I am interested in installing the Bluetooth cell technology offered by Ford as an accessory to the F150. It uses an install kit (mic, display box, etc.) and interacts with the stock radio/CD player. Has anyone installed or had experience with this item? I am interested in the overall quality of the system. Cost is $375, so it better be good. Let me know. Thanks

 

I was thinking about getting the Ford brand (I think it's made by Nokia) when I bought my '05 F-150, but I quit that idea when the part guy said "4" (as in $400+).

I instead bought the cell phone wiring prep harness on Ebay around $35 and the Motorola IHF-1000 bluetooth handsfree for $160 on Ebay for my V551, hooking it into the radio and the such. I like the 1000 over the 850 since it added voice command and voice caller ID call-out, but both units have chrome buttons that match the chrome AC vent rings on my XLT. Of course the Motorola kit includes an external speaker, but I didn't use it since the Ford harness has speakerphone input wires and the Motorola harness has outputs wires to the radio.

I believe that Parrot Communications has a pretty nice handsfree that has an LCD display and is about the same price as the IHF-1000. I installed a Nokia handsfree kit in my sister's Taurus a while back, and it works pretty well with my Motorola.

Basically, most bluetooth handsfree kits should work with most bluetooth phones. As you can see I have a nice setup that will mute and play through the radio for 1/2 of what the dealership wanted.

 

I have the nokia version in my truck. It works pretty good. It picks up a little bit of road noise at highway speed, but in town it works great. I have it hooked up to an after market Kenwood radio. I had it hooked up to the factory audiophine and it worked just as good.