replacing my old kenwood with a new kenwood

[ghosstryda]

i was wondering if keeping the same brand would save me from having to deal with wiring nightmares... are old kenwood connectors the same as the current? my old unit model number is kdc mp235 and im thinking of maybe getting something from kenwood that came out within the past couple of years...

 

[steelblueSE]

dude wiring harnesses are $10 at walmart, stop being a cheapa$$

 

[dlphnfn]

I went from an older Alpine to a new Kenwood last year (or the year before) and I didn't have to buy a new harness. But.... as said, they're only 10 bones...
Erick --

 

[ghosstryda]

you guys are missing my point. its not the $10 i'm trying to save.... re-read my post before you call me a cheap as$.... its the headache of the WIRING NIGHTMARE that i'm trying to avoid. not gonna buy something and do it myself, mess it up and pay more to have a pro to fix it... if i knew how to wire AV i would done it already instead of asking ....

 

[dennyb]

what wiring nightmare? If you have original plugs still behind the radio you have now (current radio plugged into adapters). Just connect the harness on the new radio to the adapters from the old one. I wired the radio I gave my brother for his mazda mpv in the backyard on a chair. I just removed the adapter from his old radio and connected the wires to the new radios harness. I did go cheap and twist them together and taped well with electric tape. I gave him the radio and it was a minivan.
The adapters are even color coded to standard like the radio harness is. Just match colors of wire for the most part.

 

[WoodChuck]

If you're talking about matching up and connecting the wires to the harness, you're probably going to have to deal with that regardless of brand. Most aftermarket stereos just have wires hanging out. I just installed a new Kenwood in the wife's Jeep and that's how it was. You'll likely either have to remove the old harness and connect it on the new head, or buy a new harness. personally, I wouldn't count on the wire colors remaining exaclty the same over time either.