I am in a similar situation, I have just got a second hand 2013 XT Premium and will be looking to replace the head unit soon. Have you started / tried yet @Alex W Os ?

 

Hey mate, apologies for the delay - I'm rarely on here and didn't see the notification.

I believe I now have everything I need to install the new unit. I'll let you know how its goes and what you need if it works. It hasn't been as straight forward as I would have liked!

 

Dam 30 days with no one saying anything. dam.

Anyway, yes there are tons of people that swap out the OEM head unit.
Yes there is more adapters and wiring harness needed than the average '90's car. But it is do able.
A simple youtube search can get you the answer you are looking for.
Coming from Australia it will be more expensive, just as everything is for you guys. One online store that is very helpful for DIY stereo installs is Crutchfield.com I"m sure there are many more online stores, hell, even your local car audio shop might have something for you. I would always try local, then online if all else fails.

 

I've got a 2016 XT with the non sat nav unit.
From a wrecker, I bought a 2016 XT Premium unit with the GPS SD card.
From my limited research, it should be plug and play.
Anyone here done this?

 

@shotlister It should be. Not 100% sure. The only thing that "might" be an issue is the sat nav antenna. But that should be an easy fix, just grab that antenna from the wrecker. Oh and maybe the under the seat amp, but i don't thing that should be an issue, since it only sends the signal to turn on the amp.

 

Success. Literally plug and play.

 

Cool. Looks great, thanks for the heads up.

 

I have a 2011, and replaced the head unit with a Pioneer Apple Carplay unit (one of the NEX units), using an iDatalink adapter to keep steering wheels controls, but also to get gauge information on the head unit too. I have done a couple more installs with my parents vehicles (Toyota sedans, a 2005, and 2018) and they have worked very well. Then I did the same setup in my wife's 2015 Sienna (another Toyota).

 

Hey mate, is yours a premium model?

 

@Alex W Os

Wow dude this looks great, really appreciate your journey and insight. I will be embarking on something similar soon once my budget allows. I am thinking of ditching the sub box and opting for a under seat to keep the boot space. I'll post back how it does when I do it!

 

Alex W Os,

That looks great mate, what did it end up setting you back?

 

@RIPaXe Thanks mate. Wasn't especially cheap if I'm honest due to the custom harnesses which were $245 AUD. The fascia kit was $37 and the head unit you can pick up for about $350 at the moment. Obviously I did all the installation which cut out that cost.

For me, it's an easy expense to justify because it improves the driving experience so much with maps and general usability. Listening to music in the car is also a big deal for me and this improves that experience so much more as well. Since writing the above post I have installed an additional Alpine 5-channel amplifier and 12" Kicker sub. It's sounding verrrry nice!

 

Hey Mate,

How'd you go with the amp and subwoofer install?

My HK unit has legit just died (does not turn on at all) so i'll be starting the process on replacing and contemplating a hidden sub under the driver seat.

Couple of questions around your amp and sub install:

Did you replace the HK amp with the 5CH amp?

Did you need to run new power / preout cabling, or were you able to use what was going into the HK amp?

I'll post my progress on this thread as I go for fellow AU owners in the same situation.

Cheers dude!

-Alex

 

Oh awesome that’s actually not as bad as I’d thought! Looking at picking up a second hand forester and just looking at how much I’ll plan to spend on upgrades such as the stereo. You’re right it’s an easily justified purchase haha. Are the original premium head units that bad?

 

@RIPaXe Yeah the navigation head units in the Premium XTs are awful - just outdated technology that's all. Was probably fine in its time.

Worth mentioning in case you're unsure, if you get a non-premium forester all of the above stuff isn't really relevant. Especially for models 2012 and prior, installation becomes a lot easier and cheaper I really like the premium feel though.

 

@Alex W Os Yeah man I've been looking at premiums. They just look that bit nicer with the better rims/leather seats/sunroof etc. and if I can change out the stereo for under a grand that's not too bad at all. Been looking at 2011/12 models as the 2013 premiums are just slightly more than what I'm getting back for my hail damaged write off and don't want to go too overboard for the sake of it

 

A Seicane unit from their website or Aliexpress will be substantially cheaper, in my opinion, look better, and offer lots of options including a much larger screen with better resolution. I put one in my 2011 that was being discontinued as an older model for $129 Cdn including shipping

 

Hey Mate. Yeah definitely looks the part but cheaper ≠ better in my opinion. I've read sketchy things about Seicane so preferred to opt for a trusted brand, especially as sound quality is so important to me. Finding the right harnesses for a Seicane in the XT Premium would also be very difficult considering the Harman/Kardon sound system + factory amp - it isn't a plug and play scenario. It's much more straight forward in the SH Foresters such as yours.
I'd be wary of Seicane, mixed reviews:

I spose if your main criteria is price then it's a winner.

