Volvo 850 - my options
Sean
radio/cassette and (broken) electric ariel. The r/c has CD controls so I
assume a changer was optional equipment. It looks to be a double DIN
unit though I'm not entirely sure.
Wife (it's really her car) would like a CD changer, so what are my
options?
- buy Volvo CD changer? Big money - probably!
- buy aftermarket rad/cass/CD? Is a adapter faceplace available for the
850? Does it look "nice"?
- buy aftermarket double DIN unit - does such a thing exist?
Any 850 owners out there been in this situation?
TIA
(In-Car Express)
wrote:
>- buy Volvo CD changer? Big money - probably!
>- buy aftermarket rad/cass/CD? Is a adapter faceplace available for the
>850? Does it look "nice"?
>- buy aftermarket double DIN unit - does such a thing exist?
... or buy an aftermarket CD changer and interface to the existing
radio. We usually tend to recommend an Alpine.
Jon
--
In-Car Express http://www.incarexpress.co.uk
Car Audio | Security | Multimedia | Navigation
Tel. 01223 301212 Fax. 0870 7484 123
Sean
> On Wed, 05 Feb 2003 16:24:54 +0000, Sean <nos...@thisaddress.com>
> wrote:
>
> >- buy Volvo CD changer? Big money - probably!
> >- buy aftermarket rad/cass/CD? Is a adapter faceplace available for the
> >850? Does it look "nice"?
> >- buy aftermarket double DIN unit - does such a thing exist?
>
> ... or buy an aftermarket CD changer and interface to the existing
> radio. We usually tend to recommend an Alpine.
>
> Jon
Just been on your website, Jon. It's an option, though seems pricey enough.
Converted to Euros, I'm looking at around 375 notes. Might be an option if
there are preouts on the back of the head unit so I can add an amp, but
otherwise, don't know if I'd bother "upgrading" with a 7 year old head unit,
if you see what I mean. Also, I didn't realise the 850 audio is
Alpine-based.
Scott M
> Just been on your website, Jon. It's an option, though seems pricey enough.
> Converted to Euros, I'm looking at around 375 notes. Might be an option if
> there are preouts on the back of the head unit so I can add an amp, but
> otherwise, don't know if I'd bother "upgrading" with a 7 year old head unit,
> if you see what I mean. Also, I didn't realise the 850 audio is
> Alpine-based.
I always reckon it's worth spending the money you'd blow on a car
specific adapter on a new HU (& changer.) That way when you come to sell
the car you can put the original radio back in and keep your "new" kit.
If you go the adaptor route you'll end up giving away a pricey bit of
kit for no return or removing it and not having a use for it.
Scott
Iain Dingsdale
"Sean" <nos...@thisaddress.com> wrote in message
news:3E413AD6...@thisaddress.com...
> My new (to me) Volvo 850 is fitted with the standard Volvo branded
> radio/cassette and (broken) electric ariel. The r/c has CD controls so I
> assume a changer was optional equipment. It looks to be a double DIN
> unit though I'm not entirely sure.
>
> Wife (it's really her car) would like a CD changer, so what are my
> options?
>
> - buy Volvo CD changer? Big money - probably!
almost definetely...you can normally get normal changes to fit but the
paticular changer for this head unit (alpine) is about 240 quid.
> - buy aftermarket rad/cass/CD? Is a adapter faceplace available for the
> 850? Does it look "nice"?
yep, www.caraudiodirect.com should have them, youll need the face plate and
the volvo-iso adaptor
> - buy aftermarket double DIN unit - does such a thing exist?
yup, see the site above, although they are expensive
In-Car Express
wrote:
>Might be an option if there are preouts on the back of the head unit so
>I can add an amp
There aren't going to be unfortunately. Looking at the other options,
to be honest, double DIN units are invariably overpriced and under
spec - and they're also going to be a nightmare to fit. Although the
dash aperture is roughly the right size, double DIN units are designed
to fit Japanese style side mounting brackets, and don't have a cage in
the way that single DIN ones do. This is likely to be completely
incompatible with the slide mounting rail/moulding in the 850s dash
aperture. You'd really be much better off getting the fascia adaptor
(actually just a DIN pocket in this case), which looks OK, and allows
you to use a single DIN unit - and that area of the market's much
better in terms of spec vs cost.
Jon
--
In-Car Express Tel. 01223 301212 Fax. 0870 7484123
http://www.incarexpress.co.uk sa...@incarexpress.co.uk
In-Car Express
<smorris_12@delete_this.yahoo.com> wrote:
>I always reckon it's worth spending the money you'd blow on a car
>specific adapter on a new HU (& changer.) That way when you come to sell
>the car you can put the original radio back in and keep your "new" kit.
The only problem with that is that new cars of late are taking the
radio integration to new levels - ie. the new Fiesta, where changing
the radio is going to require a whole new dash fascia, or the Renault
Espace, where bits of the radio are placed all around the dash. If
that trend continues, expansion around the original unit's likely to
become much more common, and possibly even the only sensible option.
Jon
--
In-Car Express Tel. 01223 301212 Fax. 0870 7484123
http://www.incarexpress.co.uk sa...@incarexpress.co.uk
Sean
>
> Wife (it's really her car) would like a CD changer, so what are my
> options?
