Stereo Power Harness Questions

[Birdman330]

I'm going to be upgrading the Stereo before the big trip in Feb. I am looking to get a unit with an external Aux Input. I can pick up a refurb with an Aux Input off eBay for a good price. Though I honestly would like to put in a newer Factory Unit from the 08's on up. I know the harness connectors are different so my question before I just go with the refurb unit is: Is there an adapter out there to hook up a newer Factory Unit or am I SOL? I thought thought about one of those cool looking Chinese Radios but I have the gut feeling not to go with one because it looks like it would just fail at any moment after installation.

 

[LibertyTC]

The OEM is a 1.5 DIN no adapter plates available so many will go double DIn then,
and the after market like the one I installed is a single DIN which came with wiring harness.
Why would you want a refirb unit when even new one are cheap these days?
BTW Crutchfield gives you plate & wiring/ant adapter all in..
Jeep Liberty Audio
There some good info on my install for sure...check it out..help answer a lot of question that I sure had...now I am rocking..to the music !!!
http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f201/recommendations-upgrading-my-stereo-kj-55995/
Hope this helps....

 

[Birdman330]

I'm really odd about things, in truth I've never dealt with aftermarket units I've always stuck to factory. This is the first time in a long LONG time I have had a stock unit that is as I call a Eunice, its practically worthless. Normally I don't listen to radio stations due to the excessive amount of commercials. I only get like five minutes of music if I'm lucky to and from my commute of about twenty minutes. So with my previous two vehicles I either had in dash 6 cd players that could play burned MP3 discs or an external auxiliary jack since I'm also big on audio books when I drive. I've been through the thread you have mentioned though honestly I've been kind of wanting to get to my roots of just being simple, its one reason why I love my Libby so much. I went from a spot luxury sedan to a simple SUV and honestly I couldn't really be happier especially since I can row my own gears with a clutch pedal. That's why I was thinking the refurb unit with an added aux jack since it would be a less than five minute swap. I actually timed myself on removing the radio from the dash the other day. I of course learned the hard way Mopar Stereos are different from others with their antenna jacks when I went to install my FM Modulator. (If anybody says they don't work, they're full of it. I had a real nice one in my Focus with an antenna mod, FM modulator with a shorty antenna, on my Grandparents Hill I was getting radio stations nearly 200 miles away.)

Whats funny is not long after I posted I had found a harness adapter to go to the newer units only headache is I was looking at the one aftermarket Bezel to do D Dins and I think the newer factory units are wider than that Bezel so I think I can rule out that for sure. Scratch that, so I may got with an aftermarket D Din yet but I'm being a little picky and want an external aux jack. So I can load what I want on my phone and just go when I take the big road trip. (Annoy the wife with Audio Books) But that thread is inspiration and I have time but I will look to that for further advice and will post my work once I have made a decision on what I want.

 

[Hedsic]

Not sure how deep your pockets are but Insane Audio makes a unit that matches everything you said you wanted.. Fits the JK while keeping a simple factory style look.

I just used the link below as an example to show you. I've seen the unit other places for about $800ish.. which is still a lot really.

Insane Jeep Audio Part TJ1001 - In-dash Navigation and Multimedia Entertainment System - Fits 2003 to 2006 TJ Wrangler - 4 Wheel Drive

 

[Birdman330]

Very similar to the Chinese Units that have me nervous, though if there are those who are running them that would like to chime in and perhaps calm my fears I would love to hear their input. That is a crazy price for such a small unit.

 

[Hedsic]

Very similar to the Chinese Units that have me nervous, though if there are those who are running them that would like to chime in and perhaps calm my fears I would love to hear their input. That is a crazy price for such a small unit.

Yeah, From my understanding this is what those chinese units are trying to copy and rip off. If I remember correctly the Insane Audio stereos are all Droid powered. I knwo the new JK one they just released is but not sure if this version that fits the KJ's are droid as well.

 

[Birdman330]

Interesting at that.

 

[Hedsic]

Interesting at that.

If it was closer to the $499 mark that I think they are worth I'd get one. That price seems a bit high to me though. Just thgouht I'd toss it up as an idea since to some that would be a good price for a stereo. I know the second I put something nice in my Jeep that's the moment someone will break in to it lol

 

[Birdman330]

Another reason why I avoid aftermarket, I've had a vehicle broken into before.