lwebb12

Hello all i am a new member to the Maxima.Org forum. I am currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and have been since the War started. I will soon be the proud owner of a 2004 Maxima SE once i leave this godforsaken place. I have plans for installing aftermarket Mp3 player and changer from alpine with subs and componenet setup/amps from JL Audio. I have seen the pictures of the interior and i see a great challenge ahead of me unless they sell a dash kit. Has anyone attempted to install aftermarket stereo equipment in the new Max? please no flames on stereo equipment choice or choice to install aftermarket equipment. I know what i want and nothing anyone says that is negative is going to help me. I cannot wait to join the ranks of the proud tradition of the Maxima. Thanks for all the help and support in advance and congratulations to all of the Maxima owners.

bluemaxx

I bought mine with a Bose, my ears are so dinged out from a misspent youth filled with rock concerts and open headers. The Bose suites me fine.

Thanks for all you do. Stay safe, kill Sadam.

Mystery

Thats a good question, and an answer would help both of us. No need to criticise your choice of equipment, thats what i got too, alpine/JL.

bluemaxx

What's wrong with Alpine. When I was a yout, they were considered good as the best and better than the rest. Have they gone down hill or have others just caught up?

gmc74

hey webb,

You have a hefty challenge ahead of you, good luck it is going to be a feat and a half.

stay safe!

grant

lwebb12

well i am not saying that alpine and JL Audio arent tight. it is just that most people like to criticize every choice someone makes like they know what is the best or whatever. funk dat. well yeah everything will be easy except for the dash. i am going to toss a JL Audio 13W7 and 1000/1 amp for that with the 450/4 amp pushing 6 components. does anyone have pictures of where the bose tweeters are?

gmc74

don't worry, I am sure Jake02 will stop by and tell you that it is crap

The tweaters are on the door just on the inside where the side view mirrors are. If you look at the link just below this, you will see the black triangles on the door, that is them.
tweaters

there is no place to put the radio unless you are going to absolutely destroy the dash, that is the big issue with doing it. Good luck, I would love to see how it comes out.

lwebb12

Sweet thanks for the link. that is exactly where i wanted them to go.

lwebb12

The other question is about the bose subs. they are 8 inch free-air type i assume. they are located in the rear deck as well correct?

ch13f

For anyone who has been in a 6th get w/ bose and a 5th gen w/ bose, how do they compare, I honestly don't think it had anywhere to go but up from the 5th gens..

MaxAppeal

both are crap. but that just my view... i never keep any stock stereo for my main car.

alpine (head unit, chngr, etc) and jl (subs) - the only way i'd go!

webb- dont drink the water!

swallac2

You might be better off leaving the head unit in there and doing a speaker level to RCA conversion. I know it's not the perfect setup then, but Nissan has integrated the HU in so heavily with the dash that changing it might do more harm then good.

Does anyone know if the HU in the 2k4's is better than the 2k3's?

JAKE02

Grant grow up. Find someone else to ridicule, to boost your pathetic self image.

gmc74

there he is... jake, there is only you in my life to ridicule.

marmadogg

Looks like Jake is back for more abuse!

fortitude_98

Hello all,
I am new to this forum too. I am in a simmilar situation as lwebb12. Im also planning to buy the 04 max in September and install a custom system in it. You can't imagine how surprised and disapointed I was to see that the head unit doesn't look like it could be replace with an after market one. Why would Nissan limit its buyer to only OEM eqipement??
Now im in the predicament of deciding between the Max or going with a 300M. The sad thing is that I already had a custom box built for the 04 to hold 2 JL13w7's. I also have a Alpine CDA-7897 that I had PLANNED to be the source, but it looks like NISSAN Fu(&ed up for everyone that wants to add their own system to the car. All I have to say is that I hope the box will fit in the back of a 300M If not, I sure hope someone out there come up with a plan quick to fix this one.

Thanks for letting me vent a little

Redsand187

If worst comes to worst, run an aftermarket head unit in an auxilary location. I'm sure in under a year there will be a dash kit for them. I didn't really intend on adding any aftermarket audio stuff to mine when it comes. But it makes me wonder if it would be possible at all with the naviagtion.

lwebb12

well if there is a problem with the nav unit or needing the stock head unit you can always relocate that. that is quite common in the impala arena. they need the head unit for resetting the computer so it is located in the trunk.

04EliteSE

lwebb12, I cannot help with the aftermarket stereo issue, but I just wanted to wish for your safe return, and to give my thanks to you and your fellow soldiers for what you are doing out there... be safe!!!!!!!

lwebb12

Thank you for the support 04EliteSE we greatly appreciate it. Still does anyone know where the BOSE subwoofers go and what size type they are?

MaxAppeal

the new max looks like there is no way to put in an aftermarket HU.

BUT...

when there's a will, there most certainly can be a way. you will have to do some mod to the console. this seems much more difficult than it sounds (and scary)

i had this done to a RX300 that i picked up for my brother. all the dealers said NO WAY will you be able to install a HU! well guess what, it was done.

check out page 2
http://www.cardomain.com/id/belikethomas

the controls that were where the HU is, were moved down. the dash was actually cut into but the mold was blended back into it, looks perfect!

