Installing new CD-Deck--Worth paying for installation? Hard to do?

[MarkEmark]

Hi, my stock CD player in my s14 decides that it will only play certain CD's and certain CD-R's, and its really starting to frustrate me. Anyway, I want to upgrade it with one that is moderately better, nothing fancy, I'm not big into audio. And, since its thanksgiving (BTW, happy thanksgiving everyone!) I want to take advantage of the post thanksgiving day sales...I found a nice Aiwa 45WX4 for $89 brand new at circuit city. They have a deal going where if you buy one for over $100, they'll install it for free. However, I know they will be MADLY packed on the day after thanksgiving, and I'd definitely have to leave my car there for them to do it, which I'd rather not do, so I like the idea of the $89 Aiwa (otherwise, my limit is $130--suggestions anyone?) My question is, how much of a pain in the neck is it to take the old CD-deck out and install the new one? I have a base model S14, but the previous owner opted for the nice Clarion system, including 4 main speakers, 2 tweeters, and the CD-player. I've heard some headache problems with installing them. I have a friend who's installed CD-decks on a Dodge Neon and a 1986 Volvo 740 that could help me. Do you think he/me together would be capable of doing it? I don't want to have to be running to the hardware or audio store getting wires, bundles, etc. I have limited audio/electronic experience...For those of you who HAVE taken out their existing stock CD player and installed a NEW CD player, let me know how straightforward of an installation it was. ThanksMarc

[skycamfalling240sx]

I got my kenwood deck installed at Best Buy but it seems really easy. all you have to do is take off that panel thats infront of it and there are 4 screws and possibly 2 in the back and then it should just slide out and your prolly gonna need a nissan adapter and thats about it i beleive. its a slide deck so its slides in and out unlike a ford which is a pain in the ***. ok i hope that helps

[Two-Forty]

i thought at best buy the installation is free

[johnsharpe]

I haven't done this in the 240, but I installed a different deck in both of my previous vehicles.

If it's jsut the deck, it's not that hard really. You just have to make sure that the wiring is well done (ie, crimp and/or solder, don't just twist and tape) and make sure obviously that the correct wire goes to the correct location.

Of course, it will take time, especially if you're not used to it. I'd get it installed by a pro, even if it means leaving your car there. If you can, watch them do it!

Good luck, sounds like a nice deck!John

[Northern240]

Installing a new deck is easy. First you should buy an antena adapter to install in the new deck and if you want to save time buy a wire harness. save lot of time....

[MarkEmark]

Antena adaptor...what for? It won't hook right up to the new deck? What kind of wire harnesses do i need?

[S-14boy]

I put my Kenwood in myself, It was sooo easy it took me like 30 minutes. I bought a harness that plugs right in to the sock one, and I suggest you DON'T buy an antena adapter, I bought one and it killed my reception, so I started lookin and I didn't even need it to begin with.

[br2819]

i just buy a wire harness adapter that goes for a nissan and the brand andcircuit city sells a univesal adapter so yu don't have to cut and crimp wires. i just bought it for my sony head unit and the install took me 10 minutes on my s13

[1dollar240]

I have had alot of experience putting in car stereo's but when i got my 240 it didnt have one installed, and there were like 20 wires just dangling loose- none were labeled. i thought- no big deal, ive still got my pioneer from my old car. I could not get the damn thing right for the life of me. At first it would only work with the lights on. then it would only go up halfway on the volume, any higher and it would just shut off. finally i unhooked the entire thing, checked every fuse in the car- replaced a couple- and used a multi meter to test every wire to make sure it was the right one. Now it works flawlessly.

[big jon's 240]

Take the money you would spend getting it installed, and put it towards a better deck. you said you were not big on audio, but you can do much better than an aiwa for just a little more. If you have the slightest bit of electrical and mechanical knowhow, the install is simple, a few screws, pull out, hook up wires, and put back in. its that easy. You will need the adapter for the wiring harness (about 15 bucks) unless you want to splice into the existing harness. Which is ok unless you plan on putting the stock deck back in someday. You might need the antenna adapter depending on the brand of deck (my clarion did, and so do most others as far as i know). the hardest part for me was getting the front of the deck to sit flush with the rest of the dash. Hope this helps.

