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I am going to do a head unit install next weekend (bought myself an Alpine CDE 101E head unit)

I had done a few head unit installs in my time on the tools and didnt look back fondly at those days where I had my head in a dash trying to wire up the unit. I am sure Im too old for that now. Then I saw someone point out wiring harnesses. Mazda to ISO then ISO to "brand"(in my case Alpine). These were about $20 each so that 2x$20 to do the job

Then I saw a Mazda to aftermarket harness for $15ish. Plugs directly in to the mazda plugs but was simply coloured wires coming out of the harness. These were colour coded and named in the same way most aftermarket head units colour code their wires. What this meant to me was that I could do a quality join (soldered and heat shrunk) on the work bench. I did this today and I must say that the connections would be 50% better than what I would have done inside the car and I could stand up while I was doing it.

I got my harness from http://myworld.ebay.com.au/original_car_stereos who I cannot speak more highly of for the 1 time I have dealt there. Aeropro part # AP7901F



So if you want to keep your original plug and are happy to do a bit of work, this is the go.

Stu

In my sons car I used a Mazda to ISO then an ISO to alpine plug - both from supercrap.

Even then I still needed wire up about 2 or 3 extra wires that for some reason hadn't been used in the ISO socket

Yep, I've done the same. Sure beats trying to solder in the car and of course the head unit can be easily unplugged and the factory one put back in if ever necessary.

Okibi wrote:In my sons car I used a Mazda to ISO then an ISO to alpine plug - both from supercrap.

Even then I still needed wire up about 2 or 3 extra wires that for some reason hadn't been used in the ISO socket

I did the same, but with Pioneer. All I needed was to hook up a ground. Made the job SO easy!

i might undo my current shitty soldering and just do this. so much cleaner and a lot less headache

I found a fully built up hardness from Ebay for $6.50 delivered from the UK. You cannot beat that

snshami wrote:I found a fully built up hardness from Ebay for $6.50 delivered from the UK. You cannot beat that

Got a link to the one you bought?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/PC2-10-4-Mazda-1 ... 2246wt_988

They have more.

This is definately the go. So easy to refit the OEM radio unit should you want to return the car in original configuration.

If only the previous owner of my car had the sense to do it like this.....



Having audio problems now with it. Although the Sony Xplod system was working for quite a few years in it's defense. I guess since the Mazda plug is long gone, it'll be up to a pro audio installer to convert the remains to ISO plug. I sure as hell aint doing it lol.

Bauer wrote:I am going to do a head unit install next weekend (bought myself an Alpine CDE 101E head unit)

I had done a few head unit installs in my time on the tools and didnt look back fondly at those days where I had my head in a dash trying to wire up the unit. I am sure Im too old for that now. Then I saw someone point out wiring harnesses. Mazda to ISO then ISO to "brand"(in my case Alpine). These were about $20 each so that 2x$20 to do the job

Then I saw a Mazda to aftermarket harness for $15ish. Plugs directly in to the mazda plugs but was simply coloured wires coming out of the harness. These were colour coded and named in the same way most aftermarket head units colour code their wires. What this meant to me was that I could do a quality join (soldered and heat shrunk) on the work bench. I did this today and I must say that the connections would be 50% better than what I would have done inside the car and I could stand up while I was doing it.

I got my harness from http://myworld.ebay.com.au/original_car_stereos who I cannot speak more highly of for the 1 time I have dealt there. Aeropro part # AP7901F



So if you want to keep your original plug and are happy to do a bit of work, this is the go.

Stu

Hi, are you happy with the Alpine. What kind of harness did the Alpine come with. Did it have connectors at either end or was it a single connector to the unit with cut and stripped wires at the other ?