Mercedes, BMW all offer many different wheel options that look cool. The XLT needs the same thing - not some 10 spoke design that looks like it came from a 79 Olds.

What do you think.

The V wheels are a BIG improvement. Also, how about a Bluetooth phone (like the cheaper STS and DTS) and larger tires. Thsi car is 95% there but needs a little more Meaness to it.

Agree with technology advancements. How come a few Caddy's have bluetooth and not others.

I ran into the same thing with Lexus. Their new RX Hybrid SUV has Nav, Bluetooth but no XM radio (where other Lexus' do have XM).

I can never figure out the manufactures they make strides in technology and then newer models come out without the latest features.
Sometimes they are the tiniest things to. How long did it take for most of the manufactures to put a little arrow next to the fuel gauge to show which side the filler is on? Ford just came out with an all new Mustang in 05, a totally new design to carry them many years into the future but still no sat. radio availability. 05 or 06 model it is not possible to order? How is that possible?

Not that I'm in the market for a new car, but I would never consider buying ANY vehicle that didn't have satellite radio capability. I haven't listened to FM radio since I got my XLR in February.

Allyn :party

Here's my wish list of improvements:

1) Bluetooth interface
2) Better nav guidance
3) A "back-up" camera that displays on the multi-function display when in reverse. With the high body work on the XLR, the rear visibility is not great. A camera mounted on the license plate bracket would be a big improvement.

BTW - 1 & 3 are available aftermarket now.

Regarding the "technology lag"...I experienced exactly the same thing with my Mercedes ML 500. I'll bet the auto industry works the same way we do in the oil patch. Here's now we do it--

When a new product comes on the market, it is the fruit of the combined effort of R&D and Development Engineering where considerable resources are expended prior to market introduction. The next couple of years sales are spent trying to recoup the initial investments. All engineering efforts then switch to a "sustaining engineering" group charged with doing "quick fixes", and applying patches to problems. "Sustaining's" budget is always much smaller.

The back up camera's built into the plate are out there we just need to have the technology to feed into the display screen. We can tap into it to view movies we just need to be able to feed into it with a video stream. Come on we have a lot of smart entrepurerial XLR owners, now lets make it happen!

How do you add bluetooth to NAV?

How do you add bluetooth to NAV?

I'm not sure why one would want to add Bluetooth to nav.

However, you can add bluetooth to your XLR for handsfree interface for your phone:

http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?cc=us&lc=en&ver=4000&template=pp4_loader&php=php1_10141&zone=pp&lm=pp4_1&pid=10141

I installed one of these in my Escalade and it works well.

How does it work?

Easy or professional install?

How does it work?

Easy or professional install?

Unfortunately, aviator is not a do-it-yourselfer. (no free time) I had Car Toys install it, but it did not look difficult.

One hint: If you buy this thing, it comes with a speaker that mounts under your dash. You don't want to install it that way. There is an add-on (purchased separately) that will interrupt and mute your radio, plus the sound comes out your car stereo speakers. That is the installation that you want.

The cool thing about this device is that it will link with five different phones - each with a different color code. It seems to work best with the sonyericsson phone (I had one of those), but I'm now a confirmed, unshakeable Blackberry man. It does pair with the Blackberry.

I'm convinced this is the best in-car cell phone interface.
:flag