[Big Jimm]

I know almost nothing about electronics. But, most new cars are
equipped so that with a Razr phone, you can talk and listen through
your car’s speakers .. while the phone is in your pocket. (Since I’m
kinda hard of hearing that would be great!)

I “think” to do this you have to install something called Bluetooth.
Is that correct and, if so, what can I do to get this installed in my
06 C6? I have a Razr and am on Verizon.

Big Jimm

 

[f55mph]

I would contact your cell phone carrier they should know what you'll need plus you would probably have to buy from them anyways. Good luck.

 

[Demonbreun]

I know almost nothing about electronics. But, most new cars are
equipped so that with a Razr phone, you can talk and listen through
your car’s speakers .. while the phone is in your pocket. (Since I’m
kinda hard of hearing that would be great!)

I “think” to do this you have to install something called Bluetooth.
Is that correct and, if so, what can I do to get this installed in my
06 C6? I have a Razr and am on Verizon.

Big Jimm

Jimm,

:agree:​

The Bluetooth is Kewl, you perform the initial "pairing" with the phone and the car and that's it. When you get into the car it recognizes the phone or phones (you can usually pair up to 6 devices) and Viola !!!!!!! Communication.

​

Unfortunately, there is no Bluetooth system for the C6 from my understanding (given that GM has a contract with Onstar - which in turn has a contract with Verizon - in terms of cellular communication). There was some rumor that Bluetooth may appear on future models.

:huh:​

But since you have a Verizon account, you can link your car to your account if you have Onstar.

The system allows you to make and receive calls while in your car and shares the minutes with your hand held on a Special Family Plan http://www.vzwshop.com/onstar/ where your car is one phone (with a seperate number) and the hand held is another. The system uses a voice interface which allows you to dial using individual numerical input or stored name tags.

When placing a call you push a button on the bottom of the mirror and a voice asks what you would like to do such as "dial, redial, recall..." after you provide your input you are connected and you just speak. The callers conversation is heard thru your stereo system. When you are done with the call push the botton again to hang up.

When an incoming call comes in, the stereo is muted and a ringing sound occurs. You just push the button to answer. When you are finish the audio returns to it's previous volume.

​

 

[Longtimer]

This is a particularly ugly situation for many of us in states that now, or in the case of CA, will soon outlaw handheld cell calls when driving. Don't get me wrong, I've dodged enough idiots paying more attention to their conversations than where they've pointed their WMDs, to appreciate the need for this new regulation. However, as mentioned earlier, GM's mating with ONStar makes the inclusion of bluetooth contra-profitable, so we don't have any builtin solution without the costly inclusion of ONStar.

The new Ca law will go into affect in January 2008. Since just about everyone in CA has a car and a cellphone, the upcoming enforcement of this law should be quite interesting. Before then, I expect to see plenty of ads from Circuit City and Best Buy touting some work-around technology ... but they better hurry up.

 

[DraculaCV]

What part of So Cal are you from Longtimer, I'm in San Diego myself, moved down here from LA earlier this year.

Oh and also, I did not know that law is going into affect next January, that really, really bites. Can we still use headsets or earpieces to talk on the phone, or will that not be legal either?

 

[Longtimer]

What part of So Cal are you from Longtimer, I'm in San Diego myself, moved down here from LA earlier this year.

Oh and also, I did not know that law is going into affect next January, that really, really bites. Can we still use headsets or earpieces to talk on the phone, or will that not be legal either?

I'm in Orange County near Lake Forest. I think headsets are currently illegal - they are certainly NOT SAFE. Gotta be able to hear horns and emergency sirens. I think an earpiece would be legal, but I'd hate to have one of those hanging on my ear all the time I'm driving.

 

[Big Jimm]

I spent a fair amount of time with OnStar and the Verizon # they referred
me to today. All “attempted” to be helpful. Unfortunately, however, some
of these companies hire people who don’t speak clearly! To me that’s
maddening when you’re listening for detail!

The OnStar connection doesn’t “seem” to be exactly what I’m looking for.

3 weeks ago I visited another dealership and the salesman showed me a
great Razr (Verizon) set-up. In 10 seconds - he programmed my cell into
the that car’s radio system.

The OnStar connection doesn’t seem that simple. Have to have a separate
number, OR pay for OnStar AND Verizon, OR wait on so many rings before
the OnStar phone connects, OR get a separate number for the OnStar phone
which means that I would have to give that new number out all over again
to many people, etc, etc. I ended up not connecting through my OnStar. (I
already have 100 minutes paid for with OnStar but that’s only for OUTgoing
calls.

I want my regular Incoming cell number to ring in the C6.

Doubtless you guys could sort it all out quite easily. But, I hung up confused
and somewhat disappointed.

