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CD Player? FM Radio? A glove compartment that has a dedicated space for CD albums? These are some of the features of my 2010 Vauxhall Corsa, and I’m proud of it. I’ve been happy with the car during my one year of owning it, but I’ve felt as though I’ve been missing out on CarPlay.
I’ve used Apple’s in-car operating system in other vehicles when I’ve had to rent a car, and I’ve always found CarPlay to be fantastic and seamless in its integration with my iPhone. Within minutes, I’m listening to the best of the Spice Girls and queuing up a few podcasts for a long drive.
This is why I’ve started to wonder if I should take the plunge and look into a newer car that features integrated CarPlay as standard. That was, until, I saw that there were third-party monitors that come with CarPlay installed. These can be mounted on top of any car dashboard and, when paired with an iPhone, provide the same experience as a car that has built-in CarPlay.
With Amazon Prime Day in full swing this week, I’ve been looking at a couple of third-party monitors to see which one would suit me best, while also considering a car model that comes pre-installed with CarPlay.
Looking at options
For some context: I use my Vauxhall Corsa to take my wife and son to kindergarten, as well as for shopping errands, family visits, and more. The car is used roughly four days a week, and in order to use my iPhone with the vehicle, I have this Bluetooth adapter which pairs with my phone and streams the audio to my car radio. It’s a simple method but it works well. Yet, I still want CarPlay, because ‘it works well’ simply isn’t good enough for me. I want more. I want better.
Based on this, I’ve got two choices:
- A car that has CarPlay integrated into its dashboard
- A third-party CarPlay Monitor
I paid £1,100 for my car in 2023, the equivalent of $1,390. Looking at the latest Corsa models on Vauxhall’s website that I can buy right now, every model has CarPlay as standard. At a minimum, one would cost me £19,635 / $24,833, or £197 a month for four years, with a £4,908.75 deposit.
Essentially, those prices are way out of my budget. For a vehicle I use four days a week, I can’t justify the cost. So this means I’m left with the other option: a third-party CarPlay monitor.
The benefits of a CarPlay monitor
The most obvious benefit of having a third-party CarPlay monitor instead of buying a new car is the cost. These monitors usually go for around $99, such as this one by HAWXIY. All that’s required is a place in your existing car where one of these Monitors can sit, then once you pair your iPhone to a Monitor, you’re good to go.
Another benefit of having this Monitor is that you can swap it out with ease. This means that if you decide to buy another car that doesn’t have CarPlay, you only need to stick it to its dashboard and you’re good to go. You can also use one in multiple vehicles, if you happen to own more than one car.
It couldn’t be more simple, which is why I’m going with this option for my Corsa. If ever there was a time to look into a CarPlay monitor, that time is now.
Ready. Set. Amazon Prime Day!
Yes, Amazon Prime Day. This annual sales event in July has taken place for several years now. I love a bargain — who doesn’t? After spotting plenty of discounted CarPlay monitors during Cyber Monday last year, I was hoping to see some similar savings on Prime Day.
So far, I haven't been disappointed. Amazon's sales event already has plenty of CarPlay monitors with some big discounts. So much so, that I've listed a few below that I'm currently considering for my car.
Each one of these varies in display sizes and features, but the choice ultimately comes down to what works for you and your car. However, with Amazon Prime Day in full swing with some massive savings as shown above, you may as well treat your vehicle to a great CarPlay monitor.
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