[SpeedyGreeny]

From what I understand it is not possible to get an aftermarket head unit put in a Gen III Mercury Sable or Ford Taurus with digital climate controls. I am pissed. There is nothing Best Buy or Circuit City can do to install one. They can't even mount another cd player someplace else. It's just not possible. My cd player will not work, and my stock cd changer is breaking cds in half. The car has been for sale on and off, but now I definitely want to drive it of a cliff, or the more productive option- or sell it. Please help me! If there's any place you know of that can install an aftermarket head unit in a car with electronic climate control. The thing that really gets me, it that my older car, my 1989 Buick Park Avenue had climate control and I was able to install a cd player myself.

HELP!

 

[qwertz9586]

I think one of the members here is experimenting with that. I'm not sure about the progress though.

BTW, an '89 Buick's ECC is separate from the stereo AFAIK. The G3/4 T/S are integrated.

 

[SpeedyGreeny]

I know, but atleast I didnt have to lose the digital climate control to put in an aftermarked head unit. Im just saying that, if you can put in an aftermarket unit in an 89 Buick, you should be able to do that in a newer car. Its just bad engineering on Ford's behalf.

 

[qwertz9586]

Not just Ford, but other companies are starting to integrate everything into the stereo for some reason. Someone told me that some newere Pontiacs have the ABS linked to the stereo like the '04 Taurus/Sable. They don't want you to spend money to upgrade your car because they want to rip you on buying a CD player from them.

 

[SpeedyGreeny]

That really sucks. But now companies either haev to lower the prices on their stock stereos so that people will actually pay for them (rather than the $400 Dodge Durango stereo that my dad got replaced) Or places like Best Buy and Circuit City will have to come up with ways to bypass things like ABS and climate control so that people "can" buy aftermarket head units.

Ive heard that too, about newer cars having systems that run through the stock stereo. If thats the case, companies that make the aftermarket head units are going to have problems.

 

[Guest]

you can probably swap out the digital controls for analog ones, but there are soo many different parts that its not worth the hassle. You can cut up the area below the climate controls and install a deck there are some members have done over here. If you're thinking of selling it, I say go for it.

 

[SpeedyGreeny]

I really don't want to do anything that could possibly screw up the car, like cut a hole in the dash or do something costly to fix.

The guy at Best Buy said that I can't even go to analog climate controls from digital. He said, and I quote, "there's no possible way to install an aftermarket head unit."

I mean, c'mon! There's gotta be some way to do it, right?

 

[firespirit]

brad (the spy guy) put a cd player in his with digital controls.. he bypassed wires and junk.. if i find the link to it, ill send it to you

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[SpeedyGreeny]

That would be awesome- thanks Firespirit.

 

[firespirit]

ok, here's the link

http://www.superford.org/registry/vehicles...s=14563#content

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[SpeedyGreeny]

Thank's for the link. That cd player blended in really good with the black background. My car has an ashtray there, so I don't know how I would to it. If I ever get my camera working, and I'll show ya...

 

[baby sho]

i had an ash tray there too!

(remember, we have identicle interiors)

Brad

 

[firespirit]

hope you didnt mind i gave him the link, brad!

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[baby sho]

nope, not at all

Brad

 

[Kermit]

Brad,
How much time, money, and fibre glass did you put into that project?
How did you mold it or cast it?

 

[SpeedyGreeny]

I was just chatting with Brad. He told me that he used the original console piece in the new design. But, I'll shut up though because the brains behind that awesome custom job should tell you what you what you're wanting to know.

And to Brad- hope to talk to you more, you seem like a useful resource for car questions when I screw something else up. Suddenly I feel the urge to get out my new dremel and play with my console... but now the urge is gone.

 

[SpeedyGreeny]

I just got back from a custom stereo place that said they can't legally cut into my dash to install a cd player. However, they did tell me that if I make the custom dash piece like Brad's, they will connect the player and order the harnesses and extension wires that are needed to connect it to the tuner in the back of the car.

The question is: do I continue to try to sell the car? Or do I keep the car and go through with getting my cd player installed?

 

[baby sho]

depends if you like the car......wiring is mad easy, even you can do it.

Brad

 

[Twilight]

I also copied Brad's setup. The only thing I didn't like was having to shift to 1st gear to change CDs. I have put it back to stock because I'm gonna sell the car soon but if I didn't for some reason, my next install is going on top of the dash.

It is definitely possible to install, just takes a little thinking and a bit of time.

 

[SpeedyGreeny]

QUOTE

The only thing I didn't like was having to shift to 1st gear to change CDs.[/b]

On the contrary, it makes a great security system. No one can steal cds, and they can't take the player itself either.

One thing Im going to do it make it so that the player is angled up enough so that you can get out cds while the shifter is in park, but not enough to take out the whole player so no one can steal it.