How to install a CD deck/car stereo?

[ALVAREZ6]

Has anyone had to do this???


Do you guys recommend me to do it myself or get a professional to do it?


And if you have had this done, which one do you have and are you satisfied with it?

[ducks]

I suggest you go to google and type that in
and then print out the instructions

[ducks]

I suggest if you have money to spend you let the pro's do it
if you do not and want to save the money for the nicer system then do it yourself

[ducks]

http://www.car-forums.com/archive/t15310.html


http://www.mattgilbert.net/carstereoauxinput/
http://www.ehow.com/tips_866.html

[ducks]

what type of car or truck do you have?

[ALVAREZ6]

It taking my dad's 1996 Saturn SW2 as soon as he buys a new car. He's probably going to buy the new 07 Toyota Camry SE V6 edition. I could care less that I get his old car, a car's a car. And at least the Saturn is stick, way better to drive than automatic.

[SequSpur]

Best Buy Forum.

[leemajors]

you have to remove the old deck. in addition to buying a new deck, you need to buy the framing piece for your car - there is always a discrepancy between the size of a factory deck and an aftermarket one - and a wiring harness to hook up your new deck to the power adapter that the old deck plugged in to. it's not really that hard, but it's best to solder the wires from the new deck to the harness. if the factory deck plays burned cds and you're worried about theft i would leave the factory deck in there. saturns have decent radios anyway. i have had 2 decks stolen and it always sucks.

[missmyzte]

Best Buy Forum.
Probably the first thing I've ever agreed with you on. Let the Mobile Install Bay at your local Best Buy store do it.

As for what I have in my car, I have the one that the sales guy (a friend of mine) pointed to and said, "Buy that one." I know nothing about them, but I do like it. It's a Sony with the all-black face that flips down (not a detachable face).

[MannyIsGod]

Installing a stero is the easiest thing inthe world. I'm sure you could do it Alvarez. The only way I'd let someone else do it were if it were free.

It really just involves removing the Dash and installing it in place of your factory unit. You will need whats known as a harness which connects to the wires in your car and then connects to your new stereo.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

There's a guy on Zarzamora who will do it for $30.

[MannyIsGod]

Yeah and then the guy will come break into your car 2 weeks later.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Yeah and then the guy will come break into your car 2 weeks later.

Which is why I'm sending Alvarez over there.

[SpursWoman]

Thanks for reminding me ... I still haven't put my stereo that I kept out of my old car into my truck. Best Buy will do it, with kit & all, for about $79.

If you buy the stereo there, they'll do it for free. :)

[Mixability]

It's easy enough to do it yourself. Sometimes the dash removal is tricky on some cars, but I don't know about a Saturn, it is a GM, so maybe it'll be easy. But Best Buy does the install for free for any stereo over $99, so you can't beat waiting around for about 30min while THEY scratch up their knuckles installing your stereo. And it'll be warrantied for a year. :tu

[leemajors]

It's easy enough to do it yourself. Sometimes the dash removal is tricky on some cars, but I don't know about a Saturn, it is a GM, so maybe it'll be easy. But Best Buy does the install for free for any stereo over $99, so you can't beat waiting around for about 30min while THEY scratch up their knuckles installing your stereo. And it'll be warrantied for a year. :tu

i installed some door speakers on an 02 saturn my fiancee and i bought - they are easy to take apart. the parts are made to be interchangeable and swapped out easy, shouldn't be too difficult - most of the parts just snap in and out with metal clips. then again if you've never done anything like a stereo installation the first time can be rough.

[CosmicCowboy]

Instead of replacing the deck I would keep the stock deck/dash arrangement and use the same money to buy a high quality "clean" amplifier and replace all the factory speakers with high quality speakers...

you will get a lot better sound quality for your money that way. There is not much difference in the CD/tuner quality from a factory unit to an aftermarket unit. What difference there is your ears probably aren't sophisticated enough to hear.

