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Car Audio Advice

Smokin'Sims

Smokin'Sims

Gettin' my nerd on, Hopp Schwiez!
Joined
Feb 20, 2008
Messages
2,874
Location
Zürich, CH
So I want to get a new radio for my truck, a 2010 GMC Sierra, and I was told that there is a $150 wiring harness required for this model at Best Buy last night. I looked online and found the same thing at Crutchfields for half price if I bought over a radio exceeding a certain price. My questions to those in the know are: 1) Should I install the radio myself or pay for someone else to do it?, 2) Does anyone have experience with Crutchfields? and 3) How complicated is a self installation. I'm not shooting for a fancy radio I just would like a CD player an iPhone/iPod connection. The current radio int he truck is a simple AM/FM radio, nothing else.
 
Crutchfield is the bees-knees when it comes to newbie installs of receivers. They'll give you all the diagrams/instructions and everything you'll need to do the installation (not sure about butt connectors though).

It's REALLY easy!

I know a lot of new vehicles require special interface adapters (for door chime/onstar/steering wheel controls) that can be pricey but just call crutchfield and they'll tell you everything you need to get it done. The instruction/process manual they give you tells you how to take the panels apart and everything.


I used them a lot when I was younger and first starting out messing with car audio.
 
Definitely do it yourself. Easy as pie on the log. Are you in the bay area? I have an old Alpine CVA 1005 in my car I'm taking out along with the old cd driven gps nav system and DVD drive. Needs some cleaning up but bring grillables and it's yours. You'll need no small amount of wire and two free din slots for the whole system but it's pretty slick.

I'm pretty screwed up schedule wise so give me a couple days notice or I might not even see your message! Berkeley, right next to the campus.
 
The most important thing to do before you start is to find out if you can remove your stock radio or if it's needed for the car's computer to work properly.

If it isn't needed at all, great.

If it is required then you need to find out if there is an adapter you can use instead of your radio (as dawgson mentioned). Otherwise if you get into it you may find you need to keep your radio hooked up and installed in cab somewhere and you may not have room or may not want the clutter. I have an 04 Impala and had to install my old radio in my trunk as at the time there were no adapters available to replace my stock radio's computer functions.
 
I got the radio put in yesterday. It works well, but I'm going to have to remove the panelling again a slide a few pieces over so the trim lines up flush again. I'm happy with the way it worked out. Thanks for the offer Wolfie, but Mississippi to the BAy area is a bit of a drive. Plus, if I actually made it out there I've got a grad school friend who would ensure I was seldom sober once I got there.
 
Yeah, now that I'm not logged it from my phone I see that you aren't anywhere near here. Glad it all sounds like it went pretty smoothly on your end!
 
UglyBrumski said:
So did you end up installing yourself?
Click to expand...
Yep did it myself. Wasn't too bad just a little patience in taking the trim off and putting all the wiring together. I am quite happy with the sound compared to the factory installed radio, plus now I can play CD's and hook up the iphone.
 
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