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Radio Advice


Mike77
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Hi guys, as Christmas is fast approaching I am being pestered to let ppl know what I want. So I gave in and decided to ask father Christmas for a new double din radio, one of the not so well known brands that has all the bells and whistles like bluetooth, USB reverse camera etc etc. But I'm a bit stuck as to what else I'll need to fit it. Will I need a cage or do you get them with the radio ? Wiring loom, will it be plug and play or will I need another section ? Fascia plates, you get the jist of what I'm getting at. Any links to eBay would be great as I just want to be sure I have everything I need to fit it boxing day lol. So thanks in advance for any info :-) ps. It's a mk2 titanium. Cheers, Mike.

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If its one of the Chinese ones sold on eBay for your specific model it should just use the original mounting points and connections.

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Yes I think it is one of those, its about £140 ish. But it is coming from inside the UK, not China.

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Charlie is in the same position of just being about to fit a new double din himself.

You'll likely need an installation kit which includes a modified fascia, aerial adaptor, car and radio specific loom if not a standard Ford quadlock design and likely a remote control interface so the steering controls if fitted will still work.

The cages supplied with after market radios tend to be too deep for the ford dash so you'll probably have to check dimensions for a proper fit.

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Nothing is ever straight forward is it Stoney lol. Just hoping some1 who's actually done it, will show me the way, so I know for sure I purchase everything I need. I must be getting old, back in the day I wouldn't have had to ask stuff like this haha.

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Thought my ears were burning.

As Clive says, I'm doing this myself. If you link us to the exact head unit you've purchased, we'll be able to help you and link you to exactly what you need.

Just for example though, the stereo I have is a pioneer AVH-1400dvd:

2012-11-15135715.jpg

It came with half a wiring loom, a cage, removal keys and a fascia adaptor:

2012-10-30175143.jpg

2012-10-30211818.jpg

But the cage it comes with is no good, the fascia adapter is no good unless you buy a new head unit surround like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350504251336?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

As your existing ford head unit is not actually double din and it's actually quite a bit larger, so without the new surround, you'll have a big gap either side of the new stereo. Or you can get a bigger fascia adapter which will build out to your existing head unit surround.

And you'll also need a pioneer to ford specific patch lead, to plug the wiring loom provided with the stereo into the existing ford loom in your dash. Without it you will face a hell of a lot of re wiring and cutting of your existing loom.

So instead, you get a specific patch lead so you end up with a beast of a loom like this which will be plug and play with no rewiring required:

2012-11-15141348.jpg

Also, if you want your new stereo's radio to work and to retain your steering wheel controls, you will also need an aerial adapter and a stalk control adapter.

So your best bet is to buy a complete fitting kit like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251103016387?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

This will include everything you need to make the installation of your new stereo plug and play and relatively simple.

It comes with a fascia adapter to build out to your existing head unit surround, a cage you can actually use, adapters for your radio and stalk controls, and most importantly a stereo to ford specific patch lead so there will be no rewiring.

The kit Ii linked above though is for pioneer to ford, so it won't work for yours, I just linked it as an example of what you need.

So if you provide us with the make and model of your stereo, I should be able to source the kit you need.

Also, the seller of the kit I linked appears to be the cheapest around and best value. I looked around for a while and as far as I can see, they are the best about. So if you send them a message, asking them if they do a kit for your stereo they should be able to link you straight to it.

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Oh and if you want a backup camera, this is the one I went for:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260953106460?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

It simply replaces a number plate light:

2012-11-13144957.jpg

So it requires no drilling like something like this would:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Car-Rear-View-Backup-Night-Vision-Wide-170-Angle-Parking-Reversing-Camera-/320859812275?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item4ab4bc31b3

Or you could get something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-EURO-NUMBER-PLATE-REVERSING-CAMERA-BACK-UP-REAR-VIEW-LICENSE-WATERPROOF-/310474547796?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item4849b9a254

Which is a number plate holder with built in camera which will probably position the camera better than mine would, but I'm sure it will require some drilling to route the wire inside the boot lid.

Which is something to think about when you sell your car in the future if you want to revert it back to stock and remove the camera, you'll be left with holes.

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However, if what you've got is something like this

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3376e1179d

Or

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3f163b20b7

Then you should be all sorted as they are a direct replacement for the current stereo, they are the same size so require no fascia adaptors and should be plug and play as they appear o come with the patch lead all in one kit so you shouldn't need to purchase anything else.

But reading the listing, it says the steering wheel control adaptor is an optional additional cost.

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Wow thanks Brigante, huge amount of info there for me to be getting along with, I shall have a look through it all tomorrow and see where I end up. I'll try to post a link, but not actually sure how to do it lol. Massive thanks for taking the time to reply in such detail :-)

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No worries mate.

If you have got a chinese head unit like the ones I linked in my last post, you should be in luck as they appear to come with all patch leads etc in the kit, and they are the same size as your current ford6000cd/sony so should just replace it like for like with no facia adaptors.

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http://pages.ebay.co...id=251059338558

This is the best I could do, really haven't got a clue how to post a link. Hope this helps, its one of about 3 I'm looking at. Cheers.

