The king of the music scene, the MP3 player, is a gadget that can be used anywhere, including the car. There are a number of ways you can connect your iPod, through a car MP3 stereo, an FM transmitter or a tape deck. All of these work, but like any technology have a number of disadvantages and advantages.

Car Mp3 Player:

Car MP3 audio systems are an easy way to connect your iPod to your stereo. With their built in connection ports, it's very quick and easy to access your music. Moreover, integrated Bluetooth makes connecting to your iPhone virtually effortless - streaming music and answering the phone in the car has never been this easy!

Car MP3 players are the most appropriate for those wanting to replace their stereo, however, MP3 stereos are still relatively expensive and can cost up to £500. So, if you are interested in purchasing an MP3 player, I recommend you add extra security options into your car as well as take out insurance.

FM Transmitter:

This is a very cheap and simple way of attaching your MP3 player to your stereo - all you need is a compatible MP3 player and an FM stereo. There are, however, a few problems with this method as sound quality is often poor as the quality relies on where you are and any interference caused by the weather. The sound quality is particularly bad in urban areas due to the large amount of radio station signals; hence, this device is better suited to rural areas where there will be less radio station interference.

Car Tape Deck:

If you don't want to replace your old stereo or simply want to continue listening to your tapes, as well as your MP3's, hooking up your music mp3juices to your tape deck is ideal and cost effective way to do this. Simply connect the MP3 cassette to the headphones port in the MP3 player (a connection wire is supplied with the MP3 cassette). The main disadvantage is the poor sound quality, as like normal tapes; the MP3 cassette is prone to sound distortion. However, if you are not fussy over sound quality, this is one of the cheapest ways to listen to your MP3's.

All of these ways enable you to listen to your MP3's in the car. If you need a cost effective way to listen to your MP3's, the last two options may be best for you. However, investing in an in-car MP3 player is still relatively inexpensive and there are many on the market for those on a budget. And if your stereo looks like it is soon to be out of order, then it is probably best to replace it with a much newer model.