[MarkEmark]

Bah, the Aiwa sounded better than the pioneer right next to it at best buy...plus, it was $140 marked down to $99---I couldn't pass up the deal. Anyway...My car has the better stereo system stock, the one found on the SE...ie, it came with a CD player, and 4 speekers plus 2 tweeters on the A-pillar...any idea how to hook up the wires to the 2 tweeters? The wiring harness and the CD deck looks like it can only hook up to 4 speakers...

[singlecamhonduhkilla]

IM A GENIUS WHEN IT COMES TO SYSTEMS.. HELL I HAVE A 3SPEAKER SYSTEM.. I KNOW THATS CHEESY.. BUT I HAVE MY 240COUPE SOUNDING LIKE AN EXPLORER WIT A BANDPASS. AND ALL I HAVE IS 2 6X9'S WITH ROTATING TWEETS AND 1 10" MTX WIT A 780WT AMP.. AS FOR THE DECK.. AWIA IS PRETTY CHEESY.. AT LEAST GET A PANASONIC OR SOMETHING...THERES A REASON ITS ONLY 89$.. OR AT LEAST GET A SONY.. SOMETHIGN.. AS FOR INSTALLING IT.. JUST TAKE OFF THE PANELING, USE A PHILIPS AND UNSCREW THE 4BOLTS TAKE OUT THE RADIO, UNPLUG THE ANTENA, UNPLUG THE WIRING HARNESS, AND GET A NEW WIRING HARNESS AND CONNECT THE BLUE TO THE BLUE BLACK TO BLACK RED TO RED... TIE THEM TOGETHER.. GET ELECTRICAL TAPE TAPE THEM INDIVIDUALLY.. THEN TAPE THEM ALL TOGETHER SO IT WONT BE MESSY..BUT A INSTALL KIT.. OR BE A LIL GHETTO AND POP IT IN THERE ON TOP OR UR LIL BOX THAT U HAVE UNDER UR CURRENT RADIO.. PLUG IN THE WIREHARNESS FROM THE RADIO BACK IN.. AND THE NEW HARNESS TO THE HARNESS FROM THE CAR.. AND BAM.. NEW DECK..JOE

[S-14boy]

Check the front speakers by the the tweeters, there should either be a cross-over or the tweeters are just bridged off the front speakers. This is my guess. If it is set up like that you wont have to do anything special to hook up the tweeters cause they will aready be hooked up to the front speakers.

[Two-Forty]

http://www.bestkits.com

application

pick ur make and model and yr, they will tell you what harness you need. Easy as cake installing its all plug and play, except you have to strip some wires and match color, im sure you can do that, harnesses go for around $20.

[singlecamhonduhkilla]

I HAVE AN S13 I DONT HAVE THE LUXURIOUS COMPONENT SETS IN THE FRONT.. I HAVE YUCKY 4X6'S THAT R BLOWN FROM HELLLOLJKJOE

[MarkEmark]

thanks for the info, but please, for the love of God, turn off the caps key!!!!!!

[Lsnaple]

i put mine in on my last s13.wasnt hard at all, but i had to ground it and I grounded it at the wrong place,hahah.then i took it to circiut city (where i bought it) and they said i grounded it to the wrong place. other than that it was easy. just buy a harness cause it will save time. oh yea, it was a JVC.

[scruf1986]

This is what I would do in your case. You said you had a $130 limit. Cool. You can get an awsome deck for that amount. I would go to a pawn shop and get a deck there. Forget that over priced Circut City stuff. However if you are stuck on the crap then installing is easy. I have taken out and put in my cd player 22 times. I actually kept count.

The panal snaps off.

There is four screws that are holding the bracket in place.

Two screws holding the cd player.

Buy a wiring harness.

Match the colors for the wires.

Buy an adapter for the antena if you need it. Nissan is a two prong and most aftermarket radios are one. The adapter has nothing to do with the reception of your antena.

Remember to test the radio before bracketing back into the dash.

If it doesn't work.

Red is power and balck is ground. Always in this car and this wiring harness. Hook those up and the radio should light up. Then you just hook up the speakers.

Also remember the fusses. There is one (when sitting in the drivers seat) by your left foot inside the panal next to your foot. Take off the door and see which one is audio.Also remember the fuse in the back of the radio.

If these blow the radio won't work. (I for some d*** reason like blowing fusses)

Its a peice of cake. Have fun.

[Two-Forty]

True.

[89sxRCR]

I would be embarrassed to call myself a man if i had to pay for installation or couldnt install it myself... its soooo godamn easy. Unless your colorblind, handicaped (mentally or physically) there is no excuse.

