Just Purchased :) Let me know what you think
 

Obviously install pics when the stuff arrives. But here is what was just purchased :)

Metra 99-7515HG Double Din Radio Provision 2009-10 Mazda RX8 Kit (Black)

Metra 70-7903 Radio Wiring Harness for Mazda 01-Up Power/4 Speaker

Metra Axxess ASWC Universal Steering Wheel Control Interface (Black)

Pioneer AVIC-X920BT 6.1-Inch In-Dash Double-Din Navigation A/V Receiver with DVD

All from amazon, total cost 594 after my 200 dollar comcast rebate :)

Let me know if that steering wheel controller works. I just installed the same dash kit and it rattles its ass off. I think it's comming from the pocket that's under the radio, but since you got a double din it shouldn't do it. Also, once you get that sucker snapped in place it's a bitch to get it back out. those clips really hold it in there.

Sweet thanks for the tips. Heres the thing, I have never done a stereo install, and I am not afraid to (I am a computer engineer so its not like i dont know my ass from my elbow when it comes to electronics). My question however is, for the harness, can i strip the ends and plug them into the pins of the mazda harness? Or will i need to do a splice and soldier

You unplug the stock harness from the stock radio then take the metra harness and plug that into the stock harness. It really easy to figure out once everything is in your hands.

roger that,

i was under the impression that the harness was open ended. thanks

Sweet. I'm really interested to see how it turns out.

Well it is.

This is the metra harness that you are going to plug into your stock harness

http://images.sonicelectronix.com/im...met-707903.jpg

Now the one that's gonna plug into the back of the pioneer unit looks just like that one (cept the plug will be a bit smaller) you have to connect the wires from the metra harness (color for color) to the pioneer harness and plug them in and your done. The only one that's not gonna work is the orange illumination wire. I hooked that one up and it didn't do anything. If you really want the radio to dim with the rx8's dimmer switch, then I would splice it into the light bulb for the ash tray or anyother light that dims with the switch.

^^ ahhhh i gotcha, thanks for the tips man I appreciate it

The pics of the car DO NOT include pics of your install!

^^ thats because i havn't installed it yet lol ... i placed the order yesterday

BTW looks like I will need to do http://avic411.com/index.php?/topic/...ass-confirmed/ to bypass the stupid parking brake check. Sounds easy enough though.

This is the setup that I want, but with one small difference. I have the stock NAV (hate it) and was wondering if the AVIC could be installed in the NAV hood.

Anyone got any opinions on that?
Also, the pricing you have for this setup is really good. Could you provide me some tips where you got your stuff? Just the AVIC was costing me more than that when I researched.

Thanks again. Hope it works out, I love that setup!!!!

Ummmm....sorry but he's got a series II so the factory nav is different than a series I.

Series II were not available with the navigation hood. Also he stated he got his order from amazon. Another good spot would be sonicelectronix.

I got a really good deal on the AVIC from amazon. What I have learned is to ALWAYS check the "used" section in amazon because more often than not people put NEW items out there. For example, I got the HU for 650 from a seller in NY who bought the HU new, its still sealed and everything, but he sold the car and needed money.

Also, don't be afraid of refurb units. Nowadays refurb units are just as good if not better than brand new units. They generally (some reputable companies) have a pretty beefy QA process for refurbs so that they dont come back again.

Also, dont be fooled by the price i listed above because thats AFTER a 200 dollar rebate from comcast for having their triple play package

Any reason why you went with Metra for the dd as opposed to corksport?

edit: apparently the corksport has dropped in price a few hundred dollars since i last looked

It's still over a hundred bucks. The metra kit is 19 bucks from sonic electronix, and matches the dash perfectly.

To be honest I didn't even know about the corksport ... ive been hearing metra like crazy and figured that was the way to go. I would have probably chosen metra anyway if corksport is really 100+

Btw the HU arrived today, just gotta wait for the rest which says it will be here wednesday :( but hopefully it comes early. Goin to the mountains for the week next thursday so I might not get to install till Jan 2nd :( :(

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Very nice, my friend has an older version of that HU. Very cool!

Thanks man, its killing me not to be able to install it right now lol

I asked because I have read mixed reviews about the Metra unit. Some have complained about cheap feeling controls and others have said it did not match the dash well. I have not read any comments on the corksport unit and wondered if it was better quality

^^ Ah i gotcha, well at the price I got the metra I guess i dont mind fiddling with it a bit to get it to fit properly and whatnot. I got the glossy black so I hope it matches the rest of the dash... i figure worst comes to worst I will just use it till i get a replacement or something.

Anyway I read up on the bypass for this unit, sounds pretty easy actually, just moving the mute wire over one position, and grounding both it and the parking brake wire. Sounds simple enough. Only thing I gotta worry about now is getting the colors matched up lol... I am color deficient so thats not always an easy task...but thats what girlfriends are for.

My metra kit matches the dash perfecty, and the ac controls bolted up nice and tight also. My only prob with it is that the pocket under the radio rattles, but I'm working on a fix for that now.

Question, with the S2 what LCD functionality do we lose with the metra kit? I know the S1 guys had the module that they could get with metra so that you could program a custom message up there.

For example, I assume the A/C stuff will still be there, but what about the outside temp and the clock? Thanks

The clock will move to the left hand corner and won't read higher than 70 degrees for some reason, but everything lower than that works fine. And the ac controls are still there and work fine. The middle is empty, and no more clock.

Good deal...doesn't make sense why it cant read higher than 70 though. Oh well. I wonder if there will be a way to write to the lcd soon.