I have posted previously that I have not been happy with the Parrot 3200 LS color Bluetooth kit that was installed by my dealer. Up until yesterday it performed poorly with my iPhone. However, I was able to install a downloaded update from the Parrot site using my laptop's bluetooth interface. In addition Apple just issued release 1.4 a week ago that I installed on my iPhone. Between these two upgdates, now the Parrot unit performs that way it should. Previously I was getting random announcements "This Name Has Not Been Recognized" out of the unit for no reason. In addition, the voice recognition was very poor. The flash process removed the old software before installing the upgrade so I had to re-pair the iPhone with the unit and re-record all the voice tags. This all took less than 30 minutes and the unit now easily recognizes multi-sylable voice tags and no longer makes the random voice announcements.

My final complaint was the unit only mutes the speakers in the doors instead of all 10 speakers like the OnStar phone does. So if I was to answer or make a call, I have to push the mute button on the steering wheel. I talked directly to the installer about whether the Parrot unit could mute all the speakers or if that was just the way he installed it. He said there is a wiring harness available that would mute all the speakers that costs around $100 that he could install. Since it appears that GM will not be offering a bluetooth retrofit kit for existing CTSs, this may be something I would consider. Not as good as a factory solution but that option is not or will likely not be available to me so now I at least have a satisfactory hands-free bluetooth solution for my business cell phone.

CTSBox,

You 'da man!

I have been considering many bluetooth options for weeks now and initially
the Parrot was not one of them because of your initial experiences.

I have some questions for you that I hope you will not mind answering.

1. Does the Parrot effectively upload all your iPhone contacts to its database
complete with attached ID photos? Are the contacts stored alphabetically as
in the iPhone?

2. Is the Parrot a voice activated device where you push a button, say a name
and it dials? Is the device very good at getting voice commands right?

3. How is the voice quality on both ends of the call?

Just two more questions. Bear with me...

4. I have a Mac. It has bluetooth, and at best I can run Windows on it.
Is it very easy to update the software on the Parrot?

5. Most important: can you find out where I can get the $100
wiring harness that allows for muting all the speakers? Any information
to a website, product ID or install instructions would assist.

The Parrot was initially my first choice for a bluetooth device --
especially since it offered Caller ID (with photo). I really was
disappointed to have written this device off due to your first report,
but it seems that this is now a viable option.

NJR,
My post was primarily directed to folks who already have CTSs that will not likely be able to retrofit their vehicles with a GM kit. My understanding is you have yet to take delivery so my advice is forget about my Parrot or any other aftermarket solution and get a CTS with a factory bluetooth even if you have to wait.

However for your questions 1-4 the answer is yes or good. For 5, I have no information on the harness and would only consider it, if I decide to have the installer hard wire my Escort Radar Detector so that I don't have to unplug it from the "always powered' power outlet. Pushing the mute button is not that big a deal versus paying $150 plus for the harness and installation.

Bottom line is if Bluetooth is that important to you either wait to get a CTS with a factory kit or look to another vehicle. My cell phone is my business phone and unless you are in the same circumstance I would use either the iPhone ear buds or get the iPhone Bluetooth earpiece versus what I have done.

CTSBox,

I'm not going to wait it out. The wait would be at least 7-10 weeks and I just
don't have the patience anymore after waiting 4 weeks for a vehicle that is due
tomorrow.

The price I will have to pay is having to get an aftermarket device. Like you,
my cell phone is my business phone so it is essential.

With the Parrot, I take it that the audio into your car is through the Parrot speaker
and not the car's own? Is the sound quality loud enough to hear conversation with
the car radio muted?

You seem rather down on the Parrot device and sort of advise not to do it. Why
is that? What are the things you don't like about it?

My problem with the Parrot was the $500 price tag. Perhaps that was due to the dealer mark up. As for your use, first do you make a significant number of calls while driving or primarily receive them? If its the later, then an iPhone Bluetooth ear piece is a lot cheaper solution than the Parrot. If you make a lot of calls while driving also, then a voice dialing option (hands free) like the Parrot is a good way to go which is why I bought it. Another option for receiving calls with an iPhone is get a hack on the internet for Verizon and forward calls to your OnStar system. Even with the AT&T contract cancellation costs this would be cheaper than the Parrot and the OnStar voice recognition is quite good and perhaps even better. I have all my phone, internet and air card services with AT&T which is why this is not an option for me if you are in a similar situation it is not an option for you either.