Poor sound quality is usually caused by amplifier distortion. If you are using 50% of your available power to listen at a sound level you like you will get a lot more distortion than you would get using 10% of the available amp power (with a larger amp) to listen at the same sound level.

The other nice thing about going this route is that you now have a high quality good sounding "stealth" system....the little punkass bitches that steal aftermarket stereos will look in your car and see the stock deck in the dash and won't screw with your car.

Fixing the broken glass/busted dash is more expensive than replacing the stereo and is usually under the insurance deductible so you have to come cash out of pocket and pay twice what it cost to put it in the first time.

[jman3000]

i ended up doing mine myself and i had no problem with it, even though i had never done it before... granted there was something wrong with the memory wire and everytime i turn the car off everthing in the damn thing resets... but o well... you get what you pay for.

[Mixability]

Instead of replacing the deck I would keep the stock deck/dash arrangement and use the same money to buy a high quality "clean" amplifier and replace all the factory speakers with high quality speakers...

you will get a lot better sound quality for your money that way. There is not much difference in the CD/tuner quality from a factory unit to an aftermarket unit. What difference there is your ears probably aren't sophisticated enough to hear.

Poor sound quality is usually caused by amplifier distortion. If you are using 50% of your available power to listen at a sound level you like you will get a lot more distortion than you would get using 10% of the available amp power (with a larger amp) to listen at the same sound level.

The other nice thing about going this route is that you now have a high quality good sounding "stealth" system....the little punkass bitches that steal aftermarket stereos will look in your car and see the stock deck in the dash and won't screw with your car.

Fixing the broken glass/busted dash is more expensive than replacing the stereo and is usually under the insurance deductible so you have to come cash out of pocket and pay twice what it cost to put it in the first time.

this is what I'd do. I would hate to have an aftermarket radio look out of place in my new Tahoe. Good thing it has a nice factory unit. It has an iPod hookup right up front and has a "tree menu" system built right in for CD's that have mp3's burnt on them.

[LuvBones]

i ended up doing mine myself and i had no problem with it, even though i had never done it before... granted there was something wrong with the memory wire and everytime i turn the car off everthing in the damn thing resets... but o well... you get what you pay for.That happened to me.... one of the wires was in the wrong place at first. Try checking it again b/c it shouldn't be reseting like that.

[leemajors]

Instead of replacing the deck I would keep the stock deck/dash arrangement and use the same money to buy a high quality "clean" amplifier and replace all the factory speakers with high quality speakers...

you will get a lot better sound quality for your money that way. There is not much difference in the CD/tuner quality from a factory unit to an aftermarket unit. What difference there is your ears probably aren't sophisticated enough to hear.

Poor sound quality is usually caused by amplifier distortion. If you are using 50% of your available power to listen at a sound level you like you will get a lot more distortion than you would get using 10% of the available amp power (with a larger amp) to listen at the same sound level.

The other nice thing about going this route is that you now have a high quality good sounding "stealth" system....the little punkass bitches that steal aftermarket stereos will look in your car and see the stock deck in the dash and won't screw with your car.

Fixing the broken glass/busted dash is more expensive than replacing the stereo and is usually under the insurance deductible so you have to come cash out of pocket and pay twice what it cost to put it in the first time.

especially if it's that tiny triangular window on the back doors. one of the times my blazer was broken into they broke that tiny window and it cost me $350 to replace it.

[ZStomp]

There's a guy on Zarzamora who will do it for $30.

A guy? or a business?

I've gone to J&Y Electronics on Zarzamora numerous times... and have recommended it others to that place too.

Go for it.

Now if you buy a stereo at Best Buy- they usually have a special with free installment with a deck of $99 or greater.

[Mixability]

A guy? or a business?

I've gone to J&Y Electronics on Zarzamora numerous times... and have recommended it others to that place too.

Go for it.

Now if you buy a stereo at Best Buy- they usually have a special with free installment with a deck of $99 or greater.

No do NOT go to J&Y.

I went there once and they "add on" mysterious charges, charge extra for stuff that should be free with the installation and if you're not careful they might trick you into "ricing up" your car. :lol

[ZStomp]

No do NOT go to J&Y.

