jetta knight

I spoke with Subaru HQ today and was told that it will not be possible to install a 3rd party sound system in the 2005 model year since the automatic climate controls and radio are integrated into the radio / climate control face plate. In other words, if you have a defective radio that requires removal you will not have climate controls either until the radio is replaced! Additionally, there is no way to play an iPod through this radio unless you were to use the iTrip FM transmitter. I don't know about anyone else but that is an unacceptable sound quality issue. Since there is no cassette player it is not possible to use that method of passing the iPod signal to the sound system. All thing considered, the new Subaru sound system options are miserable! PS - I also hate the automatic climate control but that is another subject.