Best Radio deck.

I just bought an 02 Tacoma I want to know what a good radio deck to put in. Im not looking for something super spectacular but something other than the stock radio with an AUX port. I am willing to put the extra money towards a touch screen if any one has any good suggestions.

 

Wow, it's been a while since I got mine, a kenwood, but its worked well. A flip down cd player, with a cd changer adapter that I can connect pn phone/mp3 p,ayer. When I got it, a deck that played mp3 cd's was considered "fancy" so that tells you how old it is... lol

But you say you want "best" but not super spectacular... ?? Just shop around on crutchfield.com and see what fits your budget. There's a function to put in the vehicle and it will return the decks that work for you.

Like here:
http://www.crutchfield.com/fg_300_A...screen-Car-Stereos.html?tp=5684&tid=8066&pg=1

The touch screens I've never worked with, but I'd stick to brands like kenwood, alpine, or maybe pioneer, sony are good too.

 

I went with a pioneer and have enjoyed it so far. It was a direct fit and took me about 30-45mins to install.

 

That looks amazing! Where did you buy that touch screen?

 

Pioneer or Alpine are your best bet. Avoid motorized faces that move. It's just more things that can break making the head unit useless.

 

What model Pioneer, and when did you install it?

 

I've used JVC for years, I think the 220T model is ~$250 ish

 

I've had a lot of pioneer head units. The one in my Civic is a avh-3200bt that I bought when it was released. Maybe 8 or so years old and used a lot. Still works. I don't remember what pioneer is in my tacoma but it won't be there for long. I'm upgrading soon to the NEX series.

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWWUTXX

i kind of like the idea of having android in there rather than proprietary UI... the linked unit has been in my Amazon wishlist for a while, i just haven't moved on to audio upgrades yet

 

Long time pioneer user and fan, never had one break. This one is pretty cool

Pioneer AppRadio 4 SPH-DA120 6.2" Capacitive Touchscreen Smartphone Receiver Display

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O8B7CFS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8

 

I'd avoid Clarion. I wish I would have gone Alpine or Pioneer...

 

I picked it up at Best Buy. The model is

$249 AVH-X2800BS In-Dash DVD Receiver with 6.2" Display, Bluetooth, SiriusXM-Ready

AVH-X2800BS and I installed it about a month ago.

 

I bought this:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500W26...10176363&awdv=c&awkw=cde+w265bt&awmt=p&awnw=g

Alpine CDE-W265BT

Had for about a year. It has a clock which is easy to see while you are driving. Bluetooth with my Iphone is easy and works well, but I haven't been able to link a second phone to it. The radio and CD work very well. The USB interface to Iphone and Ipad are plug and play.

The touch-screen units seem like the way to go, but check visibility. The Alpine unit I bought has a display that is easy to see in bright sunlight.

Your checklist should include:
Bluetooth ease with your devices
Clock you can see while driving
Good radio and CD player
Display visible in bright sunlight

Crutchfield is a good vendor because they provide a lot of details, support, provide installation instructions, and can sell you a harness adapter.

 

In June 2014 I got

$143 Planet Audio P9640B Car Audio Stereo System - 6.2" Double Din, LCD Touchscreen, Bluetooth Audio and Hands-Free Calling, CD Player, DVD, USB, SD, AUX in, AM/FM Radio Receiver

Planet Audio P9640B (it was 150 dollars that time on Amazon). Has everything I wanted, fits in the hole. Only original 1995 radio brackets had to be removed as the standard changed for the last 20 years.



It is not top of the line product but does everything I ever needed.



The main reason I went for this radio is the volume knob (encoder) not a push button. Also hard-wired buttons for phone are nice, as you don't need to fiddle with touch screen to answer the phone.

The main feature I wanted to have was a backup camera so I can park in tight spaces






Camera is mounted inside the towing hitch receiver plug





Gives good quality picture day and night.



Now two and half years later it still works like new.

