Podofo android car radio – terrible experience!

Purchasing a new gadget or piece of technology can be an exciting experience, but what happens when your excitement turns into frustration? I recently found myself in such a situation when I bought an Android car radio that came with non-functioning GPS and a seller who was unwilling to resolve the issue. In this blog post, I’ll share my story and the lessons I learned along the way.

Suzuki Baleno radio

The Purchase

It all started when I decided to upgrade my Suzuki Baleno audio system with a modern Android car radio. Two years ago I bought from Kapud store radio for Ford Fiesta, which now 2 years later works great. Now I bought  “Podofo V2 Plus” Android radio with Android 13, 2GB RAM, 32GB ROM and with wireless Carplay and Android Auto. The concept of having GPS, entertainment apps, and a touchscreen interface in my vehicle was appealing. After researching various options online, I settled on Aliexpress seller that seemed reputable, with positive reviews and competitive pricing.

Device came damaged

I made the purchase from “France” warehouse but it was shipped from Germany (MBB Logistics Frankfurt). However, my excitement was short-lived when I encountered some significant issues with the device. Device came damaged, won’t turn off and with not working GPS.

The Problems Arise

Upon installation, it became clear that the GPS functionality on the Android car radio was non-functional. No matter how many times I tried to mount it or place GPS antenna, the GPS just wouldn’t work. This was a significant problem for me because one of the primary reasons for buying this device was to have a reliable navigation system in my car.

Adding to my frustration, the device also refused to turn off. Even after shutting down the car, the radio continued to drain the battery. This was a nuisance, and it was evident that something was not right with the product.

No GPS reception

Yellow cable should only give power for keeping stand-by and red cable should power device. However this device is working with yellow only, and presence of red +12V does not turn on or off the device.

It seams that this problem is with recent batch, because customer from Italy gave 1 star review with same problem.

Seeking Resolution

With these issues in mind, I reached out to the seller to seek a resolution. I expected a swift response and a willingness to address the problems. Unfortunately, my experience took a disappointing turn.

The seller was slow to respond to my messages, and when they did reply, their initial only respond “give 5 star review”. Nothing about shipping new device or solution. As more days passed, I realized that I was not going to receive the customer support.

Seller only wants positive review and won’t ship new device

Another user from Italy got radio with same problem 3 days ago

The Frustration Grows

As time went on, my frustration continued to grow. The seller seemed uninterested in taking responsibility for the issues with the product, and their reluctance to provide a refund or offer a replacement was disheartening. It was clear that they were more focused on making a sale, get 5 star review than ensuring customer satisfaction.

Lessons Learned

My experience with this Android car radio purchase taught me a few valuable lessons that I want to share:

Research Matters: It’s crucial to thoroughly research a seller and their products before making a purchase. Podofo Europe Flagship Store has only 90% score of positive rating with forced 5 star reviews. You can see aditionat feedback where Podofo store did not send device after review. Behind Podofo Europe store is “ANGXI SARL” FR56913451860 which is behind every Podofo Eruope store on Aliexpress. I also did not get any respond from their e-mail support from Podofo global.

While Kapud store was great purchase and experience, it seams that Podofo is brand with bad devices and zero support based on my experience.

My experience buying an Android car radio with non-functioning GPS and a seller who refused to resolve the issue was undoubtedly frustrating. It serves as a reminder that we must be cautious, do our research, and, when possible, choose sellers with a track record of reliable customer support. I will ask for refund from Aliexpress and buy the device from a different store if seller does not solve this.

8.11.2023 Edit: Seller on 1.11. promised he will send new device but I am still waiting for him to ship it.