Aftermarket Radio

[dcat151]

First of all, a big thanks to everyone who posts on this site. Thanks to some threads here and on the fuzzycats.com site (I got the link from this site), replacing my radio with an aftermarket radio wasn't difficult at all. The original CD player quit working, so I wanted to replace the unit with one that had an iPod connector. I didn't want to drill a hole through the glove box, so I punched out the cigarette lighter and ran the connector through there. It looks normal when the ashtray is closed, but when opened you can plug the iPod in. I have a couple of pictures if anyone's interested, but I am not smart enough to post them here.

[brandonjustice93J30]

sounds like an idea, I may have to do that if I ever get an ipod and still have the J

[crossbones668]

I put a Pioneer Premier 500 series in a couple of months back when the Bose head end gave up the ghost. Aside from the normal stuff like iPod connectors, sat radio, etc., this thing will play songs directly from a memory stick. I ran the ipod and usb cable to the center console box, and I have a 4GB usb stick with about 800 mp3s on it. The only downside to most of the new systems is that they cause the antenna to go up and down whenever you change a CD, usb stick, etc., because newer units do not revert to radio anymore. I am going to disconnect the antenna motor this weekend since I never listen to the radio anyway.

[gr8scott72]

I am going to disconnect the antenna motor this weekend since I never listen to the radio anyway.

Or you can just wait awile and the antenna will just quit working all by itself.

[dcat151]

Okay, here are a couple of pics:

[Adam240sx]

i was just curious where you got ur kit to hold ur aftermarket radio? i thought i read on here somewhere that you could use a maxima kit or something???

[dcat151]

I bought my radio through crutchfield.com. They threw in the "pocket" that sits below the radio and the antenna adaptor. I also bought the Scosche adaptor needed to hook up an aftermarket radio to the Bose speakers. (When you select a receiver, the crutchfield site should link to the Scosche adaptor in the "Installation Details" tab.)

The J30 radio is the same as the Nissan Maxima for that year; just make sure you select Maxima with Bose system.

[brandonjustice93J30]

I selected 93 J30 for mine...didnt have to select maxima through crutchfield

[dcat151]

Weird: maybe they updated their database. I swear when I bought my radio (I think in December) that when I selected 1997 J30 it told me that there were no products available for that application. It sounds like they've improved their site.

[brandonjustice93J30]

I ordered mine April of 97

[Defiant]

The factory mounts are standard DIN/ISO spacing, but you almost HAVE to use an impact screwdriver to remove the factory screws from the radio- they seem to have welded themselves in over the years. If you strip out the screw heads -and, you will if you just try to use a screwdriver, far too often- well, it's a world of nuisance.If you look around, you can find DIN filler boxes with doors on ebay; with some trimming, they will also fit. Trim the plastic on the door, not the car's wood.

[gr8scott72]

The factory mounts are standard DIN/ISO spacing, but you almost HAVE to use an impact screwdriver to remove the factory screws from the radio- they seem to have welded themselves in over the years. If you strip out the screw heads -and, you will if you just try to use a screwdriver, far too often- well, it's a world of nuisance.If you look around, you can find DIN filler boxes with doors on ebay; with some trimming, they will also fit. Trim the plastic on the door, not the car's wood.

What's the matter with you, you pansy. lol

Just give it the double grunt twist and it will come off.

[brandonjustice93J30]

a couple double grunts and some PB Blaster...mine came off easy...lol

And I trimmed my wood and the plastic...cant tell since it was the backside of the wood and didnt get into the laqured section

[naladude911]

Damm, I should try. I have a bran new stereo sitting in my room, that i got for XMAS from Circuit City. They said Free installation. Is a panasonic something. It has XM, rear ipod connectivity, etc etc.

[AlphaKilo470]

The screws holding my stock stereo to the mounting brackets were no easy task. However, since the stock radio was dead as could be, I used a steel sledgehammer to disfigure the radio unit until the screws were able to come out easy. From there, I was able to easily mount in my new radio.

As far as the radio setup goes, I just bought an adapter for $20 from a local car audio shop and the head unit is a Clarion DB185MP I got from Fry's. Audio is incredibly clear and everything sounds great.

[xxcrashxx]

i ended up stripping my screws and had to drill them out.

[Defiant]

What's the matter with you, you pansy. lol

Just give it the double grunt twist and it will come off.

Heh. I juggle anvils for a hobby, and thought the same sort of thing..... for the first one. Luckily, it stands proud of the frame far enough that the small Vise-Grips could get a purchase on the remains of the head, and that heart-warming }snap{ of a yielding seizure finally greeted my ears, after a string of profanities not usually heard outside a Microsoft-update wrestling-match was ended. It's just a job that's hugely disproportional to its appearance."Look! There! It's the monster!!!""Where, behind the rabbit?"

[brandonjustice93J30]

after a string of profanities not usually heard outside a Microsoft-update wrestling-match was ended.

Man I haven't done one of those in a while...probably b/c I havent ventured into Vista yet, and wont anytime soon...lol

However the occasional irate service call provokes a few words muttered under my breath....