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

["Ng, Kevin (Bank of America Commercial Finance)" <kevin.ng@bankofamericacf.com>]

I bought my Clarion changer (same as dealer part) from Crutchfield. I didn't
feel comfortable drilling holes into the trunk so I used the supplied double
sided tape to mount the bracket. Didn't seem as though a little tape would
hold (considering the awesome g-forces the car puts out with H&R coilovers
hehe), but the changer has not come loose once. The cable from my stock head
unit supplied the power, but if yours doesn't do this you can tap into the
trunk light for power. 

Installation was VERY easy.

Kevin Ng
97 GLX Windsor Blue

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Christopher Inverarity [SMTP:Inver@ix.netcom.com]
> Sent:	Wednesday, October 13, 1999 2:06 PM
> To:	jettaglx@igtc.com
> Subject:	Re: OEM CD changer installation.........HELP! (long)
> 
> 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!