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What a difference. Trivial, I realize. Installed the mount on the dash of my '07 Honda Civic.
This is somewhat petty. But all in all this radio is good for the money. But the preset buttons are not really easy to press.
Bought this unit to replace my Sportster which I had for 4 years. Radio itself is ok. Nice to have Sirius NFL radio for the long commute.
Used the aux port rather than the fm transmitter mode which I had used previously. Fantastic sound quality, no static whatsoever.
This radio works amazingly good the audio is clear it's easy to hook it up it's easy to use and its small and compact.
If your vehicle does not have a line-in jack on the front, or a cassette player, you should seriously consider having an FM Direct adapter installed. It is easy to use and the screen is easy to read. This won't bother most people, just something I felt worth mentioning.The unit's size is also impressive. The procedure requires the removal of your radio head unit, but once you do the install (or have a pro do it if you're not comfortable with removing the radio) you will be rewarded with static and interference free radio. I cannot tell you how many stories I have heard from people who have had radios (and other electronics for that matter) stolen from their parked cars. I used the Stratus for about half a year before giving it to my dad and upgrading myself to a Sportster 5.I will be writing this review based on the product itself, not Sirius customer service.The Stratus is a good entry-level radio.
The screen back light is pretty bright even on the lowest setting; good if you're using it in the car but bad if you are using it in a dark bedroom.The buttons are a little mushy compared to my Sportster, which has a nice crisp 'click' with each push. I only used the built in FM transmitter a few times, and it is unimpressive. I bought it on sale for a fair price, and was very happy with how it performed. Remember, stow it don't show it.All in all, the Stratus is a great entry level radio. My only minor gripe are the somewhat soft buttons, but as I stated most people will not be bothered by it. The display is bright and easy to read.
It is very small and slick, which makes it easy to slip into a pocket or glove box.
A friend and a family member wanted to pay for my subscription. I stated that my account was set to renew in a few days and this would be a problem. The utter incompetence of most of the customer service people is staggering. Once again, a few days into January $150+ was withdrawn from my checking account (renewal price).
Good luck if you have to deal with them. The first time a family member called Sirius, paid for the year with his credit card, and we thought it was set. To rub extra salt in the wounds, it will take 7-10 days, my checking account is now frozen, and I have no way to use it right now. The hardware and product they give you daily is phenomenal.That being said, dealing with the company itself, specifically over the phone, is an absolute nightmare. So to put it simply, don't ask for your subscription to be paid for as a gift, and avoid dealing with Sirius directly.
I had a bad feeling but decided to go that route. This might actually be my last year with them because of this. I was disconnected by the first two associates, the third was yawning into the phone, and finally the fourth try I got someone who could help. Not happy again, we had to haggle over the phone for a few days to get it rectified.This brings me to this year. A family member called Sirius, provided a credit card, and paid for the year. is around 25. I'm now in my 4th year with Sirius. The associate told me I could use the Egift credits and buy Gift Cards from the Sirius shop and have them sent to me.
They both contacted Sirius and asked if there were Gift Cards or Certificates that could be used towards the subscription. A week later the Gift Cards arrived. We both called Sirius and the issue was not resolved for more than a week.The second issue was a similar issue. As far as the radio and the daily service, it is absolutely awesome. He assured me it wouldn't be, and transferred me to customer care.At customer care, I spoke with an associate who assured me my account would be frozen, it would go into invoice billing, and I simply had to just wait for the Gift Cards to arrive in the mail. Problem this time, I had just paid a bunch of bills out of my checking and it overdrafted my account. Harsh, but it is what it is.Three of my four years with Sirius, I have been lucky enough where I've had family/friends want to pay for my yearly subscription as a Birthday/Christmas present. They admitted fault initially, but then began to change their stance and stated that I never had the Sirius account frozen.
That was what they did.On December 30th I went to redeem them. You will not want to return to regular radio again after a couple days of Sirius. Sirius even refused initially to refund the overdraft fees from the bank. I called Sirius to take issue. I was furious and called Sirius once again. Before I called Sirius back to redeem them, I checked my checking account.
Luckily I document everyone I speak to. It is nothing but a hassle that probably will cost you days of problems.
To top it all off, I still never got an apology from Sirius. Both were told by Sirius operators that the easiest way was to purchase Egift Certificates, which are sent directly to the recipients email with a code to redeem them.
I finally spoke with a supervisor who agreed to refund the fees and subscription price. I'd say the average I.Q.
Sure enough once again Sirius charged me already for the yearly renewal. Problem is they are only good towards Sirius hardware and cannot be used for subscriptions.
His credit card was double charged, and at the beginning of January when my plan renews, I was also charged. Obviously b/c of past issues.
The only drawback is that the FM transmitter needed to use in the car is weaker than another model that I have used. The receiver kit added flexibility to go from car to the home. Easily moved and small.
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