It amazes me when something cheap works.

Amazon lists a $40 Capapro 7" Portable Carplay Wireless Touch Screen (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQL47587) that replaces the Pioneer JDM screen to give

* Android Auto (or Apple)
* Aux into the Freelander 2 radio which gives the LR superior sound (be sure to set the Capapro to AUX)
* Touch screen
* Hands free phone and my wife says I sounded clear when I did a test
* Google Maps
* Spotify
* Back up camera (which I have not yet tried)

Reviews said the screen is hard to see, but in the Freelander 2 it is fine during the day. I've not tested it at night yet.

To install

- Unclip and remove the Carrozzeria screen and unscrew the mount built into the car
- Four easy screws and two underneath requiring a short Phillips bit to access
- Drill a hole in the middle of the removed plate, and drill a matching hole in the mount provided with the Capapro
- Select a drill size that is tight for the bolt so it slightly threads when screwing in





- Grind down the screw and nut to be flush (or buy close-to-flush bolts and nuts)
- Clip in
- Plug into cigar lighter and Aux
- Link to Bluetooth




Next I will hardwire the 12v into a feed that only works when the car is on, and wire the Aux so it is hidden. And then give the rear camera a try.

For $40 I have upgraded my 2008 Midrange radio and Nav unit to 2025. It's not much different than just running off Bluetooth and my Pixel 9XL phone which does most of the heavy lifting. Main thing is getting rid of the JDM antique Nav screen that shows me driving through Japanese fields and lakes. It looks clean and if I can hide the wires, it looks factory.

UPDATE

I bought a 12V to USB dash-mounted converter from Jaycar (link), drilled a hole in the JDM Nav mounting plate, and wired it into an ACC circuit (so it only powers on with the key). That sets up the power so there are not wires back to the cigar lighter.

Next, I drilled a second hole for a standard AUX cable. I did not want to get into soldering, so I ran a long stereo 3.5 mm male to male cable into the plate, hidden behind the console and drilled a small hole in the rear console box to plug it into the existing AUX input jack.

Lastly, I made a 3rd hole in the Nav plate to run the back up camera that comes with the $40 kit. Down the console, zip tied to the cable bundle near the passenger fuse box and then hidden behind the sill plastic, under the rear seat hinge into the spare tyre well, again, under the plastic on the side. The hardest part was running the wire from the tyre well to the outside of the bumper. I took out one of the plastic bungs and used an electricians cable puller that I attached to a long piece of wire, pulled that back in, taped the camera cable to it and pulled it through. It comes with a red wire to trigger when the reverse light goes on. Rather than try to find the right wire in the loom, I pulled the tail light off, pigtailed into the reverse light and connected it.

Having so often been disappointed with cheap Chinese products, I have been pleasantly surprised how well the Capapro works. Turn on the key and it fires up rapidly. It goes straight into Android Auto showing Google Maps, and the last song I was playing on Spotify starts. Because it is hooked into AUX the sound is good. I did a test call with my wife, and she said the audio was loud and clear. When shifted into reverse, the camera displays cleanly.

The only unknown is longevity, but other than that, if you want to upgrade your Freelander to 2025, this does just about everything. The only thing I lose is having to push the button if I want to listen to the radio, and if I get a call while on FM I have to push AUX to hear it.