One thing I DEFINITELY don’t like about OnStar is the muffled voice it produces.
It’s not like the regular talk voice on the radio. Wonder why.

I am getting an 08 E350 next month and it supposedly has a simple set-up
and very clear voice. (That’s what I want for my C6, too.)

Big Jimm

 

[Longtimer]

Big Jimm, I hate to say it, but I think we're waiting for the Aftermarket to step up. If they can make an interface that lets your standard steeringwheel buttons send signals to an aftermarket stereo, surely they can devise a way to splice a bluetooth into a system. If not, we're looking at some sort of stand alone blue tooth system that can be mounted on the visor or behind a rearview miror. Granted we'd have to turn off the vette's sound system manually when the phone rang, but big deal. Worth it to have hands free operation in the cockpit.

 

[Demonbreun]

I spent a fair amount of time with OnStar and the Verizon # they referred
me to today. All “attempted” to be helpful. Unfortunately, however, some
of these companies hire people who don’t speak clearly! To me that’s
maddening when you’re listening for detail!

The OnStar connection doesn’t “seem” to be exactly what I’m looking for.

3 weeks ago I visited another dealership and the salesman showed me a
great Razr (Verizon) set-up. In 10 seconds - he programmed my cell into
the this car’s radio system.

The OnStar connection doesn’t seem that simple. Have to have a separate
number, OR pay for OnStar AND Verizon, OR wait on so many rings before
the OnStar phone connects, OR get a separate number for the OnStar phone
which means that I would have to give that new number out all over again
to many people, etc, etc. I ended up not connecting through my OnStar. (I
already have 100 minutes paid for with OnStar but that’s only for OUTgoing
calls.

I want my regular Incoming cell number to ring in the C6.

Doubtless you guys could sort it all out quite easily. But, I hung up confused
and somewhat disappointed.

One thing I DEFINITELY don’t like about OnStar is the muffled voice it produces.
It’s not like the regular talk voice on the radio. Wonder why.

I am getting an 08 E350 next month and it supposedly has a simple set-up
and very clear voice. (That’s what I want for my C6, too.)

Big Jimm

*kinda long*

I'm feeling your pain. About 3 months ago I test drove a 2007 Prius Touring with the Bluetooth (I need a beater soon). I connected my phone up in the car I was test driving in about 10 seconds, made about 4 calls to check out the quality and was sold. Better yet, recently I'm walking from work with a coworker, we get into his 5 series BMW his phone rings in his pocket but the information is showing up on his nav moniter (which is actually split into 3 screens - Nav system - his phonebook contacts and - his XM radio playlists.

Like I stated previously "Bluetooth is KEWL !!!!!"

You sound just like I did before I "Ported" my number to Verizon so that I could use the Onstar system.

Again, I agree the simple solution would have been to allow buyers several options i.e. Bluetooth or Onstar. But in the world we live in Onstar is the deal at least in terms of OEM equipment if you want to use a hands free phone system.

* I think there are some Bluetooth aftermarket systems out there - how good they are or how they work I'm not sure *

What I do know is that the Onstar system works pretty much like the voice activated systems on the Motorola or Kyocera cell phones.

Yes - you do get another number just for the car which actually offers some anonymity in todays world of Caller - ID. I don't drive my Vette (Garage Queen for sure) everyday so maybe that's why it's not a big deal for me. When I'm in my car I put my phone (Treo 700p) in the back cup holder with the screen facing me which allows me to see the call as it comes in. That allows me to answer it and use the handset or I can call back on the car phone and use the handsfree system. The other thing is I really don't want everybody calling my car anyway. So I think of it more like an extension of my handset as opposed to a different phone. Also it's not like you aren't using the same amount of minutes you would have used if you used one phone because they all go on the same bill and you would have made the call on the handset anyway.

Yes - you do have to be an Onstar customer and Yes you do have to be a Verizon customer (I thought you said you already pay for Verizon service - push the Onstar button tell them you want to link your car to your account. Takes about 5 minutes, they already know everything about your Vette and your Verizon account)

No - the system is not hard to use and no you don't have to wait any certain number of rings before you answer.

The quality is not bad, as a matter of fact yesterday I had my top off, made a call to a buddy and was some what impressed because I thought surely the wind noise would force me to yell.

All said, I do understand what you mean about simplicity and Yes !!!! that MB E350 is NICE !!!!!:thumbsup: But then Again...There is a reason why you drive a Corvette...

 

[ankurpatel]

BigJimm,

Basically what you need is a Parrot Bluetooth Module and a Quick Connect Harness for the C6, while I do not have one, a few members over on CF do.

Basically the Parrot module allows you to integrate your phone into the car's stereo and just answer and hang up using 2 buttons on the parrot controller.

If you look at the attached PDF, it is a print of the thread that discusses the Parrot system.

