I Installed A Car Stereo In My Vehicle T oday

“Well, the sound system in my #1 piece of hiking gear, my vehicle, has been upgraded.

I was up at 6:30am and had to work on my van, tune up and thermostat, and everytime I'm in there it always looks like I could just drop out the stereo and relpace it easier.

I was going to get a new head unit when I got my income tax return, but I got the surgery for my dog instead. Well, while in there today I said what the heck and went to the Sony store after I was finished with the engine work.

Anywho, I had to almost detatch the dashboard to get to the bracket that holds the stereo in place, but I got it out easily after that.

The most time consuming part was getting the head unit to sit tight in the dashboard faceplate connector assembly that you need when replacing large stock stereos. Then it was connecting color-coded wires from the new style harness to a wireing harness adapter for the old style thats in my van. The thing worked like a charm when I hooked it up, thank goodness.

So now I can play CDs (only had cassette and AM/FM, CDRs, MP3s, is XM Radio ready, and all the other bells and whistles a head unit needs. My speakers have never sounded so good, and with the CDS it has never sounded so clear.

Now I'm in like Flynn.”

“Good deal. Now all you need to do is install some 12" speakers and a sub-woofer so people can hear you coming from a mile away.”

“And blow my dog's eardrums out??? No way! lol

All I want is for it to sound good at low volumes. (And I wanted a CD player, and I may get XM radio soon...8)”

“What, no earthquake speakers?”

“How much power?????”

“Is that Freedom Rock Man?

WELL TURN IT UP DUDE!”

“I have XM satelite radio in my car & really like it. I just throw the antennae up on the dashboard. Occasionally I lose the signal in the mountains but putting the antennae on the roof doesn't help/”

“I got a CD player for my truck last Christmas. I'm still getting used to not having a tape player. Installation was easy cause both were Kenwood stereos.”

“I have been lookin for a new system for our VW van. Its got a piece of $#@# tape deck (fast forward and play only). I would love to get a combo CD and tape deck for it, and some new speakers all around. We'll see.

Glad to hear the install went well.”

“I worked at a used car dealership for awhile last year and I thought car stereo units were hard to take out and install, especially stock one but after watching our resident expert change them out sometimes in less that 2 minutes I was really tripping out. I guess with these little heard of tools that he had and the expertese of different models he made it look as simple as 1 2 3.... I changed mine out in about 10 minutes which I thought was awesome!”

“spam, ever thought of becoming a stereo thief LOL!”

“Yeah Spam, I'll bet I could install another unit much faster now that I've done it once.

One of the only wires from the wiring harness that didn't get connected is the dimmer/illumination wire, simply because the unit doesn't have one on it's harness. And unfortunatly, I fould out last night that the thing looks like a UFO at night. It's almost annoying, but maybe I'll get use to it. I just wish the lights of the unit would dim as I dim the dashboard lights, but I spent a while today reading the manual, looking at the wireing diagram and getting at the wires themselves, and unfortunately determined the unit does not have a dimming capability.

Sure sounds good though. Especially since it has a 3 EQ (high, mid and low) and 7 preset settings (concert, jazz, rock, etc.). It wasn't expensive, ~$130, but it has everything I wanted.

Here's the unit and specs for ya mtnsteve.”

“4 x 23.2 Watts RMS ...good power!

When I get back from a 10 day and I'm driving home....cranking up a little AC/DC or Aerosmith sure makes my transition back to "reality" a lot more fun.”

“Over the years I've gotten a pioneer,kenwood and currently a
panasonic. I order them from a Crutchfield catalog. They send the apropiate wiring harness and
faceplate for a nice finish.
Even I can put one in!!!”

“yeah.... gimme some-o-dem earthquake speakers! I'll blow those pissants off the road with the Glorious Ninth, Night on Bald Mountain and The Blue Danube!

Then they could hear Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz comin' a mile away!



And of course.... FRANK's Guitar Solos!

well well HEY Lawdy Momma!
Can't afford no shoes!
Maybe there's a bundle of rags that I could use!
”

“Forget that. I think I'm going to buy another full-sized truck and fill the bed up with speakers so people in China can listen to my great taste in music.”

“Yes, it's a cryin' shame to have sound systems like those and then play CRAP like they do.

Bump. Thud. Bump. Thud.

It's like Disco.”

“Have I told y'all how much my new stereo KICKS ARSS???

Everytime I listen to the thing it still amazes me how much better the sound quality is compared to the old head unit.

If the old crappy speakers (OK I installed new ones in the back a few years ago) sound this good, maybe I should go ahead and get new speakers all around for even better audio quality.”

“Wally World Dewd, I used to spend big money on car stereo speakers (bose) to find Wally world middle of the road speakers work just fine for 1/10th the money.”

“I'd definitly have to re-wire with new speaker cable if I got new speakers.

Then, a power-amp is in order, don'cha think?”

“oh yeah...and a 10-disk CD changer.”