Mp3 player/ CD player

[s1nge]

Hey guys, I've got a VT V6 series II executive, 2000 model commodore. Its done 190k but the thing i wanna get put in is a mp3 player, i dont think i will do major upgrades like wheels, n stuff coz i think the cars too old.

just wanted to know, how much would it cost to get a mp3 player/cd player installed n fitted etc, or can i do it myself, coz i heard u have to take off the entire dashboard or somethin, which seems pretty complex to me. Plus i know there will be room below the deck, where do i go to find out this info etc.??

[| evaN |]

Installing a headunit isn't really that hard aslong as you do it the right way. Alot of people go hacking away at their stock harness when they should of gone it the easier, and smarter way by using an adapter that plugs straight into the car's harness. all you have to do is solder one end of the adapter to the headunit's harness. So pretty much, +12 of the adapter is soldered to the +12 of the headunits harness and so on.
something like this
VT - VX Commodore Aftermarket radio harness - eBay, Wiring and Audio Accessories, Car Audio, Video, Electronic, Cars, Bikes Boats. (end time 04-Sep-07 18:33:08 AEST)
So after joining this half to the headunits half, its pretty much slide out ur old headunit and slide in the new one.

And with the extra din slot you can buy something like this
Stereo Pocket Holden Commodore VT/VX Mounting Kit DIN - eBay VT, VX, VY, Holden, Car Parts, Cars, Bikes Boats. (end time 01-Sep-07 22:18:49 AEST)

[s1nge]

thanks bro!~

[OZI51X]

I Just Put A Dvd And Screen In My Vx Calais. Very Easy To Do. Read The Sticky On The Loom Wire Colouring. The Dash Does Not Need To Br Removed. Just Place 4 Bbq Skewers In The 4 Holes And Slide The Old Deck Out. All The Looms, Aireal, Stacker Lead All Just Pull Out. As 4 Those Looms U Can Buy I Dont Recommend Them. I Spent $50 On Looms Plugged It All In And Only 30% Of The Wires Made Contact Through The Loom. Cut The Loom Out But Leave Enough To Join It Later If U Want To Put The Original Hu Back In. Take The Glove Box Out (1 Pin) On The Right And Remove The Right Hand Side Kick Panel On The Passenger Side. Pull The Factory Loom Out There On Join To The New Deck. Mine Took Bout 3 Hrs From Start To Finish And I Had To Nut It Out Myself. So All Up U Need 4 Skewers Take Out The Glove Box Pin And Undo 3 Screws. All Done. I Got Quoted $180 For Install And Mine Looks 10 Times Better Than Any Jb Hifi, Strathfield, Or Auto Barn Job. People On Here Are Very Helpful If U Need Help Just Ask.

[garfa]

probably better to splice the aftermarket loom in rather than cut the factory plug off.

[OZI51X]

splicing is one option, but if you want to take it out put the old hu in you then have tails off the loom than could cause a short. through connectors are alot quicker than soldering and u run the risk of dripping solder onto your carpet.

[garfa]

it would only short if you are imcompetent with elec. tape.
conectors are not an ectronicly invisible connection.
would only drop solder if you are stupid enough to not be careful and dont put a mat donw.

[klaw81]

Spending a few bucks on a wiring loom adapter (like evan suggested) is a much better option for amateurs than hacking into your factory wiring. You can do all your soldering outside the car, and you can easily re-fit the factory head unit when you sell the car.

We're not talking competition quality sound here so the tiny bit of quality loss that's theoretically possible through adding a connecter isn't going to be noticeable.

[OZI51X]

like i was saying b4 the apaptor looms are very poor quality and dont make good connection. and i was talking bout if u soldered onto the original loom which is inpossible to splice into outside the car!!!!!!!! not evryone is good with a soldering iron!!!!!! not evryone does it evryday like i do!!!!!! i was thinking of people who dont think bout things like that till its to late!!!!!!!!! isnt that what this sites about? helping people not bagging people out because they may not have the aptitude?????

[SweetWagon]

another way i found works well is to go to an electronics store like Dick smiths and get the little loom pins that will fit into the female sockets of the harness. crimp, solder and heatshrink them onto the new h/u harness and simply use some pliers to push them into the plug individually making sure match the wires correctly. has worked well for me so far.

[garfa]

like i was saying b4 the apaptor looms are very poor quality and dont make good connection. and i was talking bout if u soldered onto the original loom which is inpossible to splice into outside the car!!!!!!!! not evryone is good with a soldering iron!!!!!! not evryone does it evryday like i do!!!!!! i was thinking of people who dont think bout things like that till its to late!!!!!!!!! isnt that what this sites about? helping people not bagging people out because they may not have the aptitude?????

mate soldering is not hard when we are talking about the kind of stuff dont in a car.
splicing into the loom in the car is not bad, there is a fair bit of slack there.
its got nothing do do with the ability. if you have not used an iron before then its not such a good idea to practise on your car first off. its relative mate, using an iron is not hard, pulling apart a dash is not hard, rebuilding a 4-stroke motorbike engine is not hard (fiddley with OHC's). really its just putting all these skills into practise and getting a project accomplished is the hard part. i know all of us are happy to help here, but we dont want to have to explain what a splice or dry join is. there are many more articles around on small subjects and they will be better explained (with pictures) than we can do on a small forums such as this.
if after reading about "how to do" something they still cannot do it then thats why there are people who will do it for money.
EVERY question i answer and job i do (well for mates and what not) is done EXACTLY how i know best to. i dont compromise and because of that i willl never be able to work at JB! (mate was 'recommended' to pair a 400Wrms woofer to a 255Wrms amp........)