After looking at some of the other in-car installs on the forums at ipodlounge.com, I wanted to put something similar in my 2003 Maxima SE. Those plans were interrupted when the car was totaled (giving me a broken neck in the process) on Christmas Eve. (More info on the wreck, including pictures, is at http://www.billmoore.net/wreck.) My recovery from that has progressed to the point where I've gotten another car--and it happens to be another Maxima. My uncle had been trying to sell his 2000 SE for awhile, so I got a sweetheart deal on it. Anyway, new Maxima, same idea for wanting a dock in it.

I had looked at the Maxima installs done by dbett and iGuy on there, and I finally decided to do an install similar to iGuy's, with two major differences.

1) I wanted the dock's cup painted black. That white oval reflected in my windshield would drive me nuts.
2) I wanted to leave a lip on the dock cup, which gave me room for error in drilling the hole in the center console (which I wound up needing). It also gave me more room to work above the air vent.

For everything else, I used iGuy's post on his install for direction. Things went pretty much like his, including me breaking off the line out off of the dock the first time I tried inserting the center console back into the dash. So I had to pull the guts out of my other dock and sacrifice it to this project. Aside from that, the only other blunders were a scuff on the lip of the dash and a blown fuse when I went to wire up the power.

iGuy's install is here, for those who haven't looked at it. (http://forums.ipodlounge.com/showthr...threadid=32103)

I started out by pulling out the center console air vent, which just popped out after wedging a flat head screwdriver in to release the tabs. Separating the faceplate of the console from the vents was challenging, but ultimately was a matter of releasing 8 tabs. Then we got to work with the Dremel, drilling a hole for the dock cup and removing the excess plastic from the dock's top plastic piece. After trimming the dock cup to size and shaping the lip, it was time to sand and paint it. I used a vinyl and plastic spray paint recommended by the guy at the local Auto Zone. After getting the cup the way I wanted it, I super glued the dock connector into the dock, then super glued the dock cup into the console.

As I said above, I broke off the line out on the dock connector the first time I tried to install it back into the dash, so I replaced the electronic guts with the one from my other dock, then got the Dremel out and started cutting a hole in the underside of my dash so the electronics would fit. I had one nick on the lip of the dash when the dremel got away from me, but otherwise this part went smoothly. After a test fit without the vents, I put the center console back in successfully.

For power, I used a Griffin Technology PowerPod, which I modified and wired to get power from the back of the cigarette lighter plug in the lower center console. The line out from the dock goes to the Aux in on my Kenwood head unit.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the results. I showed it to my mom, who said "If I didn't know better, it looks like it came in the car that way from Nissan."

Here's a closeup of the dock. Behind it, you can see my 'oops' on the lip of the dash that happened with the Dremel.


And a beauty shot of everything working:


And an External view:

 

That is a beautiful setup. I have been trying to figure out the best way the mount my iPod.

 

+1 very creative and nice spot for it. One of the best Ive seen yet. Thanks for posting your pics, contributing to the org, those pics should be stickied or something.

-kevin

 

That's a great install job. I have 2 questions for you.

1) Does it move around when you're driving or does it stay still in it's dock?

2) Is it a FM modulated docking system?

 

1) It stays put in normal driving. In my previous Maxima, I had a regular dock mounted with Velcro in the same spot, and the iPod stayed put in it. (The iPod wasn't in its' dock when the wreck happened.)

2) No, I specifically bought this Kenwood head unit because it features two aux inputs. One is for the iPod, one is for a Kenwood Sirius satellite tuner. Between Sirius and the iPod, I rarely listen to regular radio, and almost never listen to CD's.

 

how does the dock connector connect to the head unit? i use RCA wire from my headphone to connect to my clarion hu.

 

maybe if you get a rubber skin for the ipod itll fit more snug. or even get a color that matches nicely with the interior

 

Not bad. I have to admit though, I'm one of the people that think controling the music from the ipod is a bad idea in the car. I think it's best to have your head unit do all the work but FWIW your install is one of the cleanest I've seen.

Here's dbett's maxima install on IPL:



More pics here: http://forums.ipodlounge.com/showthr...threadid=22948

ps- If you're interested Kenwood is coming out with an ipod adapter (following Alpine, Pioneer, Clarion, and even BMW). All digital and full control.

 

Wow - sorry about your accident. Glad you're doing ok. The install looks really nice which gives some ideas of how I would like to do mine as well. I've been debating about just how to install a dock in my car and this definately helps.

 

Actually, I agree. It's a long way to reach for the iPod when it's mounted, which is why I've ordered one of these.

And regarding the KCA-iP500, I gave serious thought to getting it, but I'd have to get another splitter for it to work along with my Sirius tuner, since they both use the CD changer port. Also since I bought the KDC-X769 head unit specifically because it had both an RCA-type aux connector along with a CD changer input, it would defeat the purpose of buying it if I got the Kenwood iPod adapter.

 

damn, that is a nice install. i just might think about doing this now

 

So Glad to hear that Kenwood is finally coming out with an iPod adapter. Maybe i'll wait a little while until i switch from my FM transmitter (WHICH I HATE!!!)

 

nice install man... just make sure to take your ipod when you leave otherwise it will draw attention from robbers and you could end up with a raped maxima.

 

Love the install!!! I've been looking for a good way to mount my ipod in my max. Just curious as to what exact dock is that you are using?

 

yea..what are you using so that it goes from the dock connector to the head unit. i dont like using my rca cables from my ipod.

 

It's the standard white dock that came with my iPod from Apple. I just popped off the top white plastic piece, cut it to the shape you see above, sanded it, then painted it black. I then removed the electronic 'guts' from the bottom of the dock and super glued those in place underneath the remaining dock cup. I kind of wish now that I'd thought to document and photograph everything along the way.

I'm using a standard adapter cable, 1/8" to RCA male. Available in Radio Shacks across America.

 

i c.. i thought had sound going through the dock connector some how. i dont have a dock..so i dunno if it has a line out.

 

dock has line out sir...

 

Real nice.

 

Is there anyway to get a line in on the stock maxima hu? my friend hardwired a headphone jack to his stock cd player and he can plug in his ipod directly like that? all he does is put in a blank cd and hit play on the ipod and the music comes out of the stock speakers pretty clear. I'm very curious if this could be done on the maxima.

Thanks.

 

^^ pm irish44j for this. It can be done.

 

thanks kpr10is

I cannot pm anyone? is it because i haven't been a member long enough?

 

No not because of that, Its because he has done this before, knows it very well, and was selling his hardwired kit he put together a few weeks ago, not sure if its still for sale.

 

Man i been thiniking about doint something like that in both my car and truck


I like the idea and the placement...any trouble with it flying out under hard acceleration?

 

Haven't had a problem with that. The iPod stays put in the dock when the car is in motion. In my previous Maxima, I had a dock velcro'ed in the same spot, and never had any problems. However, the iPod was NOT in its' dock when my wreck happened...I'm sure that would have caused it to come flying out.

 

Has anyone had luck hardwiring their iPod into a stock HU in a 6th gen? There isn't an "AUX" mode on the HU, but there is a "SAT" button that isn't being used. Any chance that has the necessary input? Just checking here before I pull my dash off.

EDIT: p0wn3D by Poorman's Search. First thread in Audio/Electronics: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=340324