Quote:
Originally Posted by gonzzo
Oldskool, this is the post I was waiting for!!!!....
If you don't mind, can you elaborate on what you used to install this stereo?, dash install kit?, adapter harness?, any additional install/hardware instructions/recommendations?...
Is the sound better than factory?, anything you would do different?...
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Mine already had a replacement single din in when I got it, so don't know if it sounds better or worse TBH. With the addition of a compact woofer behind my seat it sounds fine for a 20 year old convertible is all I can say
That also means that someone had already done a rather shoddy job of slicing off the OEM adapter and splicing in a standard ISO one, which did mean I could just plug the adapter that comes with the Android one straight in. If I was doing it from scratch though I'd probably get a plugin adapter just to avoid hacking the wires up. Mines an early car with no MOST, so the connections are simple.
I used an install kit from
Connects2 Ltd ... I like that the facia panel has the slight curve at the top that matches the original parts, all the others I've seen are just flat. If you're not concerned about that though, there's a Euromotorspeed one available, or a much cheaper Metra 99-9605B ... it's just a bit of plastic after all! Ebay has them all.
One thing you do need to take care of is the size of the unit, these Chinese units can be a few mm larger in height/width than a 'standard' 2DIN unit, and end up not fitting in the cage properly.
Because I wanted it to sit flush I also needed to take care with the side 'ears' that hold the panel onto the main body. On the first one I had they stuck out a few mm from the body making it not fit into the cage as deep as I wanted and preventing the unit sitting flush with the fascia. Kind hard to describe, but see how the tabs are recessed into the body here instead of standing proud...
Getting a good fit is more an art than a science, you will need to get the dremel out and increase the size of the fascia panel hole, and cut and trim a few bits in the OEM console surround.
When it comes to replacement launchers, I've tried lots, but the only other one I use is
AutoMate, which copies the look and feel of Android Auto nicely, but it has a few issues with maps and placing calls that keep me from using it full time.