I have a 06 Z with factory Bose and steering controls. I'm about to buy all the things and just want you guys to check if I'm missing anything. I have read many threads and came up with this list. I already have a Garmin GPS so that's why I choose the HU w/o it. Let me know what you guys think.

Kenwood DDX514 2-DIN DVD Receiver $328
Kenwood KCA-BT200 Bluetooth $108.59
Audiovox ACA200W Wired Back-Up Camera $63.21
PAC ROEMNIS2 Factory Premium Sound Interface $33.74
Kenwood KCA-iP300V iPod Video Direct Cable $24.98
SWI-JACK Steering Wheel Control Interface $47.00
METRA Radio Installation Kit 99-7602 $12.72

Total $618.24 + shipping.

 

Nice start but where's the build. One step at a time but your not gonna get any real sq until you ditch that bose and replace it with components, sub and a couple amps.

 

I just replaced the stock head unit (I have a '08 Base) with the Kenwood DDX514. Its a nice unit, Ipod directly conncted, and plays DVD's as well. I too use a portable Garmin which is installed in my cubby above, and I am considering the optional Kenwood Nav unit and free up my cubby. I'll put the portable Garmin in my wife's car. I didn't upgrade speakers yet and their next on the list and possibly a pair of amps and sub. Probably not going the usual route of putting subs under rear brace, and thinking of putting one sub in one of the rear corners. Good luck with your build.

 

I don't see a nissan radio harness in that list :O

 

Thanks. I meant to say setup. I want to see how good the Bose speakers are and then see if I want to change them out later.

How did you get your Garman into your cubby? All the DIYs I read are for 03-05 cubby. I tried it in my car but I can't close the cubby door if I do that so I just hardwired it on the windshield. If you were to buy the HU again would you choose DNX5140 or DDX514 with the Nav unit?

Any suggestion? I just searched a bit and Metra 70-7550 Radio Wiring Harness seems to work and is pretty cheap, too. Is there a better one or is this fine?

 

I have a couple other questions for you guys. With these setup, would I be able to use the steering controls for my iPhone? Another one is how good does the bluetooth work with iPhone? Pros and cons maybe? I ask because my roommate has an Audi A5 with a really good bluetooth system and if the Kenwood one is crappy I'd rather not have it than being laugh at.

 

I just found out that factory Bose needs Metra 70-7551 instead of 70-7550 so I will be using this. Does the list seem complete or do I need to change anything for all of them to work? Thanks.

 

looks good to me. I just wanted to remind you about the radio harness because i didn't see it on the list. Any will do really, and yes since you have bose you need that special one. I'm not 100% sure about iphone compatibility with steering wheel controls... I would guess if the kenwood supports it with the the cable then it should support the steering wheel controls.

 

I am a little confused now...

https://my350z.com/forum/6404134-post10.html
In this post it seems like I need both Pac ROEM Nis-2 and the Metra 70-7551 just like you said.

https://my350z.com/forum/5631784-post1.html
However, in this post this guy didn't get the Metra radio harness and the HU still seems to work perfectly.

So, I guess my question is what exactly does the Metra radio harness do? Do I really need it? I know it's only $8.99 and wouldn't hurt if I buy it and end up not using it but I just want to know what I'll be doing before I actually do it. Thanks for the help.

 

As far as mounting a portable garmin nuvi in the cubby, see this link:
http://www.*********.com/zwiki/Garmi...350Z_cubbyhole
You need the smaller mounting cup which you can locate at any shops selling portable's.
As far as doing it all over again, I would still buy the the DDX514 along with the optional Nav unit. Much cheaper than going with the DNX5140. At least that's what I have found searching for all the different pieces. Shop around, you may find the DNX cheaper than the seperates.

 

I have the same question.. What exactly do we need to connect aftermarket head unit to factory bose system?
And do we need this (http://cgi.ebay.com/Nissan-350Z-2004...item518c1c18cc) radio antenna adapter too?

