I just bought a Clarion Double-Din HU, 4 Infinity Reference Spkrs, and a Basslink powered subwoofer to replace the stock crap in my 2002 ES. How difficult will this stuff be to install? I have no experience installing car audio equipment but I'm very technical and can probably figure most of it out. Should I just pay to get it professionally installed?

-Mark

 

Try this link
http://www.astolfo.com/p5/p5.asp
It will get you started so you won't break anything. And, if you are technical, you'll figure out the details
Alex

 

HU is a snap, for the speakers go to protege5online.com for details on removing the doors. The only thing I don't know about is the basslink. I have no experiance what so ever in car audio and I did the Hu and speakers in about 2 hours.

 

I tried to install a doubleDIN HU a while back - it was a BIG hassle.

What I would try - and it could work VERY well - is this:

After you remove the stock radio (get the tools - they're like $5, and will save your sanity - you can use Ford radio pullers, too), you will see a black metal clip on each side - tthey're over 3" long - you can't miss them. These clips hold the radio in place, and are what the removal tools push back to remove the radio. They are attached with screws - take them off (the screws might be VERY tight - I've heard this, though mine came off easily) and see if there are any holes on the sides of the new deck that the clips might fit into - the DINx2 deck I tried to install was a Kenwood, and while i did have corresponding holes, they were a little too far back to really work well - you might be luckier.

Also, on the back of the stock unit, there is a long screw with a rubber grommet on it - it probably extends an inch or so out from the back. See if you can locate a hole for that on the new deck, too. On the stock unit, this rubber surrounded screw fits into a hole in the dash support bracket when the unit is in place - keeps it stable and works like a backstrap to hold the rear of the deck from falling down.

If you can get these parts to fit the new deck, you should be able to just slide it right in. These pieces did not fit my double DIN deck correctly, so I ditched it. The only other issue I had is that the trim ring around the new double din deck did not cover the entire stock opening. I got so far as to make a slightly larger trim ring, but I didn't like how it looked.

I would say to give it a shot yourself first. If you really have a hard time, and can't get it to work, then you could go to a shop - it won't cost you any more money to try yourself first, and there really is nothing to screw up, unless you start cutting the dash or something ridiculous like that.

See if you can re-use the parts I described above, and then just go for it!