New Stereo for Car

[Kathandira]

I was gifted $500 in gift cards to Best Buy because my fiancée knows I have been in the market for a new head unit for my car. It is a 2013 Hyundai Elantra coupe. It is paid off, and only has 75k miles on it, so i'll be keeping for quite a long time. But it does not have a navigation screen, and I really want that so I don't have to use a window holster for my cell phone, or anything of the sort.

What I am debating between is:

1: Buy head unit from Best Buy and have them install it (would require additional out of pocket costs)
2: Buy the Head unit from another place, and use the gift cards to have Best Buy install it. (would likely have gift card money left over)
3: Skip out on purchasing it at Best Buy all together, and use the gift cards to buy something like a robo vacuum instead.

If anyone has experience with buying a new head unit for a vehicle and the installation process, can you please provide some advice?

For reference, i'm looking at something similar to the Sony XAV-AX5000.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XAV....html?tp=78184

[Milchshake]

I was gifted $500 in gift cards to Best Buy because my fiancée knows I have been in the market for a new head unit for my car. It is a 2013 Hyundai Elantra coupe. It is paid off, and only has 75k miles on it, so i'll be keeping for quite a long time. But it does not have a navigation screen, and I really want that so I don't have to use a window holster for my cell phone, or anything of the sort.

What I am debating between is:

1: Buy head unit from Best Buy and have them install it (would require additional out of pocket costs)
2: Buy the Head unit from another place, and use the gift cards to have Best Buy install it. (would likely have gift card money left over)
3: Skip out on purchasing it at Best Buy all together, and use the gift cards to buy something like a robo vacuum instead.

If anyone has experience with buying a new head unit for a vehicle and the installation process, can you please provide some advice?

For reference, i'm looking at something similar to the Sony XAV-AX5000.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XAV....html?tp=78184

Really need an estimate for the install cost from Best Buy. It would be more than $100 in my region.

I just got the head unit and an adapter harness from crutchfield. Then soldered it together myself. I do lose the passenger side speaker on occasion, since my solder skills are below average.

[Kathandira]

Really need an estimate for the install cost from Best Buy. It would be more than $100 in my region.

I just got the head unit and an adapter harness from crutchfield. Then soldered it together myself. I do lose the passenger side speaker on occasion, since my solder skills are below average.

I believe it was between $100-$200. Somewhere in the $130 area.

[Flame6]

I put in a basic car stereo once. It's easy if the wiring harnesses match up and everything works (they often dont).

Otherwise it's totally doable with youtube, a multimeter, some pliers and some wiring connectors. I'd plan for it to take most of the day if you're a novice.

Now I should say I did this in a mid 90s car and these things might have changed in that time.

[Zan15]

I was gifted $500 in gift cards to Best Buy because my fiancée knows I have been in the market for a new head unit for my car. It is a 2013 Hyundai Elantra coupe. It is paid off, and only has 75k miles on it, so i'll be keeping for quite a long time. But it does not have a navigation screen, and I really want that so I don't have to use a window holster for my cell phone, or anything of the sort.

What I am debating between is:

1: Buy head unit from Best Buy and have them install it (would require additional out of pocket costs)
2: Buy the Head unit from another place, and use the gift cards to have Best Buy install it. (would likely have gift card money left over)
3: Skip out on purchasing it at Best Buy all together, and use the gift cards to buy something like a robo vacuum instead.

If anyone has experience with buying a new head unit for a vehicle and the installation process, can you please provide some advice?

For reference, i'm looking at something similar to the Sony XAV-AX5000.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XAV....html?tp=78184

Investigate apple/google car OS's i was fully disappointed in how horrific they were. If its just navigation its just fine since it uses google maps and you can add Waze.


You'd be better off getting a head unit with a touch screen that is fully compatible with "mirroring" your cell phone so you can have access to everything on your phone. It can also have android auto, but its night and day vs mirroring full app control on things like Spotify, Sirius and Pandora. Plus you can actually have weather maps and radar on mirroring.

Its a crap shoot when it comes to phones working with a head unit.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/service...cat59600050005

65 dollars for the install but wire harness is not included and might cost as much as 30-40 bucks. It also might need a face bracket which can cost another 20-60 dollars.



I had a head unit installed there 3 years ago and it cost 65 + 35 for all the extra "needed" harnesses. Never had a problem. also have had 4 remote starters done at 3 locations and only had a problem once where they taught me how to reset and reprogram it so i would not have to come back. Was very easy.

[Kathandira]

I put in a basic car stereo once. It's easy if the wiring harnesses match up and everything works (they often dont).

Otherwise it's totally doable with youtube, a multimeter, some pliers and some wiring connectors. I'd plan for it to take most of the day if you're a novice.

Now I should say I did this in a mid 90s car and these things might have changed in that time.

I'm reluctant to do it myself since I don't want to risk breaking any clips. I'm leaning towards having a company do the install. That way if something breaks, they are accountable for fixing it lol.

[Studentsx]

Buy head unit from Best Buy and have them install it (would require additional out of pocket costs)

[Flame6]

Buy head unit from Best Buy and have them install it (would require additional out of pocket costs)

This is probably the best option. I doubt you're gonna find any combination of things that would save a significant amount of money. Might as well use up the gift cards and get it done as simple as possible.

[Calfredd]

This is probably the best option. I doubt you're gonna find any combination of things that would save a significant amount of money. Might as well use up the gift cards and get it done as simple as possible.

He literally copy/pasted the OP's post as well as everyone else's posts for his post count so I doubt he was actually trying to be helpful.

[Kathandira]

Thanks for all the feedback so far all! This has been great food for thought.