The sound from the Parrot actually plays through the door so the sound quality is excellent. However, my wife could tell I was calling her from the car instead of directly from my iPhone so this may be an issue for you.

Finally you said you were tired of waiting for your CTS. I bought mine off the dealer lot equipped eactly the way I wanted in the color I wanted for $3,400 below sticker November 30th. Unless you live in East Cupcake Nebraska why can't you find one where you live in a month that comes equipped with factory Bluetooth? The economy is going down the toilet and the Fed dropped interest rates by 3/4% today. I think you might get both a better price and a lower loan rate/lease rate in a month for a CTS compared to tomorrow. If all logic and common sense escapes you then, go for it, and find a competant Parrot installer who knows that there are two different wiring harnesses for the 08 CTS (Bose vs. non-Bose) and you should have few if any problems until maybe Apple issues yet another firmware upgrade for the iPhone!;)

Someone had commented earlier in one of the bluetooth threads that the
installed BT in the upcoming vehicles next month is flawed to a certain degree.
I have been looking for the exact quote made by (I believe) a dealer who saw
the video or in person.

I am quite confident that there will be third party solutions made available
that will equal or exceed what GM is offering.

Whether I actually end up waiting or not depends on another trip I may
make to my dealer today. Waiting a month takes another $530 off my
rebate (as that is another month less payment on my current lease). I
may also face additional charges for an integrated BT package as nobody
has talked about how much the luxury packages are going up with BT installed.

My car is actually due in TODAY. It's going to be rather difficult, after
waiting 4 weeks for this vehicle, to negotiate a new deal with the rebate
working against me and the prospect that the exact color combination car
I want may not be immediately available with BT.

Additionally, I just don't trust dealers. They want to lease me that car today.
They may tell me anything about extra charges for the BT package just to
get me out the door today. They may strongarm me into believing I will not
get as good a deal in another month. I could call their "bluff" and leave and
come back in a month to find out that I have less to work with because my
rebate is worth less. Perhaps things will work to my advantage.

Lots of "ifs" and "buts" here. I hate dealers! I hate the whole process of
negotiating and hoping that I'm not getting ripped off. In a way, I'd rather
just walk out of there with my car than lose sleep over what I'm going to
have to deal with in another month.

It's a shame that the emphasis I am putting on the car right now is bluetooth.
Yeah, it's that important for me and it's screwed up that GM announced the
arrival of it mere weeks after my order.

As I suggested before and you participated in another thread about OnStar, it really may be the most cost effective short term solution. I bought the 100 minute teaser package, used it a couple of times and found the system very good. Like you my gripe has always been the cost of the minutes which were much more when I first got my wife's 2004 Envoy XUV. She doesn't have a cell so it is really nice for her. Also, if you are looking at a 2-yr lease, why spend $500 for an aftermarket solution for two years.

A footnote to my Parrot discussion, with the latest upgrade it now plays my voice tag if the call I recieve has one which it never did before.

I am gonig to use Onstar for a while unitl I see if an after market solution becomes available. Onstar actually works very well and can do some slick stuff. The first 100 miniutes are only $20.00 plus the 30 you get free.

Yeah, that's my decision as well. CTSBox makes a good point in saying that with a 2-year lease
I shouldn't be worried about spending $500 on an aftermarket solution installed.

In fact, the more I think about it the more I am inclined to just go with either of these two devices:

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-T505-MOTOROKR/dp/B000WTM552/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1206001139&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/BlueAnt-Supertooth-Bluetooth-Handsfree-Speakerphone/dp/B000Q6R4MK/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1206001207&sr=8-1

My hats off to yourgmsolutions for coming up with lockpicks and BT packages that look rather good. However,
I don't want to start cutting wires on a leased vehicle. I also think that given a little more time, someone is going
to come up with a lockpick device that taps into the nav system and display caller ID.

Scosche claims they will have a Blue Fusion unit coming in July that will totally integrate into the GM/CTS nav system. You just have to mount an exterior mic. I talked to a sales rep there today and he said it would fit the CTS w/ it's own harness etc. www.scosche is the web site. Has coming in July 2008 right up front.