About the Rockford Fosgate Upgrade. Did you Know...

[Steve04SE]

I did a search and could NOT find Rockford Foster anywhere????
Strange, real strange.

[Titan1027]

Hi all, you got the point greg. advertise a 350 watt system, that pushes what 50 into the very poor design. Like i said I love my truck, I can see me making the mods now and then the nav system goes out in 2 years and nissan is saying "sorry mr miller but you added after market electronics, and they caused your problem, that will be another $2500.00 to replace your nav system. And ixian, I dont like the thought of making lawyers rich, I just would like to see nissan step up and say, first year mastake, lets take care of the problem, had may radio replaced once for the fading, ( didnt help a bit. I did have an estimate from tweeter, to upgrade with 2 amps, new speakers up front, and a custom sub for the rear, and flat out said nothing we can do for the head unit. ohhhh to the tune of $2800.00 But i am sure most people that thought we were getting R/F unit were decived.... I just want nissan to step up in this area.... Ray

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by Titan1027

just thinking, I have the nav system, so I hear there is not much I can do with r/f crap system.

You can change the speakers, add sub(s) and amp(s) and still maintain integration using the stock head unit through LOC(s). sammy, smoketitan, eakes and others have been posting excellent advice on this subject.

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by Titan1027

Hi all, you got the point greg. advertise a 350 watt system, that pushes what 50 into the very poor design. Like i said I love my truck, I can see me making the mods now and then the nav system goes out in 2 years and nissan is saying "sorry mr miller but you added after market electronics, and they caused your problem, that will be another $2500.00 to replace your nav system. And ixian, I dont like the thought of making lawyers rich, I just would like to see nissan step up and say, first year mastake, lets take care of the problem, had may radio replaced once for the fading, ( didnt help a bit. I did have an estimate from tweeter, to upgrade with 2 amps, new speakers up front, and a custom sub for the rear, and flat out said nothing we can do for the head unit. ohhhh to the tune of $2800.00 But i am sure most people that thought we were getting R/F unit were decived.... I just want nissan to step up in this area.... Ray

It certainly confused me. My amp has a big "Clarion" sticker, my head unit says "Panasonic" so I don't really understand the "350 Watt Rockford - Fosgate powered" advertisement. If you look at the sticky thread reporting RRUMANER's interview with the Nissan tech, Nissan's response to this inquiry was that RF specified the design & components for the system. But the Nissan advertisement and the window sticker does not say "designed by Rockford - Fosgate" it says "350-Watt Rockford Fosgate - powered". So I think Nissan would need to demonstrate that the amp is Rockford - Fosgate. (or more correctly, the burden would be on a plaintiff to demonstrate that the system is not "350-Watt Rockford Fosgate - powered".) Now maybe Rockford Fosgate made the amp and Clarion put their sticker on it, I don't know. If it is a Clarion amp, and Nissan is saying that Rockford Fosgate specified the Clarion amp in the system, that doesn't seem like "350-Watt Rockford Fosgate - powered" to me.

I did some computer legal research on the subject of OEM car stereo systems, and pulled up an interesting case where some after-market installer sued Chrysler on an anti-trust tying theory, because Chrysler would not sell vehicles w/o any radio. The court (unfortunately IMHO) ruled in favor of Chrysler, thus entrenching the OEM practice of installing so-called "Premium" sound systems, such as the RF in the Titan, without allowing the consumer the option of going with no radio and getting a stereo after market.

If you check out the stock RF system descriptions of the Titans at the cardomain pages (www.cardomain.com - search rides - Nissan Titan), you will find several others that describe all of the components as "Rockford-Fosgate" indicating that many people were confused. I would place the people that post at the cardomain pages in the aficianado category, meaning that they would be more sophisticated, and thus harder to confuse, than the average consumer. So I think the confusion aspect would be easy to prove, leaving only the literal falsity issue in question.

If push comes to shove, I don't think they could substantiate a denial of a NAV warranty claim under the Mag-Moss act, based upon mods downstream from the head unit, unless they can show that such mods caused the NAV failure. But, yes, as a practical matter, the dealer might give you a hassle, requiring a few years of litigation.

Yes, I can see $2,800 if you go to a shop, but I think you could DIY for alot less and get an enormous improvement. (Obviously that neglects to consider any $ value for your time, which you would need to regard as a hobby.)

Oh, I kind of like the thought of making lawyers rich, or at least one of them.

