Aftermarket Stereos

[2KGthe8th]

Hi,

My 2000 DE is pretty beat up, but still gets me where I need to go! The receiver has been beatin up as well, pretty badly, and it needs replaced. I'm looking into getting the Alpine CDE-122 with a free installation kit from Crutchfield. And I hope the installation will be easy since I'm not so mechanically inclined.

Anyway, the stereo is not bad at all for these cars, especially them being factory stereos. Will I lose any sound quality by switching to this particular after market stereo receiver?

[oakrdrs187]

Installation is not hard, they should send you install sheets with step by step instructions. Sound quality will increase but not by much, unless the speakers are also replaced. The radio itself will bolt up, the radio trim will not hold in place because of how far in it sits, here's a link to a thread I put together on one way to do it.

https://www.thegalantcenter.org/showthread.php?49719-How-to-Install-Aftermarket-Radio-in-8G-with-Trim&highlight=

[2KGthe8th]

Awesome deal! Thanks for the heads up!

Your tutorial looks pretty easy. The only problem is the drilling part: I have no idea where to begin there. Is that tool you used a manual tool? Or is it powered?

[CHICAGO_ONE]

That's a step-bit or unibit that you put on a power drill. Very good way to get through the metal.

The headunit will bring out a little more power from your speakers. Installing a radio is always a pretty simple and easy job. If you don't care about the little gap around the edges of the face plate, just follow your instructions Crutchfield gives you.

If you want it more precise/flush, do your own meaurements and see where you need the HU to sit. As you saw in some of those examples, its a good fix but it now sits a little too far out. You go from one gap to another IMO. You can use the Tutorial, see how far back you need to move it, measure and drill again. Make sense?

Either way, good luck. Post here if you have any questions.

[oakrdrs187]

The way I measured, which really, will apply to most radios is just enough so the trim clips on, any further in and either top or bottom would click.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[2KGthe8th]

Okay, I'll keep that in mind. I'll see if my dad has a power drill.

Now, I'm thinking about getting a different version of the Alpine - The CDE-134HD so I can take advantage of the HD Radio stuff!

Thanks for the input, guys! I'll keep ya posted on what happens here.