Gizmo

I want to put in a new CD Deck of standard size in my 1996 ES300. I was looking on crutchfield.com and all of the decks say that I need to make modifications. I was wondering what type of modification needs to be made other than a custom face plate. I'm probably going to get a JVC SH-99 Mp3/CD Deck, If I can get the custom faceplate, do you guys think it would be very difficult? Let me know what you guys think, thanks.

Kyle Harty

iTrader: (17)

Metra makes a dash kit to fit a DIN sized HU and a wiring harness. Call your local Circuit City and talk to the guys in the install bay, or call a audio shop that carries Metra. They probably won't have them in stock, but they can special order them. I'm still waiting for my wiring harness, it's been on backorder for 4 weeks now; I'm not sure if the problem is with Metra or the shop's supplier, but I hope you've got better luck.

I don't know the other MP3/CD options, but JVC has had reliability issues the last few years and I'd hesitate to use them. It was probably about a year ago, but salespeople in the industry said way too many of the JVC CD players came back with problems. That may have been somewhat isolated to those particular models, but if it were me I'd look into other brands. I'm partial to Alpine, but I don't know if they make a MP3/CD. Pioneer, Clarion, Eclipse, or Kenwood are a few others I'd look at. I just read something, Alpine has a few new CD/MP3 units for 2002, about $450 to $550 MSRP. I'd give the Alpine's an edge if you're gonna be using the internal amp to drive speakers, these amps should be more powerful than most HU amps. (Still not as good as an external amp, but better)

Hope this helps.

Gizmo

I called up Circuit City, and the guy told me that metra doesn't make anything for me, but he had another brand that made the plate, but they did not make a wiring kit for it, they said everything would have to be rewired because of the amplifer or something as well, any idea if that is true or not? Maybe if metra does make it, I can order it online or something and save myself the trouble. Thanks.

Gizmo

Ok, well screw Circuit City lol, they are dumb. I went over to Tweeter (used to be Bryn Mawr) and asked them about it, they actually had the metra dash kit in stock and they special ordered the wiring harness for me. They each were only $14.99, so I made it out of the store with everything I needed and it only costed $30. When the harness arrives, I will put the new deck in and take pictures for you guys. Thanks for the help Kyle.

Kyle Harty

iTrader: (17)

Glad to hear you found it, I wonder why they stock the dash kit but not the harness? I hope you have better luck than I do on special ordering, I'm gonna call and ask about it again tomorrow; it's getting pretty frustrating. The Circuit City I'd talked to up here said they could special order it, but I went with a shop that was closer; (by about a half hour) maybe I should've ordered it through Circuit City. The kit and harness make things much easier, I was gonna build my own dash kit and hard wire it; but I figured I was gonna match the stock dash texture and everything anyway, so why not just use the dash kit; then I found out about the wiring harness and it'll save me alot of time.

Gizmo

Yea that sucks man, if you have a tweeter center (bryn mawr stereo) near you, I would see if they have it in stock and tell the other shop to shove it. Good luck on getting the parts bro.

Kyle Harty

iTrader: (17)

We don't have Tweeter's up in MN, I'm just gonna wait it out. Maybe by the time it comes in I'll have my wires run, HLCD's hung, and kickpanels ready to aim. Right now I'm working on running 1/0 guage power wire under the car, making a custom bracket for the fuseholder, putting the RDAT to my Symmetry in the sun visor, and getting the horns and mids ready to hook up. Way too much work and not enough time to do it.

Gizmo

Yea, that definately is quite a bit of work, I'm not too hip on all the car audio, what is the HLCD and RDAT? If that shop doesn't come through for you, let me know, and I could probably get it for you from tweeter and mail it out.

LexFather

Can't wait for the pics!

Kyle Harty

iTrader: (17)

HLCD's are horn loaded compression driver's, speakers that play upper midrange and high frequencies. Here's a link to what they look like, http://www.sounddomain.com/sku/IDSCD1PRO they are mounted under the dash, parallel to the floor, with the black horn body firing towards the listeners. The RDAT is just the crontols and display to the Rockford Symmetry EQ and crossover.

I'm too big into audio, I just spent $350 on wiring and that sort of thing, battery terminals, fuseholder, distribution blocks and all that stuff. I got everything cheap, but I decided I wanted all Stinger HPM wiring with silver wires and platinum terminals, fits the color scheme of the car alot better than gold. It feels kinda insane to spend that much money, but I'm planning on competing a little and enjoy great sound in my car.

Thanks for the offer, it'll come sooner or later, I'm just hoping it's sooner.

Gizmo

Well, its 6:15pm, I got the wiring harness today and popped that sucker in. It took about 3 hours of work, and an hour of that was coming to the realization that I had to plug the amp turn on wire into the 12v battery terminal.. blargh, they didn't tell me that anywhere heh. Its all installed now, I just have to put the finishing touches on it, and I will take some pictures and post them tomorrow when there is sunlight. I also dropped the clips that hold my vent on down somewhere into the car lol, but its ok since it stays on so tight anyway. How is yours coming along Kyle?

Gizmo

I took one quick shot while I was out there gathering the tools and trash, I'll have a better one or two tomorrow though

juan01

Looks good man.

Gizmo

Thanks

Balzak

heres mine.....i only have the front two speakers hooked up right now.... can anyone tell me how you wired them?