I have the 8.4 without Alpine in my wife's 2018 Crossroad...We installed Polk Audio 6x9s in all four corners, and it is a HUGE improvement, but still, the system is lacking. One, no android auto. Two, the bluetooth is a joke, half the time it refuses to connect to anything. And no Nav, and it still sounds a bit flat, and adding a Sub and amp would be nice, but for what it will cost for the converter box just to wire an aftermarket amp to this garbage just isn't worth it, when you can get a killer full on multimedia radio with wireless android auto just for what the stupid converter box will cost.
Here is my question. The one thing I like is the look of that screen in the dash. Is there a way to keep that screen to run an aftermarket head unit, or a decent kit to install one of the Pioneer, Alpine, Kenwood aftermarket stereos, one that does not look like some backyard engineered kits. I can live with a slightly smaller, or larger screen to get the function and sound...and ease of installing an amp in the back, and I can make a box to fit behind the passenger panel where the factory puts the amp with the higher end systems to fir at least a 10, maybe a 12 inch sub. and hiding an amp in this car should be simple enough...but mounting the radio to look right presents a challenge. I'd really like to find an interface where I could just use the stock screen with an aftermarket radio...but that may be asking too much.
If anyone knows of what I am looking for, or has pics of nice clean, factory appearing installs, I would love to know what it takes before I invest the money in this...
