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****HELP!**** CAR AUDIO QUESTION! IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING PLEASE INPUT! ******HELP****

H

hpkeeper

Diamond Member
Okay, I have a 1988 Ford F-150 and I'm going to buy a Sony CDX-M650, only problem is, is that I don't trust the place that I have to buy it from, I don't want them to install it (I heard from a friend of mine that they ripped him off installing his head unit) and I really don't want to buy it from them eiether, unfortunately I want it fast and they're the only place locally that sells that model.

***end of Gurping begining of where I need help****

Okay, this is where I need the help. I'm no rocket scientist but I've had my computer cramped in enough different positions in my computer and been shocked enough times to figure out what wires go where, so I'm going to attempt the impossible and install it myself. The only problem is that I don't know if I have to buy some sort of adapter to fit in the slot where my current radio is.... My current radio looks larger that the M-650, like I said, I'd have the place install it for me but I don't trust them. I've thought about buying it and having it installed elsewhere, but these are expensive radios we're talking about and it'd be a "good learning experience" for me to throw it in myself.... so Do I need a plastic adapter? or some sort of shelf for it to go on? or should it fit on it's own?

thanks for any help you can give,


ThE KeEp
 
Easiest:

Get the proper wiring harness adapter (you'll most likely need this)
Get the proper faceplate adapter (you'll probably need this)

It's really not too bad.....but you really might wanna get a shop to do it.
 
Yeah, double check all of your wiring and you'll be all set. Everything looks intimidating at first, but take it slow and take car of what you know first, if you need anymore help, come to us 🙂
 
Consider your car is domestic, chances are you might have a different DIN size than the one the Sony fits in. It should be pretty obvious once you buy the head unit, it either fits or the slot where your head unit is slightly too big. If the latter case is what occurs, just buy a DIN adapter to make the head unit fit.
 
I'm not talking about the wiring itself.... I'm gonna do that with my friends

So what I need is...


a wiring harness adapter
a faceplate adapter or a DIN adapter (what's the difference?)


ThE KeEp
 
When I bought a sony unit from 800.com back in the days of the msn discount, they included an install kit with a faceplate adapter, and a wiring harness (turned out to be the wrong one, ended up tapping right into the existing harness). The install kit also came with really detailed instructions on getting the factory radio out, which was a huge help. You might be able to find something like that at bestbuy, or a local car parts dealer (I know AutoZone has them)

The biggest problem I had, was figuring out which wire in my car was which (right front speaker, etc). The sony unit should come with a paper saying what each wire in the included hookup adapter that came with my sony unit. If you plan on hooking it into your existing wires, like I did, you won't even need a harness, although thats usually the best way to go. I couldn't find a suitable harness, so I went the route I did. The other nice thing about doing that, is that this way, I'll be able to pull it out of the car easily in the event it dies before I sell it. I left the factory plugs on it as well, that way I can switch between the two units if I so choos (although I don't know why)

It does make it easier if you have a helper, an extra set of hands is always nice. I also wrote down which wire was which, because by the time I got around to hooking it up, I had forgotten most of them 🙂.

One last thing, I've had pretty bad luck with Sony radios and radio reception. My factory GM radio really pulled in the stations, and even local stations are pretty poor with my sony, and the sony we installed in my dad's truck. Let me know if you have a similar problem, I'd like to know it isn't just something I did 🙂

Good luck!
 
Yeah, the friend who is helping me out has a Sony head unit in his car as well... which was part of the reason I asked him to help me out, he's got allot of experience with electronics/car combos. He's got good reception in his car with his radio, I don't know what it is, maybe you did something wrong in the installation of your new radio.. well... thanks for the help so far!
 
wOW... I did some price shopping online, you wouldn't believe the deals you can find... okay... that same sony CDX-M650 that I wanted to buy locally was $370 w/o installation/all the faceplates and whatnot I'll need... I found a place online selling the same model for roughly $280 w/o installation and without the faceplates and whatnot... but when I'm done with all the stuff I need plus the installation with the one online it'll maybe add up to $370. Good deal.
 
Umm, i think your definiton of faceplate is wrong. The faceplate is the part that displays everything. And have doing it by yourself, you'll appreciate it that much more when you're done. But expect it to take a while the first time.
 
Go to the local car audio place. Go talk to someone at the front desk. Don't let them talk you into something you don't need. Just tell them the make and model of your vehicle, and say that you need a DIN adapter kit for your vehicle. Then tell them that you also want a Wiring harness adapter. Then all you need to do is splice the wiring harness that comes with the sony deck into the adapter that you bought, then plug the adapter into the original harness. Its not really all that hard to do, but it took me about 2.5 hrs to do everything.
 
Ask em if they have more then one faceplate adapter. I bought one of these at Circuit Sh!tty, and was banging my head against the wall trying to get it to work. I did it at my friends auto repair shop, and he couldn't get it to work either.

So I got disgusted, and went back to another CS, to bring it back. While I was there. I asked em if they were busy in the install bay. They said no. So I just paid em to do it. I go back there, and the guy takes an entirely different kit off the wall "in the back", and shoved it right in. Man I was PO'ed at that.

I went back out front, took the kit back, and demended a discount on the install. The manager took $20 off, but I still was PO'ed at the whole thing. All that time, gas (I live 30 mile from the nearest CS), and energy wasted. Just because they have it rigged like that.
 
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