488 radio upgrade

This is one time when you should listen to your wife. Leave the radio alone. Messing with an aftermarket "upgrade" is a good way to trash your car. The electronics on these cars are sensitive and the last thing you want is someone from a car stereo shop ripping around in the wiring under your dash. Leave it alone.

The best radio will sound like crap with bad speakers, while a cheap radio will sound great with quality speakers. In the end though, it's not worth it because the ambient noise level in these cars is so high that no radio sounds good. If you really want a better sound, then maybe a speaker upgrade will do it. That would be the safest thing, but even then expect to have something damaged in the process. If there is no damage then you will be lucky.

Take the money you would have spent on the more expensive radio option and go to Paris for a week. Have fun!

 

I agree that getting good sound in one of these cars will take some doing. But I disagree that replacing the speakers alone will do it. They are part of a system and you have to match speakers to the amps.

If you want to do this, there are shops that can do it. And they can do it without causing harm to the electronics. The general concept is there are adapters that would allow youth keep the factory radio/ "front end" but then use better amp(s) and speakers and keep the speaker locations and grills etc all looking stock. But it won't be cheap. And not only will you not get your money back if/when you go to sell, the odds are it will make your somewhat less desirable.

I also think this will prove instructive to those who say its not worth the cost of the improved hi-fi from the factory. While it might not be quite audiophile, you will spend 2-4x that factory upgrade cost to get better results in the aftermarket.

I would leave it alone, just make the best of the sound you have- but it is possible. Where are you located? I'm sure there are members here who can point you in the right direction.

 

I asked my dealer about the Premium upgrade and they spoke directly to the factory. Even faced with the prospect of turning down business they said it could not be done.

 

For what it is worth, with the exhaust valves permanently open, it probably doesn't make much difference upgrading the stereo. Next time, is probably a better answer.

Currently in Marenello and going over to Portofino for the new car formal intro Friday night. Unfortunately, we couldn't stay for the 70th Anniversary ceremonies here but they are building something big inside the track for the event.

 

Any photos of the things they build on that Fiorano track ? Spy for us please