[MarkEmark]

I would be embarrassed to call myself a man if i had to pay for installation or couldnt install it myself... its soooo godamn easy. Unless your colorblind, handicaped (mentally or physically) there is no excuse.

If you read my original post....which I doubt you did, I said that I DIDN'T want to pay to install it or leave my car there for them to install it....That's why I was asking for TIPS so I could install it MYSELF. I'm surprised none of you have bothered telling me how to wire up the 2 existing amps in the back deck to the CD deck, because the Aiwa one is set up for 4 SPEAKERS, not 6, like my car has....It's alright, since I'm only mildly physically and mentally retarded, I was able to get the power to the amps via the 12 v socket that I never use from the dash panel...thanks though...Electrical wiring is not my forte....I WAS able to install headers, make my own intake, cat back exhaust, and B&M short shifter by myself, however....Not bad for an excuse for a man, eh?

[Silvia2b]

Did you get ther other wiring figured out? 1. Removal of the dash requires moving the heat vents, by pulling the whole dash piece towards you while sitting in a seat (carefully so the metal clips that hold it in place do not go flying and get lost) . 2. If you have an S14, which I think you do. Then pull up on the shift boot from behind the shifter(5sp only), remove the ash tray, there is one screw in thee back of this cavity. There are two other screws on the bottom and two and the top behind the panel that has your heat vents (This is the one you removed first)and your hazard swicth and your rear window defrost switch. Then it should just come right out. as fart as the wiring goes if you want to use the factory six speaker system your better off using the factory amps or buying amplifiers to trun of your new deck. YOu said the Aiwa has our channels of out put, right 4X45watts, so you only have four channels comming out of the deck regurdless of how many speakers you have. If you keep the factory amps, run rca levels in to them, DON'T USE speakers level, you will eventually blow speakers, or the factory amp.check this out for more help. http://240sx.org , look in the FAQ section, under bypassing the factory amps. more questions e-amil me.

[Two-Forty]

Peripherials has bypasses for your factory that works great!

[Silvia2b]

yeah, they do. Blitzsafe has one that works for some of the Bose Z cars pretty well (without the engine noise). If you want to keep the factory amps. Probably only on the S14 is it worth keeping the factory amps. I don't know any body with an S13 though who would bother keeping the active speakers setup though. Anyone? Retail for the Periherals is totaly inflated though, our cost is like $8.00, msrp is $25.00. I would recommend someone trying this to try to make their rca preouts from their deck go right in as inputs to the factory amps since the factory amp wiring is shielded and not common ground or anything wierd. That's what I did for the first week or so when I got mine.

[Two-Forty]

Thank god I have a s13, =)

[Silvia2b]

Yeah, makes world of difference, that's what my previous car was 90' S-13. But I had to sell it when I got my S-14. Could't afford the insurance! for both cars, Now It wouldn't be so bad though once you make insurance discount qualification status.

[89sxRCR]

Quote »If you read my original post....which I doubt you did, I said that I DIDN'T want to pay to install it or leave my car there for them to install it....That's why I was asking for TIPS so I could install it MYSELF.[/quote] Actually I did, and i commented that if you couldnt install and paid for one you should be smited. Installing decks and stereo components are EZ and it annoys me to great measure when someone gives up and pays for a service easily rendered... Quote »Electrical wiring is not my forte....I WAS able to install headers, make my own intake, cat back exhaust, and B&M short shifter by myself, however....Not bad for an excuse for a man, eh? [/quote] Surprising that you can do all that yet have trouble connecting ur amps, yes obviously not ur forte. But good job on doing it urself, instead of plopping down a hundred for a half arsed job..

[singlecamhonduhkilla]

u couldnt afford insurence?? wait a minute!?!?! what is insurence? is that some type of speaker or something.. speakers r a pretty penny these days..joe

[vancouverbc]

buying on sale new is almost always better than pawnbrokers.

[Camel]

This is an awfully long thread on a ten minute install. It took me longer to skim through this than to install one.

I installed professionally for HiFi Buys, doing custom work for 7 years.

Very simple:

No antenna adapter unless it has diversity antennas, if so, 5 $ adapter.

Get a wiring kit for your mak/model of car, more than likely it will be generic for that year nissan.

Follow the intructions for din mounting the radio.

pull the associated trim panels and mount it to the factory brackets.

one note: the factory ground in the harness is typically bad. I used to just mount it to the chassis with a ring terminal instead. This will sometimes eliminate motor noise.

good luck