Anyway, my opinion. Cheers.

 

It was a winner in the price department without a doubt. The fact is, it was priced low enough at an end of the year clearance price that I was willing to try it with the idea of no big loss if it did not work well. That said the unit I received has impressed. It's far superior to the factory-installed 2011 SONY Avic in my Forester in terms of screen size, resolution, boot time, GPS performance, and overall sound quality. It's worked fine in -25 C weather, and in 35 C hot weather, and you can actually see the screen on a sunny day. Not to mention the screen surface which has a touch screen built in that minimizes fingerprints
I would take a lot of the negative reviews with a grain of salt. Here is a more in-depth one for you

Seicane Lets You Put an Android in Your Dashboard

No, not Data from <em>Star Trek</em>—this head unit runs on Android like a tablet, and also integrates with your car.

www.thedrive.com

.

For fun what are the anonymous rating sites you posted, and why are their numbers trustworthy?
In my books, SONY made good stuff in the 1980s and has been going downhill since, but that is probably a little harsh. It's just that their quality differential with their competition doesn't seem as great anymore.
I honestly find the unit Alex O installed leaves me underwhelmed. Especially compared to this

Android Car Stereo for 2014 2015 2016 Subaru Forester

If you install a touchscreen Android car radio for 2014 2015 2016 Subaru Forester , your driving journey has many fun and convenient.

www.seicane.com

Its just sad that its not compatible with a Harmon Kardon system set up. For what RipaXe wants though, I think these are the answer.

 

For fun what are the anonymous rating sites you posted, and why are their numbers trustworthy?

Seicane Consumer Verified Ratings & Reviews

Find the best stores, Read Real Customer Ratings and Write Reviews

www.resellerratings.com

Seicane is rated "Bad" with 1.7 / 5 on Trustpilot

Do you agree with Seicane's TrustScore? Voice your opinion today and hear what 88 customers have already said.

au.trustpilot.com

It's the web, who knows who and what to trust ultimately - including you and I. haha

All the best my friend, enjoy your Forester.

 

As the thread has gone international I have moved it.

 

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Yup. No problems whatsoever, and has worked fine in -20 C conditions and 30+ hot summer temps. Newer units are probably better still. Its a great upgrade to the car and the size and clarity of the screen are fantastic.Improves the overall look of the dash in my opinion, and if you use another interface such as AGAMA car launcher you can make it look like an OE or better system. If you want to save some money buy one the remaining last gen units without the latest and greatest Android or Processing chip. I paid $129 Cnd which included shipping from a vendor on Aliexpress

Here is an example of someone selling different versions. Here is what I think is the great deal

97.92US $ 52% OFF|Seicane Android Car Radio For Subaru Forester 3 2007-2013 For Subaru Impreza 2007-2011 Gps Audio Head Unit Multimedia Player - Car Multimedia Player - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

Otherwise you can also buy directly from the Seicane website but the deals are not quite as good, and you don't get the same buyer protections as on Aliexpress

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Subaru Forester Touch Screen Radio bluetooth touchscreen GPS navigation System upgrade replacement

With Android 10, 8-core CPU, this for 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Subaru Forester radio system is super fast to response. It supports Carplay, FM/AM radio, WIFI.

www.seicane.com

Personally for these I don't think you really need more than 2GB RAM, but I don't use it to stream movies, or run 10 applications at a time. Boot time is super fast already. If you buy one I doubt you will regret it.

 

Here is probably the one to get and it is being sold by Seicane on Aliexpress
Its got good specs and more recent apps in terms of design. Just remember these units do not have a CD player if that matters to you

125.44US $ 36% OFF|Seicane 9" Android 10.0 2din Car Multimedia Player For 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Subaru Forester Support Steering Wheel Control - Car Multimedia Player - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

 

Alex

I also have a Forester XT premium 2013 and am considering a head unit upgrade similar to yours. A question: The Metra 71-1761 harness connects to the powered output (not the pre-amp) from the Sony to the OEM HK amplifier input. This would normally be a no no. How come it works in your case?

Regards

Miron