I went there once and they "add on" mysterious charges, charge extra for stuff that should be free with the installation and if you're not careful they might trick you into "ricing up" your car. :lol

Yes DO go there.

I have never had a problem.

[Mixability]

Yes DO go there.

I have never had a problem.

Let me guess, you leave your badge hanging from your rearview and make sure your "Back the Blue" bumper sticker is plainly visible?

[Silver21_Black20]

I have a question...I've had a 12-disc cd changer for a couple of years now. Just recently when I turn it on, the screen will say, "No disc" for all 12 cds. I have the deck full of cds. What seems to be the problem? Anyone know?

[ZStomp]

Let me guess, you leave your badge hanging from your rearview and make sure your "Back the Blue" bumper sticker is plainly visible?


:lol

Nope.

This was years ago... and last year a friend went.

Never had a problem.

[Mixability]

to elaborate, I was charged extra for the soldering and heat shrink tubing in addition to the installation fees. When I got around to upgrading my stereo again and I pulled out the stereo J&Y put in, the stereo was wired to the harness by twisting the wires together and using electrical tape to hold them together. It was months later, so I didn't bother going back to complain. Just a shady group of guys there. If a shop sells flea market shit (Super Pro speakers at the time) for 2 times the going rate, there's something not right with them.

[Mixability]

:lol

Nope.

This was years ago... and last year a friend went.

Never had a problem.

Years ago for me too. I always warn people of that place though. Electronics 2000 on San Pedro is a quality place though.

[Mixability]

Alvarez, since you're not in SA, go to crutchfield.com, put in the year model and make of your car and you can get the exact harness, kit and instructions for your car.

[Mixability]

I have a question...I've had a 12-disc cd changer for a couple of years now. Just recently when I turn it on, the screen will say, "No disc" for all 12 cds. I have the deck full of cds. What seems to be the problem? Anyone know?

retail or burnt cds? it might have a laser problem if it was secured down when it was installed. is it a factory changer or aftermarket?

[Silver21_Black20]

retail or burnt cds? it might have a laser problem if it was secured down when it was installed. is it a factory changer or aftermarket?

Retail cds. It is an aftermarket changer. I even reset it but nothing.

[Mixability]

Retail cds. It is an aftermarket changer. I even reset it but nothing.

i'd just trash it and upgrade your deck to an mp3/cd player. then you can fit alot of songs on 1 cd. or just get an ipod and link it. i hated having a whole bunch of cds in my car. now i just have a whole bunch of childrens DVD's in my truck for my son. best invention ever!

[CuckingFunt]

I have a 6-disc changer that does that every now and then. So far the SNES repair technique (take out the disc holder and blow on it) has worked just fine. I think dust gets in there and confuses the laser.

[Mixability]

I have a 6-disc changer that does that every now and then. So far the SNES repair technique (take out the disc holder and blow on it) has worked just fine. I think dust gets in there and confuses the laser.

damn, blowing something is always your answer for everything! :lol

[Silver21_Black20]

i'd just trash it and upgrade your deck to an mp3/cd player. then you can fit alot of songs on 1 cd. or just get an ipod and link it. i hated having a whole bunch of cds in my car. now i just have a whole bunch of childrens DVD's in my truck for my son. best invention ever!

I really like the cd changer. If I would trash it, I'd probably need to take it to get uninstalled. That shit is bolted inside my trunk and the wires run underneath my backseat and comes out under the panel on the driver side. Too much trouble. I'll try and figure out what the problem is. Thanks for your help, Danyo.

[Silver21_Black20]

I have a 6-disc changer that does that every now and then. So far the SNES repair technique (take out the disc holder and blow on it) has worked just fine. I think dust gets in there and confuses the laser.

I tried that the other day plus there is a little button thingy that I pressed to reset the deck part, no dice.

[CuckingFunt]

damn, blowing something is always your answer for everything! :lol
It's surprisingly effective.