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Average customer review 
(based on 317 reviews)
 Far different experience...I have one & my experience is superb
Written by Stan Johnson from
Dec 20, 2007
*TAKE NOTE: Don't turn your radio on UNTIL you have found a clear FM station with the Zune Car Pack 2. Turning your radio on FIRST seems to prevent the device from finding any clear FM station.
*Some people have had luck tuning with the radio on. The important thing to remember is you are tuning a radio and just like a real radio it may take a little effort to tune it.
None of the harsh negative reviews are accurate IMHO and with respect to these people. It really makes me wonder of their validity in every single claim. The reviews greatly differ from the excellent and flawless product I just received and used. It could be that these well meaning people simply missing something on how to use this very simple and EXTREMELY effective device. My experience was a 100% POSITIVE with ZERO trouble! The Zune Car Pack 2 actually shocked the hell out of me because of the negative above reviews (I was already prepared to send it back). Like most everyone I read the user comments before I buy anything. I called Amazon to verify I could send this product back before I bought because of the horrid reviews above. Sometimes I will gamble anyway with a product purchase like this and this time and it paid off BIG. I got exactly what was advertised and what I wanted in my car.
1) I live in a VERY URBAN area. Nearly every single radio frequency is occupied. I plugged in the adapter hooked up the Zune used the auto-tune to find a clear station. Turned on the radio, tuned it to match the clear frequency and the sound was flawless. I honestly could not tell any significant difference from direct input. No kidding it works that well and that easy. There are also online resources that can locate some good clear FM frequencies by zip code if you should need extra help. The Zune Car Pack 2 finds the clearest stations for me everytime.
2) No static at all! Believe me I tried to get it. I shook my Zune like a nut, I shook the transmitter like an ape, I even placed metal objects on the cord and put the transmitter in every weird place I could think of. Perfect no static. I could not make static no matter how I tried (Man, I forgot to wrap everything in aluminum foil...now that may have a chance)! I tried my hardest to make this accessory sound bad and hear the static claims in the previous posted reviews. But the Zune Car Park v2 remained superb.
3) The Zune pad the is designed to hold the Zune on the dash or somewhere flat. Now I had my doubts about this set-up because I drive rather aggressively. I dusted off my dash and place the Zune on the pad. The thing is rock solid and I would trust it in almost all driving circumstances with confidence except for a hard hitting accident. A fender bender won't move that Zune a bit.
Try it out for yourself. You can always send it back to Amazon if you do not like the way it functions.
Plug in the adapter in the cigarette lighter, plug in the Zune, use auto-tune to find a clear station, turn on the radio, tune it to match the clear fequency and WOW!
The Zune Car Pack 2 is easy, static free, and movement DOES NOT effect the sound at all. As I said before I TRIED my hardest to get static but could not (with the exception of wrapping everything in aluminum foil).
The Zune Car Pack 2 is an excellent product in every respect.
That is what my real-world URBAN experience PROVED to me. I also learned you cannot always trust the reviews you read. Though I would not like to shop without them.
Give it a try as there is really nothing to loose----
I think that the problem is the device is so simple that people are not following the correct process for the device work properly (and the instructions could be better).
Remember to get the clear station tuned with the Zune Car Pack 1st and then turn on your radio and tune to the clear frequency.
(248 of 263 people found this review helpful)
Works in Chicago
Written by William Cuthbertson from
Mar 08, 2008
After being a bit hesitant to pick this up considering the density of the city where I live, I'm really pleased with the quality of the build and the sound of the v2 Zune Car Pack.
It was a bit finicky in bad weather, but the sound quality overall is comparable to any strong radio station broadcast. I also like the that this car pack seems to be made of durable, attractive materials. There's attractive backlighting on both the plug (to indicate power), and the small tuner that indicates the station, and the tuner is very visible for night driving should you need to read the station.
The rubber pad to prevent your Zune from sliding around works terrifically. Despite speed bumps and sharp turns, the Zune stays on the rubber pad.
Again, I'm very pleased with the Car Pack - especially considering the price has dropped now to about $55 dollars. Well worth it, in my opinion, even in a city as large as Chicago.
(22 of 23 people found this review helpful)
 Disapointing performance for a 2nd gen.
Written by Jayson A. Olson from Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Feb 12, 2008
I recently purchased this as a gift for my wife to use in her car that does not have a casette deck, nor extra auxiliary inputs.
Having dealt with a similar technology with my Deplhi XM portable player (XM2Go)for my car, (and having pretty good luck with that), I thought this would be a no-brainer.
Unfortunately the other reviews led me to believe this was going to be a gamble, and so I went for it, and returned it shortly thereafter.
While the device appears to be a simple hook up, and instructions were straight forward, I knew I was in trouble once the device kept changing its mind on the optimal FM channel. Now I read the reviews stating to have the radio 'OFF" at first, and even the manual suggests this, so that the device coudl find an optimal channel. Well first try it was 105.7, then it was 89.3, then it was somewhere in the 90 range; meaning it jumped all over the place in a span of under 5 minutes.
Some channels it chose were not free at all in my area, as there were clear as bell radio stations coming in on those frequencies. The few actual 'free' channels it did find and I was able to tune my stereo to were horribly dissapointing. Static and hissing were atrocious, no matterhow I manuevered the Zune or the cabeling. A far cry from my XM FM transmitter experience.
And then when we turned the car on, we noticed it got worse, very much like an old CB radio suffering from EM interference.
The sole reason I give this two stars is the nice and simple interface, the very well lit and sharp display, and the idea of the magnetic clip...all great ideas and useful....if only the device performed.
Granted I live in the burbs of a large radio market where free channels are rare (unlike the midwest), but the bleed-over, static & hissing, and random 'optimal' channels have me scratching my head.
(42 of 51 people found this review helpful)
 Very Suprised
Written by N. Brown from
Nov 23, 2007
At first I was suprised that it didnt get much low channels and so I gave up (at first) but because I put the metal part on the power chord part it was staticy but If you situation is like mine if you plug the pack in regularly and put the tuner part on the passenger side dashboard where their air bag is then alot of channels are very clear and I put the zune on the pad on the dashbaord ( it do get staticy if you move the zune around some) but over all it works fine
(8 of 8 people found this review helpful)
Good, but not good enough for the price.
Written by C. Roth from Indiana
Feb 03, 2008
First of all, let me say that I have become a HUGE Zune supporter. I first bought a brown 30 GB Zune last year; aside from minor software issues, it was great. Recently, I decided to buy an iPod 80 GB for greater storage in lieu of the new 80 GB Zune, mainly because of all the hype iPod has been getting. Two days later, I exchanged the iPod for the 80 GB Zune; no regrets. The iPod had stubborn software relating to podcast playlist orders and album art; not to mention the horrifically small screen (compared to Zune). The Zune handles these issues MUCH better. In regard to the Zune car pack; if you're looking for a good transmitter, this product is a good option. It has a bright display (although it seemed cheap; it pulled away from the casing when removing the protective plastic sheet), automatic seek function, and the convenience of one less wire through its combination power/transmitter cord. My problem was that it did not transmit any better than my old Belkin transmitter. I already owned the Belkin transmitter; I thought the Zune product would be better, but it wasn't, so I returned the product to the store. Keep in mind, however, that the Zune car pack is designed for the Zune, it works well, and is more convenient and appealing than most after-market products. My advice is to buy the Zune car pack if you're looking for a good option for travel if you don't have wired input into your car stereo; but, buy it from Amazon; they're pricing is considerably lower than most retail/discount sellers.
Happy Zune Owner.
(7 of 7 people found this review helpful)
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