Hi All. Have a 2008 mazda 5 GT (Canada). Thinking about replacing the stereo with a standard size single DIN CD player. Will put in a new fascia with a double din and a cubby. My question is, where can I find a good replacement fascia that will look like it came from Mazda, and not some cheap-looking aftermarket knock-off? Should I just buy one from Mazda or would it be a fortune?

Also!

1.) Any idea about retaining the steering wheel controls
2.) Any way to utilize the stereo section of the display? Would hate to see that just go blank forever...

Thanks.

 

I've done a lot of stereos over the years and while I haven't down one specifically for the Mazda5, I can tell you that all the bezels out there are cheap Chinese knock-offs, and look it. The only way to make a bezel not look like a cheap Chinese knock-off is to refinish it yourself with decent paint.

Because there are so many cars nowadays with steering-wheel controls, and because each manufacturer implements them differently, it will be almost impossible to retain the functionality of your factory steering wheel controls with an OEM head unit.

EDIT: I stand corrected about the steering-wheel controls; Metra Axxess ASWC can do it. and it was this very thread that prompted me to even think about replacing my stock setup with an aftermarket unit.

Forget about using the stereo section of the display anymore with anything other than a Mazda head unit.

Sorry. Wish I had better news.

 

I have since spoken with a couple shops:

1.) Yes, options for the fascia are very limited. BOOO. Oh well.
2.) Yes, the display will be lost forever. (maybe a product opportunity there for some entrepreneur)
3.) Steering wheel controls CAN be maintained BUT there is a catch. Not only will it cost $100+, they can NOT maintain the bluetooth button. Have spoke to three shops and all say it is impossible, so either their are all idiots (certainly possible) or keeping the bluetooth button functional is actually impossible.


The biggest bummer is the fascia though. You'd think you could buy a better one.

 

Get the adaptor for steering wheel control and the bracket from Crutchfield. They carry only the highest quality aftermarket accessories for a aftermarket radios. I just bought new speakers and went with non 5x7's up front and it came with Scosche brackets which were made in USA.

 

No. Your shop is 100% dead wrong, staffed by nose-picking neanderthals.

Here, I'm gonna share my Amazon "car stereo wish list" with you. This is everything you'll need to not only have a cool stereo, but also retain the use of your factory steering wheel controls as well--even the Bluetooth buttons.

Amazon.com: Gregory W Pius: Car Stereo Wish List

The Metra Axxess ASWC is the bridge between your car's steering-wheel controls and the head unit. All the major functions are covered in the installation instructions.

I'm planning to install the JVC KW-XR810 head unit, because it's got a decent amount of power out of the box, Bluetooth (both hands-free phone calls and A2DP for streaming music), steering-wheel input, and--most of all--because it's the head unit with the most functionality that looks the least goofy. All the other non-navigation double-DIN units were obviously designed to appeal to twelve-year-olds.

With the hundreds of square miles of dashboard on the 5, you really need a double-DIN unit to most efficiently use the space. I've seen a few Mazda5s out there with single-DIN head units in them and it just looks strange. Besides, the buttons on a double-DIN unit are much, much bigger and easier to operate. The JVC KW-XR810 has the singular distinction of being able to match the backlight color to your car's interior panel lights as well. Way cool. It's probably the best non-navi head unit you can get for the Mazda5.

 

Awesome, thx for sharing that module for the steering wheel controls! These idiots telling me its impossible....

I just wish one could buy a dash kit that matches the stock deck. I hear you cant even get it from Mazda as it only comes with the entire $3500 stereo ... RIP OFF.

Maybe I can find one from an auto wrecker...

 

Well I did it. The stereo is fully installed and working great.

I ended up going with a Kenwood KDC BT848U
Kenwood - KDC-BT848U

Plus added Sirius (in dash).

PROS:

1.) Stereo sounds great.

2.) Stereo looks great, sleek looking unit that is a bit confusing at first, but is pretty easy to use.

