A&Q about 350Z
Q:
What's the general opinion on headunits with motorised (as opposed to removable) front panels? I'm reticent about getting one due to the security risk, as Mk2s aren't exactly hard to get into (even with armour door plates).
The one I'm looking at (Sony M8800) has a "stealth" mode when turned off, meaning it goes completely black, but anyone looking in the window is still plainly gonna see a quite s****y stereo.
Thoughts?
A:
hi alex, depends on your local area, if cars get robbed all the time at ur street/work then I wouldn't risk it. I had a kenwood with a motorised front panel, in bros car now, that's been safe, so I guess depends if you're unlucky or not.
A:
Hmm my area's OK, but I often have to park it out of town, when I'm playing gigs with the band etc, so we're talking pub car parks and back streets etc.
Probably won't risk it, to be honest - anybody got any recommendations for a good, probably second-hand headunit with a removable fascia?
A:
I wouldnt do it!!!!
Buy a face off stereo...
I forked out over a tonne for a s/h sony mask.
I wired most of it up one afternoon, got all the power connections sorted, but left it half hanging out as i still had the speakers to arrange (front/back, left/right).
went out on the peiss at about 7ish, and i got back for 1 to find some bugger had smashed the window and nicked the stereo
Partly my fault for leaving it hanging out i know, but i thought it would be ok for one night(my first feckin night of having it ) as my area is mainly an old peoples area, the car was parked well off the road, butted up to the garage, with spotlight facing down the drive, and the theivin' barstuards still managed to get it!!!!
Ive now got a pioneer face off unit, and while its nowhere near as snazzy, its definately more secure...
HTH
A:
Lol just read your post saying that your not going to risk it..
Suppose though my post is still more reasoning.
A:
Yeah, I wouldn't feel safe leaving it with the stereo in - not so much bothered about losing the stereo as the damage they'll cause getting in!
Looking for a Pioneer DEH 77MP I think, they get a good writeup and they look suitably retro!
Oh, and I'll join your 5 door revolution dude - they deserve more respect!
A:
Yeah, I wouldn't feel safe leaving it with the stereo in - not so much bothered about losing the stereo as the damage they'll cause getting in!
Looking for a Pioneer DEH 77MP I think, they get a good writeup and they look suitably retro!
Oh, and I'll join your 5 door revolution dude - they deserve more respect!
Just googled that stereo. I like it!!!! I wondered what you meant when you said retro, thinking most stereo's nowadays are 'modern' looking. Looks a good bit of kit... And you cant go wrong with pioneer. Im well happy with mine, really powerful and plenty of features and settings.
Go on son... One more to add to the list. Be sure to put some pics up in the 5-door massive thread in general chat.
A:
And that stereo plays mp3's... So change your settings to mp3 when burning cd's and make just the one with everything on it.
A friend of mine managed to fit over 250 songs on one mp3 cd!!!!!
A:
Yeah my previous car (6N Polo) had a cheap Sony mp3 player in it - I could put basically all the albums by artists I liked on one CD each, then whack em on shuffle! Value.
A:
My old kenwood had a motorised face which was removable too. Could be handy, you could decide what you want to do with it depending on where you park.
A:
What was the model number of that one mate?
I quite like the idea of the "mask" ones that flip over to just show a blank, whether a clued-up theif will know this is a mask stereo and not a real blanking plate remains to be seen I suppose.
A:
down in the south you would be fine, i had 1 for 5 yrs in a couple of cars & it never got looked at even when in east london
i think face offs are a pain as you have to carry them with you (& forget them), or sling em in the glove box
A:
What was the model number of that one mate?
I quite like the idea of the "mask" ones that flip over to just show a blank, whether a clued-up theif will know this is a mask stereo and not a real blanking plate remains to be seen I suppose.
It was a KRC-791, flips over to a totally flat black panel or allows you to remove it totally if you want.