i have 2005 pontiac vibe,the radio doesnt have aux input.which of these two would u guys reccomend doing? one is aux adaptor. the 2nd one some guy can install aux built in.the aux input in the built in one doesnt kick in till u plug the aux cable.to disable the aux the aux cable needs to be removed.i like this radio,i dont want to replace it.i dont like the feel of the new ones that display alot of colors hehe 
http://factoryradioservice.com/pontiac-cd-radio-with-aux-input-p-21.html
If I had to pick one, Iād go with the first choice. You might consider ebay for a newer factory radio with this feature, though none are listed at the moment. You could also look at junk yards for a newer radio.
I agree that aftermarket stereos are poorly designed.
Let me get this straight. Youāve got a radio which doesnāt have aux input. You can get a guy to install a radio with aux input aux cable something aux which will aux, or you can put in an aux adapter. What does the aux adapter plug into?
I knew somebody who purchased a brand new car based SOLELY on the way the radio operated and soundedā¦Nothing else about the car was consideredā¦No road test, nothingā¦Just turn on the radioā¦
I have the same dilemma with my 2006 Matrix.
An aftermarket radio will be prone to theft unless I remember to always bring in the faceplate.
There are those adapters that convert line level audio (aka āauxā) to an FM signal for the radio to pick up.
I tried one of those and it sucked.
yea itās a tough choice,both are $70 heh.thanks for the input guys 
Some of the FM transmitters suck. I bought this one for a friend that has a Ford Ranger and he loves it. It also has an SD card slot so you can play MP3s that wayā¦
I guess my wifeās 1992 Subaru Legacy turbo was way ahead of its time with an CD(Aux) input.
We just had to get a new radio for one of our lot cars, for $79 we got a brand new sony with Aux, and Ipod/usb plugā¦ Removeable face for securityā¦ We got it at best buy, this is going to be your best bet I think,
Oblivion, the unit you linked to got poor reviews, and itās selling now for $4.
Iām going to give it another try with this one:
Good reviews and for $23.
Whether those FM transmitters work for you or not is mostly dependent on how many FM stations your radio currently receives. In any given area, there is supposed to be at least a one channel gap between the stations, but there are overlap areas where there might be no gap.
You need to find a spot where there are no adjacent stations for 2 channels either side. For example, if you have a station at 95.1, then the next station you can get is at 95.5, you could use 95.3. You need to tune to the projected frequency and drive around for awhile to insure that you donāt come into a weak signal for that frequency.
My last transmitter I tried at several different frequencies.
It was the same story every time: noise, static and highs as bad as an AM radio.
Too bad there arenāt cassette players anymore - I used a cassette-based adapter that sounded great.
The main issues with FM transmitters, are they are now underpowered due to the FCCā¦ Back when they first came out they worked great, and unless you were right on a strong radio tower signal it would block out all the background noise. Problem was the car next to you would be able to pick up the frequency as well, and that was not always a good thing. FCC stepped in and had every one dial it down a notch. Now they barley work even in your carā¦
I just want to follow up on my trial of this FM adapter:
It works surprisingly well. Frequency response is fine for my carās stock stereo system and my 52 year old ears.
The noise level is a low and unobtrusive hiss.
It plugs in a lighter outlet out of the way in a center console compartment which switches off with the key.
All I need to do is remember to turn off my MP3 player.
I give it 5 stars so far.
I believe you might have a cassette player in your car. If so, you can use a cassette adapter. It works better then the FM adapter.
Nope, cd player.
Itās a 2006 car, not 1996.
FM transmitters seems to be both vehicle and location specific. In urban areas they really suffer and also some vehicle do really poorly while other give off acceptable sound.