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I am about to pull the trigger on my new 2010 Expy. I currently have a 2007 Ltd without Nav and DVD, this time I would like all the bells and whistles, but I am torn on the rear seat DVD. I have a 3 yrd old and 1.5 yrd old with a new born on the way. My question for those with young kids and dvd players is do they get addicted to watching tv in the car? It would be nice for long trips but I don't want to be playing wiggles and thomas DVDs every time I am driving. I am also not crazy about them wearing headphones at that age, which means I will be listening to it too.. Finally, I am not sure I want to endure the crying and whining that might ensue if I refuse to turn it on. You can flip it out of the way out of sight out, out of mind but might be better just to hold off until they are older.
How does it work anyways? I am assuming you can't play the dvd out of the rear speakers and play music out of the front, it's likely one or the other? Any comments or advice is welcome!
As an owner of an 07 Expy Limited EL with the rear seat DVD.... and a 7 year old and 4 year old, I'll have to say that it's a great thing to have on long trips but my boys do not give me a hard time when we're just bopping around in town. You can set the system up in dual source, where you can play your own radio or CD up front while the DVD plays in back, but the audio in back I believe does go over the headphone and not the rear speakers. I'd have to go and mess with it to give you a better answer but I believe that's how it works.
We drove the truck to Sesame Place in PA shortly after I bought it, we live in NH, and the DVD was a great thing to have for the trip. I also brought my parents along so the 3rd row came in quite handy along with the extra space afforded by the EL.
However, there are other options besides going with the factory stuff. You can by personal DVD players that hang from the seat for much less than the factory installed system. Heck, you can walk into a Target or Walmart around here and buy a setup for less than $250.... for both!
Check around and see what your options are. The DVD system does really help on the long trips. The kids love it. Depending on how your kiddoes react to it, you may have to set some ground rules but haveing the option does have it's perks.
This is a stone-age answer, but when our son was that age, we had a conversion van with a 12" TV and VCR, and it was *OK* on trips, but we had just as much fun playing "I Spy", looking for moving trains, construction equipment, and stuff that little boys like.
Looks like the DVD player is over a grand on the Expy, so I'd also suggest the Walmart approach--it's probably far cheaper, and will transfer more easily to other vehicles. In a couple years, we'll be into Blu Ray and DVD's will be obsolete anyway. Plus you can leave it at home 95% of the time. If a built-in unit dies, it will cost cubic $$$ to replace. Heck, if you have an older laptop computer with a DVD player, you could probably even use that with some sort of bracket.
for about $800, I am very satisfied. And when I go shopping for a 2012 Expy, I can remove it all and re-use. I'd love to use OEM, but the OEM is lacking a few features that the aftermarket supports.
btw, my kids aren't demanding of the movies. the oldest knows better, and the twins don't really know the difference at this point.
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We got it last year in our used 2007. Our kids were 11 and 8 at the time. We have a rule that it is only for trips. Never had an issue. Even on trips, they might watch a movie or two, but my sone will play his Nintendo DS rather than watch the DVDs.
I installed a dual headrest system similar to tylus' system and it is great for trips. But the kids do like to watch it all the time. We tell them no about half the time and they don't pitch fits. We live in Houston so just about every trip out is 45 min or longer
I would say it just depends on the kids. If they are demanding, you'll be hearing it all the time. If they are more laid back then it's not a problem.
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We have 8, 6 and 3 yr old boys and a 2 yr old girl and the Mobile headrest DVD players and they are more for the younger two so the older two play their game boys. of all of them baby girl is the most demanding (a glimpse into my future I'm afraid) but she does calm down for awhile with a movie on we are mainly doing 3-4 hour trips we are taking a 3k mile trip this summer and I was thinking about putting in a deck with nav, rear backup cam and dvd and do a roof mounted screen but I might be to cheap to come up with a grand for equipment and that's to do it myself it would be 1500 to get it installed so I will be debating on that for awhile
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I have one in the Grand Cherokee, I have a 5yr old and my son's turning 7. At first I was like what do they need that for,we didn't have it as kids.
However I will say this,we take an 8 hour trek to PA every year for vacation with the kids and it definitely cuts down on he touched me, she's pokin me....lol
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Thanks for the responses everyone, I have decided not to get it.. I think they watch enough tv as it is and I am 6' 5" so I am concerned about having this big bulky thing in my field of vision in the mirror as well as when I turn around. Now I just have to decide on colour.. Have black now so thinking of going with white to be different, but really like black.. Decisions, decisions..
Not Black! It's a dust magnet. Wash it and 1 minute later it's visibly starting to get dirty. Scratches show up easily. White is the lowest maintenance IMO.
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Well, I went to sign the deal yesterday.. When you get NAV you automatically have to get DVD, so that decision was made for me.. Went with the Tri-Coat white, now the wait begins!
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