sure where the sound would come from, so thanks you've saved me a few quid!

This can be done easily with an FM Modulator.. This is the one I bought to use

http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-tuneFR...576183&sr=8-21

You plug it into the bottom of your iPod and then plug it into your cigarette lighter and look for a FM radio channel that has no radio station broadcasting on it and tune the FM Modulator to that frequency.
You then can play your iPod over that "empty" channel and the sound comes through your speakers like you were listening to your car radio.

Enjoy
RandyM

Originally Posted by Ruthie

Thanks for that - it's a Mini Cooper 58 reg (September 08).

I totally blew it, and forgot to check at work today (sorry).

The unit I put in my Jeep was an "iSimple Gateway". Like I said, it plugged into the factory harness for seamless use with the orig. radio controls. I didn't see a listing for Mini on their website (search isimple) but they don't list Jeep either, you may be able to contact them directly, or at least get an idea for some options. I haven't tried any FM modulators, so can't say how well they work, I'm sure there are good ones and bad ones though.

That's ok. It's going in for a service next week so I'll ask them. Thanks for your advice.

If you're still looking, check out PAC-audio.com , they show the set up for MINI, thats where I found my wiring adaptor and iPod gateway.

Originally Posted by Jeeper

If you're still looking, check out PAC-audio.com , they show the set up for MINI, thats where I found my wiring adaptor and iPod gateway.

Thanks, I'll have a look.