I have a 99 Ford Escort and I need the radio replaced.

7/16/2014 5:22:04 PM

I'll do it for $700

7/16/2014 9:28:55 PM

$600

7/16/2014 9:29:15 PM

I can't break even at that price. Good luck you get you pay for.

7/16/2014 9:37:24 PM

$400.

7/16/2014 10:57:10 PM

is a 99 ford escort even worth $700?

7/17/2014 11:56:30 AM

not that hard to DIY. buy from crutchfield, get all the parts you need, and crystal clear instructions and save texa$ compared to buying the gear and paying for labor.

7/17/2014 1:32:28 PM

call up crutchfield and see how extensive the modifications are that you'll have to make...it says you'll have to "cut off two corners from the dash substructure", but they can tell you more about how difficult that will actually be

just googled the dash...good gracious, that's ugly...and it will probably be uglier with a new stereo

but it's $100 and a saturday afternoon...drink some beer and don't sweat it

7/17/2014 2:17:21 PM

I think Best Buy will install it for $65 or either its Wally World that does it for $65. I may go with the cheapest radio they have (i think its $60) and pay them to do it.

7/19/2014 1:27:10 AM

The instructions and plug-n-play wiring harness from Crutchfield are very comprehensive and usually make installation a no-brainer. I'd buy a <$100 unit from them and run with it. If it takes more than an hour and a half out of your day to install I'd be surprised. They have a bunch of Sony/JVC/Kenwood units for $69.99 and the installation kit is $15.

If you don't have any tools at your disposal it might not be a bad idea to talk to one of their advisers and ask what you'll need for a successful installation.

7/19/2014 12:15:17 PM

another vote for crutchfield. they will even give you the special tool to get the radio out although you can use 4 nails if you had to. hardest part is connecting the radio harness to that harness that fits your car. just use butt connecters with a crimp tool and not wire nuts or electrical tape like a knuckle head.

[Edited on July 19, 2014 at 1:05 PM. Reason : g]

7/19/2014 1:04:33 PM

^ His car does have this weird oval shaped radio and Quagmire suggested that he'll have to cut the dash, so it's not a typical install by any means. I bet you could cut that thing with a steak knife if that's all you have on hand though. The trim ring around the radio and installation kit means you don't have to be incredibly precise. Also, the fact that it's a 99 Escort means that you don't have to be incredibly precise too, lol.

[Edited on July 19, 2014 at 2:06 PM. Reason : l]

7/19/2014 2:05:55 PM

that adapter that crutchfield sells looks fugly

7/19/2014 4:15:07 PM

should be pretty straight forward as long as it doesn't have the tuner in the trunk like some of the taurus/crown vics

7/19/2014 11:44:51 PM

I didn't realize the adapter was fugly. You definitely don't want it in your 99 Escort if that's the case.

7/20/2014 1:04:17 AM

it's

Quote :

"pretty straight forward"

do it yourself

7/21/2014 1:02:12 AM

my wife drove a 99 escort in college.

I installed a new CD player. Got all the shit from crutchfield. I swear the adapter for the fucking oval thing probably cost more to make than the cd player.

it really wasn't too bad. Crutchfield gives you all the shit you need.

7/21/2014 8:50:17 AM

I installed the radio today myself!!!

However my back speakers do not work. Based upon my (albeit little) research there may be a factory installed amp that doesn't work with aftermarket. Also there is something about frequeny of the speakers not be compatible with the radio. I'll just get me a subwoofer!!

It was not too bad and I actually enjoyed this DYI project.

Anyway, if any of you radio installers out there can give me some ideas on why my back speakers are not playing I would really appreciate it!!

