tuner w/ simple controls , rds?

Hello all!

Lately I've been going crazy trying to find a new car stereo that'll meet my needs and wants. It'll be going into an '86 Grand Wagoneer, so no particular issues for the install - just has to be single DIN and able to drive the four smallish (8" or so) speakers involved.

The challenges?

First off, I want something that won't look too out of place in its surroundings. The factory unit had a black face with green illumination on the buttons/LCD, and was flush with the dash. Everything I've seen for sale, however, is "blinged out" with blue, red, etc. LEDs and strange button configurations - not what I had in mind. Likewise, it must support external dimming so I'm not blinded by it at night.

Speaking of buttons and knobs, another thing I'm looking for is ease of operation. As with the factory unit, I want to be able to access the radio presets, volume, and power without actually having to lay eyes on it. Common functions should be a one-press operation, not menued away... though some sort of rudimentary equalizer, tucked away so I could "set it and forget it", would be nice.

Feature-wise, I don't really need a CD or cassette player, just a good sensitive FM receiver. AM selectivity is also somewhat important. The kicker, however, is that I really want a unit that supports RDS/RBDS, preferably with the ability to display RT.

Recently I spent some time driving a 2001 Impala, which had the RDS-equipped tuner. If a unit with similar features was available in a DIN-sized package, I'd be sold.

So far, the closest thing I've found is the Jensen Heavy Duty units... but I don't really need satellite controls, weather band, or waterproofing, nor do I like the hefty price tags they carry.

Can anyone suggest any equipment that might fill the need here?
Thanks...

--kt

The Nakamichi cd500 model has an rds tuner, is very simple to use and is far from "blinged out".  Maybe that one will work for you.