[avroflyer]

Just shove the Magnuson Moss Warranty language in the dealers face. Remember, they have to prove that your aftermarket gizmo directly caused the failed item you want replaced. It really works, trust me. I had a Dakota go TU on me (melted two cylindars) and Chrysler kept saying I had to pay for the new engine because my body lift caused inadequate cooling. I kept saying "prove it" and they never really produced anything, but in the process of investigating it, they discovered that the engine casing had blockages in it that hindered coolant flow (manufacturing flaw). A handful of other engines from the same plant had the same problem I later discovered.

I guess the downside was I had to pay for the rental car all that time (they later reimbursed) since I refused to pick up the truck for nearly a month, but I have learned with manufacturers that if you know you are in the right, keep tugging at their socks like a rabid Jack Russel Terrier until they give!

[eakes]

I remember the day when a radio was strictly optional equipment, only upscale autos had radios as standard. But somewhere along the line auto manufacturers discovered that a radio in an auto could be very profitable, therefore they began to include them in even the base models plus they had premium systems as upgrades.
I must say I have yet to hear a stock or premium OEM radio that was worth listening to, regardless of the manufacturer. Bose or Rockford-Fosgate are merely licensening agreements - Bose or RF make none of the components.

When I went to trade for the Titan I knew that it would likely be for an LE with the attendant RF system. Before I even heard it I knew it would be bad - I was not disappointed. In making my deal I had the XE stock radio bezel included, when I drove off the lot in the Titan the bezel was in the back seat.
Most OEM headunits are somewhat acceptable but the RF unit has to be the worst I have ever heard. The radio front end is extremely noisy, there is no balance between radio, CD and AUX levels and the AUX input requires 2 volts peak-to-peak to drive it properly. A vastly underdesigned radio that I tolerated for one week before relegating it to a shelf in my junk room where it will remain until trade time. I greatly sympathize with those that got the RF/DVD/Nav package.

The best package for the Titan is a stock SE, either 2wd or 4wd with no other options. For those that have a need for the tow package go with an SE with popular package plus the tow. If you want Nav or DVD plan to go aftermarket.

[dickyn]

Originally Posted by ixian

Calm down there sport....
.

[SIZE=4]Do you work for NISSAN?[/SIZE]

I already paid good money for this system and even though I really love this truck, I also feel decieved in this regard. Why should I have to spend more for something I already paid for.

[adjmcloon]

For replacement speakers, check out MB Quart...seriously killer for not much more than Infinity, Alpine, etc.

[LordReed]

My entire system start to finish was $2,100 installed. If the name dosent ring a bell search for my posts. It's all sony/kicker/alpine and has sound like you would not believe. For those who have not yet bought your Titan please consider an aftermarket stereo. You will be astounded as what 2k will get you in the right shop. Good luck.

[greg w]

The point is still I have already payed for a product and shoudn't have to buy anything aftermarket to replace it because it's not what was we were lead to believe we were getting. In this line of thinking don't go back to the dealer for any problem just replace it yourself. Bedliner peeling off well Linex can do for $$$$, rear dif burned out Aamco can fix for $$$$, brake problem Midas can do for $$$$. These are no different than my "C.R.A.P." radio since they didn't specify on my window sticker that I would have a full fluid level in my dif they only specified I had Dana axles.

[earlofcrankcase]

I hear ya. I dont delibertly deceive people I do buisness with. Why should they be able to get away with it?

[llajumpvid]

Anyone know what the "Bose" system in the Armada is made of?

[eakes]

Originally Posted by llajumpvid

Anyone know what the "Bose" system in the Armada is made of?

Don't know about the Armada, but the only thing 'Bose' on my 2000 Pathfinder was the name on the dash. Speakers, amp and head were Clarion.

[bestatchess]

Well, as long as you have the name, that's the important part. Just don't turn the stereo on with anyone else in the car. Just point to the name on the dash, smile, and nod your head in a knowing way. Then say "Awesome".

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by LordReed

My entire system start to finish was $2,100 installed. If the name dosent ring a bell search for my posts. It's all sony/kicker/alpine and has sound like you would not believe. For those who have not yet bought your Titan please consider an aftermarket stereo. You will be astounded as what 2k will get you in the right shop. Good luck.

Agree 100%. After reading the initial problems with the radio on this forum I decided to drop from an LE with Nav and DVD to an SE with the non-RF package and add an aftermarket Nav system. I did lose the sunroof, which would have been very nice

Took the truck from the dealer directly to the car audio shop. Had everything riped out and replaced, ended up with a complete Alpine system (head, nav, amps, component speakers, and well a JL sub). It totally rocks, works with the steering wheel controls and my iPod.

Given the lack of really great factory unit aftermarket seems like a good way to go.

See Titan Images and Sub Box for some images.

Geoff