MikeyC

So, as you all know I recently purchased an Infiniti G35x. I was very excited by the fact that it has a Bluetooth speakerphone system. I thought "Wow! Now I can drive and talk on the phone at the same time in a more safe manner."

Well, I picked up the car and paired the phone . . . no problem!
I even figured out how to import my phone book . . . no problem!
I even dialed using the voice command function . . . no problem!

After a few weeks of using the phone I got a call waiting call and the car hung up on the person calling and the person I was already talking with.

Apparently my phone is not 100% compatible with the car. My contract is up and I need to get a new phone anyway, but it's still a big headache because none of the Treos are compatible with this car.

Apparently, this is a pretty common problem. I always thought "the phone is bluetooth . . . the car is bluetooth . . . no problem!" Apparently there's more to compability than just the bluetooth logo.

So, the lesson I want to pass on is . . .

Before buying a new car with Bluetooth check the car manufacturer's website first to make sure your phone is compatible.

LazyProfessor

I'm not sure if the car i may purchase is going to be influenced by its bluetooth compatability with the phone i currently have.

SSSnakeSSS

Yep that is something you have to be very careful about. My Treo connects to my Nuvi but I do not have voice activation or access to my contacts. Seems that Treo's are like that.
On the other hand my wife's cheapo phone matches very nicely to her Nuvi, allows voice activation and full use of her phone book. BTW her phone was not on the list of compatible phones, so it becomes a bit of a crap shoot.

MikeyC

My friend's dad bought a BMW 7-series based on the bluetooth. When he got the car he couldn't pair his Treo. He made such a stink that BMW ended up buying him a new phone that would pair with the car.

Now I'm not about to go cry to my dealer about this. I'm just saying this is something that I would have liked to have known. Pretty much all the G35's come with Bluetooth but if it was an option I had gone out of my way to get I would be PISSED.

The Bluetooth functionality is something I paid for and I expect it to work. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Bass

some of us don't even have "bluetooth" in our cars and i would only imagine that there is a disclaimer somewhere that states that BT may or not be compatible with your phone -



sorry but your friend's dad sounds like a real cry baby - he buys a $80,000.00 car and bitches about a $200.00 phone but whatever..

MikeyC

Steve,

It's not about money or how much someone can afford to pay for a car. He asked the salesman point blank "this is my phone will it work with this feature?" and was told "yes." So, he went out of his way to order a car with that feature. Now wouldn't you be pissed if the car showed up and it didn't work?

I'm sure there's probably some fine print somewhere that says "check Infiniti website for phone compatability" or something along those lines. However, I feel this should have been brought to my attention and not hidden in fine print. If you search the internet it is littered with threads on various forums about people who bought a car with this feature expecting their phone to work no problem and it doesn't.

I think this is a situation where you have to apply the "common man" test. Meaning would the common man know this? I think the answer is "no." Most people would not realize that there could be an incompatibility issue and so it should be brought to a customer's attention in a more forth right manner.

I'm not even that mad just a little disappointed. I was planning on buying a new phone this month anyway. However, Infiniti has done a really poor job testing a large selection of phones. Very few carried by Verizon are listed.

Bass

but not all phone are equal therefore the "common man" test should not be applied

Mikey I

TheToon

I'm shocked. Who could have imagined.

Bass

disclaimer - all except for Tommi

HARDtoTOP

What happens when you get a new phone in a year or so? Do you have to trade in the car?

Personally, I think bluetooth in a car is such a minute feature it is akin to whether or not the car comes with chrome plated tire valve covers. A BT headset for driving could solve all your problems.

OR...

You can always put a car-puter in there and set it up for bluetooth. then you can have internet while you drive as well