This is the radio and I installed it in a 1999 Ford Escort and if you need the VIN to help me please PM thanks!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/DNP-Blitz-Pioneer-MVH-X171UI-Digital-Media-Receiver-with-Direct-Control-for-Apple-iPod-iPhone/38335639

12/21/2014 5:32:22 PM

Quote :

""The factory amp is what you need to bypass. The fact that you've managed to make the front speakers work tells me that you've found the extra 8-pin plug you need behind the radio. You can easily use this to easily bypass the factory amplifier, but you need extra parts. The extra plug behind the radio has eight pins. Four of the wires go to the two front speakers. Four of the wires run to the factory amp. If you've got the front speakers working, then you've wired the extra plug correctly. Now you've wired the extra plug correctly. Now you have to get the other four wires connected to the rear speakers instead of the amp. Here's the easy way to do this: first, buy a Metra 70-5514 harness. http://www.audiooutfitter.com/70-5514/metra/p70102.html Most audio stores will have this in stock. There are three different parts to the harness, but you'll be using only one of them: the part with the plastic connector at each end. 1. Cut the SMALL end off the two-ended connector. You'll be left with the large connector, with eight wires coming out of it. 2. Strip the ends off the eight wires. Using solder or crimp connectors, connect the gray wire to the violet wire, the green wire to the white wire, the gray/black wire to the violes/black wire, and the green/black wire to the white/black wire. 3. Look under you driver's sear. You should see the bracket that holds down the factory amp. Remove two 10mm bolts from the front of the bracket, and you can lift it enough to access the two plugs connected to the amp. 4. Unplug both plugs from the amp. Leave the small plug disconnected. Plug the large plug into the large connector from the 70-5514 harness set. Your rear speakers should now work perfectly." Are these the right directions? I don't want to end up screwing something up, that is why I came here. And I thought it was a dire emergency that the plug wasn't plugged in, then I did some research and found out it isn't that big of a deal, nor is it very hard to fix. I just want the correct answers."

12/21/2014 8:57:29 PM

Word, over the holidays I'll go back in there and try that! Thanks my garage brother!

12/21/2014 9:08:32 PM

^^ Is that specifically for a ZX2? I'm trying to order the piece and it says it doesn't fit my car. Where exactly did you copy that from? Thanks!!

12/21/2014 9:49:46 PM

^http://teamzx2.com/threads/36172-Premium-Sound-Amp-Bypass

12/21/2014 10:06:00 PM

I ordered the part last night and will get it Wednesday. I'll do it this weekend and I'll let you know how it goes!

12/22/2014 11:30:43 AM

I got the piece today, boy that was fast!

12/23/2014 5:38:44 PM

Guess what there is no amp under the seat and I verfied that all the wires are hooked up correctly!!

WTF can anyone help???

I have searched and searched and searched ..... and searched and searched and have found nothing to help me

Whats even more funny is that I ran a wire STRAIGHT from the rear speakers to the wiring on the radio and NOTHING happened .... WTF!!!

[Edited on December 27, 2014 at 2:35 PM. Reason : /]

12/27/2014 2:34:11 PM

I suppose you messed with the balance and fade settings already...

Grab you a speaker from somewhere (a home theater speaker will work) and touch the harness wires (green or purple set) directly to the speaker posts. If you don't have sound, your new stereo is bad. If you do have sound, either your factory wiring to the rear speakers or the speakers themselves are crapped out.

Remove the rear speakers and touch the harness wires directly to the speaker posts (speakers and wires all laying in your car seat and crap). If you get sound, it means the speakers are fine, and you'll have to run new wires all the way to the rear.

and since you have the POS speakers out, sink another $30 or more into nicer ones

[Edited on December 27, 2014 at 4:52 PM. Reason : ]

12/27/2014 4:51:13 PM

I copped some 30 dolla speakers from Wally World and they work just fine when I wire them straight to the radio. But now I have to test the existing wiring and see if I can power the new speakers. Wow this is been a very fun-pain-the-ass-experience lol.

12/27/2014 5:19:45 PM

Apparently those speakers where just dead, but they were not dead when I tested the system a few weeks ago before I decided to install a new radio. I used the existing wiring to hooked up the new speakers without any issue. My shit bumping now

12/28/2014 2:16:03 PM