Anyone replace car stereos recently?

IVB

Senior Member
Good to see the cocoon is still running strong.
 
I have a 2001 Pathfinder and a 2002 BMW 530. Both have ~100K miles, but alas I cannot afford to replace either of them. (Spending $40K/year on private elementary/middle schools sounds more fun. not.)
 
I used to be the king of replacing car stereos. Well, in the late 80s when it was dead simple, and you barely needed more than a screwdriver.
 
Has anyone done this on quasi-recent cars? Neither car has bluetooth or line-in, and I'd like to use them with my Android HTC One X. The Pathfinder seems straightforward to remove the dashboard, although I don't know if the steering wheel wiring harness is a standard item.
 
Lately no, but I did start to put a nice stereo in my 2000 Acura TL until I shelved it. Anyway, I used a line output converter from David Navone (http://davidnavone.com/) as that was one of the best at the time. I had to do some research about bypassing the internal Bose equalization but I think it was straight forward or the EQ was in a separate box. I don't exactly remember except that it was pretty easy to wire in the line output converter and put in some amps. Good luck...brings back memories of my 80s too. :)

And regarding the steering wheel, there are some devices that can interface with factory controls or there are aftermarket controls that can be attached to the steering wheel. Your BMW is probably popular enough with those that spend money that there is likely an interface for your steering wheel but there may not be for your Nissan.

David
 
Welcome back IVB - been a long time it seems!
 
Since you've been out of the game a while, I'd suggest starting with Crutchfield.com - they're not necessarily the best price but they have all the info in the world about what's compatible with your cars and what adapters you need, etc - and if you buy from them, they'll include step-by-step instruction sheets that show how to take apart the dash and anything else necessary for what you're trying to do (including pictures) - it's really an amazing service.  If you're just going for price, SonicElectronix.com I believe had some of the best pricing.
 
It's pretty easy nowadays to get head units with navigation, bluetooth (phone and audio streaming), ipod cables, etc.  There's also one due out any day now called the Parrot Asteroid Smart - which is basically an Android tablet in a car stereo - I'm really considering replacing my Kenwood nav with it since the touchscreen went to crap.
 
And I feel your pain on the school - last year was $30K on daycare alone, with no tax credits or any breaks to speak of...  On a more personal note I'm idly curious which schools since IIRC we live in fairly close proximity and elementary school starts for my oldest next year... but I can save that for another day.
 
Well, you're both spot on. Crutchfield (prices are acceptable) has a ton of info on BMW, but not my pathfinder.  Thanks for the pointers.
 
W2P, i'll PM you with the info. Not for public forums :-)
 
Amen brothers!!!! (another private school parent with no help with vouchers here!) :rockon:
 
I don't even get an Obama phone! :rofl:
 
If you have navigation on your Bimmer you can tap into that with a car pc.  The I-Bus in the car has been totally documented.  You can even mode the navigation OS these days.  
 
The wires are all there for a bluetooth module.  Look in your trunk on the lid left upper side closest to you.  There should be "buttons" labeled with what has been prewired.  If you have a telephone label then its literally a plug n play update.  
 
That said I have purchased from Crutchfield before and they have great support.   
 
Many cars (at least back when I bought my 2001 Ford Taurus) support CD Changer AUX adapters, allowing you to add a line-in to your system using the CD Changer interface. Then you can use a BT gateway to add BT to your car. I have been doing this for years, works really well, and very affordable.
 
pete_c said:
If you have navigation on your Bimmer you can tap into that with a car pc.  The I-Bus in the car has been totally documented.  You can even mode the navigation OS these days.  
 
The wires are all there for a bluetooth module.  Look in your trunk on the lid left upper side closest to you.  There should be "buttons" labeled with what has been prewired.  If you have a telephone label then its literally a plug n play update.  
 
That said I have purchased from Crutchfield before and they have great support.   
 
 
 
Dan (electron) said:
Many cars (at least back when I bought my 2001 Ford Taurus) support CD Changer AUX adapters, allowing you to add a line-in to your system using the CD Changer interface. Then you can use a BT gateway to add BT to your car. I have been doing this for years, works really well, and very affordable.
Thanks! Working from home today but on a work call, dying for it to get done so I can run out to driveway and look. That would be the simplest (assuming the HTC works fine with BT audio streaming). No navigation in the BMW though, its 10 years old.
 
