RADIO HELP!!

[TreFatKids]

Anyone know of a radio with a retractable screen that will fit a 2003 Vibe?

[Caretaker]

Sorry Tre, no help here. I thought I would bump up your post with a question of my own to keep traffic moving through here and get more eyes on your post. Here's mine:

Does anyone know if the unique XM identifier is associated with the second gen Vibe's radio, or is it associated with some hidden receiver part elsewhere in the car? I'm asking just in case my car goes dead some day and I'd want to transfer my lifetime XM into a new car. Is it as simple as taking out my Vibe's radio and installing it in another car, or again, is there some special part that would prohibit that transfer?

[kumquat]

There's a receiver hidden elsewhere in the car. You won't be able to install the Vibe's radio or the receiver in another vehicle.

As for the OP, any radio should fit just fine.

[tpollauf]

There's a receiver hidden elsewhere in the car. You won't be able to install the Vibe's radio or the receiver in another vehicle.

Interesting. I too have lifetime XM on my Vibe but will easily own the car for 20+ years so I'm not too concerned about losing it. My take on this is that if this "hidden receiver" was somehow installed into the car, then it can somehow be removed and transferred to another Vibe if need be. It just may involve a lot of work BUT should be accomplish-able. I may look into this over the winter when my work slows down just to satisfy my curiosity!

[kumquat]

There's a receiver hidden elsewhere in the car. You won't be able to install the Vibe's radio or the receiver in another vehicle.

Interesting. I too have lifetime XM on my Vibe but will easily own the car for 20+ years so I'm not too concerned about losing it. My take on this is that if this "hidden receiver" was somehow installed into the car, then it can somehow be removed and transferred to another Vibe if need be. It just may involve a lot of work BUT should be accomplish-able. I may look into this over the winter when my work slows down just to satisfy my curiosity!

Another Vibe, sure. But not another car.

[Caretaker]

Tim, thanks. I really would like to get this nailed down with a firm answer. If this mystery part can't be removed, then so be it. I just have not had any firm answers from any of the boards I belong to; just a bunch of guesses and anecdotal prognostications. Like you, I also plan on putting as many band aids on my Vibe until it can no longer be fixed, just to get the most out of my lifetime XM. It does burn me that Sirius/XM cannot reward those of us who took a huge risk on giving them $415 for lifetime XM when their stock was 17 cents a share and it was looking like they would not survive another month. We pumped money into a dying company and the only lifetime they give us is through our internet at home. I certainly don't expect them to give me "free" XM for my entire lifetime, but a one time transfer to a mobile unit or a one time transfer to a different vehicle does not seem unreasonable, again for those of us who help prop up the company in its darkest days. Oh well. I don't expect them to change the rules midstream, especially given the outrageous monthly price they are now charging for service, so I'll just cross my fingers that my car never gets t-boned.

[kumquat]

Tim, thanks. I really would like to get this nailed down with a firm answer. If this mystery part can't be removed, then so be it. I just have not had any firm answers from any of the boards I belong to; just a bunch of guesses and anecdotal prognostications. Like you, I also plan on putting as many band aids on my Vibe until it can no longer be fixed, just to get the most out of my lifetime XM. It does burn me that Sirius/XM cannot reward those of us who took a huge risk on giving them $415 for lifetime XM when their stock was 17 cents a share and it was looking like they would not survive another month. We pumped money into a dying company and the only lifetime they give us is through our internet at home. I certainly don't expect them to give me "free" XM for my entire lifetime, but a one time transfer to a mobile unit or a one time transfer to a different vehicle does not seem unreasonable, again for those of us who help prop up the company in its darkest days. Oh well. I don't expect them to change the rules midstream, especially given the outrageous monthly price they are now charging for service, so I'll just cross my fingers that my car never gets t-boned.

I gave you a firm answer. The XM receiver is a separate module mounted behind the right rear trim panel, where the subwoofer is/would be.

Apparently if you try to swap the receiver to another car, it'll activate Theftlock.

[tpollauf]

I gave you a firm answer. The XM receiver is a separate module mounted behind the right rear trim panel, where the subwoofer is/would be.
Apparently if you try to swap the receiver to another car, it'll activate Theftlock.

Before I get myself into trouble I guess I'd better educate myself on the latest in this radio technology I know nothing about "Theftlock" and am only going by my tried & true methods of making anything fit and making it work BUT technology may have my number on this one. Hopefully the policies about transferring lifetime subscriptions remains in effect for quite some time and that would be our best bet for now. That would seem like the best option for now if you had to replace the Vibe. Kumquat seems to be up on this radio thing more than me. Sorry for the unnecessary excitement Jim .....................

[Caretaker]

Well, I guess that's the final word on that. Thanks for that definitive explanation.
Tim: XM will not give us a transfer regarding an in car subscription. Once the car is dead, the lifetime relating to the car is dead. In our case, the only thing XM will allow for is a one time replacement of a new Vibe radio should our current one become defective. Again, like you, I'll be hoping for 20 years out of my Vibe.