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Radio doesn't look right in '85 Jetta

A couple (well, three actually) questions regarding radio installation in an '85 Jetta:

First, I currently have a VW "Premium Audio" from I think a '92 or so installed. It works fine and fits, but just doesn't "look" right - I would've expected the front of the radio to be maybe flush with the trim ring for the heater controls but it sits further back flush with the dash. Plus there a bit of a gap around the edge of the faceplate.

Am I missing a trim ring or something, or did the "correct" radio for this car just have a larger/thicker faceplate ?

Second, I'm considering putting in a later model "Monsoon" single-din head unit, instead of the Premium Audio unit. The ones I've seen have orange backlighting. Were there any Monsoon head units that had GREEN backlighting that would match my '85 Jetta ?

Third, browsing the net, I'm beginning to get the impression that the Monsoon head units aren't the most reliable radios around. Am I better off sticking with the older "Premium Audio" ? Main reason for going to a Monsoon head unit would be to add an iPod interface.

Thanks.

- FM -

Reply to
Fred Mau
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i'm guessing the 85 had shafted controls which is a bit different in size , than the 2x7 single-din

I can't speak to the monsoons unit , my pioneers backlighting can be switched green or orange

Reply to
samstone

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.epix.net:

Well the opening itself is definitely single-DIN. IIRC, the original radio for this car was the single-DIN "VW Design" radio (made by Panasonic?).

The cutout itself is okay, it's just the the plastic of the dash looks like maybe there a trim ring or something missing, I have about an 1/4" recess in the plastic all around the opening.

- FM -

Reply to
Fred Mau

There are many other radios that will offer an IPod interface other than the Monsoon. (My Alpine has aux in, and it was a cheap (under $200) model at that...)

Many aftermarket radios have the ability to change colors (again, I had a Kenwood (before the Alpine) that you could set to either green or red, and I believe the next higher up model had other color choices too.

I'd shop around some before you get fixated on Monsoon.

Reply to
PeterD

PeterD wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Yeah, I've loked at some of the aftermarket radios from Blaupunkt, Alpine, etc., but haven't found anything that will blend in with the understated appearance of the '85 Jetta dash, all these radios are too 'glitzy' and light up like times square on New Year's eve.

I previously had a Blaupunkt CD143 "Miami Beach" (vintage '96 or so) that I liked but it died and their newer stuff doesn't look the same. I heard a rumour a couple years back that the Blaupunkts sold in the USA now are actually made by Sony. Don't know if it's true or not but it would explain the styling change and why they look so "Japanese" now.

Only aftermarket radio i've seen online that I like is the Becker 7993 "Grand Prix" but I can't find it for sale in the USA - and judging by the overseas prices, even if I could find it, would probably cost significantly more than even a brand-new Monsoon.

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- FM -

Reply to
Fred Mau

Reply to
none2u

My experience is with an '87 GTi. The opening in the dash is a regular single DIN, but as far as I know (the original head unit was long gone by the time I got the car) the hard plastic dash trim that goes around the stereo, heater controls, switches etc. went on in front of the factory stereo. The opening in the trim is slightly smaller than the front panel of my head unit, so to fit a Blaupunkt head unit I had to file the opening in the trim a tad larger. The DIN mounting sleeve is put in place with the trim removed, then the trim is put back on and the head unit installed. I am happy with the way it looks. Before filing the opening in the trim larger, I had to install the sleeve through the trim, and the radio would then sit around 8 mm further into the cabin. It did not look right.

The support at the rear of the head unit was a rubber plug that screwed onto the radio and that went into a hole in a bracket behind the radio. This is intended as a vertical support of the back of the radio, not the prevent the radio from being pushed into the dash. My Blaupunkt had the threaded pin at the back for the rubber plug, but I did not have the rubber plug. I was able to cut a firm rubber ball (from the toy store) into shape and use it for support instead of the rubber plug. You may have to get creative with the rear support, but I would not leave the rear unsupported.

On my '87 the stereo was connected to unswitched +12V from the battery only. Most after-market units require both an unswitched and an ignition switched +12V wire. Power is drawn from the unswitched wire, the switched wire is only used for ignition sense. I was able to find an ignition switched wire at the back of the rear window defogger switch adjacent ot the radio. Don't worry about current draw on this wire, it is minimal.

Reply to
Randolph

I've had to improvise similarly. I've used a screw in that hole and then a pencil eraser (the "cap" kind that fits over a pencil). Worked great.

On my '91 I found a switched wire in the stock radio harness itself even though the stock radio wasn't turned on/off w/the key. Use a meter/test light to find one.

Reply to
Matt B.

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