I came into some cash this Christmas and would like to get a radtacular stereo to replace the factory default CASSETTE DECK currently festering where a bomb-ass deck should be. Unfortunately, I know nothing about car stereos. I'd like to spend < $300 if possible, because I'm a cheap-ass. Here's what I'm looking for:
1) Where should I get my car stereo? Best Buy? Some specialty store like Tweeter or Car Toys? I dunno anything about where to buy a car stereo.
2) Pretty key features I'd like are an MP3-CD deck and an Aux In jack, just in case I buy a Zune or something down the line. I don't care about Sirius/XM radio.
3) 99% of my music listening will be off my iPod. Even so, I'm debating if I want "iPod ready" or not. I'm not sure how realistically navigable an iPod with 9,000 songs in it will be through a one-line 8-box LED screen. I may just "make do" with Aux In; the hiss of the tape adapter has been infinitely more of an issue than having to look down at the iPod screen once an hour to change albums.
4) I would like for the front of the stereo not to make me look like a jackass. This means no 4-color super gradiented pulsating 3D equalizers, if possible.
Help meeeeee!