I was interested in installing satellite radio in my 2007 Pontiac Vibe which was equipped with a standard GM radio. The expert in satellite radio at Sound of Tri-State directed me to the options that were available in XM and Sirius units and the recommended way to install them. Apart from changing out the head unit at greater expense, I went with the add-on XM receiver and FM direct unit.

I had previously been looking at Best Buy but their employees didn't really seem to be well-versed in satellite radio especially where my particular car was concerned. I read some reviews on-line for both Best Buy and Tri State and discovered quite a few complaints about Best Buy's service and installation expertise and good reviews for Tri-State.

I decided to go with a company (Audio of Tri- State)that deals primarily in car audio and accessories because I thought the installation would be more professional. (I might pay a little more but I would be more satisfied in the long-run.)

So far, I am almost completely satisfied (on the fourth day of use). The only question I have is that the XM unit I bought was installed on the "on" power circuit instead of "accessory" power circuit forcing me to power the car completely on to listen to the unit when the engine isn't running. I was going to go back to the branch of Audio of Tri-State to see if this could be changed but haven't had time yet.

Just a note: I am from Upstate New York here on family business and will probably be driving up and back a few times in the near future so not having to listen to local radio stations along-the-way is great!