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Any wiring or mounting considerations in installing aftermarket stereo/cd player?

Hi, I'm planning on upgrading the factory stereo with cassette player to one with CD player in my '91 Golf. Some questions about wiring and mounting compatibility before I go shopping.

A. How standard are wiring harnesses and mounting these days? I don't mind soldering, but prefer to just use plugs. Others in this group talk about available after-market wiring harness adapters, so I could see what's available here in western Canada. Also, I also see people referring to DIN standards. Is this for size or wiring connections too?

B. What's the story on compabitibility for mounting? Any standards yet? The VW radios have a rubber bumper on the back which fits into a hole in a bracke at the back of the mounting slot in the dash? Is this VW or standard? Or will I be fabricating some kind of bracket for a new stereo?

C. Any other things I should look for when shopping for a deck? It's been 15 years since I bought a car stero and it was a VW radio. Seems somethings have changed like removable face plates for theft security. I'm just looking for a basic AM/FM radio with CD player (no changer). No plans for an external amp and I'll just use the stock speakers. Regarding theft protection (the car doesn't have an alarm or any other anti-theft security), any advantage of buying a no-name brand to deter thieves--or is it they don't care? I was safe up to now as no one wanted a stereo with cassette player.

Thanks for any advice.

-Tony

Reply to
twong
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Goto a stereo shop, there is probably an adaptor for a Mk2 Golf/Jetta available, they may have to order it... If you have the "Heidelberg" system, I believe there are amps in the doors for those speakers, so I don't know if they would work - don't know if Golf's came with that tho... Our 91 Golf didn't come with a stereo (base model... had cruise control tho) and it only had 4 speakers (dash, front doors... no amps). If you have to solder, try looking up a harness diagram on the net unless the wires are labelled.

When you buy the stereo, but the mounting kit, that's how it will fit in the car

DIN standards are for the size of the opening, your Golf is a single DIN - a double DIN stereo is twice as high... think of the stereo in a late model Mk4 Jetta/Golf or a current Passat.

Since you aren't planning on upgrading speakers, I can probably safely assume audio quality isn't the reason you are upgrading, and you just want to be able to play your CDs without using things like take adaptors or line-in jacks... Get a decent enough brand (something you recognize), but don't get anything too expensive... Friend of mine has a plain looking Blaupunkt headunit in his Tercel (no alarm, you could probably pop the locks with a screwdriver) and he parks it in a poorly lit college parking lot and no one has messed with his car... Get something non-flashy that will get the job done... The Golf does have a very high stereo mounting point, good for ergonomics, bad because there stereo is in plain site for people walking by... if it's a shady area, take the faceplate off.

I personally like Alpine headunits - they're not overly tacky and flashy. Get something with a rotary volume knob, buttons are annoying as hell (don't say, yah i'll get used to it - everyone I know with buttons hates them).

Reply to
Rob Guenther

Hi Rob, Thanks for the advice. I'll know to ask about a mounting kit and wiring adapter when I go shopping. Regarding the speakers, none of the speakers have their own amplifiers. That should simiplify things. There are 2 speakers on the outboard top corners of the dash and two on the sides of the rear deck in the hatch, all stock. It's a pretty basic car. I ordered it from the factory with just two options: sahara brown metallic paint and cruise control. No air and no powered anything. You're right, audio quality/volume isn't high on my list, as long as I have something to listen to in the car. Good tip on rotary dial, that's what I grab on the current radio. It's easy to find and easy to adjust the volume without needing to take my eyes off the road.

Cheers,

-Tony

Reply to
twong

When I put a CD player in my '86 Jetta I made my own wiring harness, mating VW's cable from the radio to the plug behind the dash to the cable that came with the CD player. It worked just fine, I even got the right noises coming out of the right speakers the first try. Couldn't have done it wthout the wiring diagram in the Bentley manual (hint, hint).

It's more-or-less standard, and all the aftermarket units slide right in. Mine did, anyway. They'll need to know what kind of car you have for the mounting kit.

You don't have (by modern standards) an amazing set of speakers, so don't spend too much on the CD player. Mine was a cheapie what-I-could-get-at-Future-Shop-on-a-Saturday- afternoon special, and it has served me well. It has a removable front panel which occasionally baffles passengers who can't figure out where to put CDs in. :-)

Laura Halliday VE7LDH "Que les nuages soient notre Grid: CN89mg pied a terre..." ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W - Hospital/Shafte

Reply to
laura halliday

Hi Laura, Thanks for the tips. I ended up getting a Sunday special Kenwood at A&B Sound, $119. For mounting, I took the rubber bumper off the old radio and mounted it on the back of the new one and fortunately Kenwood put a threaded hole right dead centre on the back of the deck, so the rubber bumper (looks like a rubber test tube stopper) will fit into the hole in the bracket at the back of the dash opening. That should support the back of the deck, otherwise it would just be supported by the plastic dash front. The deck came with a cage and I didn't need any other mounting hardware.

I used a 1/2 harness that A&B sold, a bit pricey I thought at $15 CDN. But I soldered up the wires to the harness that came with the deck, matching the wire colours and consulting Bently as I went. I did a dry run last night. Everything worked, even the speakers lined up correctly.

But you're right, those stock speakers are nothing to write about (hmmm..I just did). Anyways, I was hoping for some higher fidelity, even with a CD playing. But at least I can play CDs when there is on radio reception on sections of the highway.

Weird thing is the deck came with a remote control. Not sure what I'll do with it? Guess I'm old school, reach out, touch the radio. :)

Thanks again. PS. Does the place Kingcome mean anything to you? Salut,

-Tony

Reply to
twong

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