Ford ZX2 Radio Installation
Harry Leonard
I will be purchasing a 98 Ford Escort ZX2 shortly and would like to hear
from owners on the ability to upgrade from the standard radio and
cassette to a CD and disk changer. I have heard that upgrade is limited
due to the Integrated Control Panel. There are three options that I
have seen. Radio and Cassette, "Premium" (whats that?) Radio and
Cassette, and the CD with Disk changer.
Is there any way to upgrade later if I have now only the radio and
Cassette installation? Can I upgrade via aftermarket to a better speaker
with the CD and trunk mounted changer?
I don't want to spend the 500 bucks for the CD system now but would like
to have the option later on to do so.
Hope someone here has some insights on this and can help me out.
Thanks,
Harry Leonard
Hector Machado
Harry Leonard wrote in message <6cneg8$b...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>...
>I will be purchasing a 98 Ford Escort ZX2 shortly and would like to hear
>from owners on the ability to upgrade from the standard radio and
>cassette to a CD and disk changer. I have heard that upgrade is limited
>due to the Integrated Control Panel. There are three options that I
>have seen. Radio and Cassette, "Premium" (whats that?) Radio and
>Cassette, and the CD with Disk changer.
>
Harry, I've got a ZX2 with the "premium" sound and CD player package. It's
actually not bad for a factory radio, but no comparison at all to even a
modest aftermarket install.
The "premium" system gives you a separate 20wX4 amp, better speakers, and a
supposedly better head unit. It also adds the controls for the factory CD
changer, of which I have seen rumors saying it's made by Sony. Don't think
you can get the premium cassette and add a Sony CD later, though, as it's
OEM for connectors.....
The problem with upgrading to aftermarket stuff is the ICP (Integrated
Control Panel). Although there are aftermarket kits available for the ICP's
in both the full-size Taurus and pint-sized Escort, they look like crap. Go
to any decent local installer and ask to take a look at one of the kits,
you'll see what I mean.
In comparing the factory "premium" system during my shopping, I judged it
against the system I put into my '96 Contour, which is a "budget" Sony head
unit (cassette only) with four Pioneer 6x8 3-way speakers. The Sony head
unit blows the Ford unit's cassette section away, with better bass and much
cleaner highs. The radio sections are about the same, though. One note to
consider when listening: Ford factory radios all seem to have some sort of
auto-loudness feature built in, so they pump up the bass at lower volume
levels.
After purchasing my ZX2 I upgraded the speakers to Pioneer 6x8's in the back
and Pioneer 6" 2-ways in the front ( I think they were 6", anyway?). This
didn't give me more bass - the factory "premium" speakers actually appear to
have been tuned specifically to work within this car! But the swap gave me
much clearer mids and highs, and I got the bass back with just a tweak of
the bass setting.
If you ask me, you need to do a couple of things:
1. Take a look at what an aftermarket ICP looks like (don't compare the
Taurus one, it is different). Decide if you could live with that in your car
so you can have the components you really want.
2. Listen to the "premium" system in the Ford. If you decide to go with it,
I strongly suggest that you get the CD changer!
BTW, be sure to visit the Edmunds web site etc. to do your bargaining! I got
my ZX2 Sport fully loaded, 5-speed, with moonroof, ABS, 15" alloys,
premium/cd changer, etc. etc. (this is every option you can get, but the
Sport package upgrades the seats and leaves out the built-in childseat) for
$16,550! That was $50.00 over te dealers invoice! After seeing the guys
expression when I told him what his invoice was (he didn't know, had to look
it up) I just couldn't help but give him the $50.00 over when he said he'd
do that....
Harry Leonard
Thanks for the breakdown on the audio system Hector. I will check out
Circut City and Best Buy tomorrow to see what kind of aftermarket product
they offer. Then its off to the dealer to "discuss" prices and options.
It seems the aftermarket though maybe not as ergonomic as the factory
stuff really outshines the factory product. For that reason, (and
economic ones) I will in all likelyhood go with an aftermarket product
installed by the vendor. Sound beats out looks in this category for me.
Again thanks for the advice. Also the newspaper here in Houston is
advertising the ZX2 "hot" for $11,388 ($12,388 - $1000 rebate) including
Air, cassette, and the rest of the 317 package (not sure of the package
number off hand).
They have lowered the prices recently. Guess sales have slowed down
somwhat.
Hope things go well tomorrow. Safe driving and best of luck.
Harry
fir...@ionet.net
integrated control panel is a problem. The only way I found was to get
an OEM integration kit from Crutchfield ($50.00 if I remember right). You
take the climate control switches from your factory setup and move them to
the OEM kit. The kit has a standard DIN slot for any after market setup you
want. Looks good too.
Hope this helps,
Mark
Harry Leonard wrote:
> I will be purchasing a 98 Ford Escort ZX2 shortly and would like to hear
> from owners on the ability to upgrade from the standard radio and
> cassette to a CD and disk changer. I have heard that upgrade is limited
> due to the Integrated Control Panel. There are three options that I
> have seen. Radio and Cassette, "Premium" (whats that?) Radio and
> Cassette, and the CD with Disk changer.
>
D Kerr
Another suggestion: Why not just buy one of those portable CD players with the
car cassette adapter. That way you can play your CD's in the car, but take out
the CD player for security?
In article <6cneg8$b...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>,
Har...@postoffice.worldnet.att.net says...
Harry Leonard
Will most likely do that until funds become available to have a complete
unit installed.
Thanks for the thought.
Harry
Har...@worldnet.att.net
D Kerr wrote in message <6csq50$37l$1...@ionews.ionet.net>...