>
Thanks all for the replies and info. From your replies I reckon my best
option is an adapter and a single DIN fitting if I (we) decide to upgrade.
Apparantly the older 850s have a single DIN fitting so finding a scrapped
one of those might be an idea..
Thanks again,
Sean
Scott M
> The only problem with that is that new cars of late are taking the
> radio integration to new levels - ie. the new Fiesta, where changing
> the radio is going to require a whole new dash fascia, or the Renault
> Espace, where bits of the radio are placed all around the dash. If
> that trend continues, expansion around the original unit's likely to
> become much more common, and possibly even the only sensible option.
That's true but, like the OP, I've haven't really dealt with cars that
"new"!! It'll be interesting to see if market forces apply and the CD
changer adapters become a little cheaper.
Scott
Sean
> That's true but, like the OP, I've haven't really dealt with cars that
> "new"!! It'll be interesting to see if market forces apply and the CD
> changer adapters become a little cheaper.
Hasn't happened yet, and they've been around a few years now.
(In-Car Express)
wrote:
>Hasn't happened yet, and they've been around a few years now.
It hasn't?
http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/focus.php3?partno=CDXT69
http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/focus.php3?partno=AFOS003
Jon
--
In-Car Express http://www.incarexpress.co.uk
Car Audio | Security | Multimedia | Navigation
Sean
> On Thu, 06 Feb 2003 11:41:06 +0000, Sean <nos...@thisaddress.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Hasn't happened yet, and they've been around a few years now.
>
> It hasn't?
> http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/focus.php3?partno=CDXT69
> http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/focus.php3?partno=AFOS003
>
Doh!
So why's the Volvo changer so 'kin expensive?
(In-Car Express)
wrote:
>So why's the Volvo changer so 'kin expensive?
Has to be an Alpine unit, as the interfaces aren't available for
anything else, which puts the price up for starters - and then the
interfaces come from different manufacturers, who are also more
expensive.
Sean
> On Thu, 06 Feb 2003 16:38:17 +0000, Sean <nos...@thisaddress.com>
> wrote:
>
> >So why's the Volvo changer so 'kin expensive?
>
> Has to be an Alpine unit, as the interfaces aren't available for
> anything else, which puts the price up for starters - and then the
> interfaces come from different manufacturers, who are also more
> expensive.
Thanks Jon... be interesting to see if Volvo and Ford start using the
same supplier, if they haven't already.
For me, it'll be a single DIN upgrade if it's done at all.
David Booth
I have a 1996 volvo 850, with a double DIN headunit. I have a Blaupunkt
Radio/Cassette in the dash and a 10 CD Changer under the front seat.
Autoleads sell an adapter for the headunit, but it looks awful and is a
really bad fit. The genuine Volvo part (from a dealer) is only about £20,
fits perfectly and looks undistinguishable from the ret of the dash. If you
decide to change head units, pleas dont make the same mistake I did, of
buying the autoleads one first! You will also need a wiring loom adaptor
for the new head unit (mine cost about £8 from halfords, I think)
Changing the headunit and keeping the volvo speakers will be an improvement,
but more can be gained by replacing the speakers, as the standard volvo ones
have an 8 ohm impedance, whereas car audio is generally 4 ohm. The fronts
are dead easy to rplace, the grills just pop off the door trims, unscrew
volvo speaker and replace with new one! The tweeters in the dash are
slightly more complicated.....the grills still pop off (gently prise out
with a small screwdriver), Then I used the mounting plate from the volvo
tweeter to make a new one from fiberboard ind mounted my tweeter in this,
then fixed in place using the volvo fittings......its a lot simpler than it
sounds!! The rear door speakers were more complicated, so I disconnected
them and put a sub in the boot, then added annother amp to power the front
speakers as well.
If you want to go down the amp route, running the cables is really easy as
there is plenty of room under the trim, and as the construction is so solid,
trim can be removed and replaced repeatedly without any degredation in
appearance....there are even spare gromits through the bulkhead into the
passenger footwell for the power cable!
It really is worth taking the time (and a little money!) to replace the head
unit at least....the sound deadening of the car and well designed speaker
locations allow a good system to sound superb...all my kit was previousley
installed in a sierra, when you hear it in the volvo, you would think it
cost at least ten times more for the improvement in sound quality!
Sorry if Ive ranted on a bit, but changing the headunit and speakers is
simple and very worthwhile!
Good Luck
Dave
PS...normally the power aerials stop working because the shaft bends
slightly and jams in place. If you can pull it out by brute force, clean it
up and apply plenty of WD40, there is a ggod chance that it will work
again. This has worked for me twice so far, but it is frimly stuck now with
only 8" protruding - radio still works ok. A friend tells me that the likes
of Eurocarparts and German&Swedish sell replacement masts for about £15
Sean
> Sean,
>
> I have a 1996 volvo 850, with a double DIN headunit.
<snip>
Thanks for all the info, David. Very useful. I agree the Volvo speaker locations
appear good. If I do an upgrade it'll likely include upgrading the speakers as
well as adding an amp and sub.