My 2001 has nav and a cd changer.  I think that BMW started in the 90's with the nav stuff.  I have updated almost all of the built in electronics stuff to newer above 2003 stuff as it was plug n play.  
 
The prewiring stopped in the middle 2000's and it became optional. 
 
You might not have the option buttons in the trunk but its easy to find the wiring harnesses if they are there.  Around 2002-3 all of the the BMW radios included an AUX port and the ability to play back MP3s by default.  The AUX port is an auto sensing this that will bring up the option on your radio when connected to an AUX audio source..  You can role your own cable or purchase one premade.  Its a simple circuit with about $1 worth of parts.  Easy to connect a BT audio reciever there too. 
 
WIth the CarPC I can "remote control" the car some; turning on/off exterior lighting, opening an closing windows et al.  Its a slow serial bus communication but its neat.  If you serially sniff the wire you can see all of the devices on the bus without having to look for them.  Personally I was amazed that I could do this.
 
Issues I had really were relating to taking apart my car when it was new; very low on the WAF (did it again in the late 2000's though)
 
I sent you a message via Google+, but I'll also post some information here...
 
Here is a dash kit that will work with double DIN replacements for your BMW: http://www.metraonline.com/part/95-9307B
As well as the installation manual for the kit above (which includes instructions on how to take everything apart): http://www.metraonline.com/files/products/INST95-9307B.pdf
 
Here is the wiring harness: http://www.metraonline.com/part/70-9003
 
Assuming the BMW has steering wheel controls, you an add that functionality to the aftermarket radio with this module: http://www.metraonline.com/part/ASWC-1
 
----------------
 
Regarding the Pathfinder, you can use this kit for single DIN radio replacements: http://www.metraonline.com/part/99-7417 
Or this one for Double DIN replacements: http://www.metraonline.com/part/95-7417
Installation manuals on are each page respectively (the .pdf link is on the left under the image).
 
The standard Nissan wiring harness is: http://www.metraonline.com/part/95-7417
Or if it has a premium system (separate factory amplifier, unlikely but possible): http://www.metraonline.com/part/70-7551
 
The Pathfinder will also need an antenna adapter: http://www.metraonline.com/part/40-NI10
 
And can use the same steering wheel adapter linked above, although many don't have steering wheel controls.
 
.... and a plug back to some of my work that's already been posted here on CocoonTech: http://cocoontech.com/forums/topic/12367-drvnbysounds-projects-introduction/
 
I don't think I added it to my showcase thread, but here is a 2010 Accord that I did a for someone just prior to Christmas of 2011:
2010hondaaccordahbefore.jpg
 
 
Strangely, it only went to my phone and it wasn't listed as any sort of notification until I went back into the G+ app...
 
Anyhow, let me know if there is anything else I could add. I pretty much covered all of the installation parts needed above. If you have any specific questions Google messenger/chat will probably be the most responsive or email... although I do try to check in here a couple of times a day.
 
Going with Pete's comments, if you wanted to leave it stock and just add things like Bluetooth, I do have a Parrot aftermarket bluetooth kit I'd just about give away for the price of shipping if it were going to good use...  I bought it after my truck got broken into and destroyed (they stole my previous parrot and factory nav and ipod kit) - so I bought this one and never installed it; instead went with a Kenwood in-dash DVD/Navigation system (HATE it - after this experience I'm done with Kenwood forever).
 
http://cocoontech.com/forums/topic/21858-parrot-mk6100-bluetooth-car-kit/#entry177753
 
Ultimately I think I'm either going to ditch the kenwood for that Parrot SMART Asteroid - or I'll just live with it until I can try and buy a 2014 Suburban next year... depends on my day to day irritation with it.
 
I don't think I added it to my showcase thread, but here is a 2010 Accord that I did a for someone just prior to Christmas of 2011:
2010hondaaccordahbefore.jpg

 
Wow, nice work.
 
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