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I've noticed there have been alot of posts about the stereo removal in the New Body style Spectras. After just completing mine, I figured I would share with everyone. The center belzel pops off fairly easy when using a small thin flat tipped screw driver. There is about 6 retaining clips, 3 on each side. You should cover the screw driver in a rag or something to avoid marking up your dash panel. Once that is off, you'll need to unhook the plugs for the HVAC controls and the hazard flashers. The radio then just pops out with 4 screws.
The only problem I had is, at the time of me writing this, I could not find a dash kit for the new body style Spectra. Crutchfield said that the old body style kit should work... well it doesn't. The screw holes where the radio mounts into the dash panel are farther apart then they are on the old body style spectra. Also, on the new body style, the radio has a support arm to hold the radio up in the back. I managed to make the kit they sent me work, although there is a half inch gap in my dash because I had to sit the radio so far back. I drilled a couple screw holes in the kit to make it work for now. Crutchfield told me that they would send me the new kit once they get it in, so hopefully they keep to what they say. Never the less, I am MUCH happier with a aftermarket radio over that Piece of S*!T stock stereo!! My stock radio never picked up any FM radio stations, and it always seemed like it would skip when playing CD's, even if the scratch or mark on the CD was very tiny.
Quick question.... which stock Spectra stereo did you get in your car?
So far I've identified 3 different units.
I've got the original narrow faced unit that came in the 2004.5 Spectra sedans. It actually has 2 cubby slots directly below it.
The Spectra5's come with a unit that is so tall that both cubby slots are given up.
The 2005 Spectra sedan radio appears to be an in-between sized unit where only the cubby directly below my narrow unit is sacrificed.
The reason I ask this is because my stock unit (the narrow one) has performed really well for me! I'm not a total "stereo-freak", but I enjoy good sounding "tunes" in my car, and so far I'm happy with this unit and the 6 stock speakers.
I think you can mark down a 4th variant for the included factory stereos. I've included a pic for reference. This is out of a brand new Spectra5 in Canada. It's a CD/MP3 player, has a super-strong FM tuner (I can pick up stations with it from further away than I have with any othe radio!). My only problems with it are:
1) It's ugly as hell and does the dash no justice
2) It skips a lot
3) Did I mention it's ugly as hell?
So, I'm replacing it tomorrow with a new Sony CDX-M8815X which should juice up the look of the dash a little. :-) On Tuesday I'm having the grille replaced (with a nice mesh one), the rear spoiler put on, and my Motorola Bluetooth phone kit into it. I'll take pics once it's done for you to all soo, but for now I included one of what it looks like now.
Do me a huge favor. Let me know what model number that new kit for the 2005 Spectra (new body style) is. I had the same problem. Metra had the kit model number 99-1008 that stated would work for the 2004 and 2005 Spectras but it didn't either. I would greatly appreciate it. I really want an aftermarket stereo in my Kia Spectra. Many thanks!
hey guys! i have a 2005 spectra5 with the single dinn mp3 cd player, but im also wanting to change mine., i have a jvc mp3 deck that slso plays wma, so id really prefer that then stock, also my jvc has silver trim which matches the dash in ther car very nicely! i know - not important but i find it quite appealing! any way, if someone has a link or some photos or an email they can send of their deck swap so i dont wreck anything when i do mine! also because its single dinn, do i need a hardware kit to install or will it fit? i know i need a wiring harness (which are also hard to find - most shiops dont have parts for 05's. but i heard a hyundai harness might work)
any help would be awsome!
marcel
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