 

Your link doesn't work for me somehow but I found it here in case someone needs it.
http://www.bunkerhollow.com/blogs/ma...ssan-350z.aspx
It also shows the size differences between the mount that came with the Garmin and the smaller one that works in our cubby.
For the price I realized it's probably cheaper to have the DDX514 and the Nav unit but I guess if we have enough room for the Nav unit to fit inside the center console it wouldn't be a bad idea to save a little money.

I was also thinking about the antenna adaptor but I don't see people using them in other threads so I didn't look into it much. But since you brought it up I'd also like to know the answer if someone has experience with it.

 

I just went to Best Buy installation center and asked the technicians a couple questions. They told me that I would only need either PAC ROEM-NIS2 or Metra 70-7551 but not both and they recommend the first better since it has the ***** to asjust the sound I want. They also said I will need the antenna adapter. All the steering controls should work correctly and are able to control iPod/iPhone just like normal. Multi languages part they couldn't find it so I'll call Kenwood and find that out later. Does anyone disagree with their opinions at all or have other suggestions?

 

Oh and BTW they want $350 + tax to install everything which I think is ridiculous...so I'll probably do it on my own. Anyone has DIY on how to take all the parts off in order to wire the back-up camera?

 

I have an 06 with Bose too and I, too, was going to go the route that you are planning on going - keep the bose speakers/amp and just change the HU. Well after hearing some of my friends' cars, I finally understood just how horrible the Bose speakers are in the Z's. Heck, I put a 100 dollar head unit into my girlfriend's 97 civic (keeping the stock speakers), and her speakers now blow away my "premium" Bose speakers in my car!

That said, I *highly* recommend you see if you can listen to some cars with upgraded speakers and see what you think. It's really not as expensive as you think to upgrade to better speakers. If money is an issues (which I assume it is), then you can get a set of cheap (but efficient) coaxial 6.5" speakers for your front doors and run them off your head unit power (you could also get a rear pair, but they aren't necessary), and then buy yourself an Infinity Basslink used and put that behind your drivers seat where the stock Bose "subwoofer" is. Shouldn't cost more than 300 dollars total, and the sound will be 100000 times better than the Bose.

Just my 2 cents. I'm also going to put my Garmin 760 in my cubby as well.

 

Thanks for the advice. I am probably going to do all the work myself and step by step is good for me so if I mess it up I know what's wrong. I know what you're saying about the upgraded speakers since my father owns a couple cars that have some crazy systems in them. Money is not that much of a problem so I just need to find some time to look into them and as I learn more about it I will start putting stuff together. I want to move my Garmin into the cubby but then I would also like to leave the iPod cord in it. Any ideas on what to do? Thanks.

 

I haven't installed my system yet, but I think I'm going to run the ipod cord to the center console (the one with the flip up lid under your elbow) and just keep my ipod in there. Since the head unit controls it anyway, you won't need to have access to it. I don't think that there will be enough room in the cubby for the ipod and gps. Since my GPS has a pretty big cigarette lighter cord on it (it has the traffic receiver for the GPS built into the lighter adapter), I'm going to get one of those cheap extension cords and then try to tuck all the wiring up under the dash, then cut a hole in the cubby to run the GPS power cord through. Should be a pretty clean installation once it's all said and done. Good luck!

 

That's actually a pretty good idea. I will see if I can find a DIY to take of that lower console you mentioned.

 

yeah, shouldn't be too hard I don't think, granted I haven't done mine yet. When you do your install you should take lots of pics along the way and post your progress. I'm sure lots of us (me included!) would appreciate a "tutorial"! I haven't seen any tutorials on here for running a rear view camera, so I'm sure lots of people would appreciate that too. Good luck, let us know if we can help!

 

OOps my mistake... You had it right all along... I'm a noob when it comes to Bose systems... The PAC is all you need as it is the Radio Harness and will keep your OEM Bose amps working properly. Not sure if you need an antenna adapter though. Mine (non-bose) was able to plug into the new headunit directly.