Pioneer AVIC-U310BT 4.3-Inch In-Dash Navigation Receiver with CD Player and Bluetooth Right now

Pros:
Instant On!
AM/FM/Single Disk CD Player with 18 FM presets; 6 AM presets
Total iPod control thru unit
Basic GPS with text to speech
Hands Free Bluetooth (when it works)
Detachable faceplate

Cons:
There's a software glitch in the bluetooth software that requires re-pairing your phone with the base regularly. Menus might seem initially confusing.

Summary:
I installed the AVIC U310BTs in my 2009 smart car after reading that this unit would be offered as the "official" GPS upgrade on the 2010 model smarts. I picked up a unit on eBay for $370. Another $30 for the iPod cable plus $50 for the double din face plate and wiring harness and another 50 bucks for new speakers and for $500 I had an upgrade that the dealer will offer for $1300.

The GPS is basic but adequate. The lady in the box giving directions has a very slight flutter to her voice but she gets me there just fine.

The radio/CD player work great and the units puts out a lot of sound. Paired with decent speakers, you will not be disappointed.

With a 120 Gig iPod, my Holy Grail has been a way to navigate through the hundreds of artists and thousands of CDs to play the tune I wanted without killing myself while driving. I've found that the AVIC U310BT succeeds in allowing me to search with a minimum of clicks and twists to the exact song I wanted-- while driving! However, here's where the confusing menus might make you want to read the manual. Once you "get" the menu flow, it all makes sense in some weird way.

My biggest disappointment with the unit is the software glitch with the bluetooth. About every 4 starts of the car the bluetooth hangs and will not work with my phone. It requires a faceplate reset which takes about 30 seconds then you must re-pair your phone which takes another couple of minutes. This is really the only thing that I do not like about the unit. I take a star away for the bluetooth hassle.

Pioneer AVIC units in the past have been criticized for slow boot times. On the 310BT however, the unit comes on instantly because the battery in the removable faceplate keeps it in standby when the car is off. The instant on function seems to be the culprit that somehow causes the bluetooth to hang upon occasion.

The U310BT has only been on sale since June so I expect that as more owners report this bluetooth problem there will be a firmware update to correct, but until then I'm not as happy as I could be.

Update: I've found a workaround to the bluetooth problem and my phone-- once I paired my wife's phone to the unit, it began working flawlessly! Dropping and re-connecting my phone from the unit now seems to fix the lockup. On reconsideration, I give this 4 stars!Get more detail about Pioneer AVIC-U310BT 4.3-Inch In-Dash Navigation Receiver with CD Player and Bluetooth.