Hi,
I just bought a 2004 xtype 2.5 with a stock stereo (4 speakers base model, single CD)
I am now planning on having a Double Din deck installed and the question came up about what type of stereo wiring my car has. If Ford wiring it will be very cheap to install, if Jaguar wiring tripple the cost.

Does anyone know how to find out what type of wiring structure is in place? My car was mfg in Jan 2004.

Thanks

 

Well, it's Jaguar wiring. It is a Jaguar, after all.

The bigger question is whether or not your car has the separate amplifier in the back of the car. That's an issue because the amplifier is connected to the head unit via a fiber-optic network, Alpine's D2B network. This has managed to complicate stereo upgrades throughout this product line.

If you only have four speakers and no subwoofers mounted in the rear deck, then I'm pretty sure that you have the standard stereo. I don't think that came with the separate amp, which would mean that you have regular, good-old-fashioned copper wires running from the head unit to each speaker. That will make life much easier for speaker and head unit upgrades.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks, this is very helpful. I have the basic stock stereo with only 4 speakers and no CD changer. So it would seem that I will be in luck for reducing the cost of installing a new one. Cheers.

 

Hey Vancouverguy, langleyguy here. You've got the stock head set up. Be very aware that behind the radio / telephone / head unit in the dash is the AC unit and you have limited choices as far as double din units you can install unless you want the thing to stick out an inch. Search out Dennis Black, one of his projects he did was a double din Eclipse head unit and he goes into great detail about how much room there is and acceptable dimensions for the head unit. You need to be right here because it will look like crap if you don't install the right depth of a unit.

 

Hey Langleyguy!
well, your message scared the crap out of me as I just had a deck that I ordered arrive in the mail yesterday. It is a Kenwood DNX 6160 from the states (used but in good cond). I compared it this morning to the Eclipse dimensions and it looks like I will be okay.
Provided the dam thing works and I didn't get scammed.
Thanks for the info.
cheers.

 

And?

 

I had the deck installed yesterday.
I bought a Kenwood DNX6160, Metra Dash Kit (Grey) and thanks to the forums got the right Steering Wheel Controller (Axxess ASWC). I put the GPS antenna centred on the front dash tight up against the window, iPod connector in the glovebox and had the Bluetooth mic fixed into the overhead console.

I used a guy off of Craigslist to do the installation. (experienced and licensed) who did a great job and half the price of Ralph's or Visions.

It looks great and works like a charm. I am off to Calgary and will have ample time to play around with my new toy.

 

Nice!

I never knew about the Axxess ASWC. Along with the new bzillion-function head unit, that sounds like a great upgrade!

Now I'm really curious: what did you spend on this? Break it down for us, if you would - used head unit, new parts, taxes, shipping, installation labor. In Canadian funds, I'll assume.

I might consider something like this for my "maybe/someday" list.

 

And can you take a quick pick, preferable later at night with the dash lights on for comparison. My main bitch with head units is they don't look right with the dash lights on.

 

I am away for Thanksgiving, but will take some pics when I get back. The cost breakdown is as follows:
- $40 for the iPod Video/Audio/USB cable
- $120 for the Axxess ASWC steering wheel controler (i was under time pressure so I am sure you can get a better deal if you search around)
- $18 for the Metra Double Din Dash Kit plus $20 for shipping
- $35 for the wire harnesses
- $15 for the FM antenna adapter
- $200 for labour to have it installed
= $428 plus the cost of the double din deck.
I bought a Kenwood DNX6160 which has bluetooth and GPS built in and came with the BT Mircophone and GPS antenna which I had the guy professionally install as well.

I am very happy with the system...my particular unit you can adjust the colours so that they match the interior dash light colour and I have loaded a jaguar logo as the background wall paper of the unit.

Cheers

 

What??? You didn't add the back up camera???

JK, that does look like a sweet setup. I looked at your head unit online and it didn't show tha you could change the color!

 

lol...
I know, I was looking around for a decent deal on a Backup Camera...but got some advice that if you install anything under $100 bucks it would most likely not last more than a year. (or less with frequent washes). So...that was quickly adding more cost to a project already over budget.

I'll post some pics soon...

 

pics!!!!!!!

 

Here is a pic of the deck installed. Sorry the pic is on a bit of an angle...but you get the idea. And for some reason the deck image has a blue tinge to it...but in the car the green matches the green dash illumination colour. Works and looks great in my opinion...but now I have to upgrade my speakers - it's a vicious cycle. lol...

 

Nice, I guess the deck is level up and down and the dash isn't, it looks like you had to recess the top of the deck back 1/8 inch, looks nice though. I've got the premium so I have to do more checking on how it's going to hook up. I hear it's a bit of a nightmare. Nice car though.

 

The metra unit slopes back so that the unit is angled upwards a bit. I was really impressed with how well the Metra unit matched and fit.

I am also very happy that I decided not to undertake the installation myself as the wiring was quite complex.

I just had new speakers put in. Hertz HSK 165 components in the front and some high end clarion three way speakers in the back. Front doors were much easier to remove and no clips broke. In the back doors a total of seven clips broke off. The jag dealer charged $6.49 per clip...what a rip off!!!

Cheers.

 

That is a sweet set up, do you work in Vancouver as well. I'm around 8th and Hemlock, we should compare one day.

 

Hi,
The Kenwood deck allows you to adjust to virtually any colour, so it was fairly easy to match. The Jaguar logo that comes up when the deck turns on is loaded through the usb port and saved onto the unit.

From my research I found that a fair number of decks allow you to customize the colour scheme. But be sure to check for that option before you buy as I think it would look a bit off having a different colour than the stock interior one.

My only complaint with the Kenwood DNX6160 is that it doesn't allow me to dim it enough for night time driving. Other than that...awesome product.