Thoughts on new car stereo installations...

[THREEJAYS]

In

 

[JDUB]

Crutchfield is a great way to go. You can even call them and you get a REAL person asap. They can help with all the options. For install tho, not sure unless you want to save some money and get into it.

 

[atltrader]

Crutchfield is a great way to go. You can even call them and you get a REAL person asap. They can help with all the options. For install tho, not sure unless you want to save some money and get into it.

Yeah, Crutchfield is a great resource. I looked at their site last night to get an idea and for what I'm needing done, it looks like the bare minumum would run me around $700 for a touch screen and dash kit. Installation is a whole other deal though.

 

[Pro Carry 2]

my dad used sound proof in douglasville ,

 

[Jiggabelly]

Any ODTr's out there deal with any good places lately on swapping out their car stereos? The factory unit that controls my stereo, phone bluetooth options and temp settings in my Ford SUV is starting to go bye bye on me. Had a local Ford dealer take a "quick peak" at it and they said it was more than likely the APIM system going bad. If I so desired to have it changed out to the exact same unit, I would have the honor of paying them $1,900 to install a new one. That was a hard pass for me. So the hunt starts on finding a place that can put in a satisfactory replacement unit from a place that does good work for a fair price. Any thoughts from anyone out there that does this kind of work or knows a good place to check out? Don't mind driving a few extra miles if the price and quality of work checks out. Thanks in advance!

Sound Sensations on 41 and south loop...top shelf shop.

 

[atltrader]

So far the quotes have been anything but reasonable for a full installation. $1300 and $1500 respectively from a couple of independent shops. On to the big box stores starting tonight!

 

[Jambo]

So far the quotes have been anything but reasonable for a full installation. $1300 and $1500 respectively from a couple of independent shops. On to the big box stores starting tonight!

If you go the Crutchfield route you can pay them to "build" the connectors for your new stereo, making installation very much plug and play. They will also email you instructions on how to get the old one out and the new one in.

 

[atltrader]

If I don't like the quotes that the big box stores offer up, then I might reach out to Crutchfield to see how they might can help. It's just crazy how prices on TV's and other electronics have come way down through the years but car stereos still seem to carry a high price point in the overall market.

 

[Okuma]

Curious how this works out. These days the 'radios' are tied into so many different systems they must be really hard to simply swap out.

In most newer cars you can buy a single adapter that integrates almost everything pretty seamlessly into the new radio, even most factory options can still be accessed (assuming the radio you buy has the capabilities to do it.)

The only issue is the cost, I installed my radio myself and it still cost me $300+ in parts for a 2015 Expedition. In the old days it was just $15 for a harness and $15 for a kit and you were good.

So far the quotes have been anything but reasonable for a full installation. $1300 and $1500 respectively from a couple of independent shops. On to the big box stores starting tonight!

What year/make/model is it? Some vehicles are definitely easier than others. Try looking for a youtube video on the install and see if you want to tackle it. As others have stated I also recommend Crutchfield if you decide to DIY.

 

[atltrader]

In most newer cars you can buy a single adapter that integrates almost everything pretty seamlessly into the new radio, even most factory options can still be accessed (assuming the radio you buy has the capabilities to do it.)

The only issue is the cost, I installed my radio myself and it still cost me $300+ in parts for a 2015 Expedition. In the old days it was just $15 for a harness and $15 for a kit and you were good.

What year/make/model is it? Some vehicles are definitely easier than others. Try looking for a youtube video on the install and see if you want to tackle it. As others have stated I also recommend Crutchfield if you decide to DIY.

Right now, the breakdown of the cost I'm getting splits into two different camps. Approx. $500 for the dash kit/harness and anywhere from $350 to $700 for a touch screen comparable to what Ford put into my 2019 Edge that gives me 99% of the same features I'm used to from the factory unit. Then you tack on about $200 or so for labor. It just gets crazy expensive super quick based on two independent shops I've visited. I'm hoping I get a better quote from either Best Buy or Brandsmart when I talk with them over the weekend. Otherwise, Crutchfield is looking like a better option. We'll see.