I am wanting to put a navigation/DVD player in my car, but I don't want to block the air vents in the center. I can't find the in-dash navi that doesn't flip out to fit my car. Has anyone put a flip-out aftermarket navi in their 5th gen? Does it block the air vents enough for inadequate air flow? Post pics please.

 

Looks like you're wanting the double-din style. What do you mean you can't find anything that wont fit? Please tell me you aren't using one of those online "Will it fit" guides, are you? All, or most, will tell you that we cannot fit a double-din in our car. This is soooo misleading and untrue. Also, IMO, those flipout HUs are fugly, and look too damn cheezy.

Thanks MurdRmax for the pic: This is the Scosche kit.




Tell you what, the kit you will need will be the Scosche single/double-din kit. Model NN1648B. The other route you have is to use the GXE dash kit, which is EXPENSIVE for a dash kit from the dealer. People have claimed fitment issues with the GXE kit, and others have said it worked well. And, owners of the Scosche kit say the color is slightly off from the vent color, but it's not too bad. You can tell this from the pic above. Some have simply painted it black, thus making everything look great!

With that, you can use whatever aftermarket double-din navigation/dvd unit that your heart desires. I'll assume you have the bose system? Well, then you're gunna have to ask yourself, "Am I keeping the Bose speakers/amps?"

If you are, then use the Metra 707551 wiring harness to use the pre-outs on the HU to power the Bose amps and speakers. This way, you get the best sounding setup from your stock speakers without having to go line-level and use the line-level adaptor, which still sounds like poo. People have by-passed the Bose amps, buuut thats a whole different discussion.

If not, hook yourself up with some nice components and rear fill speakers, and either power them through the HU, or amp them with a good 4-channel amp.

Good luck!

 

First off, thanks for the very helpful writeup. Second, I am looking for a DD. I was looking on Crutchfield.com and for every DD navi, it said it did not fit my car. These people know what they are talking about, so I trusted them. But I thought the DD did fit in 5th gen Maxima's, so I was skeptical about their "sureness". Can I just buy the HU from them and get the Scosche single/double-din kit from somewhere's else? I am assuming that if Crutchfield says it won't fit my car, that they will not have the dash kit to fit my car. Where is a good place to get the Scosche dash kit?

As for the speakers, I do plan on keeping the Bose system, at least for now. The kit that comes with the HU from Crutchfield is a Scocshe kit. This is it. http://www.crutchfield.com/p_142C4NN...n-Adapter.html

Thanks again.

 

cf is expensive as heck
check this site out i order from here all the time
http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/

 

Wow, they have some cheap prices, but are they reliable? I am not so sure about the site and reallyyyy don't want to get ripped off with some as expensive as a Navi system.

 

I order from them a lot, as well as most of my car buddies. never had one issue with them!
also they take paypal and cc payments you can always bring up isseues with you paypal account ot cc company for help getting a refund

 

How is the shipping? How long do they normally take?

 

just like any company.
ground shipping, 2nd day, as well as express shipping

 

Cool man, thanks. I'll give them some more looking.

 

no problem. thats why most of us is here, helping each other is key.

 

onlinecarstero is a legit site. They are not authorized to sell all of the brands they carry though. They claim they honor the warranty though on the items they are not authorized dealers for. Usually the unauthorized dealers are cheaper.

Just an FYI.

 

Correct Crutchfield is pretty much the only on-line retailer that manufacturer's will warranty products from. All others have no manufacturer warranty with them, however many on-line stores claim they will warranty the products for the same period of the manufacturer warranty.

 

i havent had any warranty issues, or need to send anything in for warranty! I know pioneer warrants all their products they will go by the production date stamped on their units.

 

Pioneer's website says otherwise.

So it would be up to onlinecarstereo to repair or replace the item if there was an issue during the warranty period. If for some reason the company went out of business then you would be out of luck.

It is just a gamble. If it is a legit site you can save a lot of money and get the same product.

