Six months ago, we got hold of this cute and cuddly almost-Kei-sized 1991 Nissan Figaro, for a long-termer of a slightly different kind. Whenever we take it out, it invokes smiles and thumbs up, the non-threatening colour and size the ideal choice for a Spring cruise. But what's a cruise without music, and that's been a problem, not just for this Figgy, but for most.
Back in 1991, 33 years ago(!), a new audio development was making its way into in-car entertainment, improving ICE, long before internal combustion engines adopted the acronym.

The compact disc format was relatively new, as was an in-car CD player, but the Nissan Figaro was one of the first cars to have one fitted to its retro-styled audio unit. Hedging a bet both ways, the unit also featured yester-tech, with a cassette deck.
Not only that, the Figaro also had an AM/FM radio… OK, yes, that might be an expected part, but for Figaro owners outside Japan, the radio is also a sore point, merely for the fact that its radio frequency extends only to Japanese FM frequencies, ranging between 76-90MHz. That means only the lowest of NZ frequencies have a chance of working locally, such as ZB Newstalk 89.4MHz - meaning it misses out on all the good FM radio stations like ZM, Hauraki, Coast or all the other stations that are owned by our NZME parent company that I’m shamelessly dropping in.

There’s an easy fix, but it ain’t cheap or fast, at least for us here in Kiwiland.
Clarion, who manufactured the OE unit for Nissan back in the early 1990s still does support the Figaro’s audio system… in a way.
An English company offers an upgrade to the factory radio, keeping its original look, but adding modern options, such as fitting an anti-skip CD player, expanding the FM frequencies to the normal NZ/global range of 87.5–108 MHz. It even adds Bluetooth connectivity. All good stuff.

But a few drawbacks: the 'dial' of the OE unit is replaced by a digital screen, plus the new innards renders the tape player inoperative, and basically glues the tape door shut, both mods losing a good percentage of the factory unit's charm - but that’s nothing compared to the biggest repellent: the conversion costs £350, around NZ$750. High, but a good upgrade, nonetheless. However, it’s heavy and its 3.5kg needs to be shipped both to and from the UK to do the job, which adds another NZ$400, give or take; and then there’s the potential for GST added upon its return. Gulp!
So, a bill of $1200 to get an upgraded audio unit instantly becomes way less appealing. I think the term is over-capitalising, especially for a car that we don't intend to keep long-term.
So, what to do?

A band expander, right? Yes and no: normally a great way of expanding (increasing) the reception, the Figaro's tuner is notorious for its failings, and after a quick assessment from a local classic car audio specialist, the Figaro’s tuner was indeed as good as dead, rendering a band expander useless.
I can live without a CD player, and while I’ve burnt through my collection of old 80s cassettes and cassingles, once that novelty wore off, which it now has, I found another way.

On TradeMe was the best $18 I’ve ever spent on the Figaro: with the speakers already upgraded and ready with Fusion two-ways, in the letterbox arrived a Bluetooth tape adaptor. Looking like a black tape with a wire extending from one corner, it’s a Bluetooth device that inserts into the tape deck and connects via Bluetooth to your smartphone, opening up a whole new world. iHeart radio, Spotify, music streaming, podcasts, YouTube and basically anything that your phone can play is transmitted through the adaptor, into the tape deck and out through the Figaro’s speakers! Genius!

The sound quality was transformed, and it connects upon start-up, once I remember to turn the tape adaptor on by pressing the power button on its single aerial-like cable. There’s even a mini-USB to USB cable to charge it via the nearby 12v socket/USB adaptor.

For less than $50, as opposed to $1200+, I’ve solved my FM, tape and streaming issues all in two fairly simple solutions, and kept the factory working tape deck. And all that does sound very good to me.
BREAK IT DOWN
1991 Nissan Figaro
ENGINE: 1.0-litre turbo petrol four
POWER: 56kW/106Nm
0-100KM/H: 12.9 sec (claim)
GEARBOX: 3-speed auto
WEIGHT: 810kg
ECONOMY: 7.4l/100km