Re: OEM CD changer installation.........HELP! (long)

[Christopher Inverarity <Inver@ix.netcom.com>]

John,

The parts guy is half right. After you purchase the CD changer and the
adapter harness, if it's an after market unit, you'll have to drill holes in
your trunk floor and you'll have to run a constant power source to the CD
changer. You'll most likely end up getting that power from your fuse box
which means running a wire from under your dash board all the way back into
your trunk, not to mention tapping into your fuse box. The other option is to
wire from the battery, sounds easy enough until you try to get a wire through
the firewall--not an easy task. I was not able to find a constant power
source in the trunk without cutting into existing wire harnesses which was
not an option. So the fuse box was it for me, which is not easily
accesable--you need to unhook it and pull it down to get the access you'll
need to find a place to tap power. Oh, and by the way the harness access from
the driver's door is not an option as it contains the central alarm power and
if you draw from this you have the most interesting time with your alarm
system

The other obstacle was placement. At first I wanted to mount it under the
rear shelf in the area of the power amp. Well it turned out that there was no
way of positioning the unit so that the brackets sat flush on the sheet
metal. I ended up placing it on the right rear of the trunk which meant
ripping up the harness which was installed to run down the left side of the
trunk and running it down the right side. Then it's drilling time, you'll
have to move the thing around until you get the brackets to sit flush on the
sheet metal. You'll also have to cut your carpet to let the studs from the
bracket through. Other than that it was a breeze. (ha, ha)

These are more my experiences that a set of instructions, had I had it to do
over again I might have just found a good stereo shop and paid them the
$50-$100 it would have cost to install. I spent two nights (didn't rush it at
all) in my garage and I am mechanically and electronically inclined. I will
say that it took that long because I would get to a certain point and realize
that I needed another item and that would stop me dead in my tracks (some of
this was poor planning on my part and some was just unforeseen obstacles). At
one point I went to a machine shop to get tapered holes drilled in the
brackets because I decided that the screws that went in the existing mounting
holes were smaller that I liked (no drill press in my garage :-( ).

If you decide to do the install yourself Crutchfeild is a good source of
info. www.crutchfeild.com and look for instructions or email me and I'll try
to remember some of the specifics. The thing with having it installed is that
if they find a piece of hardware is not fitting or the harness is wrong they
probably have another one that works in stock. So if you want it done quickly
and easily, have it installed. If you have plenty of time, a nice dry place
to work (you'll have to pull the carpet out of your trunk as well--got to
have a dry place to put it!) then by all means make it a project. It's
difficulty lies more with placement of the unit, securing it and finding
constant power than with any difficult wiring procedure. Basically it's just
a plug in. Just my opinion -- Flame suit on.

CJI
'99 A3 GLX



John Lei wrote:

> Hi list,
>
> This may have already been covered before.  But I am going to ask again.:)
>
> I am going to take the plunge and go for the changer.  Is it difficult to
> install it yourself?  The parts guy told me it is just a straight install
> with the brackets and plug it in.  Well, it sounds too easy for me.  I am
> not particularly mechanical inclined so any detail install instructions
> would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!