Hey everyone,

I just wanted to share my journey of upgrading my car's audio system with an android car stereo for my nexon XMS. I drive a Nexon, and it originally came with a Harman system that had no screen and lacked features. So, I decided to explore aftermarket options, but let me tell you, it was quite a journey, taking me almost 7 months to make a decision with a surprise.

I started by looking at offline brands, which were priced between 7,000 to 12,000 INR. However, I found that their user interfaces and performance were pretty poor. Some even claimed to have 2GB of RAM when they were actually using only 1GB. So, I spent about 3-4 months researching more.

After extensive research, I narrowed it down to three options: Nippon 9 Pro, Blaupunkt Ft. Lauderdale 900, and Woodman X9. All of them were Android-based systems, and I found positive reviews about them. One thing I noticed was that these were not local brands; they were private companies. Woodman was relatively new, but it had good reviews. The only downside was that there were no Woodman dealers in Hyderabad.

To make my decision easier, I created a comparison table:

After this comparison, I ruled out Nippon 9 Pro. But I was still in a dilemma between Woodman X9 and Blaupunkt Lauderdale. Woodman had more features, but Blaupunkt had a better reputation and local dealers. Woodman's chat support was helpful, while Blaupunkt had limited information available.

Then I started reading reviews of both brands. Woodman X9 was priced at 21,000 INR, which included the frame, rear camera, 4,000 INR for canbus, and 1,500 INR for installation, totaling 26,500 INR. On the other hand, Blaupunkt Ft. Lauderdale was priced at 26,000 INR, plus 3,000 INR for canbus and 2,000 INR for the frame, totaling 31,000 INR.

My logical side was leaning towards Blaupunkt, but my heart was with Woodman due to its features and being an Indian company. Ultimately, I decided to go with Blaupunkt Ft. Lauderdale 900 because it was a well-known German brand. However, my experience with it was far from satisfactory.

I was shocked to find that the sound quality of my old Harman system was better than the Blaupunkt. When I shared this with the installation partner, he suggested adjusting the equalizer settings and giving it some time, but the sound remained flat. I also had to connect to my mobile hotspot for internet access, and the connection was painfully slow due to weak Wi-Fi reception.

Slowly, I began to doubt my decision to overlook Woodman X9 with its 4G sim slot and DSP feature. Even though Blaupunkt Lauderdale had 4GB of RAM, its quad-core processor disappointed me. Split-screen functionality was sluggish, and after 15 days, even Google Maps slowed down. Woodman's sales representative had emphasized the importance of the processor, which I had ignored in favor of more RAM. Surprisingly, Blaupunkt didn't even mention the processor's name. My music experience, navigation, and internet browsing on the Blaupunkt Ft. Lauderdale 900 were disappointing. I couldn't believe I'd spent 31,000 INR on this.

I decided to return it to the shopkeeper, but he refused, citing that it had been 16-17 days since the purchase. After an hour of discussion, he agreed to take it back for 25,000 INR, a 6,000 INR loss for me since the box was opened. I requested retailer that I will buy accessories later and taken an advance receipt from him.

I ordered it from their website with 3 months no cost EMI (which is easy on my budget after losing 31000), and it was delivered within two days via BlueDart courier. I had it installed by the Miyapur installation guy. The difference in sound is incredible, and the 60W DSP truly delivered. It produced more sound and bass than my Harman system, which was quite unbelievable for me.

I tested all the features that had given me trouble with the Blaupunkt. The split-screen function was lightning-fast, and internet speed was super thanks to my Jio 4G sim. Even the mobile hotspot speed was impressive due to the 5GHz receptor.

However, before getting too excited, I decided to use it for 15 days to be sure. Now, after almost 50 -55 days of use, I haven't encountered any glitches. The only hiccup was connecting to Android Auto, but when I messaged them on WhatsApp, I received a call from Raju within 15 minutes, providing immediate assistance. It was an amazing level of support that I hadn't expected from any car stereo company.

Woodman team also messaged me after 15-16 days to check in and, to his delight; I informed him that I was keeping the product. Now, my overall experience has been fantastic. The sound is high on bass and amazing, the touchscreen is responsive, and the display is crisp, thanks to its 1280x720 resolution, which far surpasses Blaupunkt's 1024x600. I also came to appreciate Woodman's user interface, which I had initially overlooked. It's intuitive, easy to use while driving, and adds a touch of luxury.

Woodman is truly represented the new age of brands with high-quality products and excellent service. It's a lesson for us all not to be swayed by offline retailers who lack ethics and product knowledge and only care about their margins. I regret not choosing Woodman from the start, as I'm still stuck with my 31,000 INR Blaupunkt purchase. My car is the XMS model, and I didn't need any additional accessories.

In comparison, Woodman offers much more advanced features, excellent WhatsApp support, and better after-sales services. I also checked their specifications with a fake device app and found them to be genuine, as claimed on their website. I love the sound, display, lag-free maps (still working fine after 45 days), and the 4G sim slot. It's a one-time investment, and for 21,000 INR, the X9 can outperform the 26,000 INR Blaupunkt Ft. Lauderdale 900. This shows just how good the Woodman X9 is compared to other reputed and local brands.

In conclusion, an Android car stereo is a worthwhile investment if you can find a good product. Otherwise, it can seriously affect your driving experience. I encourage you to share your thoughts on this forum.