OK, so this is a bit of a cheat - I have only had this for 24 hours, and so I really can't comment too much on how good it is. I've tried the bluetooth/handsfree phone (works a treat), the ipod docking facility (works a treat), radio etc.
However, I really wanted to post this review here to try to help others if they (like me) get frustrated trying to install this product! Let me explain:
I have a VW Polo 2006, and I spent HOURS trying to troubleshoot why I could not get my JVC KW-XR811 to power on last night. Hopefully the following will help someone! Basically, after I installed this adapter, the JVC stereo seemed to initially power on BUT only the 'Eject' and 'DISP' buttons worked - the stereo did not switch on etc.
Anyway, if you look at the harness 'adapter' (sold separately) the 'red' cable is not actually connected. In other words, there is only the 'yellow' cable feeding power to the stereo. This is enough to keep the clock etc. running, but the stereo unit will fail to switch on.
The simple fix is to use the 'spare' orange cable (supplied with my third-party harness) to manually create a new
connector for the 'red' cable (out of the stereo). In other words, connect the 'spare' orange cable to:
(1) the empty connection on the harness which connects to the red cable out of the stereo
(2) connect the other end to the 'yellow' lead (in other words, slot it as best as you can into the
'connection on the harness which connects to the yellow cable out of the stereo'
Then make sure you add some electrical insulating tape (onto the bit of metal that is sticking out of
(b)) to get rid of short circuits ;-) and voila, the JVC unit finally will switch on!
Very frustrating, I personally think that the ISO adapter/harness is either incorrectly manufactured or
it should come with some instructions, but (hey-ho) at least it works! I really hope this helps someone
else (especially a newbie like me) from wasting many hours in frustration!
UPDATE JULY 2010: I have now had this unit for several weeks, and I *really* like it. The main reason why I bought this unit was that it was (more or less) the cheapest Double-Din unit which had (a) Bluetooth for mobile phone hands free and (b) an iPod dock. I do use the other features (radio / USB stick & hard drive access etc) but much more rarely.
** Anyway, I'm very glad to say that the way that the JVC unit integrates mobile phone/iPod is FANTASTIC. I love the way that it 'pauses' my iPod Nano when I take a call, or change to listen to the radio... and then the iPod re-starts from where it left off when the phone-call ends etc.
** Also, the 'hands-free' phone function works brilliantly. The microphone seems to be very clear for the other callers, and the unit connects automatically to my Nokia phone very quickly (more or less as soon as I switch the JVC unit on). DELIGHTED!