Expensive Audio!???

[AleroGonzo]

Okay, so today I went out to best buy thinking to myself "Hey ill get this stereo its nice (KDC-MP435U) and its 169.99." Double din deck added another 20 bucks to the mix. I didn't have enough (only 180) so the sales guy gave me a 12% discount and the total Only 157.07 for the deck. So I take it over to get the free install and the guy goes yeah its about 40 bucks more for wires. Im thinking to myself "Why didnt anyone tell me this?!". The installer then asks for me car again and I say my Alero 2002 Gm.
He goes " I got some bad news,"
I asked "What is it?"
Dude " Its gonna cost another 150 to install this. A guy had problems when we installed it bare and it caused his gauges to fail and chimes never worked.
Is there any way to save me from this 150 dollar agony? I already returned my HU and DD mount because this is getting real pricey fast. Is there anyway to loosen up the $150 install parts cost? Did you all have this problem?

[01silveralero]

Okay, so today I went out to best buy thinking to myself "Hey ill get this stereo its nice (KDC-MP435U) and its 169.99." Double din deck added another 20 bucks to the mix. I didn't have enough (only 180) so the sales guy gave me a 12% discount and the total Only 157.07 for the deck. So I take it over to get the free install and the guy goes yeah its about 40 bucks more for wires. Im thinking to myself "Why didnt anyone tell me this?!". The installer then asks for me car again and I say my Alero 2002 Gm.
He goes " I got some bad news,"
I asked "What is it?"
Dude " Its gonna cost another 150 to install this. A guy had problems when we installed it bare and it caused his gauges to fail and chimes never worked.
Is there any way to save me from this 150 dollar agony? I already returned my HU and DD mount because this is getting real pricey fast. Is there anyway to loosen up the $150 install parts cost? Did you all have this problem?


i had also wire it up myself. it was just a big charge in the beginning and i have do all my cars with the first kit i bought.

[AleroGonzo]

I returned the stuff I have no idea how to wire it myself. IS there an easy to use guide? I want this kit to last to my next car also.

[QCmustang]

well first off dont go to best buy, (overpriced junk IMO) and two does your car have RDS? thats what the 150 extra is to install, because your radio is in the trunk (on RDS models) plus the sterio works threw the computer thats why somtimes you lose the chimes, somtime you lose the cluster lights, somtimes its worse. but if your car is not RDS equipped then all it should take is a wiring and install kit (witch shouldnt be that much)

[AleroGonzo]

How do i tell if its RDS? The chimming comes from my left speaker. I don't know if thats how you tell.

[lonnie]

If it comes from the left speaker then you don't have it, but I thought all aleros after 2000 and some of the later 01's had it. When I went to get my HDU the guy told me that the bypass for that was 150 by itself, glad I didn't need it and I did the work myself. It's not hard to do at all, you just need the dash kit, a wiring diagram that you can get from www.the12volt.com (http://www.the12volt.com) and a wiring harness. If you don't need the bypass that is. Sorry for your miss fortune man Good luck.

[Cliff8928]

Well, to put it the easiest way to identify if you have the Class 2 radio and need the converter is by looking at your old radio, if you have the "Oldsmobile" branded radio you don't have it. If you have the newer corporate GM style radio, you do. Also the chimes come out the drivers side speaker with the newer Class 2 setup.

[AleroGonzo]

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/7/web/2779000-2779999/2779179_5_full.jpg
This is my stereo. Its pretty beat up from the old owner. Can anyone tell me which this is? I think its the GM one

[Cliff8928]

Yep, that's the newer style that uses the Class 2 data bus.

[sound_xtreme]

tell them to fuck off. the only thing that happens is you lose chimes. done it hundreds of times.

[lonnie]

tell them to eff off. the only thing that happens is you lose chimes. done it hundreds of times.
I thought some people said that they had instrument cluster problems, just wondering because if that's all that happens then I say lose the chimes.

[Ryan from Ohio]

tell them to eff off. the only thing that happens is you lose chimes. done it hundreds of times.

My thoughts exactly.

Do you really need all them buzzings/chimes?

Or is the $10 connector good enough?

:drunk:

[AleroGonzo]

SO basically all i need to buy is the HU, connector and Double Din size adaptar? Is it an easy install from there?

[adam337]

no doubt about it. the wiring kit you need costs about 100$ thats how much mine ended up costing Just for the wiring kit. its because in 2001andup have the bells chimes whistles gauges and the ceiling light wired into the cd player. i know the ceiling light is true for FACT because mine never worked but once i got my new cd player and wiring kit it suddenly worked perfectly

[Ryan from Ohio]

Rewire that light ;)

[steve-o]

Some lot of interesting theories.

Adam, I would say you effed something else up while installing your stereo to mess up your dome light.

I have a 2002, and the only place I relocated my stock HU was to the garbage.

I did have to run a switched 12volt because the stock HU is turned on and off by the "data" wire.(RDS) I also removed the stock monsoon amp, because its more trouble then its worth with a aftermarket HU.

I wish I would have taking pictures of it.

[lonnie]

good luck

[Mischief007]

I did it myself with the aftermarket harness that costs about $120 CDN here (2 years ago) and includes the chimes unit and so forth. Install is simple, just match up the wires from the stereo to the connector and then plug everything in.

On a side note, I have the Monsoon setup and I still have the Monsoon amp powering all my speakers. I just had to make sure that I connect the amp turn on wire. My stereo never turns off unless I turn it off. I've had it like that for 2 years without a problem.

[Ryan from Ohio]

For an accessory 12V you can use the brown wire on your climate control.

Just probe them with a DMM to make sure you have the right one.

Also side note, its only active with the key in the on position, not the acc position!

[AleroGonzo]

Does anyone have an install guide?I dont wanna do this wrong

[lonnie]

Does anyone have an install guide?I dont wanna do this wrong
You really don't need a guide just the installation diagram, its pretty much easy. Have you installed electronics or 12 acc. things before? If so this isn't that bad at all. You could search the internet for Do it yourself and get an idea of the flow of things.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Its pretty hard to screw it up.

The wiring adapter you bought should tell you what color is what.

The wiring on your radio should have a schematic somewhere.

Its fairly uniform these days, but not ALWAYS. So do double check!

The biggest issue you may run into is not enough depth in the radio compartment.

If you run into this issue, you will need to trim away the plastic junk in the back end. Very common!

[lonnie]

Its pretty hard to screw it up.

The wiring adapter you bought should tell you what color is what.

The wiring on your radio should have a schematic somewhere.

Its fairly uniform these days, but not ALWAYS. So do double check!

The biggest issue you may run into is not enough depth in the radio compartment.

If you run into this issue, you will need to trim away the plastic junk in the back end. Very common!
No doubt if you have never had a aftermarket deck in that car YOU WILL have to trim the back out, can't get around it. Time to buy that dremel you've had your eyes on. That still isn't that bad just be careful that you don't cut any harnesses.