The reason why is because the CD changer has broken and i could really do with Android Auto! I just wanted to know if its even possible to fit one! The Bose radio system that is in there now looks pretty embedded into the dash! I presume you would need a blanking plate for the new one, how easy is that to get for an mx5?
Not just a plug and play if you have bose I’m afraid you will an adapter for the speaker connections and to convert the signals to work with the bose amp
Sorry to highjack the tread, but does anyone know whats involved to make soemthing like this work with the Bose amp, or do you just bypass the Bose amp using the new headunits amp?
I talked to guy in my local Halfords…Yes…I said Halfords
He showed me their Kenwood system which I was immediately sold with…Just what I was looking for
He then did a search and found all the parts (Facia Kit/leads/DAB aerial) needed to fit it £55… ish + £30 to fit
I ordered the kit and awaited them ringing me to arrange a fitting date…Two days later they rang and I arranged a date…last Thursday
I also did some research and discovered that the same Radio was £65 cheaper from Amazon
I told them this and they said they would price match…All good
Then last week I had 4 miscalls from the store, but couldn’t get through…so on Wednesday went in, to be told that the Fitter was ill, but there was every chance that he would be back on Thursday
They said they would ring if there was a problem
Thursday morning arrived…no phone call, so set off and arrived to be told he was still ill…Sorry
I was none too pleased and saw the manager, who said they could do it on Saturday morning and he would waive the fitting charge
Saturday arrived and the fitter was there and 2.5 hours later…it was done (Dreaded bolt at the rear of the head unit was mare to get to!!!)
I went to the till to pay and they waived the fitting kit price as well!!
So the whole uh=nit, with fitting kit and Fitted was only £140!
I fitted a Pioneer SPH-DA120 in my NC last week. Did it myself, took an hour. Well worth doing. Apple CarPlay is amazing and I would imagine Android Auto is too. Sounds better than the stock none BOSE stereo. The harness I bought can be used with the BOSE amp too.
If you’re still thinking of getting something fitted. Let me know if you need any help. It’s pretty easy to do if you get all of the parts and take your time. It’s one bolt (not hard to find or get out no matter what people say) 4 screws and then all of the plugs are uniquely shaped so you can’t mess it up at all as they’ll only go one way together.
Only stupid thing I did was forgot to plug in the aerial after tightening everything back up, something I seem to do every time I change a radio in a car.
My only warning would be to put a jumper or some bubble wrap over the gear knob. As you’ll see below I chewed mine up pretty badly, so much so the wife is going to get me a new one for my Birthday
Some pics of the unit below, plastic isn’t quite flush as this was before I tightened everything up and was just testing to make sure all was ok.
It’s not the best but still viewable enough to operate. However with Siri and the steering controls it’s quite a hands off eyes forward experience anyway. The only thing I really miss is the tactile feel of the OEM buttons to switch radio stations when I want to get away from a PPI ad in a hurry.
Because I have the MX5 Mk 3.5 you need to remove the centre console in order to remove the the side panels and then the dash.
I have the Bose amp and the Conntects2 loom worked fine but you do need to solder or crimp the Blue and White Power Control wire to the Blue and white wire on the loom.
If you don’t everything will work but you will get no sound.
I’m just finishing up fitting a reverse camera (only as the Unit has the input and I love gadgets and toys)
This allows you to control the the volume and track choice and radio etc…from the steering wheel
Features Highlight:
[LIST] []Plug and Play []USB Updateable for latest software version []Works with CAN-Bus []Park Brake []Reverse Gear []Ignition []Illumination []Speed Pulse [/LIST] Compatibility:
Just googled “speed pulse” and it seems some sort of wire to connect the nav side of things on the head unit.
I always wondered though, can any of these aftermarket HU be connected so the volume increases in relation to the speed of the car. There’s a term for it wihich escapes me atm?
If you have a white wire coming from pin 2O (letter O not zero) on the instrument cluster, and going to pin 1I on the standard (non-Bose) radio this is probably an echo of the speedo pulse as an output to the audio system. The HU uses this to estimate the speed changes.
Varying the audio loudness with speed is a standard feature on most HU for at least the last twenty years or so and there should be a menu item to allow you to calibrate the amount of increase.