Ouch mate really sorry to say this but give that a really wide berth. Seriously. I was looking at buying one of them myself a while ago as it seems to do everything for a great price.

At first you think the low price is just because it's not a well known brand but it'll be decent quality, your just not paying for a brand.

But then you do your research and find that xtrons are infamous for the terrible quality and even worse customer service, and these units have actually been known to damage cars.

I think when it comes to things like car stereos, your better paying more for a brand as you get what you pay for. If your gonna pay 120quid for a stereo that does everything, it won't be good quality.

I think you really need to read through this page I've found here:

http://www.mp3car.com/car-audio/149531-review-of-xtrons-car-dvd-players-td714-td601-td717-td712-td716-td713.html

It's written by people who have actually bought the same head unit your thinking about buying.

This is why I went for my pioneer, it's a proven brand, known for it's quality and will actually work. In total it cost around £300 all in for the head unit, fitting kit and reverse camera, so about twice the price as what your thinking about, but I know I'm getting the quality I'd expect.

Really sorry if this has killed your idea of getting a new head unit, but after I did my research on the likes of xtrons before, I thought you should know before you proceed with the purchase.

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Think you might be right mate, I may just opt for something a little more expensive, and if needs be, put a bit towards the cost myself. Don't want to end up with more messing around than needs to be done. I shall start my search again :-) cheers again.

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No worries mate

Did you read right through the thread I linked? It's just one big horror story

Just saying for example but if you have a look at what you'd get for the same price range if you was to buy an established brand your looking at something like this:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_869197_langId_-1_categoryId_265857

It doesn't have a touch screen, doesn't play dvds, doesn't have a camera input, doesn't have bluetooth and doesn't have satnav. You will also have to spend an extra 60 ish quid on a fitting kit to get it to work in your car.

About all it does is play CDs, have radio and you can plug your ipod into it. But at least you know it'll be a quality product and it'll do what it says it will.

But when a barely known brand says for the same price, it will also give you a touch screen, let you play dvds on it, give you bluetooth, and even a reverse parking camera and the option of a built in satnav. You really need to question the quality of it and how well it will actually do all it claims to when a brand will charge at least twice as much.

And sure enough, within seconds of searching google you'll throw up a load of horror stories of how the radio doesn't work, how it says it will take a 32gb memory card when in actual fact anything over 500mb will crash the unit, and even how it will almost certainly fry your cars wiring.

This is why I quickly decided against xtrons and went for a trusted brand like pioneer, might be twice the price but I know it's quality and it'll actually work.

By the way sorry if all my ramblings on is really boring lol. What was the exact price range you was thinking about? What's the most you want to spend?

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Ok guys,,,, here goes, feel free to let me know if i've missed anything.

Looking at this 330720499654 (eBay item numbers) if someone could tell me how the hell I get a link thingy I would be grateful :-)

to fit it all in snug as a bug also eyeing up this 400337316359

I know if I want the reverse camera im going to have to buy it seperate, but are they all the same fittment, connector wise at the rear of the hedunit. Thanks in advance, Mike.

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Ok guys,,,, here goes, feel free to let me know if i've missed anything.

Looking at this 330720499654 (ebay item numbers) if someone could tell me how the hell I get a link thingy I would be grateful :-)

to fit it all in snug as a bug also eyeing up this 400337316359

I know if I want the reverse camera im going to have to buy it seperate, but are they all the same fittment, connector wise at the rear of the hedunit. Thanks in advance, Mike.

Right mate concerning the link, just click the URL (web address) of the page you want to link, right click, copy, then right click n paste into your post in the forum lol. If this is what your doing, I dunno what's going wrong?

Anyway

Concerning the head unit, that seems to do everything you want and it's a known brand so you should have no problems

Concerning the kit, that's what you need yes. But don't order from them as I can better it with this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251103016387?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Exactly the same kit but 10quid less. Same one I got. All you do is include a message to the seller n say you want it for a JVC.

Concerning the camera, as far as I'm aware they should all be the same fitment. In my case, I bought a random head unit, and a random camera n it plugged straight in. So far as I know, all the rear camera inputs should be the same.

Do you know if the JVC you linked does have an input for a camera though? I can't see where it says it does in the listing. It should have seeing as it's a touch screen. But yes if it does have an input for one then it should be the same and shouldn't vary head unit to head unit

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Thanks mate, Ive just sent them a message about the camera, and they say it 'HAS' got a connection for a camera, and they sell them too!!! Have you wired yours in yet, as im imagining its going to be quite an indepth job ? Its a choice between the JVC and this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270899274712?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 this being slightly cheaper. What do ya think,,,, oh and thanks for the help with the links lol.

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If they've said its got a camera input then your all good. I haven't got round to fitting mine yet no. Yes your right in saying it's a pretty in depth job. It is pretty much straight forward but it's just the fact you gotta route the wire from the boot lid into the car via the rubber conduit then all the way through the car to the back of the head unit lol so it's pretty involved but easy enough.

