Lazy Daze Owners' Group

Lazy Daze Forums => Lazy Daze Technical => Topic started by: 73gitane on June 22, 2020, 01:53:06 am

Title: Selecting replacement radio for 2003
Post by: 73gitane on June 22, 2020, 01:53:06 am
Finally going to change out the ancient Sony CDX-CA400 in my 2003 TK. Went to Crutchfield.com to look at their selection of single DIN radios. Lots to choose from. My wife says it needs to have a clock display. I want CD capability as well as USB and WiFi. No satellite reception needed. Our needs are pretty simple.

Has anyone gone through this exercise lately? Any model recommendations?

Thanks,
Steve
Title: Re: Selecting replacement radio for 2003
Post by: John DaCrema on June 22, 2020, 08:17:14 am
I replaced the radio a year and a half ago.  I went with a double din Panasonic unit and had it installed by Crutchfield. I’m luckily enough to have a daughter living in Charlottesville VA where Chrutchfield is based. 

I really like the Apple car play option as it makes the integration between the phone and head unit so much easier. A single den unit would show fewer items from the phone but stories and music are easier to access. There is similar firmware for non iPhone users. 
Title: Re: Selecting replacement radio for 2003
Post by: John DaCrema on June 22, 2020, 08:24:20 am
Oh, and read the thread about the radio upgrade messing up house 12 volt  power.  Most installers think of RV like cars. The folks I worked with knew RVs.

See this thread:  House 12 volt is dead because of audio upgrade? (https://www.lazydazeowners.com/index.php?topic=35053.msg217484;topicseen#new)
Title: Re: Selecting replacement radio for 2003
Post by: Larry W on June 22, 2020, 12:56:21 pm
Finally going to change out the ancient Sony CDX-CA400 in my 2003 TK. Went to Crutchfield.com to look at their selection of single DIN radios. Lots to choose from. My wife says it needs to have a clock display. I want CD capability as well as USB and WiFi. No satellite reception needed. Our needs are pretty simple.Has anyone gone through this exercise lately? Any model recommendations?

I have always found Crutchfield customer service and recommendations to be good ones, give them a call and explain your wants and needs, they know a thousand times more about the available car radio models than any of us do.

Larry
Title: Re: Selecting replacement radio for 2003
Post by: 73gitane on June 22, 2020, 02:45:32 pm
I called Crutchfield and they were great. I stuck with the 1DIN size and got this:

Sony MEX-XB120BT CD receiver at Crutchfield (https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XB120BT/Sony-MEX-XB120BT.html?tp=5684)

Title: Re: Selecting replacement radio for 2003
Post by: John DaCrema on June 22, 2020, 02:54:36 pm
While not appropriate for the original question, it is double den not single, here si a pic of the installed radio.  It might be useful for others considering a change.  I now use WAZE and Google maps from this receiver.  Sorry for the poor photos. 
Title: Re: Selecting replacement radio for 2003
Post by: 73gitane on June 26, 2020, 01:40:35 am
Radio was delivered today. The old Sony came out fine. Even though the new radio is a Sony it has a different size connector socket. I'm thinking no problem since the radio came with a pigtail that fits it and has a Ford connector at the other end.

Well LD seems to have cut off the Ford connector and wired the radio pig tail directly to the Ford wire harness. Dang, so I will  need to cut off the old radio connector and do  some cutting and crimping to attach the new radio connector. I'll call Crutchfield in the morning to make sure I'm not missing anything.
Title: Re: Selecting replacement radio for 2003
Post by: rich on June 26, 2020, 03:02:27 am
You’re not missing anything,   It was cut and splice on my 2003

Rich
‘03 MB in NC