DarthD

Does the dark gray interior have a darker radio than the medium gray? I had my radio replaced from the dealer and I swear it looks too light. The company they get the radios from insist there is only one color.
Please help. I posted on LS1.com and no one responed.

DrEvyl

iTrader: (5)

That is correct, there is only one color.

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

No surprise there. You've come to the right place

You didn't mention the year of your 'bird, but 2000-2002 'birds all came with black dashes, a-pillars & center consoles. Since the dash is black in my 'bird, I can understand why the radio is black. I've never seen a factory radio in a GM car that isn't black. I'd be curious to see one.

DrEvyl

iTrader: (5)

The one in my car is grey.. not black.

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

Thanks! I learned something new today

DarthD

My car is an 01. The radio they gave me looks too light. I know they had a light gray or medium gray dash some years, I thought they were all that way through 2002. Sometimes people call the dark gray interior black. I think the official color is dark graphite? I'd have to check my pamphlets.

I lost the small defroster vent on the A pillar when the car was new. It just fell off and flew out the window. The dealer would not replace it under warranty because they had to have the old 'defective' part to send back. The one they gave me that I had to pay for, was a medium gray color. They said GM does not stock any dark gray, dark graphite, or black, but they could paint it for me for $75! Well, it did not get painted and it is anoying. The radio is the same color.

My wife talked to a girl at school with a Firebird that has the same problem. Her radio was replaced due to a bad volume ****, like mine, and the 'new' radio is a lighter gray. She complained and they told her the same thing. They only stock one color.

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

My radio volume **** is bad too. I use the steering wheel controls (when the radio is on), so I've not really worried too much about having it fixed. I hardly ever listen to the radio in my 'bird anymore...I'd much rather listen to the car

Firebird95

Guys, who cares about the radio color. I mean, these are just the most purest of all crap radio I have ever heard in my life! A sports car over $30,000 but comes with the most s#!ttiest radio head unit! Sometimes I feel like bashing that thing apart.

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

Obviously three of us did, or we wouldn't of had a discussion about it.

DrEvyl

iTrader: (5)

My volume **** in the Formula is bad as well... I have to use the steering wheel controls. I don't care about it, it's not worth replacing the head unit for it.

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

I figured I'd just toss the radio if it ever quits working. I'll look at it as weight reduction

DarthD

I like to keep the factory look. This is why I will not replace it with an aftermarket radio. They just don't look right. GM should offer a fix for the volume control, or replace every one for free forever, because it is a design issue. Other than that, and the fact that the CD does not seem to like home recorded discs, the radios are not crap. The Monsoon is a very nice sounding system for factory. I have heard none better, and I have heard a lot of them.

Of course the Ford Mach 1000 is pretty awesome but that is not a fair comparison, since it has that sub woofer.

Thanks for the replies.

DrEvyl

iTrader: (5)

The Bose setup in the 3rd gen F-bodies was definitely a better sounding factory stereo than the Monsoon is.

DarthD

Are you sure it sounded better? I mean, are you just remembering how good it sounded years ago, or do you still have a 3rd gen Bose to compare to? Sometimes when we remember things from a long time ago, they now seem to be little better than they really were.

I have not heard a Bose in a 3rd gen Camaro but the Bose in my Wife's Corvette does not even come close to the Monsoon. Did the Camaro have a better stereo than the Corvette?

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

If your wife's 'Vette is a recent model then yes, the older Bose sounded better.

Recent GM models with the "Bose" system are basically like Monsoon systems - there is nothing special about the head unit, it's just the amp and speakers that distinguish it from the standard system (in fact the standard system and the Bose system use identical Delco head units).

The early 4th generation Bose system (93 to 97 - I don't remember Bose being available in 3rd-gen) was a complete system that included a special head unit with line-level, high-impedance output and speakers with individual amps built-in that were "tuned" for their position in the car. Not to mention a true subwoofer in the back.

I have compared the Bose system to the Monsoon side by side and I think the sound quality is significantly better with the Bose. However, I still prefer the Monsoon because all the additional speakers give more of a "surrounded by music" feeling (the Bose had a more obvious front sound stage). I know...audiophiles will object to that comment but that's my personal preference.

DarthD

After looking closely at some pitures I have of my interior, It looks like the radio was two shades of gray. The part surrounding the EQ and the part surrounding the volume **** are slightly darker than the rest of the radio. I never noticed this in the car. I looked up Pontiac Monsoon on Ebay and found one like that there also. It could just be an illusion due to shadows.


My wife's Vette is an 85. I'd like to hear the 4th gen Camaro Bose.

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

If I remember correctly there were overlays on the face of the radio surrounding the controls. I think they were there to reduce marks and fingerprints in the areas that were most used. That may account for the slight differences in color.

BTW, I was re-reading the earlier posts and your comment about the vent got me curious. I checked the parts manual and found that all the interior trim pieces come from the factory color matched to the interior. For example, the A pillar trim is listed as "graphite". The little defroster vent in graphite is part number 10268189 on the right side and 10268190 on the left side.

WS-Sick

My radio is grey as well. I really don't care about the performance of the radio. GM did give us crap. I think the quality of sound is suitable but the reliablity is garbage. My speakers are going out (no bass) I care so much (not) that I haven't bothered getting it fixed. Why waste money on a radio I can't hear over my exhaust anyways? As long as my dash doesn't look beat up I'm happy.

DarthD

WhiteBird00,
So, there is a different part number for the gray vent? I will see if I can order the correct one with the number you listed.
Thanks

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

I only looked up the part number for 98-02 models. I suppose the lighter gray could have been from a 93-97 model but I don't know for sure. Graphite is the only color listed for the 98-up models. I have ordered other trim pieces before and they have always come color-matched, ready to install.