Regarding choosing out of the 2 head units you've linked, personally I'd trump for the pioneer. But then I am bias as it's exactly the same head unit I've got lol except it has bluetooth also. If you look in my signature, I've written a guide on fitting it so your installation will be exactly the same. Only difference is you'll also have the mic to install for the bluetooth.

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Oh one thing I will point out though which might sway you to the jvc over the pioneer. Reading the jvc specs, it appears to have a rear usb input. Which means you could neatly route an ipod wire though the dash discreetly into the glove box out the way.

The pioneer doesn't have a rear input, only the usb on the front. So if you want to plug your ipod in, you'll have to have a wire dangling out the front which if your fussy you'll find this really annoying lol.

Concerning the jvc seller saying they sell a camera, if it's a universal one, ie will fit any car, you won't want to go for it. As you will have to cut a largish hole out your boot lid trim to fit it.

Where as the one I got, is made the exact shape of a ford focus number plate light, and has an LED number plate light built into it. So what you do is remove a stock number plate light, wire the light on the camera in n it neatly replaces it, while retaining the number plate light function as normal. So theres no need to cut any holes in your car.

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Yes they said they had a camera,,,, its not a nice fit like yours, and its 120 quid lol. Did you order yours from China ??? I'm pretty much in the know on the fitting side of things just wanted to make sure I have everything I need first so I can get cracking on boxing day haha. I don't use I pod things, just use a USB stick, but the rear USB was swaying it for me too. Thanks again, you've been most helpful ;-)

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I was looking at a pioneer own camera for around 120quid also, but I really couldn't justify it lol especially when I'd have to cut a hole to fit it. So I just went for a cheap china camera for 15quid. Can't comment on it much yet till I fit it. But the quality does look decent.

You could get one of these, still quite cheap at just under 23 quid

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item416e69f5c1

Which is actually wireless, so you won't have to route the wire all through the car so it'll save you a bit of work

I would of went for this, But I can only seem to find it in black plastic. I proffered the look of the one I went for as it's clear so looks more like a stock number plate light.

If you don't use an ipod n you'd only use a usb stick, it shouldn't really bother you that much having the stick sticking out the front of the head unit as it ain't that big. It just depends on your personal needs really whether you really want a rear input that much. Personally I wasn't that fussed.

The main reason the pioneer sold it for me over the jvc etc was that it didn't have a big volume knob sticking out of it like the jvc does. This was paramount for me n you'll see why if you read my faceplate guide

Oh and if you buy the kit I linked for 63quid from dynamicsound, it will definitely include everything you need to fit the head unit in one complete kit.

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You could just get a Chinese one off eBay for around 200 quid with no extra wiring needed or facia adapter kit. May not have the best sound quality but can't be worse than the standard one plus you would need to upgrade the standard Speakers to get the full use from the pioneer/jvc etc ones

Will work out cheaper and look better IMHO

But it is up to you mate :)

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I've heard bad things about the china stereos haz mate. Unless you mean the OEM looking ones that are a direct replacement that I linked previously? They might be alright. But stay the hell away from the likes of xtrons lol.

If you don't like fascia adaptors, you could get a new head unit surround that I've also previously linked. It has a smaller, actual double din sized hole in it so the head unit will fit snug in the hole with no fascia adaptor required which yeah will look better.

My personal situation though, it worked out better having a fascia adaptor.

I must say though about the sound quality, as soon as I connected my pioneer, the sound out of the stock Speakers was instantly a whole lot better. It really uses them well quite dramatically. And when I tested the dvd player, it really was like sitting in the cinema (be it with a tiny screen) in terms of sound quality, proper surround sound.

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Fair enough mate, tbh with the mk2 having a square stereo as standard a double din looks pretty neat, just think the facelift oval one would be a step backward if it was changed to a square one.

I am suprised about the stock paper cone Speakers but if you did for some aftermarket fibre glass ones bet the sound will be double the quality again. Just got to be wary that if the upgraded unit has a higher watt amp built in it may eventually destroy the stock Speakers over time.

Yeah was on about the oem fit ones, would never think of buying a Chinese one instead of a well known brand such as pioneer but I just wish they would make the oem fit ones cheaper. There is an oval facelift shape pioneer one going for like 800 quid on eBay :S

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I know mate, when I got my car I wished it come with an oval head unit, and contemplated getting upgrading to an oval sony n getting the oval surround. But then I thought If I am gonna upgrade, I want it to be to a touch screen. Then looking around, if you want a decent aftermarket touch screen, chances of getting an oval one are very slim unless you pay silly money for a zenec which is close to a grand.

So it's a good job mine did come with the square head unit as apposed to the oval. I do agree though swapping the oval for a square does seem like a step back. But then I think I'm not really that fussed about the shape if if I'm easily getting better features like touch screen n reverse parking camera. Oval would have been nice but not for the silly money they want for it.

Like I said before, you could get an oval shaped fascia adaptor which builds out from the square to an oval so you keep your existing surround. I know it's not the same though.

I still say my sound quality from the stock Speakers seems instantly better from installing the pioneer. I am thinking about upgrading my Speakers, but I'm in no rush.

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