 

[qualitywah]

most phones now are "bluetooth" ready. my m35 is equiped with it. its really great sometimes. it would be very nice to have on a manual car.

 

[Longtimer]

Thanks ankurpatel,

So there's our answer - the aftermarket has at least one answer. I'll start looking at the Quickconnect Products solution tomorrow!

 

[Big Jimm]

For clarification:

1. I DO have OnStar and Verizon is my cell phone carrier.
2. When I said that it has to “ring a lot,” the girl told me
that it would ring about 6-8 times on my regular cell then
the ring would transfer to my OnStar.

My problem with this is that many people would hang up
before I ever heard the ring in my car.

I was hoping that I could have ONE number and it would ring
simultaneously in my car and the handset. So that I'd hear
it right away wherever I was.

I’m retired and only “close” people have my cell number. So,
getting a lot of superfluous calls isn’t a problem. In reading
your comments (which are very helpful) it appears that
the thing the OnStar system is missing is Bluetooth .. which I
never really understood.

By the way, a little off subject but, would any after market
speakers make the regular radio’s “talk” any clearer. (Since I
don’t listen to much music, I wouldn’t care if most bass was
taken out.)

Thanks for your advice.

Big Jimm

 

[TheRooster]

I'm feeling your pain. About 3 months ago I test drove a 2007 Prius Touring with the Bluetooth (I need a beater soon).

FYI, when they say Prius in the south, it translates to Pris in the rest of the country. :rolling:

 

[livy]

Big Jim: If you can go back to that dealership and find out how he did the bluetooth on the radio, man lets us all in on it. That would be great to do.==Livy

 

[Flareside]

I’m retired and only “close” people have my cell number. So,
getting a lot of superfluous calls isn’t a problem. In reading
your comments (which are very helpful) it appears that
the thing the OnStar system is missing is Bluetooth .. which I
never really understood.

Big Jimm

You definitely need Bluetooth to accomplish what you're looking for. I have a system like this in my C6, but it's part of a Pioneer AVIC-D3 Nav system that's probably overkill for you (it's around $1000) unless you need nav and don't have it. When I'm out of the car, my Verizon cell phone rings normally, but when I get inside the car it automatically links up with the radio. The name of my cellphone appears on the bottom of the nav screen, incoming callers are identified on the screen, the music mutes, etc.

 

[Big Jimm]

Big Jim: If you can go back to that dealership and find out how he did the bluetooth on the radio, man lets us all in on it. That would be great to do.==Livy

I’d LOVE to, BUT ..

.. it was a Lexus dealership and the car was a Lexus 460. I was deciding on
a 460 or MB E350 Sport. I ended up buying the ’08 350 (with BlueTooth)
which will be built next week and hopefully in my garage in July. (Of course
the Lexus salesman has called me 10 times since then, so you can see why
I can’t go back there right now.)

But, if any of you guys are friendly with your local Lexus dealer, why not
stop by and ask him to tell you how the Phone works. He did it so quick
(and I’m so dumb) I don’t have any idea how he did it. But, I, too, would
like to hear the slow explanation of it.

Lexus electronics WAY beats MB. But, do you know why I picked the MB
over the Lexus? Because I didn’t like the way the Lexus handled. First of all,
my C6 has spoiled me. The small steering wheel and the snappy agile
handling. While the Lexus rides VERY nice, it has a HUGE steering wheel
(like a ship) and kinda “wallows.” (Again, my C6 has spoiled me.)

The E350 Sport drives and handles as much like a vette as any 4 door car
I've ever driven. (By the way, I'm not trading my C6. I’d never be without
a Corvette!)

jimm

 

[CK 6]

I have a Parrot 3100 system in my C6 and I love it. Go to this web site: http://www.deresinc.com/index.html

I had De-Re install the system. They come to your location, you don't need to go to them.

 

[Longtimer]

Hi Carl,

Longtime since we talked. Great job on this installation. Best us of an ashtray I have ever seen!

What's that little wire by the shifter?


To All, Bought my Z-51 from Carl last August. Professional and good to work with.

We just had a Bluetooth adaptor installed in a customers Z06.

Here are the pictures.

 

[Longtimer]

Thanks for the endorsement. I hope you are enjoying your Corvette. The string around the shifter is just some thing from the factory that was left on. It was a way cool way to mount the Parrot Blue Tooth unit. I like the fact that it is hidden from view so the interior does not look cluttered.

Love It Carl!! If you have anyone else considering a drive back from an NCM delivery, you can tell them that I mounted the "T-shirt" bra and mirror covers in the NCM parking lot, drove back via Las Vegas and there was not a single nick or indent in the paint when I made it back to So Cal.

Again, great install on the Parrot, esspecially since you did what Crutchfield says is impossible - installed it in an 07 Vette!!! They say it does not work with a Vette's sound system!! Idiots. :devil: