Cheap Car Stereo fitting

benners_2k

Hi there

Can anyone recommend someone to fit my car stereo cheaply? I have the stereo from my previous car but don't feel confident fitting it into the new car as its current stereo is more tightly integrated and it needs a new fascia etc.

I haven't tried Halfords yet but the other garages I have approached don't seem very keen unless I buy the stereo from them. Honda themselves are currently doing me a quote but I can't imagine they will be the cheapest.

I originally bought the stereo from Argos and it came with free fitting which was very good but when i rang the company that originally fitted it they have gone into liquidation. Does anyone know who Argos use now to fit their stereos? the people in Argos refused to tell me.

I live in the Taunton area of Somerset and the car is a Honda Civic.

Cheers

benners_2k

Update - Halfords will only fit stereos purchased from them and Honda quoted me £90!!! to do it

balsingh

If Argos offered free fitting, they should provide it. They are obliged to do it as you can say you only bought the stereo from there because of the free fitting. I would go and have a moan at them.

saintjanet

balsingh wrote: »

If Argos offered free fitting, they should provide it. They are obliged to do it as you can say you only bought the stereo from there because of the free fitting. I would go and have a moan at them.

The way i read it ,is Argos fitted it to the last car that the op owned,so that would be pointless.

I would look in the local paper for a small garage to do it cheap,or find a local auto electrician.Or even ask a mate, its not a big job,if it will go into the space provided in the new car ,£90 seems really expensive.

Quinny_2

£90 is probably as much as the stereo is worth.

I fitted a new one to my wifes Micra last year,and it took me all of 15 minutes.

Honestly,it's not rocket science,and even someone with the most basic of tools can do it.

Once you take the old one out,and undo the aerial and the multiplug,fit the cage,re-fit the plug and aerial onto the new unit,and press home into the dashboard.Just check to see if the in-car multiplug fits straight into the new stereo's plug,if not,you'll need an adaptor,which funnily enough,you'll get from Halfrauds.I had to get an adaptor for the Micra.

Ken.

benners_2k

The problem is getting the old one out really. It doesn't seem to have any slots or holes in it so presumably i just stick a knife down the side and prise it out somehow. it worries me slightly because i looked at a website on fitting a stereo to an older model Civic and you had to unscrew it from behind the glove compartment.

Do I have to worry about affecting my alarm or anything if i replace the radio? is it simply a case of plugging it in or is there a chance of breaking the electronics? I hear a lot of nightmare stories about things like that but when I fitted the radio to my old 106 it was a complete doddle like you say - just like fitting a CDRom drive in a PC.

Anyway I think I will invest in a Hayes manual and see what that says.

highguyuk

I'm currently trying to fit a stereo myself, and the biggest problem I have is getting my oldSony stereo out.

I bought stereo keys from eBay for a couple of pounds, thought they might help. No luck!

Have a search around the car forums, someone on one of them will have removed their original stereo at some point. In fact, for most problems, it's really handy to be a member of a car forum as someone has usually had the same problem before and can help and advise.

Throbbe

saintjanet wrote: »

I would look in the local paper for a small garage to do it cheap,or find a local auto electrician.

Seconded. In the last couple of years I've fitted two and paid £15 each to have another two fitted. In the second case (coincidentally a mid 90's Honda Civic) I did have to get an adaptor.

benners_2k

Thanks for all your help. I am going to get a Hayes manual tonight and if its still too tricky then I will ring up a few small garages

cheers

Ben

saintjanet

benners_2k wrote: »

Thanks for all your help. I am going to get a Hayes manual tonight and if its still too tricky then I will ring up a few small garages

cheers

Ben

I dont really think a haynes manual will help you much in this case,i would do what i suggested earlier.As someone else also said,it can be done cheaply,it will cost nearly as much for the manual,its a pity you have not got the original paperwork for the player, that would give you more info.

Darren144

Go online to Maplins and they sell a national radio fitting service for £40.
Regards,

Darren:D