 

http://flash.newegg.com/Product/9SI...dium=affiliates&utm_source=afc-Slickdeals+LLC

Good deal if you want a NEX pioneer

 

I see you have the Locktronics module installed on your steering column. Could you explain it? It was on my truck before I got it (in old pictures) but all that was left when it became mine were the screw holes. I also have the Locktronics sticker on my window. I asked about it, and it was apparently removed because 'it was interfering with the computer'. I still don't know what it does or how it worked.

 

I exclusively use Kenwoods in my vehicles, not that they are the best but it is what I have always used and never had issues with. I require bluetooth, gps and of course mp3 connectivity. I am getting ready to switch my DNX9140 into my 95.5 but currently have various Kenwood GPD units in my Supra, Zr1 and BJ73 landcruiser (shown in pic below since it is the closest to the Taco).

 

Subd

 

I did a complete A/V overhaul on my '98 PreRunner a couple months ago. I installed the following:

• Kenwood DDX373BT double DIN touch-screen radio head
  
• (4) Rockford-Fosgate P16 full range speakers
  
• iPhone/Aux Audio Interface
  
• Back-Up Camera
• 48' Inch Ridge-Line LED Taillight
• 4 Pin Towing/Brake Light Wiring Harness

Here's some photos:

This is the original 1998 factory direct system (with functioning cassette player!)



AFTER


Here I am starting on splicing the factory wiring harness to the aftermarket one:



Everything spliced and connected (Factory wiring harness, power, audio out, backup camera RCA, Aux in, iPhone in)



iPhone/Aux Interface installed in place of secondary 12v Power Outlet



Initial power on & test



Installing Rockford-Fosgate Speakers:



I didn't like the factory speaker grille, so I dremel'd it and added the aftermarket Rockford-Fosgate one



The rear speakers in my Xtracab were a PITA to install since no mounting bracket exists and the holes didn't line up, I was halfway butchering the old existing front speaker brackets to fit the rear when I just gave up and used self tapping screws and washers to drill directly into the plastic backing. It worked out fine.



Running Back-Up camera RCA/Video in through brake light harness under door plate & carpet:



Splicing taillight reverse lights for +5v (camera will only trigger when in reverse)
EDIT: The wire nuts have been replaced with soldered connections. DO NOT use Wire Nuts ANYWHERE in your vehicle! This was only temporary.



Splice other taillight for LED taillight +5v power (for reverse lights, as it is powered separately from trailer wiring harness)



Testing Camera & Taillight



And that's about it, I bought a fake radio cover so no-one jacked my nice new radio. The suction cup mount didn't work since the radio was recessed so I cut a couple of old AOL trial discs I had laying around from the late 90's (remember those?) in half and epoxied them to the back of the faceplate to insert into the radio's CD slot. I'm going to pick up a nice Pioneer KSC-SW11 under-seat compact powered sub on Black Friday so I don't have to run an amp or sacrifice any passenger or cargo space.



SOME TIPS:

• BUY THE RIGHT WIRING HARNESS! You will need a couple. In my case the speaker wiring harness that converts the factory wiring into pos/neg pigtails didn't fit correctly. The terminals were way too small to slide on, only the positive managed to fit. I had to snip off the negative pigtail terminal and solder it directly to the speaker.
• ZIP TIES ARE YOU FRIEND - Buy a bunch of zipties and have a decent side cutter. This especially helped when running the camera RCA cable and trailer harness.
• CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN - While your dash, console, and trim are apart and in shambles, nows a good time to clean and vacuum everything. I removed my transmission shifter trim and hosed it down.

 

I believe it was an engine immobilizer. There was a plug (key) that goes to the slot to unlock it. I found this device is completely useless as instead of key you can put a "master key" plug in it and it will just disable the whole thing. So mine was disabled by this "master key" - that was when I bought the truck and did not want to pay 300 bucks the dealer asked for this thing. Instead of taking it out, they just put a "master key" in it and it just does nothing besides scaring potential thieves.