Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyRider
I am talking about 6-7" screen. They could go upwards of a $1000 but can be had for $500 or so too. The installation is my concern.
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Yep. I've done this in every vehicle I've owned that didn't come with one. I have a 7" JVC that I just pulled from my Titan to install in my (new to me) F150 this weekend.
Installation is fairly straight forward. Make sure you have the correct installation mounting kit and wiring harness. Then match color to color. Run your bluetooth mic to an area that you want to mount it before installing the radio. Also mount the GPS antenna somewhere it can get a clear signal. I typically stick it under the dash as close to the windshield as possible, directly behind the nav unit. Either solder or firmly crimp your connectors on all of your wiring and test the functionality BEFORE mounting it in the dash.
It's pretty simple for the most part. Not nearly as involved as you might think.
My wife paid a stereo company $175 to install this same unit into her Camry and we had to go back 4 times to get everything working right. The first time they forgot to hook up the speaker wires, so no sound. The second time we realized the steering wheel controls didn't work. They shorted out the adapter. The third time, we got it home and realized the BT mic was still in the box. The 4th time the speakers were fading in and out (they pinched the ground wire and it was causing a short). I finally ripped it all out and re-did it myself.
Mounting a camera is easy, but it is time consuming. Splice in the power wire to your reverse light so that the camera activates when you put the car into reverse. Run the wiring under the vehicle (securing it every foot or so) and into the cabin. Run the wiring under the trim and into the dash and plug it into the radio.
I DO recommend buying the stuff yourself though, as we saved over $450 buying the radio off Amazon instead of buying it from the stereo company.