j10b Android Head Unit Advice

[repulsivebasil]

Hello all,

I've got a 2012 j10b with 100k miles on it, and the base AM/FM radio with CD player. I don't have a built in satnav or reverse cameras. The radio's LCD display has stopped functioning, so I'd like to replace the entire head unit with a new one with Android Auto. I've had a look through the forum at all the helpful posts about updating a head unit. I'm not an expert, but I'm comfortable in my ability to follow instructions and install a new system if it's fairly straightforward, which it appears to be.

Because the car is so old, I don't want to spend a lot of money on a new system, so I'm looking at the cheap systems from AliExpress. They all seem to come with everything needed to install them while maintaining the steering wheel controls and USB port in the centre console, which are my main requirements. Am I missing anything? Are there any 'gotchas' or extra bits I'm going to need that don't come with most systems? Are there any cheap manufacturers that are any better than any of the others, or are they all pretty much the same? For anyone who has done a similar swap, is there anything you didn't know before you started that would have been helpful?

I appreciate any replies.

[gloucester]

Welcome to this forum.

Remember that AliExpress's prices rise when you buy owing to import tax. I've been caught out in the past thinking I was getting a bargain.

The other problem with AliExpress is that what you get is often different to what you see in the advert. Sometimes only slightly but definitely different. My last buy was a pair of trainers - superficially similar but not as great as the images.

[repulsivebasil]

Thanks for the welcome & advice about the import tax; I hadn't thought of that. As for matching the advert, I get it, but as long as it has the basic radio & bluetooth phone connections, Android Auto 10 or later and comes with all the bits I need to connect it to the existing steering wheel controls and aux input in the center console, I'm honestly not too bothered about which exact cheap radio it is.

[gloucester]

Lots of inspiration on YouTube...

e.g.