nachocowboy

I just ordered one.. got it for $1499.06 with shipping from www.6ave.com. They are distributors for Pioneer, so no warranty worries...

Evidently there is no wiring harness available to tap into the stock wiring, but really you only need to get power and lighting from the factory harness, and could use quick connectors so you don't have to cut factory wires. I am changing everything, getting rid of factory speakers, amp, etc and putting a whole system in. Have to run wires to the door speakers, but I have been doing this for years so it shouldn't be much of a problem. Looking forward to getting rid of Doctor Bose, that's for sure.

I will post pics when the install is complete.

0corvette pilot

I just installed mine yesterday. There is a harness, the GMCO from peripheral and it allows you to keep the chime function, I highly recommend it. For the dash kit, I used peripherals BKGMK382 dash kit, from www.discountcarstereo.com Its got a texture to it, but the color is the same as the rest of the controls.

I kept the stock, non-bose, speakers and amps for now, but the harness also has preamp outs. Non-bose, you cut them off and wire into the line level of the new HU, bose, you would leave them on.

For the illumination wire, I at first used the gray/black wire off the Traction Control button, like posted elsewhere on this avic411.com, but for me, that low voltage connection wouldn't trigger ducati boy's flasher, so I ran a wire back to the wiring harness going to the tail lights and put it on the tail light circuit.

Wired in right before the wiring harness goes through the back to the bumper area, reverse light to light green wire, illumination to a kind of grayish brown wire.

VSS wire, at the ecu, as per the above CF link.


The only current issues are the poor bluetooth mic, which I plan on replacing with a directional one, per the forums advice, and the static when pushing buttons. I will look for a new ground, other than the harness, but its kind of tough on a plastic car!
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ducati boy's flasher - on www.avic411.com there is a member, ducati boy that sells a unit that goes inline with the illumination wire. It simulates turning on and off the headlights 3 times at startup which is a hack to allow full fuctionality while moving. It only works on units with a build date of June 06 and earlier. On the July and later ones, there is a different, much easier and free workaround. Check out the avic forum for more info.

0corvette pilot

reviewing the thread, looks like a little confusion, the chime unit is the wiring harness also.

Blackssr

No Factory Warranty. Internet retails are tough to deal with if not factory authorized. Be careful.

nachocowboy

Corvette Pilot, you're right, I wasn't thinking too clearly this morning, I ordered the Metra harness that keeps the chime, etc... and of course the mounting kit. Now, all I really need to know is speaker sizes for the doors and rear in a vert. I think 3 1/2 for the small door speaker is right, but what is the largest size to replace the larger speaker ? Also, are the rear speaker locations able to accept a 5 1/2 ? Any suggestions out there for good sound quality speakers to use ? I do not plan to use the center channel speaker anyhow, so that's irrelevant. Thanks !

nachocowboy

CP, btw, how difficult is it to pull the center console apart to get the factory radio out ? Never did an install on a Vette, so I want to be extra careful... I think pulling the door panels off will be easy to replace the speakers, I mean, how much can there be holding them on anyhow ? Other than wincing when I make a tug on the panels and hoping none of the plastic pins crack...

0corvette pilot

Can't help you on the speaker info, as I am stock for now, but the center console is fairly easy, except for getting the traction control button unplugged. You need to pull out on the tab to unhook it, but where its located is very hard to see, I wound up pulling the switch apart instead of unhooking it and broke it. Fortunately, a new switch is only about $10 from Fred Beans. Here is a close up of it, although the top part of mine is broken off. For the rest of the info on removing it, there is an excellent thread here on the forum with a step by step.

nachocowboy

Much appreciated info !

wratran

i replace the HU and kept the factory amps and speakers. I soldered 2 pair of RCA input into the wire harness. then plug in the avic.

V Vette

Anyone install this on there own? (or a similar unit)?? Thanks

nachocowboy

I will be doing this probably next week, or the week after, depending on when the equipment gets here... I am ripping it all out, starting from scratch, the Bose system just plain sucks in the Vette compared to the Bose system in my 07 Denali - that system is just amazing...

V Vette

Thanks..Please take picts/notes..

Johnny Blaze

Has anyone used Alpines latest nav to compare it to the Pioneer?? I have Alpine's latest one in my Escalade now and I love it, just wondering if the Pioneer would be better or if I should just pull the Alpine and have it put in the C6 when I trade the truck in.

0corvette pilot

I did friday, its fairly easy if you have ever installed a stereo before. Just a couple extra wires, but no big deal.

This is a thread on an eclipse unit with excellent documentation in it that will be real helpful with whatever HU you choose.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...23&forum_id=20