Parrot BT kits are a top quality product if you simply want to add BT to the car. it does not replace the head unit.
i concur that the alpine BT adaptor is a little buggy. though i don't rely on it heaps; and it seems to be working fine for me now. main issues include:
*background interference if you listen to an iPod: the iPod connects through the BT adaptor, and seems to pick up interference with the audio signal as it passes through
*synching troubles: can be a little slow, but is mostly phone-dependent, so you will need to ensure your phone is 100% compatible
realise too, the alpine KCE-300BT adaptor is a fair cost atop a new alpine headunit, so the total price will exceed your budget. the BT adaptor alone will be about UK$150 i presume (retails at AUS$349).
pioneer have had quality BT inbuilt into certain models for years. so definitely worth checking out their range. though most have blue backlighting rather than red (alpine 9886 is also blue, so that would not have suited you anyway; alpine CDA-9884R would suit your better).
an advantage of alpine headunits is that most of the R models (9887R/9886R/9885R/9884R, etc) have inbuilt steering wheel control interfaces. so they are virtually plug-and-play (need to physically join the wires by changing the terminal styles). other brands require an external interface (once you've confirmed the new unit has the appropriate input); these will be around UK$40~60.
continue your research. there are pros and cons for each.
