Car stereo suggestions. Cheap + Easy to Install

[polm]

Well, my car stereo was stolen from my 97 Mitsu Montero Sport, again.

I'm getting sick of buying cheap stereos and paying equal cost of parts to get the thing installed by some local auto-radio guy.

Any suggestions on a cheap system that is easy to install into my dash ? The theives do not seem to have cut or torn any wires, but of course I may discover that the wiring needs some work.

I'm in no hurry to get the thing replaced, so I figured I could take the time to replace the unit myself. Would I be way in over my head ?

I have no real need for CD or MP3 support, but AM/FM is important, and a Line In jack would be great for my handheld MP3 player.

 

[wbresson]

lock your car ?

 

[WobbleWobble]

Bummer dude, I've had and seen so many cars broken into it's not even funny anymore.

What about taking your faceplate with you when you leave your car? Or buy one that at least has a faceplate.

 

[paruhd0x]

Install the thing an inch or so deeper in the mount and then make your own fake faceplate thing to put over it that is all messed up with wires hanging out (making it look already stolen). Problem solved

 

[polm]

bump for the Monday crowd.

 

[Kelemvor]

Buy a garage...

 

[toant103]

get an alarm?

 

[NutBucket]

Razor blades.

 

[woowoo]

Boom box

 

[MrBond]

Razor blades.

Booby-trapping your car stereo isn't legal and you can be sued for it.

If you've built a computer before, you can install a car stereo. Try and get whatever brand you had before (ie: replace a Sony with a Sony) because as long as they didn't rip the wiring harness out, it'll just be a matter of plugging the new one in. You'll probably have to disassemble the dash to mount the new unit in the adapter bracket.

If they damaged the adapter bracket or the wiring harness, you should be able to pick up both of them from Autozone for under $20.

If you've been robbed twice now, I would remove the face plate every time you park the car. You also might want to get a regular cassette deck - they don't seem to be as tempting to thieves.

I have a nice Sony cassette deck - I bought it not because I was playing cassettes, but it had controls that I liked and would control a CD changer (which I do have). I kept it parked on our street every night with the faceplate on it. My roomate had a no-name CD changer in his car and he kept the face plate on it and parked on the street too. One night someone broke into his car and stole his CD player - left my truck untouched.

I have two theorys as to why they didn't break into my truck. One, they probably didn't want to bother with a cassette deck. Second, I have a cell phone charger with a red LED on it that's always lit, because of where my cigarette adapters are, you can't tell it's a cell phone charger, it just looks like a red, dash mounted LED. Like an alarm has. They may have thought my truck had an alarm in it and left it alone.

So you might try that as a theft deterrant.

 

[jlee]

Robbery != burglary

That said...get a good alarm or something..

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: paruhd0x
Install the thing an inch or so deeper in the mount and then make your own fake faceplate thing to put over it that is all messed up with wires hanging out (making it look already stolen). Problem solved

I was going to suggest mounting it somewhere else and leaving the hole in the dash, but this is a decent idea too.

 

[axelfox]

Originally posted by: CadetLee
Robbery != burglary

That said...get a good alarm or something..

Robbery is a larceny by force or threat of force.

Burglary is the intentional entering of a dwelling of another at night with the intent to commit a felony thereof.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: MrBond

Razor blades.

Booby-trapping your car stereo isn't legal and you can be sued for it.

If you've built a computer before, you can install a car stereo. Try and get whatever brand you had before (ie: replace a Sony with a Sony) because as long as they didn't rip the wiring harness out, it'll just be a matter of plugging the new one in. You'll probably have to disassemble the dash to mount the new unit in the adapter bracket.

If they damaged the adapter bracket or the wiring harness, you should be able to pick up both of them from Autozone for under $20.

If you've been robbed twice now, I would remove the face plate every time you park the car. You also might want to get a regular cassette deck - they don't seem to be as tempting to thieves.

I have a nice Sony cassette deck - I bought it not because I was playing cassettes, but it had controls that I liked and would control a CD changer (which I do have). I kept it parked on our street every night with the faceplate on it. My roomate had a no-name CD changer in his car and he kept the face plate on it and parked on the street too. One night someone broke into his car and stole his CD player - left my truck untouched.

I have two theorys as to why they didn't break into my truck. One, they probably didn't want to bother with a cassette deck. Second, I have a cell phone charger with a red LED on it that's always lit, because of where my cigarette adapters are, you can't tell it's a cell phone charger, it just looks like a red, dash mounted LED. Like an alarm has. They may have thought my truck had an alarm in it and left it alone.

So you might try that as a theft deterrant.

Yeah, my CD player has a little red blinky light behind it when you take the faceplate off. I worried a little bit, because I never locked the doors in that car (if the temperature was low enough, they WOULD NOT unlock) but never had any problems.