Stereo installations are expensive, apparently.....

Hello all - just bought my '01 last Saturday and I am not such a fan of the 6 disc CD with cassette tape stereo setup....

1. I have zero skills installing stereo equipment in vehicles, and I am so afraid I will break all the trim pieces in my truck trying to take them off.

2. I got quoted (by a highly rated installer here in Boise) for a Kendwood stereo ($549) with android play and a backup camera (license plate frame - $200) for $1350 to be installed. That price included a "warranty extension" and $31 for shop supplies.

3. Pretty sure I can do better expense wise, but could use a point in the right direction.

4. I saw the (suitable to me) backup camera post for about $39., but what stereo would you recommend?

5. I want Bluetooth compatability with backup camera compatability. Android play would be nice, but not critical

6. Are there any videos or install guides to watch or read?

Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

 

I used to work at a reputable customizing shop. That is waaay too much for installation. YouTube is your friend. I'm biased towards Kenwood.

 

That's a lot of money for a backup camera. I'd go on YouTube videos and see if you can find a video of someone changing the stereo and follow the steps. Try it out on your car first and see if you can take out the current stereo. If you can, installing one shouldn't be much more difficult. If you can't, then try a shop. I may suggest looking at bestbuy as they offer free installs on some stereo purchases.

 

Drive it all the over to SW Washington and I'd install it for about $50. Still be less than 1350 with gas included, lol.

Good luck, shops charge way too much.

 

I'm in Nampa and had a Kenwood DNX694S stereo/CD/DVD player with back up camera installed at "Sound Hound" in Caldwell for @ $1200. YMMV.

 

Installing on the tundra is easy, most Japanese cars are, especially Toyota, Honda and Subaru. like all said, YouTube is your friend.

I been self installing for decades, once you do one they're almost all the same. It's a good skill to have.
The only thing I don't install are alarms, those can get tricky.

Get the list of parts, preassemble it before installing, then plug and play. Trim removal kits are cheap from Amazon or eBay. They won't mar or scratch unless you're not careful.

Good luck.






Update. Besides they are all color coded now!! Easy, no need to try to figure out what goes where.

 

Crutchfield...Great DIY instructions, Ready Harness! and customer service..Or YouTube DIY!

 

Everyone has zero experience before the first time they try something - do it yourself and you’ll be surprised and save a boat load of cash too! I second the Crutchfield ready harness - it’s virtually plug and play after that.

I replaced my stock HU with a Kenwood DMX906S and it probably took about an hour and was surprisingly easy.

Good luck!

 

Anytime you pay someone to do something for you it will be more expensive than you doing it yourself?
Add to that your own admission that you have Zero idea about installing and why would you be surprised that is can be pricey?

This makes it sound as though you do not value the work that they do but that you can't do it either and how would you know what it is worth?

Like everything else in life if you learn and practice installing can become a skill set for you too and you can do it yourself for a variety of reasons.

I redid the radio in my 2001 in 15 minutes in the parking lot of a Best Buy store but I have also been doing that work since the 60's so there is that.

 

I redid the stereo (radio/single CD, USB) in my 1997 Toyota T-100 myself. I put it off for a year saying "I'll find someone of decent install value who I'm going to miraculously trust to do it right and not create problems in the process. Yup. I sure will it." Well.............I of course never did. So I ordered a set of automotive plastic trim removal tools. And told myself "shit, have you seen the guys who do these installs? NOT Mensa society members." So I just started in. Horribly easy. I didn't even pull up YouBoob. Common sense is your best friend. Don't be afraid. Label things with little tags as you take it apart if you're worried. Otherwise, once it is out you'll realize it's pretty straight forward.

 

Buy from Crutchfield. In their install packages, there is an option where they will do the wiring connections for you on the stereo to Meastro harness. It's $12.99 and they send it ready to plug and play. And their tech support is second to none. Just call them and before they answer, they have your order up and can tell yo ustep by step of what to do if you get in a bind.
That install price is freakin steep man. I would either have Crutchfield do the wiring or do it yourself with help from here and youtube.

 

I second having Crutchfield build the harness. I've done several stereo installations and the wiring harness is the most time consuming portion. Other than that, it's a pretty straightforward process, and helps you learn more about your vehicle in the process.

 

Since no one has mentioned it, Crutchfield.



Seriously though, while this isn't a tough install, I've been damn near shoulders deep in a dashboard before, with the Crutchfield tech walking me through stuff over the phone. They're not always the cheapest, but their technical support is awesome.

 

btw, if you think stereo installation is expansive... I guess you haven't tried getting a quote on replacing a water heater or doing some HVAC work. LOL Now those are some expansive shit.

 

In my 2002 tundra i replaced the radio with a Kenwood GPS 7" screen and added a $40 back up camera. I bought the radio, trim, harness, antenna adapter from crutchfield. Also did the speakers. Took me around 8 hours to install it all. I could see a shop doing it in 4. I could easily see a shop charging $5-600 to install - they have labor cost, tool cost, rent, electricity, insurance. At my job i make a little less than 1/5th of what i am billed at

 

When you pay someone to do the job for you, it is typically because you lack one or more of the following: Knowledge, tools, and time. Somewhere there is an algorithm that evaluates those three things to represent value.

Knowledge can be found on internet. The tools are inexpensive (and you most likely have what you need). As long as you have the available time, you can do this easily.

