Actually, I think that ruling it total crap. Yes, it'd be nice if automakers were forced to make their cars more "aftermarket" friendly (yet I can see reasons that'd be bad too), but making every car buyer source their own stereo is bad for the consumer. Car companies spend a lot of money on optimizing some of their stereos for specific cars. Sony or Kenwood can't provide that kind of tailored sound. But, most ridiculous of all, I don't see how this is "anti-trust". Ford, GM and Honda would make the same amount of money if you were to buy an aftermarket radio or not. In fact, GM and Ford don't even make stereos. They buy them from companies like Delphi and Visteon.

It'll be overturned.

EDIT: I have yet to see an aftermarket Sony that has the build quality to withstand a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty.

EDIT 2:

Quote:
McNeal counters that this ruling will result in an increase in the base price of all cars of about $1000 for the next five years. "While our cost for the stereo itself is only $15 the cost of retooling production facilities to meet the requirements of this ruling will be staggering. We have no choice but to pass these costs onto the consumer."

LOL, okay. This TOO is total crap! Being from Detroit, I'm flooded with industry news and I actually Tivo a bunch of Insider type shows all the time. There is no way it'll add $1000 to each vehicle. Lawyers.

EDIT 3: Okay, Mark's post just clicked in my head (and I had a little helper.) Can't we save this stuff for April 1st?