Stereo Swap Help?

[MarkV325iC]

Hope all are doing well. Anyone in the DC Metro area have the tools to remove an aftermarket cd player so I can slide my new one in? Pretty confident I can do it myself instead of paying a premium (i.e. BestBuy) for an easy install. Willing to offer $$ for someone local who can help a newbie out! Thanks for reading.

[lemansguy]

only tools really needed to remove a aftermarket head unit from an e30 is something to slide all around the head unit to lift the small metal tabs. these tabs (if the unit was properly installed) hold the "cage" to the headunit. there are also two tabs on teh sides of the head unit that are under a bit of tension, you will need something skinny and long to slide into the sides of the headunit, to lift the two metal tabs. its def something you can tackle with a cheap min iscrewdriver set or even a pick set from auto zone. do a your tube search and google search as well. im sure somebody got bored and posted a video of what im talking about.

[John in VA]

Different brands have different "locking" systems/keys. Can you provide pix or info about the unit you want to replace?

[shadowbethesda]

Wheaton audio charged $30 to install FYI.

http://www.123dsp.com/company.html

I realize it's not the answer you were looking for but they have done 4 of my cars including the E30.

[MarkV325iC]

Thanks for the comments. So I have what appears to be a 2001-ish Blaupunkt cd player in there now that is no longer working (was installed when I bought the car). For Christmas, I got a new JVC with bluetooth/ipod/aux/etc. that I want to install.

Worst case I take the new JVC with me to Wheaton. $30 bucks is lower than what other places told me here in DC.

[phenryiv1]

Does it have 2 holes approximately 1" apart on the sides of the unit? Or maybe rubber caps that cover holes?

If they are like this:

then you can bend a metal coat hanger into 2 tools with a "U" shape and use them as pry tools. You insert both ends of the bent hangers into the holes and then gently pry outwards.

http://www.mobileinformationlabs.com/How%20To%20Guides/Tools/HowTo-_tools_page_stereo_removal_tools_part_2_.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvHUJx5kygo

[MarkV325iC]

It looks like the pdf I attached. I went to autozone and saw the "u" shaped stereo remove tools, but they looked too thick to insert.

[phenryiv1]

It looks like the pdf I attached. I went to autozone and saw the "u" shaped stereo remove tools, but they looked too thick to insert.

Those are what you need. Or use a coat hanger, like posted in the link above.

[StereoInstaller1]

It looks like the pdf I attached. I went to autozone and saw the "u" shaped stereo remove tools, but they looked too thick to insert.

Actually, what he saw was "Ford Keys" and they are just a tiny bit thicker than typical Blau decks...and in that era, the blau decks had even smaller holes in the face. Those Ford keys will work great, but will be tough to get out of the deck once it is out...so coathangers are actually best.

Keep in mind that the idea is to collapse some tabs on the side of the deck, so when you shove them in don't go too deep (about 2") and feel for the tabs as you slide them in.

Once you find the clips,gently pry the ends of the ford keys outward to collapse the tabs inward. That is where the coathangers may be problematic, they tend to bend really easily.

GL!
Luke