So the crappy CDR-24 had to go. I actually really liked the sound quality of the BOSE system, but I needed MP3 support, I just couldn't deal with only 20+- songs per disc!! Also, why not get Navigation, Bluetooth (a must for manual transmissions), and backup camera while at it!!
______________ BEFORE___________________________________________________ AFTER
I picked out my parts:
Kenwood DNX6960 - wanted a volume knob & disc slot - $800
JL Audio G6600 - needed 6+ channels for all the speakers - $300 - newer model recommendation: JL Audio XD600/6
Boyo back up camera - might as well for - $130
double-din + Bose adapter kit - ebay - $275
RCA wires, speaker wire, etc. - $50+
Total approx: $1600
This was a priceless resource: http://www.planet-9.com/cayman-boxster-electronics/28892-recent-dvd-navigation-install-avic-d3.html definitely print these instructions out, if you're going to install a radio yourself
These 2 threads helped me run the back up camera: Detector/LIDAR jammer install (9500i, ZR3) tips:Back-up cam, power - Articles (scroll down to the license plate portion)
AND http://www.planet-9.com/cayman-boxster-electronics/22579-avic-d3-self-install.html#post456049
You should run the back up camera wire and the illumination & reverse wires all together! This I think should be your first step as it was one of the biggest pains in the butt getting the wires snaked around the motor area and keeping them clear of things all the way up to the front of the car. You could avoid the camera wire & reverse wire, if you don't install a back up camera. And you can also skip the illumination wire, b/c the Kenwood can auto-adjust the brightness based on the time of day/GPS time from the Garmin.
When you're removing the interior door sill cover that supposedly just "snaps off" according to some guides. You should loosen the 2 allen head bolts. Look between the seat and the interior door sill cover, you will see 2 black plugs, pull them out and this will give you access to stick an allen wrench in, you'll have to test fit a few sizes since you can't really see in there well. I didn't know this tidbit and cracked a small piece b/c one of the bolts was really tight.
If you buy the kit with the BOSE amp adapter, you will need to solder and heatshrink wires on to it like this:
this is at the half way point, bottom row soldered & top row still bent up
I did this in advance and labelled all the wires, then connected them to my amp. So when it came time to swap, all I had to do was drop in the new amp, unplug old plugs, plug in my giant bose adapter, then connect the remote wire, which I had run separately, and plug in the RCA cables. Do not use the ground from the BOSE harness for your amp's ground, it will give you terrible whine.
The speaker channels were run as:
Front L&R: dash & door highs
Rear L&R: rear pillar speakers
Subwoofer L: both door subs run in series, b/c each speaker is only 1 Ohm
subwoofer R: passenger footwell sub - wire run directly from amp through firewalls, etc to speaker. Had to disconnect & remove small amp on the box, then wire to both pairs of wires for the sub. (dual voice coil?) Take the speaker off & be sure to match the wires correctly. I used the "battery test" to determine which was positive/negative.
Next I ran the wires needed from the front trunk, which were:
3 pairs of RCA cables (front, rear & subs)
1 remote turn on wire
1 speaker wire to passenger footwell
1 ground wire for radio (extra)
1 satellite antenna & wire
I ran the RCA, remote & speaker wire up the passenger side of the trunk compartment, I had to remove a large plastic angle mounting bracket to access the large rubber grommet, then passed the wire across toward the windshield to where I had mounted the satelite antenna, then ran all of the wires underneath the wiperblade area across to the drivers side and then down & in to the drivers side grommet. You should also run an extra ground while running these.
Nearly everything else is covered in the first link above by Truellionaire.
installed w/ custom background:
And here's the custom background that I made:
Amp in trunk:
SPEAKER SIZES: - compiled from other sources, I didn't measure or replace mine.
