Have a rental car, truck, or SUV, but aren’t entirely satisfied with the dealer-installed sound system? Would you like to have a video system in your leased vehicle, but the high costs of the DVD player and the drop-down screens offered by the dealership put you off? In the past, if you were unhappy with the entertainment system in your leased vehicle, you had to accept the system as is or pay to customize it to your preferred taste and then pay one more time to have the original equipment reinstalled before returning your vehicle leased from the dealer. On top of that, if your custom installer didn’t restore all of the original equipment to make it look like nothing was changed, the dealer would add another fee.

This situation is obviously very reasonable unless you really love a quality automotive entertainment center and have a lot of money to spend. Fortunately, in recent years, there have been products that have hit the market that directly meet the needs of those who own leased vehicles and also enjoy the benefits of a quality video and sound system in their vehicle.

To upgrade your sound system, consider an easy-to-install XM satellite receiver. Kits are available that offer the receiver along with many mounting and location options. Kits include mounting hardware, a micro antenna and cassette, and a power adapter that allow you to play XM Satellite Radio through your vehicle’s original sound system. There are also wireless kits to accommodate vehicles that do not have a cassette player.

In the video arena, there are new and innovative products that give you more options than traditional in-dash or drop-down video displays. There are now headrests and sun visors with video monitors designed to replace the headrests or passenger side visor on your vehicle. Manufacturers have even been creative enough to match fabric, leather, or vinyl to the model and color of their particular vehicle. They have even gone so far as to match the seams too! Monitors easily connect to your vehicle’s sound system. They can also be easily connected to a DVD player or video game system. There is absolutely no hole involved as the cables pass easily through the headrest posts. When you’re ready to return your leased vehicle, simply remove the monitors from the headrest and replace the original headrests.

These are just two examples of how you can customize the entertainment system in your leased vehicle. There are several other devices that can also be tailored to the needs of a leased vehicle owner. Just because you drive a leased vehicle doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it like you own it!