Installed a new radio yesterday

[janitz]

Finally got all the parts needed to get this installed, actually purchased the radio on the 1st from the local Best Buy, but they didn't have any of the kits required to wire it and fit the dash so I had to order those online.

The unit I purchased is a Sony DSX-S300BTX, which has a neat feature of an interior bay for iPod/usb docking rather than an antiquated CD drive.

Getting installed was, as others have experienced, somewhat troublesome with the cables and lack of room behind the unit. What I found was not removing the entire top part of the center dash, instead I unscrewed the bottom of the center dash where the hazard light, rear defogger, and heated seat switches are located. There is an abundant amount of room under here and even with my large hands I had no issue reaching in and pulling the cables through. Other than that one modification to the process I followed fairly closely the instructions found in this thread for installing an aftermarket stereo: How to install an aftermaket stereo

Then I found out one annoying thing with this unit and the shape of the beetle's dash. The interior bay is accessed by the front plate opening downwards. However the controls on the front feature large multifunction knob (push, up/down/l/r, turns). When the bay opens, the knob hits the trim kit and doesn't allow it to open all the way.

So I had to do a hack job and cut the trim there to allow it to install and work properly.

I would say that for anyone who wants looks/form over the function this unit would not be ideal. It's great to be able to install the iPod inside, but getting it in and out would not be easy without cutting the trim (you'd have to be constantly pulling the front off its hinges and I can't imagine it would survive long doing so).