- My model of MX-5 is: __NC 3.5 Hardtop 2011yr
- I’m based near: __wolverhampton
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __I have the clarion radio fitted with my model of car not the Bose which I keep seeing on line I’m trying to find and price how easy it would be to add apple car play to the car and what head unit facias kit I need can anyone help please.
I have a 3.5 / BOSE and fitted a SONY XAVAX100 double din. I don’t think they make it now but some places still sell it. It has Apple Carplay and Android Auto although the later will only work if you wire in the handbrake switch… It doen’t have DAB but I think they have a similar one which does. Although I have wheel controls I like the hard buttons on the SONY especially the volume dial. The screen is s little smaller than some others as you will see in the image of mine here but that doesn’t bother me at all. I have a USB extesion cable plugged into the back of it and routed to the cabin of the car via the transmission tunnel cover where I connect my iphone. The microphone cable is routed up around the windscreen trim (I did a dashcam install at the same time) and the mic is just to the right of the roof latch. Works great.
In another car I have a Pioneer SPHDA130DAB but hate that as the hard buttons buttons feel flimsy (Don’t have wheel controls in that car) and overall the whole interface is odd to me.
From memory the facia kit and interface cable came from dynamicsounds.co.uk. The steering wheel buttons all operate correctly after some setting up on the headunit menu. I remember I had an issue where the new headunit was all lit up and playing music according to the display but I had no sound. I had to connect a wire that sent a turn on voltage to the BOSE amp. i THINK it was a pink wire but don’t take my word 100% on that as i did it ages ago. It wasn’t quite plug and play in other words.
A subject which comes up frequently on the forum.
You can search head unit NC or apple car play/android NC etc or a combination of search questions.
Most will give you an idea what other members have fitted or managed to achieve.
Basically find an head unit that gives Apple Carplay which usually give you Android auto too. There’s usually a choice of Pioneer, JVC/Kenwood (same company) Alpine, Sony etc…are the main reliable choices.
I went with JVC but have seen/heard the Pioneers are decent too.
Usually have a standard 7" screen which should fit nicely in the dash of the NC.
You’ll need a facia fitting kit and some associated cables, fitting harness to connect it all up including steering wheel controls. The go to place is Dynamic Sounds on there website, they have everything in a kit for Bose or non Bose fitments.
Make sure you get a kit for NC1 or the later NC2, I believe yours will be the latter. They changed the base of the facia slightly on the NC2’s.
Costs, well depending on kit purchased it could set you back £400-£500 including head unit and all that’s needed, done DIY. Don’t forget you may also need a Dab aerial, most units incorporate DAB now but that can only add around £10-£15 on top.
If taking the I’ll have it fitted option well obviously budget for labour costs too.
1 Like
Thank you can I just ask even tho I have a NC 3.5 I have to ask for NC2 facia kit.
Tony
Yes post 2009 are NC2 or Mk3.5 with a lower dash looking like this below, note the curved parts going into the centre console.
The pre 2009 NC1’s are slightly different. They have both options of kit available to buy to adapt the facias. Likewise options for Bose or non Bose harnesses.
So you need this…
But there are kits available from that supplier with all in, SW controls and necessary harnesses with facia. Give them a call with your requirements but buy the head unit first, they sell them too.
Thank you extremely helpful
Tony 
Dynamic sounds are the people to speak to. Really helpful and with their wiring loom adaption kits, fitting is pretty straight forward.
Many thanks I’m not great with electrics so I will have to find someone
In the midst of putting a new head unit in a 2014 NC 3.75 Sport Venture. Still had the OE Alpine INE-W920R unit. Decided to go for Pioneer SPH-DA250DAB specifically for the Android-Auto option and after a lot of research bit the bullet with a head unit, ISO adaptor harness/interface, a patch lead, Dab screen aerial and a revering camera. All supplied through InCarTec from Exeter. Never used them before but found a load of help files/tech info and a products by car tool. Bounced emails back and forth to their help email sorting out exactly what would be needed (once you have the goods then there’s a technical email too). Must say that I have been very impressed with their service so far.
Not been the best time to do it as busy at work and away all last weekend but as soon as the items arrived it was a case of matching up old and new. First problem came back when trying to get the alpine head unit out- unlike many online videos it turns out that Mazda had slipped in an M6 security bolt which I came across on a video for a Mk4! Tucked right up in the dash, remove that and yes it does come out easily.
So far have done a power up test, the Pioneer takes the standard FM aerial straight in using a feed to power the OE aerials amp, the DAB aerial worked fine, as did the basic 4 button steering wheel controls. Reversing camera ok once enabled in settings, also managed to mount camera and feed wiring into boot using a spare blank grommet & clipping to loom for FM aerial through to drivers compartment, lift sill and upright trims, getting right through to dash. I’ve sorted feeds for the reversing light and handbrake, the old harness adaptor for the Alpine head had these in it so it was easy to remove the 2 wires C/W pin terminals and insert them in the new harness adaptor then connect to the 2 free tails from the head unit.
Thats as far as I’ve got this evening, need to get the car out of the garage (which is a tight fit) to access the NS door and mount the DAB aerial and feed lead to head unit, then its about ready to fit and test again.
The Alpine unit came with a USB and AV video extensions that terminate in the centre console hidey-hole with slide top, these plug straight in to the Pioneer so hopefully the samsung phone will pop in there on a short usb lead and android-auto should be “Bobs-your-uncle”, fingers crossed.
Now if anyone wants to really help, at work I’m battling with a huge combine harvester with electrical issues from water ingress where it shouldn’t of got and a pair of lodgers that have took up residence and gnawed some important looms, luckily one rat is decommissioned, the other hasn’t found the trap baited with chocolate yet! At least working on the MX-5 seems simple after a day of fault finding a monster with 12v controls systems and 24v starting & adblu systems on the same beast (scream!)
Peanut butter will help 
Switched to that but still no success. Seems the remaining lodger doesn’t dismount so put the traps up on the rear veranda next to the engine on friday, barsteward is under the floor there on top of the fuel tanks that are under the floor (holds a mere 1000L- enough for a long hard day harvesting!!)
Update for MickAP, No luck at all with the lodger taking any baited traps at all. Meanwhile this AM having checked the traps it seems that matey may of succumbed to the aroma of Witham EP85-90 HD gear oil! I had drained the front drive reduction hubs and the main gearbox into large tubs, one of which looked to have a rag in the bottom but it seems that during the night ratty took a bath in 30ltrs of gear oil and drowned 
That was a grim way to go.