I personally choose to buy major items from authorized sources. I have purchased installation accessories and items like that from onlinecarstereo and other similar sites with no issues.

 

humm odd, guess i was lucky with the D3 then! when i spoke with a service rep she said no worry we will go by your build date for warranty.

 

I feel the same way, by buying my major electronics from major retail place, such as Crutchfield. I trust them and have had alot of success dealing with them and will continue to deal with them. Plus I sleep better at night knowing my money paid for a good product. Plus, Crutchfield has great deals and warranties you can't beat, with the customer service team that is unbeatable. They might be a little more expensive, but with the extra you are paying, you get an award winning team of experts to help you for a lifetime, quality products and warranties, and sometimes, deals you cannot find anywhere else. For example, I am looking at a Clarion Navi/DVD player for 799.99, and it comes with a free 200.00 rear view camera, free installation instructions, free warranty, and free lifetime support. Thats a deal to me.

 

^^Exactly. Buuuutt, even though they may be 'experts', this doesn't mean they are 100% correct on installation and product fitments. Since they don't carry the Maxima dash kit for double dins, they immediately state that double dins will not work in the 2000-2003 Maxima.

Just like anything else in life, research. NEVER rely on one company or one person's opinion on how something works/installs/performs/etc. Always, always get a second/third/fourth/100th opinion.

Order the major components from a reliable source, but remember, be ready to purchase other needed parts from other sources if you must.

If your still going double-din, there are reliable sources to purchase the Scosche kit. For example, the manufacturer sells the kit right from their own site.

 

Yea, I understand, but that was my plan. Get the HU from Crutchfield and get the dash kit from somewheres else. Now that you say that Scosche has it, I will go look there.

 

Also, this product:

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-nHE4p8B...n-Adapter.html

No. No no no.

In my first post, I mentioned the line-level harness. This is exactly what the harness is. It takes the high-level outputs (the actual amplified internal signal from the HU running through the colored speaker wires of the HU wiring harness) and allows you to "tone-down" the signal for use by the factory amps. This is done with a screw-driver and the box looking thing attached to the harness. This usually results in poorer sound quality, and you are required to adjust the level of output from the HU to match the speakers. Tooooo much of a hassle.

The best sound quality and simplicity, AND since your all about "reliable" resources, regardless of cost. Here, this is the harness you should be using:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Metra+-+...etra&cp=1&lp=5

This is what you need. If you don't know much about car stereos, I suggest you research. The best output most consumers can get from most aftermarket HUs is by the low-level RCA pre-outputs. This is why the low-level pre-outputs are used when hooking up external amplifiers. Look at installation pictures of complete systems, do you ever see people using the line-level (actual speaker output wires from the back of the HU), to give signal to their amps? No. Well, not from people who are educated in audio/video.

The Metra harness I linked you with will take advantage of the pre-outs of your aftermarket reciever, and will make your music/videos sound much more clear and powerful, and distortion free. Since you are using the Bose system, you have an advantage because you can actually make use of the pre-outs. The Bose speakers are all powered by an external amp. Thus, it makes sense to use the pre-outs when installing an aftermarket HU. Metra figured this out quick, and should be congratulated for doing so. Bose should be boo'd for making sub-par car audio equipment.

The crutchfield wiring harness is okay, but be prepared for not-so-great sound quality, inconsistent volume level stepping, and the pain of having to adjust the output levels of the HU to pair with the Bose speakers. With the Metra, it's virtually plug-in and play. There is no need for volume/output adjustment or anything. And the plus is better sound quality. Just my $.02. And why Crutchfield doesn't provide the Metra harness is beyond my imagination. They sell the Metra Bose harnesses for Toyota/Cadillac but not for Nissan/Infinity. Hmm.

 

I understand, but I didn't know that the harness from Crutchfield wasn't as good. Looks like I will get the Metra. But on my current Pioneer deck, I have that exact same harness from Crutchfield and it sounds really good with the Bose system, but sometimes it doesn't.

