Move Head Unit/ Stereo Higher

[jassi 1 1 Cars]

Hey Guys

 

I'm finding using the stereo whilst driving a right pitta as I have to lean forward and down. Have any of you guys found a way around this?

 

I was thinking of moving the stereo higher up to where the heater controls are or find some sort of housing to fix it to the top the dash but not sure if this is possible?

 

Thx

Jas

Edited October 21, 2015 by jassi

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Yes it's a pain.

 

Easiest option, buy a head unit with a remote control

[steve@cornwall 100]

Simple but effective . Always one of my pet hates of the 205

Used head unit and remote radio/ volume controller from 306 and remote clarion CD changer. (Plugs into aerial so useable with any head unit) OK for background music Tec but hardly hi fi !

Edited October 21, 2015 by steve@cornwall

[GLPoomobile 958]

The first head unit I ever had in my first car was a Sony one that came with a wired "joystick" style remote. I really loved that solution, though it was a hassle finding a suitable place to mount it. No idea if you can still get ones like that but I always thought that from a usability perspective it was so much nicer than the "credit card" type remotes that so many stereos came with.

 

Personally, if I was doing it from scratch I'd choose a headunit with iPod/MP3 compatibility and run tunes from a touch screen device - phone/tablet/whatever - mounted up high. Always choose a bloody good mount though, I really hate cheap flimsy ones that let the device wobble and vibrate. You may not be able to control volume directly though, so in that case I'd try and choose a headunit with a simple layout where volume can be adjusted easily (rotary knob would be good rather than small buttons). Doesn't remove then need to lean forward and reach down, but as a compromise if you can do it without looking (muscle memory if you like) then that's better.

 

If you don't want to replace your existing hardware then relocating it is going to be a bit of work. On top of the dash will require complete customisation and would probably look a bit naff. In theory, you should be able to fit a headunit in the top air vents, but then you are obviously loosing them, and you will probably need to remove the dash to do the work. You can fit a headunit in to the cubby hole under the steering wheel, which makes it nice and discreet and less of a stretch to get to, but still party relying on feel to operate as it's less easy to see while driving.

 

Oh, another option just sprang to mind......pretty sure I've seen some devices in recent years that are very compact and can be remote mounted. Rather than a single/doube DIN traditional unit sized for CDs and using a big internal amp, I think they are intended to take an MP3 input and rely on a separate external amp. Something to look in to.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

I had that wired Sony joystick in my 205 back in 2000!

[TAG 25 1 Cars]

Halfords do a cheap and cheerful Sony unit for around £50. Just USB and AUX in, so no messing about with cd cases flying everywhere. Comes with a remote, which is handy to keep in the door pocket (especially when you've got harnesses!)

[jackherer 543]

Year ago someone on here took a face off head unit and soldered a long ribbon cable to the connector on the back of the faceplate then onto the corresponding pins on the front of the head unit. Then they put the faceplate on the sunvisor IIRC although you can then put it anywhere, the faceplate and the headunit itself can be in totally different locations.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

I had that wired Sony joystick in my 205 back in 2000!

 

I then had an infra red remote control that I used once!

[scbond 15 1 Cars]

Nowhere you can move the stereo to in the dash. Heater box is in the way of most of it.

 

Personally, even though the position is a pain, I see it as a quirky 80s design more than anything and quite like where it is. Then again, I have a Sony unit with built-in iPod and a remote.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

You could move the head unit into the cubby hole to the right of the steering column I would think quite easily (I have never done so). It would then be a little bit nearer to hand I guess. But I have to say I have never really struggled too much with the standard location.

[jassi 1 1 Cars]

Think I have a plan

 

The previous owner put a HU in and then wired it up to an amp to run 6x9's fitted to a really heavy reinforced parcel shelf and a sub in the boot taking the soundstage to the back of the car. I removed all that lot and have been running some coax's from the head unit. The car feels like its gained a few bhp having lost a few kg. So I'm thinking of ditching the head unit all together and running an iPod to RCA cable to a lightweight amp to run some comps and an under seat shallow sub.