My video review on the Grom VLine unit for the Lexus GX 460 with Apple CarPlay (1 Viewer)

[BigSwede]

Just saw the latest Top Gear America... they drove a Ferrari P8 and said that Apple Car Play was a $4,200 option.

 

[MrTorgue]

Just saw the latest Top Gear America... they drove a Ferrari P8 and said that Apple Car Play was a $4,200 option.

Not surprised though. It’s Ferrari we are talking about here.

 

[DCOVIEL]

Reading this + youtube reviews makes me think the Grom VLine is ALMOST there. not installing right now but not a hard NO yet. Thanks to the community for posting honest pros and cons

 

[ben7]

Hey everyone, I thought I'd give a quick update on my GROM VLine so far. GROM Audio sent me a new power cable which fixed the volume sticking at level 22 . I'd say it's 95% reliable now as I've done all the latest software and firmware updates as well as installed the new power cable. The only hiccups I experience now is occasionally Apple CarPlay will freeze, so I restart the GROM VLine and Apple CarPlay works again after it restarts.

 

[r2m]

Hey everyone, I thought I'd give a quick update on my GROM VLine so far. GROM Audio sent me a new power cable which fixed the volume sticking at level 22 . I'd say it's 95% reliable now as I've done all the latest software and firmware updates as well as installed the new power cable. The only hiccups I experience now is occasionally Apple CarPlay will freeze, so I restart the GROM VLine and Apple CarPlay works again after it restarts.

With all due respect, occasionally or 95% freeze seems kind of ambiguous. And I say this because so many people, including myself so easily hyperbole percentages. For a little more clarity, perhaps one of the following may better define occasionally or 95%:

1. Does it freeze once every time you get in to drive, regardless of how long/short the drive?
2. Maybe every tenth time you hop in for a drive and turn it on?
3. On a long drive you're pretty sure it will freeze at least some time during several hours of driving?
4. Or maybe once a week?
5. Once a month?
6. Does it have anything to do with starting and shutting off the ignition? Example, once it's on and freezes, after the restart is it good for as long as the ignition is on?

Apologies and I don't mean to appear anal (well I guess I am...), but once a week or once a month is a whole lot more acceptable than once every time you get in your car or on long drives. Or at 95%, if that means after 9.5 to 10 hours of driving, it's pretty much guaranteed to freeze some time during that time.

Thanks for any clarity you can bring!

 

[ben7]

With all due respect, occasionally or 95% freeze seems kind of ambiguous. And I say this because so many people, including myself so easily hyperbole percentages. For a little more clarity, perhaps one of the following may better define occasionally or 95%:

1. Does it freeze once every time you get in to drive, regardless of how long/short the drive?
2. Maybe every tenth time you hop in for a drive and turn it on?
3. On a long drive you're pretty sure it will freeze at least some time during several hours of driving?
4. Or maybe once a week?
5. Once a month?
6. Does it have anything to do with starting and shutting off the ignition? Example, once it's on and freezes, after the restart is it good for as long as the ignition is on?

Apologies and I don't mean to appear anal (well I guess I am...), but once a week or once a month is a whole lot more acceptable than once every time you get in your car or on long drives. Or at 95%, if that means after 9.5 to 10 hours of driving, it's pretty much guaranteed to freeze some time during that time.

Thanks for any clarity you can bring!

Hey no worries, I’d say that it freezes about once or twice a month (I drive my Lexus GX 460 a couple of times a week with the exception of some longer road trips that I’ve been currently doing with my family) where I would then reboot the GROM VLine and Apple CarPlay would start working again, so it’s more of a minor hassle, however my overall experience has been a whole lot better now than it was when I first purchased it.

I would attribute that to the new power cable they sent me plus the software and firmware updates.

I have to also mention their excellent customer service because they are prompt to reply, always have good solutions to my questions, and they even credited me some money when I had to go back to the installer to get the power cable re-installed (since that required removing all the panels again).

The only minor issue I have is that the steering wheel pickup/hangup call buttons as well as holding down the voice button for Siri on Apple CarPlay doesn’t work. I have reported it to them, however these features are currently not offered.

With that said, they told me that when you are on a call using Apple CarPlay, you can press the “track down” button on the steering wheel to end the call.

Hope this helps! Are you looking to purchase a GROM VLine as well?