 

great topic n awesome advice tcaughey!!! i have been wanting to do this to my max too but i wasnt so much worried about the face plate but more so the bose sound. thanks for the advice on this topic, im get my radio in the next few weeks hopefully n post pics.

 

No problem. Yeah, I've had several different harnesses made by Peripheral and Scosche that do the line level method of connecting the HU to the Bose speakers. Like I was saying, yep, they work okay, and sound okay. But, that just it. It's okay. I just emphasize the Metra harness because for relatively the same price of the line-level harnesses, you are able to get a fairly good amount of sound quality from the Bose speakers without having to replace everything.

It's all about experience. I'd say there may be no need to switch out wiring harnesses if your satisfied already. I've just been around the block a few times regarding car audio and the Maxima Bose system, and the Metra harness is a surprisingly handy piece of installation gear. It works even better with higher voltage pre-outs too.

 

subscribed...just so I'll have tcaughey's thorough explanation for when I decide to tackle this project.

 

Yea, I get ya man. So, would you say that I can get even better sound, as in more highs and more bass out of the Bose system if I get the Metra harness? That would be insane, it already has alot of it.

 

Not necessarily more highs/bass, as the Bose speakers aren't really meant for audiophiles (haha, I just noticed your member name, I dig it!). The stock Bose speakers have their limitations. This goes the same with all speakers. More than likely, you'll get an overall cleaner sound. Your music will sound a bit more "refined" and tight. More of a 'punchy' feeling. Buuut, this whole effect can be enhanced even further if the HU has internal crossovers for the speakers. Catch my drift? Definitely a noticeable difference, but it's really up to you since your already pretty satisfied. I wouldn't go as far and say it's a life-changing experience, haha, but it's the proper way to go as far as connections go.

Keep in mind, we are still talking about stock speakers. And again, they have their limitations, and may leave you begging for more.

This is where you get into aftermarket amps and speakers. Any quality aftermarket components paired with the right amp and power will blow the Bose system away. But this of it this way. How loud will you actually play your stereo for extended periods of time? Realistically, and in favor of the future of your hearing, the Bose speakers will get plenty loud. And, the sound quality is good enough at moderate listening levels for most people. Note: they are good enough for MOST people, in regards to the average consumer. Not us crazy car/audio enthusiasts. We upgrade for the pure fact that we know there is better, even if we don't take advantage of the full potential of the product. Modding cars and audio is really a never ending hobby.

Again, its all up to the user. Are you begging for more, but don't want to drop a lot of cash and wish to stick with the Bose speakers? Try the Metra harness. Do you have plans to upgrade your speakers? Don't bother with the Metra harness. Remember, everyone perceives things differently. When it comes to sound, something that may sound good to me may actually sound so-so to you. I'm just offering advice, and I'm not actually telling you to go out and purchase something. Research and experiment and see for yourself

 

Yea, I get what you are saying. I am really not new to the audio business, lol, for I have been through a few setups in my car and previous vehicle. I DO plan on eventually getting a subwoofer and amp for more beat. My choice is an Alpine Type R matched with a Alpine 500w mono amp. And yea, I agree with you, that it all depends on what amp is matched up with the sub. Same goes with the box, it makes all the difference. But I think I will get the Metra harness, not only to help improve sound quality, but simply because it is MUCH easier to install. Don't have to strip wires and connect them, just plug in and bam. I think I know exactly where the Metra harness will come into play, on my car in particular. Such as, when I get into the louder, "where I like it" area of the volume level, it starts to get a little distorted. I think the Metra will help out there, would you agree? But, like I mentioned, I will get the Metra, simply because I like quality products and quality sound.

 

This pic from my old 01 Maxima even color of the double din was same as oem it was schotch*

 

To the OP: If you are looking for the factory GXE DD OEM dash kit, I have one I've been wanting to sell. Its in perfect condition, I even have the antena adaptor to go along with it. LMK if this is something you might be interested in.

 

something from pioneer or jensen will work