LDLDL

WOW

lwebb12

so who did you have do this?

MaxAppeal

a guy that works for 310 motoring in l.a.

they charge up the a**, but i received a 'friend price' since he did it at his place. the custom dash mold was under $100. audio shops outsource this work , then add 100-300$ on top.

i gave the guy my car for a week. it came back with everything installed. the worst part was that the same day i bought it, i dropped it off sxo i had to wait to see my NEW car.

it took a few days longer than expected becasue the ac controls were a b*tch to extend (wiring).

lwebb12

Well it looks nice. I have a friend that can help me out. Was it a dash kit or was the dash modified? Any info woul dbe very helpful on this.

PrinzII

iTrader: (2)

I thought about that when I test drove the '04. The way the dash is designed is going to make putting a different HU in the dash. But, as one poster said, where there's a will, there's a way.

MaxAppeal

it was a custom made mold to match the interior and fit the space. the problem was that the ac controls are integrated with the stock radio... so the controls were moved below (had to give up a power port, but there like 4 in the car)

the guy that did my car is the ONLY 1 i would have trusted with this job. he does the cars for countless celebrities, musicians, lakers, etc. he even flew out to do Labron James' Hummer.

here is my set-up:
http://www.cardomain.com/member_page...=239240&page=2

here is the stock dash (well, a tv added- but cheesy):
http://www.cardomain.com/member_page...us%20RX-Series

only let someone do this if they are well experienced.

lwebb12

yeah i dont think ill be able to get someone of that skill since i live in NC. I will be moving the HU somewhere just havent been able to map it out because i dont own the car yet

Gary95

You may have to go without the GPS nav, so that the standard controls are in place (if it's like a BMW, a ton of functions get routed through it when installed). Then you can go about getting the center dash panel modified to take your aftermarket stereo system. Because of the way Nissan runs the option packages, you may have to forgo some options to avoid wasting money on a Bose system you plan to replace. Yeah, you're right... Nissan went out of their way to discourage an aftermarket stereo. And they're not the only ones. BMW and Audi have also taken measures that make it difficult to put in aftermarket head units. I wonder if it's a conspiracy instigated by Bose.

lwebb12

I am getting driver prefered package so it comes with the upgraded stereo anyway and no nav because i want HLSD. what someone said on another forum is that you could modify the slot underneath the tape deck and put the aftermarket stereo there.

gmc74

have you even heard the Bose system in the 04 yet? It is quite nice

lwebb12

well no i havent heard it... but i am going to Mp3 players so i wont have to change cd's all the time. 1 80 minute cd can hold 12-13 hours of music. plus i am into high end sound levels.

Zog

iTrader: (1)

They'll have a dash kit for it soon. If you've ever seen a taurus dash they're the same way. My dad got a kit for his CD player, it had the AC controls and all that stuff in it.

gmc74

Unless you are ready to drop some serious cash, I would get a different car if this is that important to you. Sure would be a huge waste of money to get the Bose speakers and CD changer, then yank them out and replace them with something else. Not to mention the fabrication of the dash pieces that will need to be made, and the time and effort to splice all the wires for the controls.

Sure seems like a huge pain in the a$$... buy a big boom box and put it in the back seat

lwebb12

yes i am preparing to spend about 3500 bucks on the stereo system all together. as far as upgraded bose it just happens to come on the package i want nothing i can do there. splicing wires and all that mess isnt too hard since i am an electrician. the aircraft is a far more cramped vehicle then a passenger car. i am banking on the dash kit soon. i may just wait until it comes out. but in the mean time i am going to upgrade all the speakers and amps and install my sub

gmc74

I must have missed this post the first time around

There is a huge difference between the taurus and Max dash. The taurus radio isn't anywhere near as integrated as the Max is. Sure, the same 6x8 section has the AC controls. With the max we are talking about the entire center console, the integration to the LCD, the buttons, etc... it is a lot more than just swaping out 3 dials after you yank the panel out.

I don't think there will be a kit out for this one for a while. This is the most integrated radio I have seen, short of the new 7 series BMW.

lwebb12

yeah daggit i know. hopefully ill figure it out once i get the car. it will be a lot easier once i see it in person

Zog

iTrader: (1)

I'd be willing to bet there will be. I just don't think Nissan is *that* stupid.

gmc74

Why would that be considered stupid?

a) the car is aimed at people in their late 40's and 50's
b) If they make it harder to swap the stereo out then more people will pay for the upgraded radio

Doesn't seem all that stupid to me... stupid would be a perfect sized radio that would just slide out so it could be easily replaced with a $300 model instead of their $1000+ upgrade

gmc74

I don't think Nissan has a choice, they don't make the kits.

Why would that be considered stupid?

a) the car is aimed at people in their late 40's and 50's
b) If they make it harder to swap the stereo out then more people will pay for the upgraded radio

Doesn't seem all that stupid to me... stupid would be a perfect sized radio that would just slide out so it could be easily replaced with a $300 model instead of their $1000+ upgrade