Dashboard - 2 X 25mm neodym tweeters (or 19mm)
Center - 1 X 70mm neodym mid range loudspeaker
Door - 2 X 80mm (or 100mm) neodym loudspeakers, 2 X200mm Nd low range loudspeakers
Rear Sides - 2 X80mm neodym (or 100mm) mid-range loudspeakers
Subwoofer in footwell, one 102 X 153mm low range loudspeaker
______________ BEFORE___________________________________________________ AFTER
I picked out my parts:
Kenwood DNX6960 - wanted a volume knob & disc slot - $800
JL Audio G6600 - needed 6+ channels for all the speakers - $300 - newer model recommendation: JL Audio XD600/6
Boyo back up camera - might as well for - $130
double-din + Bose adapter kit - ebay - $275
RCA wires, speaker wire, etc. - $50+
Total approx: $1600
This was a priceless resource: http://www.planet-9.com/cayman-boxster-electronics/28892-recent-dvd-navigation-install-avic-d3.html definitely print these instructions out, if you're going to install a radio yourself
These 2 threads helped me run the back up camera: Detector/LIDAR jammer install (9500i, ZR3) tips:Back-up cam, power - Articles (scroll down to the license plate portion)
AND http://www.planet-9.com/cayman-boxster-electronics/22579-avic-d3-self-install.html#post456049
You should run the back up camera wire and the illumination & reverse wires all together! This I think should be your first step as it was one of the biggest pains in the butt getting the wires snaked around the motor area and keeping them clear of things all the way up to the front of the car. You could avoid the camera wire & reverse wire, if you don't install a back up camera. And you can also skip the illumination wire, b/c the Kenwood can auto-adjust the brightness based on the time of day/GPS time from the Garmin.
When you're removing the interior door sill cover that supposedly just "snaps off" according to some guides. You should loosen the 2 allen head bolts. Look between the seat and the interior door sill cover, you will see 2 black plugs, pull them out and this will give you access to stick an allen wrench in, you'll have to test fit a few sizes since you can't really see in there well. I didn't know this tidbit and cracked a small piece b/c one of the bolts was really tight.
If you buy the kit with the BOSE amp adapter, you will need to solder and heatshrink wires on to it like this:
this is at the half way point, bottom row soldered & top row still bent up
I did this in advance and labelled all the wires, then connected them to my amp. So when it came time to swap, all I had to do was drop in the new amp, unplug old plugs, plug in my giant bose adapter, then connect the remote wire, which I had run separately, and plug in the RCA cables. Do not use the ground from the BOSE harness for your amp's ground, it will give you terrible whine.
The speaker channels were run as:
Front L&R: dash & door highs
Rear L&R: rear pillar speakers
Subwoofer L: both door subs run in series, b/c each speaker is only 1 Ohm
subwoofer R: passenger footwell sub - wire run directly from amp through firewalls, etc to speaker. Had to disconnect & remove small amp on the box, then wire to both pairs of wires for the sub. (dual voice coil?) Take the speaker off & be sure to match the wires correctly. I used the "battery test" to determine which was positive/negative.
Next I ran the wires needed from the front trunk, which were:
3 pairs of RCA cables (front, rear & subs)
1 remote turn on wire
1 speaker wire to passenger footwell
1 ground wire for radio (extra)
1 satellite antenna & wire
I ran the RCA, remote & speaker wire up the passenger side of the trunk compartment, I had to remove a large plastic angle mounting bracket to access the large rubber grommet, then passed the wire across toward the windshield to where I had mounted the satelite antenna, then ran all of the wires underneath the wiperblade area across to the drivers side and then down & in to the drivers side grommet. You should also run an extra ground while running these.
Nearly everything else is covered in the first link above by Truellionaire.
installed w/ custom background:
And here's the custom background that I made:
Amp in trunk:
SPEAKER SIZES: - compiled from other sources, I didn't measure or replace mine.
Dashboard - 2 X 25mm neodym tweeters (or 19mm)
Center - 1 X 70mm neodym mid range loudspeaker
Door - 2 X 80mm (or 100mm) neodym loudspeakers, 2 X200mm Nd low range loudspeakers
Rear Sides - 2 X80mm neodym (or 100mm) mid-range loudspeakers
Subwoofer in footwell, one 102 X 153mm low range loudspeaker