3.) Has all the functions I needed (including the full ipod control via front USB & MP3 Playback / Bluetooth / Sirius capability / AUX input).

CONS:

1.) The aftermarket dash kit/fascia replacement looks and feels cheap, and is not a perfect fit, and the silver doesn't match with the rest of the dash. I wish there was an alternative, or wish I had the skills to cannibalize the stock plate and make it look good, or even paint it properly.

2.) The instructions from Crutchfield were wrong. There were at least 4 screws they didn't tell me about, and two clips I didn't know about. Luckily I didn't break anything and eventually found the hidden screws.

3.) I didn't realize at first, but this install results in the loss of the beeps from the heater controls. At first I thought they were broken! But controls still work properly.

4.) Had to run an aftermarket mic for the bluetooth, as I was unsure how to utilize the stock mic or if it was even possible.


Install Notes:

Shop wanted 2.5 hours.
I did everything myself (with no experience) in just over 2 hours!

Shop wanted $79 for installation of the Sirius antenna!!!
I did it myself in literally 10 minutes!! (and yes the wires are perfectly hidden)

Shop wanted 1 hr 45 min for install of deck.
I did the entire thing in 2 hours with NO experience. This included soldering the stereo wires to the wiring harness which took me over an hour due to my horrible soldering skills, but with some patience and heat shrink tubing the job looks perfect and professional. Install of the actual deck into the car took me just under an hour.

Shop wanted $99 for the plastic dash fascia. I bought mine from Crutchfield.ca for $34.99 with free shipping.

All in all, when the dust settled, doing the install myself saved me about $250 and a little over 2 hours of my life. Not bad if I do say so myself )

 

Hey, that's great! See? Installing a car stereo isn't really as hard as all that. People pay untold zillions of dollars for something that, if they just opened their minds a little, they could easily do themselves. I've been doing my own 12-volt work for years and years. I even did it professionally for Circuit City while I was in college.

What a coincidence--I also installed my JVC KW-XR810 last night, after I got finished soldering up the harness:


I much prefer the double-DIN look of the JVC; of all the double-DIN units I've seen, this was the only one that had a full LCD display, as opposed to the 14-segment "pinball-machine" bologna. It also helps that this is the only aftermarket unit that looks anything at all like the stock unit it replaced. You can't tell by the pictures, but when you see it in person, the colors match up beautifully. And it even came with a mic for the Bluetooth, which I installed on the dome light fixture fore of the sunroof (though, in truth, both my callers and I much prefer my Plantronics Pro+ headset to the stereo; I wanted the Bluetooth strictly for A2DP music).

Mad props to the folks at Metra for the harness; however, like you, I'm pretty disappointed with the cheap-@$$ quality of the Soche bezel and mount. But, whaddaya expect for $30? I didn't really want to chop up my factory bezel, though, because I want to sell the unit to offset the cost of some of this stuff.

Overall, I'm HUGELY impressed with the JVC. It does every single thing I wanted it to do and then some. It's better, frankly, than the stock stereo on my Mazda3.

---

Gregory Pius
Wellington (like the beef), Florida, USA
2007 Mazda5

 

I like the 1-din because you get a storage pocket under the radio and the Mazda5 does not have much storage room in the front.

Just wanted to say that with the front-facing USBs, if you haven't already load up a flash drive with .mp3s and plug it in. In my car I'm listening to music or podcasts off of a flash drive probably 95% of the time I'm in the car.

 

Sorry to rekindle an old thread but I just bought a 2012 m5 gt and the stereo is one of the first things I noticed as a shortcoming.

Just asking but has anyone considered adding an amp and upgrading the speakers to improve the sound quality instead of replacing the head unit? I'm not trying to create bang olufsen quality but juicing the power should help a bit - eh? I fear this wouldn't work since no one has mentioned it (to my discovery).

BTW this is a replacement for my wife's 2001 MPV. She loves it.