car stereo decision... advice wanted

[JasonCoder]

So I have a stock factory situation that I want to convert to a nice Alpine IDA-x305s setup. This is in a 97 Taurus wagon. First thing is the dang instrument cluster / radio area. Scoshe makes a decent kit for that... it's $80 but whatever, not bad so far.

So an install guy looks at the notes in his computer system and "a ha, you've got a 97, that's why there's all this wire in the scoshe kit". Turns out that Ford decided to put an amp or something back in the rear of the vehicle. Wires have to be run all the way back there. Now add $100 in labor.

I get to thinking that for $100 I could probably get someone to wire up an amp and remove the factory bullshit altogether. Wouldn't be hard to drop in a woofer after this is done. I could probably do most of this myself unless I have to start removing seats and buying tons of special tools.

Anyone have any advice or helpful suggestions? Thanks.

 

[bobdole369]

I'll do it. $fitty

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_9154_Metra+99-5717.html

Another ones here.
http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-FD1340.../dp/B000KIR8MK

According to the Metra manual, looks like the actual stock tuner - and speaker outs are located in the back. I think I might be right in thinking that there is some silly ass ford controls on the steering wheel and/or where Joe Pesci intended a stereo to go.

$100 in labor at retail is justified. Do it yourself or pay up. If you've never done anything like this - it'll cost you a weekend, or at least a good part of a saturday.



I would never let anyone touch my stereo.

 

[JasonCoder]

I don't feel I'm getting the shaft on the price of the labor. Rather my thinking is that I might pay in that neighborhood for an amp install and rewire.

I dunno, just thinking there might some different ways to go here.

 

[normalicy]

You'd still need to get an extended antenna wire & probably source some power wires. Oh & you'd definitely need a mounting kit (don't get a cheapie, they don't last & are prone to breaking). That said, I see what you're thinking. You may consider a 4 channel amp so that you can run 2 channels to the 4 high frequency speakers & cross them over to keep the bass out & when you have a chance later add subs to the other two channels.

 

[kornphlake]

I've got a bit of a soft spot for those taurus wagons (any station wagon with a rear facing 3rd row really,) other than a slightly hideous dash in the region of the radio.

I had a similar situation with my Toyota van with a factory amp, I ended up just buying the mounting kit and a couple spools of wire and pulled wire for the speakers and power. The antenna wasn't too difficult, fortunately, as the factory antenna plug attached to the factory stereo. It is a tough job though, I had to remove a lot of trim panels. Fishing wire through the boot on the door was no picnic, if I had it to do over again and I knew someone I trusted to work on my car, I'd pay someone to do it.

If you're installing high end or even mid grade equipment I feel it's worth pulling better cable, if $15 for a spool of speaker wire is going to break the bank, you probably shouldn't be upgrading your stereo in the first place.

 

[JasonCoder]

Thanks for the thoughts. I think I'm talking myself into rewiring my car's entire audio setup. I'm educating myself a good bit on amps, crossovers, enclosures, etc.

I think I'm going to start with a new head unit which requires the mounting kit. I'll go ahead and wire it to the factory stuff in the back since that's where all the speakers wire up to anyways. While I'm at it I'll tag along the RCAs from the preouts so I don't have to repull any trim later.

At some future point I'll drop in an amp at the same location or nearby. All the wires feed from there so shouldn't be too bad.