 

[r2m]

Thanks for taking the time to delineate!
Hummm. I really don't like the factory infotainment system, but I do like AND use the steering wheel controls all the time.
I have a great cordless charger mount for my phone so I just drop my phone in it and it's good to go for music, mapping, etc.
But what is really attractive about the GROM is having all my Android apps available on a larger touch screen, especially Google Maps, along with a much nicer visual interface for music instead of the ridiculously dated factory Window's 3.1 style display (gray boxes with depth shadowing).
Also, the price and installation is kind of a put-off for me, right now at least.
Before I even think about a GROM, I need a cell phone booster amp like WeBoost or the other one that Giovanni has (can't remember the product name right now).

 

[ben7]

Thanks for taking the time to delineate!
Hummm. I really don't like the factory infotainment system, but I do like AND use the steering wheel controls all the time.
I have a great cordless charger mount for my phone so I just drop my phone in it and it's good to go for music, mapping, etc.
But what is really attractive about the GROM is having all my Android apps available on a larger touch screen, especially Google Maps, along with a much nicer visual interface for music instead of the ridiculously dated factory Window's 3.1 style display (gray boxes with depth shadowing).
Also, the price and installation is kind of a put-off for me, right now at least.
Before I even think about a GROM, I need a cell phone booster amp like WeBoost or the other one that Giovanni has (can't remember the product name right now).

Yeah I understand that the GROM VLine is pricey, but honestly having that Apple CarPlay integration into the infotainment unit in order to avoid using the ancient stock navigation was worth it for me and my family.

 

[MrTorgue]

With all due respect, occasionally or 95% freeze seems kind of ambiguous. And I say this because so many people, including myself so easily hyperbole percentages. For a little more clarity, perhaps one of the following may better define occasionally or 95%:

1. Does it freeze once every time you get in to drive, regardless of how long/short the drive?
2. Maybe every tenth time you hop in for a drive and turn it on?
3. On a long drive you're pretty sure it will freeze at least some time during several hours of driving?
4. Or maybe once a week?
5. Once a month?
6. Does it have anything to do with starting and shutting off the ignition? Example, once it's on and freezes, after the restart is it good for as long as the ignition is on?

Apologies and I don't mean to appear anal (well I guess I am...), but once a week or once a month is a whole lot more acceptable than once every time you get in your car or on long drives. Or at 95%, if that means after 9.5 to 10 hours of driving, it's pretty much guaranteed to freeze some time during that time.

Thanks for any clarity you can bring!

Did you read about my Vline experience on my long road trip? In 3000~3500 miles had two freeze/disconnections the rest of the 5,424 miles were a nightmare with disconnections and freezes every 250~300 miles. The disconnections are likely apple’s fault whereas the freezes are most likely the vline’s fault.

 

[Gx460sd]

Yep. Have that issue as well.

I have had the grom unit in my 2011 for a while now, and this is what I've learned about this issue.

It appears if you go into reverse while in the GROM UI. If you are in another screen, say the climate control for example, then shift into reverse, the icon does not appear.

Now here is the good news... even with the icon there, if you do back close enough for the proximity sensors to detect anything, the icon goes away, and the proximity sensors' indicators will show up as it should.

I'm kind of wondering if that icon is just another nanny safety warning and this is how the oem system normally operates if you were viewing content on the screen, which is how the system treats the grom video. Anyway, I urge anyone to test this by having someone sitting in the driver's seat braking firmly and having another person block one of the sensors. Definitely do not blindly back into your garage

 

[maestroX2]

I am halfway through a 12K road trip now after installed the GROM VLINE.. gave up on Android Auto and use it as a stand-alone Android unit. It connects always on my hotspot device.
So far so good. Only use mainly for Google Maps, GAIA and Spotify. Well, it is far from my previous Q7 digital cockpit but much much better than dinosaur Lexus infotainment.

 

[Bang Bang]

I don’t use a hotspot for it but I only use it for Apple CarPlay. I don’t understand a lot of the Android stuff. I would like to use it for more but I have been an Apple guy for many years. The VL2 has its quirks but like others have said it is leaps and bounds ahead of the Lexus infotainment system.

 

[DasGoose]

Has anyone experienced an issue with it getting stuck on the VLine screen and not allowing you to adjust the climate control? This just started on mine