The stock stereo in my 2000 TL(without Nav) seems to be on its last legs. It no longer plays regular CD’s let alone CD-Rs. I want to replace it with something that plays MP3s and has satellite radio capabilities. Selecting a replacement seems to have been the easy part. I’ve narrowed my choices down to the Clarion DXZ845MC or the DXZ745MP. How to get it installed into my car has me totally confused. From searching this forum, it looks like I’m going to need to get an installation kit (either the Scosche AA1574 or the Metra 99-7898, is this:
http://www.autotoys.com/x/catalog/AC....html#morepics the Metra kit?), a wiring harness so as to not have to cut the stock stereo connector. I’ve stopped by my local BestBuys, GoodGuys, and stereo shop and have gotten different info from each of them. Best Buys told me that I would need in addition to the installation kit and wiring harness a “bose interface”, whatever that is. The GoodGuys told me that I would need to fabricate an installation kit since no one sold one that would fit my car. The prices for these parts (installation kit, wiring harness, and “bose interface”) seem to vary greatly. The guy at the stereo shop told me it would be $150. BestBuys told me $40. I’ve also been told (and read) that upgrading to an aftermarket head unit will result in the loss of the existing subwoofer in my car. I was also told that I wouldn’t. Will I really lose the use of the subwoofer? Do I need an antenna adapter (I listen to the radio quite a bit)? What’s the real scoop?

Thanks.

 

Yes, the link you have is the kit you will need. You will also need the wiring harness that fits the 98 and up honda. But, that is it. You do not need anything else to just replace the head unit. You will loose the steering wheel controls and also the stock subwoofer. Isn't "stock subwoofer" kind of an oxymoron. And no, you do not need an antenna adapter.

Any more questions, just let us know. There are lots of us that have replaced everything and done it ourselves so, we can help you thru it.

 

yep acurax2 summed that up pretty good.. most of these shops dont have a clue unless they have done a tl before.. and even then they are going to try to run the price up cuz they probably work on some sorty of commision... do it yourself and save some money...

 

where can I get the "wiring harness that fits the 98 and up honda"?

 

Any local stereo shop should have it. Walmart might carry it. Best Buy, Circuit City, or Ultimate Electronics. If none of those apply, www.partsexpress.com or www.sounddomain.com.

 

Thanks for all the replys. I happened to be by another Best Buys today at lunch and decided to stop in to see what kind of info their install shop would give me compared to the other Best Buys I went too. Got a completely different answer. This time the guy told me that I would need to replace all the existing speakers and subwoofer because my existing speakers are 2 ohms and that I needed 4 ohms. He did mention that depending on who you buy the install kit from, it will either match dead on the texture of the dash or not. Is this true? I don't have a problem paying a little more for the installation kit if it means I don't need to sand and paint it as described when using the Metra kit.