Stereo Advice?

[nickb]

The head unit in the BMW has finally given up the ghost! It would appear that the connection between the face panel and the unit is knackered: It used to work if it was open a little bit now it is completely lifeless!
My dilemma is trying to find a suitable replacement. First I asked pops if he sold any but he only has brands you've never heard of which he only sells to 17 year old Nova twits.
I then went to Halfrauds who as usual were as much use as a chocolate fireguard. Ideally I'd like to replace it like for like: Its a Pioneer cassette player probably about five years old, but I don't think anything like it is available now. I like the tape player function as I've got an adapter to hook it up to my Minidisc player, although surely there must be something available with an input socket in the front so this will still work?
Also, any replacement needs to be capable of operating the 6 cd shuffler in the boot.
Will other brands fit straight in without too much rewiring?
Everything I've seen so far that can do this seems to be mucho expensive, so any recommendation of a reputable source for a replacement or if the old one is fixable will be very welcome indeed.

It's hard to pimp-roll to the sounds of silence....

[Nathan]

right mate best on for ya got RCA inputs for other devices like tape decks and Minidisc but the player is CD. Panasonic CDQFX full digi display got some cars and other animations on it, i got this model cus of the inputs it offered

[nickb]

Sounds good!
That'll run the CD changer then?
Any idea of cost?

[Nathan]

yep it will.

right here is the cool bit on the high street will cost you £500 which is pretty steep but got to

MCS-Direct website there on google, its a shop in sunny leicester and they will mail order with 3 year warrenty for £260

prices for everything are so so cheap

[TheFrequentFryer]

Hows about This or This Cassette deck or european equivalents.

Or

This Suitabley retro CD headunit.

All from the Pioneer stable.

or for decent highend kit have a little gander at Nakamichi

[WillCarter]

NickB said:

First I asked pops if he sold any but he only has brands you've never heard of which he only sells to 17 year old Nova twits.

I'm a 17 year old

[Revolution 9]

But you're a Fiesta twit!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D


Kiddin' on!

[WillCarter]

Ahh i get it now lol

[Revolution 9]

You have to admit that people our age are normally little Nova, big stereo, big wheel types (I'm a similar age to yourself, give or take a few years! I only have so much experience with Imps because I've been at them since I was 12 or 13, so I have plenty of experience of them these days, but I'm still of the greasy student persuasion mein self!)

[WillCarter]

I will admit that when I get my Fiesta it will feature a Sub etc but thats about the only thing I will be bringing with me from the Modern Modifying world, I have to have my Music LOUD lol but other than that I shun the Max Power world when it comes to styling tips!

[Panda Matt]

NickB,
I just recently gave my brother a Pioneer tape head unit with CD control etc etc... which i found in a car I was picking up with a friend- if you want it, or are interested, let me know, i'll get the model number and some details- you can have it for the cost of the postage. And i promise it isn't nicked!

[Paul H]

Whilst on this topic, what's the best way to install a stereo into a car which has never had one?

I.e. needs stereo mountings / cage, power wiring, speaker wiring, speakers etc...

I've been thinking of fitting one in my Amazon, but all I want is a tape deck, as I'm going to plug my mp3 CD player into it, via a tape slot adaptor. I don't want any of it visible, so that means under the dash (access not an issue, as will control via the mp3 player), and I really don't want to have to cut in to the door trims to fit speakers etc.

I also need to know how to wire it into an old car's electrical system....

Anyone have any ideas?

Cheers,

Paul

[BenzBoy]

AmazonSprite - You used to be able to get an under-dash stereo mounting thing for Mini's and the like. May have trouble finding them now though (ask the Mini people!) - they were basically just a plastic moulding which screwed to the underside of the dash. The cage fits inside and the stereo unit slides in...click!
As for stereo wiring, it's quite a straight-forward affair really, as you only need to find one positive power source (preferably switched with the ignition so you don't leave it on overnight.... cigar lighter or something...). The rest of it is speaker wiring and an earth which you attach to the chassis. More complex stereos may be a bit more involved but the simple stuff is just that... simple!
Then I suppose you have the speaker mounting to think about - I personally didn't want to carve up my doorcards so I mounted the front speakers under the dash, and got some shelf-mounted ones at the back (which are a bit curse word but at least they don't appeal to the scum) - hey presto! Music!
The Merc did have mountings for speakers but it was pre-stereo sound so there's just one small oval in the dash at the front and the same at the back!

[Revolution 9]

SuperSport1987 said:

I will admit that when I get my Fiesta it will feature a Sub etc but thats about the only thing I will be bringing with me from the Modern Modifying world, I have to have my Music LOUD lol but other than that I shun the Max Power world when it comes to styling tips!

But that's Ok, if it helps you enjoy your motor, but doesn't make it or you look like a sad waste of space then it's Ok by me!! ;D

I know it's weak and feeble, but my rally Imp's interior may feature a small (cleverly hidden) stereo when it's done, as I intend to rack up serious mileage in it, and maybe anyone I'm riding with won't fancy Imp engine sounds as much as I do!

[WillCarter]

I have a mate whos doing a MK5 Fiesta in a Rally style and he's looking into conceiled sound systems so if he gets it done i will report back.

[Revolution 9]

Part of the problem is I hate to cut into my lovely all alloy custom interior trim (it's still not done but it'll be lovely when it is! ;D)

[WillCarter]

Atleast you've got a Car to cut holes into but i think a conceiled System is a nessersary if your going to use your Car everyday but still want that Rally Look.

[Paul H]

Cheers for all the advice guys - sounds easier than I thought!! The stereo itself will be up under the dash, so completely invisible, but how easy is it to hide speakers?

I really don't want anything visible (so no radio aerial either) because it's always parked out in the street, and being 37 years young, it's not exactly tricky to break into....

The underdash speakers mentioned sound interesting - are these cheap? Presumably, scrapyards are a good source of speakers etc, as I want to spend as little wonga as possible, and also, brand new shiny speakers would stand out far too much!! ;D

[BenzBoy]

My speakers were from Argos - about £25... Pioneer I think. To mount them under the dash, here's how I did it...
The Merc has a fibre-board panel on the underside of the dash (one in each footwell). I took these out and made some more panels the same shape in hardboard, as the originals probably couldn't cope with the weight of speakers. Before I took them out I kind of marked out where to mount the speakers so as not to foul brake pedals etc, and to make sure I have enough room behind the panels for the speakers - this was a very rough guess by kind of offering up the speakers in various places!
Once that was done I cut a hole out of each hardboard panel for the speaker to go in, then covered the whole panel in that "leatherette" fabric to give it that '70's vibe! Put the speakers in and put the panels in place with self-tappers. I'm sure it'd work on your car providing you have enough space for the speakers and a similar under-dash panel setup.