i just ordered my new Z1 but after reading all these posts on tech stuff, i feel confused and flustered. i want to install it myself (to save money) but am scared of breaking something that i spent almost 2gs on. if there is someone around my area that knows what they are doing and is capable of helping me. please msg me back. either recomending a place that is affordable or even help me to install it? the local audio shop i went to said they were charging almost 500 which i thought was insane. please help me. thanks! ducatiboy, any suggestions?!

uh whats your area ? lol cant read minds just yet

baltimore md...sorry about that...i completely forgot!

well thats kinda close to me... California.. just kiddin.

did you do the installation yourself or did you get it professionally done?

i have called up a lot of places around my way and the cheapest i found was for 280 including bypass. does this sound like a deal or is this still a ripoff?

thats not too bad i suppose. the z1 is a little more work then the average head unit. meaning here the price for a head unit is 45$. maybe 100$ would be fair i suppose for avic and speed and reverse connections. the bypass is rather simple so maybe another 25$. That really is a fair price of $125 or so. I wouldnt be surprised if a big box store like circuit city would do it for $125 on a slow day.... of course that is less the kits and such... no custom work.

Hey jaytrey,

If you have a double din stereo opening and have appropriate mounting depth, you can install this yourself. I will be more than glad to talk you through it over the phone whenever you're out in your vehicle working on the install. You can call me or I can call you. I don't pay for long distance (digital phone service) so we can talk for as long as required. Just send me a personal message with your phone number and let me know when your AVIC-Z1 arrives.

Trust me, you can do this yourself

Cheers,

Kevin

Well I did mine by myself and I'm no master installer. I got the crutchfield book on how to take apart the dash. I can do these things, but I just don't know what I can and can not pull on without breaking something. I'm not so worried about the Z1 and the hold in the dash. I'm more worried about how to get to that hole. Once I learned the trick for my dash, it was very easy.

It did take me about 5+ hours or so to do mine. That is a conservative estimate. It wasn't hard, but time consuming because I'm slow.

I don't think it's hard to do it yourself. Depends on the vehicle I would imagine. If someone said it was $280 for me to save the 5+ hours, I might have let them. $500 seems high.

Only you know your skill level. After talking to a ton of people some were happy with the installers many say they wished they would have done it themselves.

I don't know any shops in your area though, hopefully someone who does can chime in.

thanks for all your help guys. the only reason why i am even considering installing it myself is because of all the aftermarket stuff. bypass and where to put in my mic and that kind of stuff. plus, im scared that a place like circuit city would mess it up after hearing some horror stories about them not knowing what they are really dealing with. i drive a 1999 ford explorer and i ordered all the install kits and the double din kit and the wiring harness already. i am planning on getting the bluetooth add on as well. any other accessories you guys would recommend? i appreciate the quick responses!

I'd probably take OSUV's generous offer, it seems he knows his s**t. It's not a hard install. Cheers back atcha, Kevin.

anyone know any good install places in baltimore md?

thanks for all your help guys. the only reason why i am even considering installing it myself is because of all the aftermarket stuff. bypass and where to put in my mic and that kind of stuff. plus, im scared that a place like circuit city would mess it up after hearing some horror stories about them not knowing what they are really dealing with. i drive a 1999 ford explorer and i ordered all the install kits and the double din kit and the wiring harness already. i am planning on getting the bluetooth add on as well. any other accessories you guys would recommend? i appreciate the quick responses!

CC will do the bare minumum. At least that was my experience. Just plug it in, make sure the nav works and the parking brake (oh, and of course sound). I went back in myself and connected the vss, brake bypass, removed the gps antenna from the dash, correctly wired the power antenna and I plan on adding a rear camera.

I don't know what an install for the explorer is like, but if you have all the wiring harnesses, then it shouldn't be too difficult (as long as it easily accepts double-din). The wires on the AVIC are well documented (on the wires them selves and the included install manual) and the wiring harness should be too. I found that the colors even matched up (blue to blue, yellow to yellow, etc...) in most cases. The only tricky part I had was finding the vss wire but tillithz seems to be the man for that.

the circuit city around my way said that their installation includes the bypass...is this a good option?

1999 explorer Isn't that bad, I install for a shop in rochester ny. The bypass the big box store is talking about is most likely an amp bypass, most box store wont mod anything. i've installed z1's in everything from MB to audi tt's to H2's. If you need help let me know. AVIC 411 has helped me out time and time agen.

Dude it's an exploder, probably one of the easiest cars to put a z1 in. Your vss wire is in the radio harness. You already have the kit and harness correct? If that's the case then 90% of the work is done right there. Besides there's plenty of people here more than willing to answer a question if by some chance you do run into a glitch.

Try this site:http://www.installdr.com/

The Install Doctor - The Do-It-Yourself Car Stereo Installation Resource

They have step by step instructions.

just a quick question. how much should i be expecting to pay for the bluetooth ndbt1? i see the stock price is 99 but on ebay they seem to be going for 70+ any suggestions? thanks guys

at the time of install with the avic unit... no more then $50

I own a 98 Exploder and actually the VSS wire isn't in the radio harness but it's nearby and very accessible. Also, you WILL need some custom work in the dash at the stock radio opening. It has a flange that will need to be shaved off in order to get the Z1 to fit. You also have to remove an inner bracket that the stock radio slides in and out on.

If you can get everything installed for 28 sawbucks I would say go for it. That's a helluva lot better than 50 sawbucks.

The add-ons are a matter of preference. Do you want satellite radio? Do you own an ipod that you want to play through your Z1? Do you want to watch TV on you Z1? Do you want hands free phone capabilities with voice coming through your stereo speakers? The answers to these questions will determine which accessories to buy.

I personally like the Bluetooth adapter (ND-BT1) , the iPod adapter (CD-IB100II), the rear camera (mine is after market), and the SIRIUS radio interface (SIR-PNR2).

Good luck with your decision.

Cheers,

Kevin

In a 99 exploder the vss is at the radio harness in this plug.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/9702/fordvssli7.jpg

Actually, I think it depends on the Ford stereo that was installed by the factory.

I believe it is included in the harness of the Mach Stereo System and maybe the basic system. The VSS connection was used by the radio to silence the volume at slower speeds and increase the volume at higher speeds.

But the premium sound system does not have this feature and that's what I had in my Exploder and therefore, the VSS wire was NOT in my radio wiring harness. Believe me, I looked everywhere in the harness. And then the wiring diagram confirmed that it did not have it. It has the pin for it in the connector, but no grey/blk VSS wire.

However, the module located to the left of the stereo had the VSS wire in one of it's 3 connectors which I tapped into. I can't remember what the module is called. Please don't make me look.

Cheers,

Kevin

cntrylvr79,

I forgot to mention in my last post...the connector in your photo looks nothing like the one in my 98 Exploder.

ok i'm definitely calling one of you guys to figure out what is going on. im as lost as brick from anchor man.

"there is a party in my pants. and you're invited"

cntrylvr79,

 

I forgot to mention in my last post...the connector in your photo looks nothing like the one in my 98 Exploder.

that makes sense. If that plug ain't there then you're right no vss at the radio harness. In that case it's to the cruise control module you go. Which is where it sounds like you got yours at.