 

What everyone else said - stupid stupid easy with Toyota.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_G-NqpQ8Tg >> good rundown of backup cam install

https://youtu.be/9wqITOa0PKE >> pretty sure they do a headunit here. If not, search their channel for Tundra

If you buy from Crutchfield and have them do the wiring harnesses for you, the only tools you really need are a 10mm socket and a couple panel tools.

$20 OEMTOOLS 25314 Trim Removal Tool Kit, Plastic Trim Removal Tool Kit for Automotive Molding, Fasteners, & Bezels, Auto Trim Removal Tool Won’t Scratch Your Car

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-253...4932460&sr=1-7&keywords=trim+removal+tool+set >> $13 panel tools. May be an affiliate link for the above youtube channel but I'm not sure, nor am I affiliated with them in any way.

 

^This. For me I will trade $$$ for time in certain cases paying someone to do something that would take me forever and a day to do myself is worth it... depends on the task though. This one you can do easily in an afternoon taking your time over a couple of beers.

 

Shops near me wanted $800-$1200 just for labor to install a DSR-1/Amp/speakers. I did it myself with little to no knowledge about audio installs in about 6 hours...and that was taking my time. Next up is the HU.

 

I bet you can DIY it. You are also paying for warranty cost. We do aftermarket installs for fleets. Mistakes do happen but there is also time spent checking an issue that turns out to not to be installation related. Most shops will charge you $75-85 per hour. If you bring a cheap unit, they will try to up-sale you to a better unit or charge you more if it’s unreliable since they know you will be back complaining that it doesn’t work.

 

It’s a toss up, I am 60 yrs old been installing stereos and speakers in vehicles since I was 18 on the side.

Like others mention everything is on you tube but you can also make a mistake and it cost you more than the installation.

I was putting door speakers in 2016 Ram 3500. Easy right, so it would seem.
I got to the last door panel which was rear and while connecting the door handle rod the panel slipped out of my hand and broke the ears on the black plastic inner skin.
Had to buy entire inner door skin, my cost for part at dealership was $479.

If you are nervous pay the pros and then just get in turn the key and jam.

 

Install for my JVC headunit ran me about $200, that's in Canuckistani pesos too. All in for the headunit, labor and taxes I was around $500.I don't mess with that stuff when it's that cheap to have someone with experience do it.

 

Also check out Crutchfield. They will send you DIY instructions for your particular vehicle when you buy. I replaced my stereo and didn't want to pay for the install. Granted it was frustrating at times, and took me probably 3 times longer than a shop would do, but it was fun in a way. I also was installing and amp as well, so mine wasn't exactly plug and play.

 

Exactly the same could be said for any job probably!

Skilled Labor costs money and there is nothing wrong with doing it yourself either.

But I always tell my customers "it costs more if you help" and I am not usually kidding either.

 

I echo many of the sentiments that have been stated previously as well...

Here is another idea that I believe may fulfill your wish list too... I read that a member here was looking for the Bluetooth, backup camera capability as well.. He went ahead and used a stock head unit from a Camry (I think) and was not as burdened with the hooking up of wire harnesses and such because they were the same. Boise has a plethora of salvage yards and some that you can still pull parts from personally. Maybe this route for a stock HU can remain cost effective too.

I would love to help a fellow Tundra brother out. I will be in Boise, approx in 4ish weeks or so, if it can wait that long...

People that I respect/respected have given me the following expression that has resonated with me since... “Skilled labor is not cheap and cheap labor is not skilled.”... I have always been a laborer by trades... It wasn’t until recently that someone important gave me a couple of sheepskins and deemed me a “professional”...

Just my two cents.

 

Hey all,

Many thanks for the great advice and ideas! I am still working on doing this, but wanted to clarify my comments as I think I was misunderstood.

I do not think the stereo installer was trying to rip me off, or his skills were not worth what he was charging. My thought was just that it was a lot more than I thought it would be. (Wait until I need to buy tires, right?)

His cost for the stereo unit itself is exactly the same as on Crutchfield or Amazon, so all the "extra" cost was in supplies and labor.

His cost breakdownm, for the curious was...

Wiring Harness: $14.95
Full Fram Ultra Slim LP: $199.95
Short USB Dash MT Adpt: $19.95
nav Installation: $150.00
BU Cam Installation: $130
Android USB Installation: $30.00
Premium Shop Consumables: $31.00
EPG 3 YEAR up to $1000: $159 (warranty)

Total: $734.85

The stereo unit (Kenwood DNR476S) was $599.95, so total cost including tax was $1396.29.

I visited Best Buy last night, and for the cost of the unit, they install for free. But I think I will buy online and install myself, per everyone's suggestion/support.

Thanks,

- Stephen

 

Great idea.. if you decide to go with Best Buy they may not do any extra's like camera feeds, extra USB etc etc.. or Maestro programming. Its best to try it on your own, if all else fails, come back and hollar.

 

just to make sure....it's $1350.00 total right so your parts are about ~$800 leaving install about $550.00. not sure about cost of living there and service prices but I can see getting quoted that for my area in silicon valley. we are considered some of the most expensive places to live in the country tho. maybe diy if that's all you're doing and not an amp, doors, etc. but you'll still need to go buy a wire crimping tool, connectors, etc plus do any damage control if you break not just the plastic tabs but the supports that hold the tabs. i did on my door panels. i always break some tab or support then have to freakin spend even more time fixing them.

another perspective...if cash is not sooo much an issue, i would find a good shop and have them do it. support local businesses. they've been hit hard by rona.

 

Sensei - stereo cost $600. Install fee including parts, labor and taxes was $796. Total was $1396.