Mobile Audio Systems & GPS

[spickler03]

I recently purchased a Kenwood stereo for my car, which is a Honda Civic.

The stereo will not fit, it is too big. I was under the impression that car stereos were a "one size fits all" kind of thing so i never expected this.

I didn't have BestBuy install it in the first place because i was trying to avoid the installment fee.

I'm wondering why it won't fit? Does that sound normal?

I was planning on getting to BestBuy this weekend to see if i can get it installed but if it doesn't fit i don't know if ill be able to.

[Rrrrrrr]

Did you get an installation kit also?

BTW what year civic?

[spickler03]

i did not buy anything seperate from the stereo. so if you buy an installment kit seperate then no i did not buy one. it's a 1998

[Rrrrrrr]

You'll need a dash installation kit to mount an aftermarket radio. It has the standard opening for aftermarket radios. Scosche makes good kits (theres other brands but I've always had good luck with these back in the day).

Also a wiring harness adapter specific for your car would be a good idea. That would let you wire up the new radio without cutting the factory wires or plug(s). Again Scosche makes these also. Probably would run around $40 for both.

[blowskie]

Any single din radio will fit into that car no problem. Take it to Best Buy and have them do it correctly for you. Saving the money that you should have spent on having it done proffesionally seems to have just created more of a headache and wasted time. Not to mention that you could severely messed something up when you attempted something without knowing what you were doing.

[Cobb_Impreza]

Please Please have your stuff installed by an MECP Installer.  Your honda Civic may be the one that comes in with the Home wiring nuts. You know that could cause a fire or destroy your brand new radio all over a 50 install. it gives a piece of mind that it was installed correctly. They also have a lifetime workmanship warranty on the install. Yes I work for BB in the car audio dept and I have seen it all from "home" or "buddy know how to do it" installs.

[Rrrrrrr]

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Cobb_Impreza wrote:

Please Please have your stuff installed by an MECP Installer.  Your honda Civic may be the one that comes in with the Home wiring nuts. You know that could cause a fire or destroy your brand new radio all over a 50 install. it gives a piece of mind that it was installed correctly. They also have a lifetime workmanship warranty on the install. Yes I work for BB in the car audio dept and I have seen it all from "home" or "buddy know how to do it" installs.

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I've also seen some rather schetchy installs from retail car audio shops also.

Wish I took photos of the way the radio was installed in my sons Tacoma when he took it to a shop (a regional furniture and electronics stores) to have a new head unit installed. They just twisted the wires together (they cut the OEM plugs off BTW) and just taped them up without even soldering them. When it quit working about 2 weeks later, they refused to look at it and I ended up taking it out and found the ground wire came apart. I ended up splicing another OEM connector back on the harness and doing it the right way.

[Cobb_Impreza]

You and I have seen the same stuff.  I have fixed numerous "installs" made by someone else. Please make sure they are certified and you watch them.  It is your car and you can tell them to stop at any time.  I would of sent them the bill to fix it.  The should have insurance for that stuff.

[mvbent]

i have a similar problem to what people are talking about on here...i got a new stereo a while ago and had a friend try to install it and they didnt know that i guess the computer and stuff ( i dont know anything abt cars...but the door locks stopped working and other weird things) is connected through the stereo....some plug block or something was removed by my friend (and i bought a installation kit and wiring harness)...im just wondering if best buy will fix this problem for me now or if it's too late...