About a month ago I installed a new headunit in my '03 (w/ Bose) primarily to gain a USB input for my iPod. The headunit has both front and rear USB inputs. Since the install, I've been using the front input until I could figure out what I wanted to do for a cleaner setup. Obviously I want to take advantage of the rear input, but I'm not sure where I want to route it to. So, I'm looking for suggestions or examples of locations where I could route the rear USB input to.

The top contender so far is inside the armrest. It makes sense because I could just open it up, plug in the iPod, close it, and be done. You wouldn't even see the iPod and if I didn't need to take it with me, it could just stay inside the armrest for the next time I got in the car. My only issue with this spot is that I would need to cut a hole that would probably not only be visible if you looked in the armrest, but also might be big enough to allow coins and stuff like that to fall out. Not to mention if I cut a hole big enough for a USB plug to fit through, what's stopping that USB cord from falling through the hole?

Anybody have any creative solutions to my simple problem?

 

i have mine in the glove compartment

 

Interesting idea, but I try to keep my glovebox free of anything but registration/insurance/emissions paperwork. I also wouldn't want to have to reach over there just to plug/unplug my iPod. Regardless, any pics?

 

naw, ill try to get some though, if i remember

 

I put mine in the Arm rest console. If the wire is long enough you shouldn't have to worry about it falling in. Mine hasn't fallen in as yet.

 

i might have to reroute mine to my center console...sounds like a better spot now that you mention it...

 

Did you have to cut a hole inside the armest? I'm assuming so.

 

Mine is under the armrest in my 5.5 and there is a hole cut.

 

Google "panel mount USB" and get a cable. Install it wherever you like, no holes, nothing falling through. Voila, instant custom USB port. Run the wire through the dash to the back of the deck. Then you can just plug/unplug the iPod and the wire and stow it away when not in use.



or



FYI, the circular ones are easier to install and look better - just drill the right sized hole

 

I hate to say this, but that's exactly what I'm trying to get rid of I have a front USB slot on the headunit as it is, and I'm tired of having to plug a cord in the front every single time I want to use my iPod. I just want to grab a cord, plug it in the iPod, and go. I want all of it to be hidden so it looks cleaner and doesn't get in my way. More ideally, I'd like to have a dock for it like I did on my '98 previously. The setup I had on that car isn't possible on a 5th gen. though.

 

id also like to know this, i pulled out my coin holder and routed the cable thru there, but it looks like ****. the armrest idea actually sounds good

 

Ha, nevermind then.

Go with armrest. Drill the hole for the smaller of the two ends of the plug (eg - USB plug is not as wide as iPod dock connector)

You can't put a dock in your coin holder/ashtray? I've seen it done. Takes work but it's doable.

 

I have a 6-speed and an iPod touch sticking out would most likely get in the way of the shifter, or at the very least look kind of ugly. I may be picking up a used iPod nano (6th gen., the newest one that's a little square) and taking advantage of it's size to just hide it in the "ashtray". I would literally just plug it in and close the ash tray, you wouldn't even need to see it... not to mention it would be far more accessible than either the armrest or the glove box or any other hiding place for that matter.

Until then, I'm cutting a hole and routing a cable to inside the armrest

 

good call on the armrest. originally this is what i wanted to do with my aux cable, but i couldn't find a head unit within my price range that was cheap, had rear aux, and wasn't anti-maxima ugly

my friend's mazda has this feature (and i guess a lot of the newer cars nowdays have it as well) which is where i originally saw it/started to covet it. a little detail that made a big difference imo is the fact that there is a cut on the lip of the arm rest, allowing the armrest to close comfortably with the aux cable hanging out.

 

You not going to find better place than glove compartment IMO and its not gonna take much space there AND it is the easiest installation to pull wires to glove compartment so ALL PROS and NO CONS

 

i agree, either in the armrest... or u can make a custom mold in the dash to the left of the cluster... just an idea.

 

I have a similar thing going for my ipod connector. It attaches to the back of the stereo unit, then I ran it through the center console and out between the console and the carpet beside the driver's seat. There happens to be a convenient little cutout already built into the center console pocket that allows the cable to be stored inside the pocket without drilling any holes. When the cable is in use, it is long enough to allow the ipod to be moved around alot, but the cable is down beside the seat and out of the way when not in use.

Hopefully the pictures below will show how this works.

 

x2 but I have a usa spec off the factory hu. This way I never have to move the ipod no matter where ever I park.