Buying and getting installed a stereo from Halfords.

uncle_sam_ie

Would you recommend them?
I bought a 2003 Corolla and want to upgrade the
dated factory stereo so I have hands free calling and can stream music from my android phone.
Thanks

tcawley29

I've bought two stereos off them so far with no issues.
As regards installation I did that myself. Only experience I have is when they installed my fathers hands free kit they caught a cable in a trim clip and damaged the black insulation on it but everything did still work fine.

Tigerandahalf

Do their stereos read out text messages and emails?

tcawley29

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Do their stereos read out text messages and emails?

What I bought didn't but surely they should have something like this. Speak to them in your local would be the best advice here.

JohnBoy26

It isn't difficult to fit a head unit to one of those. The most difficult part will be running the cable from the mic to the back of the head unit and even that is pretty straightfoward.

You will need to buy a fascia adaptor and a harness adapter in order to fit the head unit. If your car is a luna model with the steering controls you will also need another lead but only if you want to retain controls. If you don't it isn't necessary.

The original head unit is bolted in so you will need to remove the center console fascia and the heater control fascia to get to the bolts.

tcawley29

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

It isn't difficult to fit a head unit to one of those. The most difficult part will be running the cable from the mic to the back of the head unit and even that is pretty straightfoward.

You will need to buy a fascia adaptor and a harness adapter in order to fit the head unit. If your car is a luna model with the steering controls you will also need another lead but only if you want to retain controls. If you don't it isn't necessary.

The original head unit is bolted in so you will need to remove the center console fascia and the heater control fascia to get to the bolts.

There is one bolt in the bottom middle section that can be difficult but as JohnBoy26 has said its fairly straight forward. You can attach the microphone to the liner where the rear view mirror is, tuck that cable in the liner towards the drivers side pillar, you can pull this off, run the cable down and use some wire to get it under the dash to where the head unit will be.
As JohnBoy26 said its an easy enough job overall.

Tigerandahalf

My car has a hands free kit installed but it was for a nokia phone of some sort. There is a microphone attached ready to use.

Is there any way I could get a unit attached to this that would allow bluetooth, texts and emails to be read out. I have volume controls on the steering wheel but no bluetooth.

Thanks

colm_mcm

There is a Corolla e12 Android headunit available, think it’s around €400 though. Looks very neat.

Mikenesson

I've looking at getting an independent installer

Halfords haven't a great rep on the installation side of things

colm_mcm

They can’t really get an old Corolla wrong, the main thing you’d worry about is scratching plastic panels, which isn’t easily done on an old Toyota.

EPAndlee

You'd want a head unit with android on it. I have a double din facsia for an e12 if you need one

Tigerandahalf

Would it cost much to put in the stereo plus the rear view camera kit?

The rear reversing sensors seem to have stopped working on mine though it does first make a noise when reverse gear is engaged.

uncle_sam_ie

I think the previous owner had a hands free kit but took it out and left the mic . Is this a microphone? The driver side speaker also doesn't work. Hopefully that wont be an issue.
I had an Auto electrician quote me a price of 240 euro for a stereo unit and fitting. The same unit was 120 euros at Halfords. So 120 euro for fitting it.

EPAndlee

To be honest you'd fit the stereo yourself in an hour, it's pretty easy to do

I’ve had 2 fitted over the last few years, one was in a 09 golf (head unit & subwoofer) guy did a great job, 2nd was touchscreen Jonnie in a VW up and the sub from the golf ( nearly filled the whole boot 😊) sound was great but he had a lot of trouble fitting the head unit, very little room for wires at the back. So took him almost 4hrs. But sound was great. I would use them again.

colm_mcm

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

I think the previous owner had a hands free kit but took it out and left the mic . Is this a microphone? The driver side speaker also doesn't work. Hopefully that wont be an issue.
I had an Auto electrician quote me a price of 240 euro for a stereo unit and fitting. The same unit was 120 euros at Halfords. So 120 euro for fitting it.

That looks like a microphone from an old Nokia car kit.

tcawley29

colm_mcm wrote: »

That looks like a microphone from an old Nokia car kit.

Possibly a ck-7w kit by the looks of it.

They were good back then but not the best now.

uncle_sam_ie

I had the Auto electrician install the stereo in the end. Yeah, he said the mic was from an old Nokia car kit. He didn't use it though. He used the one that came with the JVC.

tcawley29

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

I had the Auto electrician install the stereo in the end. Yeah, he said the mic was from an old Nokia car kit. He didn't use it though. He used the one that came with the JVC.

Better off that he didn't to be honest. The newer mic would have been better quality