Done a few things to the Cupra this weekend! (with pics!)

[SeanyK]

Hey folks! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

I decided to do a few things to the Cupra this weekend!

I started by fitting my new head unit, I went for the Alpine CDE-103BT, as it has the iPod connection from the rear so I could thread it into the glovebox, and the bluetooth functionality with the external microphone.
I also, bought the Connects2 adaptor, so I can use my OE steering wheel controls with this head unit.

It's easy to do, but the hardest part is getting all those wires back in so you can put the radio back in flush!

Here you can see it fitted;

Here is where I wired the iPod into, for those without glovebox lights, it's very easy, just undo the rear of the glovebox panel (few screws front and back) wire through the hole where the light would go, put back, job done! Hidden wire to your glovebox for your iPod.

I then wired the Bluetooth microphone from the head unit, behind the front dash undo panel under steering wheel, thread mic wire through to fusebox on the right hand side, then up through the A-Pillar. Completely hidden all the way, and very easy to do;

I then added the chrome vent surrounds and gear surrounds and fitted my new Cupra gearknob! I do have a facelift Cupra, but mine had the big silver gearknob without the flag, and im very picky! Ha ha!
Gear knob is easy to do, push the front plastic part around the gaitor forward, pull up, undo gear knob clip, pull upwards, put new gear knob on, push down, tighten with a small jubilee clip, fit chrome parts for the gear gaitor by undoing the plastic ones from the existing gaitor, and attach (very easy and self explanatory when you see them).

The vent surrounds are easy to do, don't pay a dealer to do it, get yourself some speaker wire and bend it through the vents to a U-Shape (put one end in the top part, use a nail file to pull the other part through the bottom vent) and pull them out, attach the chrome rings, put back, job done.

I then fitted my stealth shelf, and wired up new 6x9's, I went for JBL's.

Very easy to remove rear speaker panels, be slow with them, I bought some VW speaker connectors, that plug into the existing speaker connections with spades on the other end, I then soldered extra cable on the ends, wired them both to the rear left (when looking in boot) of the car, and wired a connector on the end - this way it's neater as you don't have wires either end dangling down, and it's easy to remove if you need to be fitting stuff in the boot.

I then soldered the speaker wire to the speakers, attached to the shelf, neatened up the wires, added the connector on the other end and voila;

Really pleased with the stereo - works fine with the iPhone 3GS over bluetooth! And sounds much better now with the rear speakers improved.
The front speakers on these cars are actually alright!!!

 

[Daniel1431]

Nice stuff. I want to get the chrome surrounds for my car too. They are a bugger to get off arn't they?
My car is very Bassy with the original speakers fitted by seat. Hear the car coming up the road haha

 

[st10587]

where was the stealth shelf from?

 

[SeanyK]

Daniel > Really easy to get off mate, use my method of using a small bit (about 30cm) of some decent speaker cable, it's thicker than cable ties, and you can remove them easier like this.

St> I got it from Auto Acoustics mate.

 

[Poochy]

Nicely done, very neat.

Am i right to assume, with the standard cd player and the aux hole (by the handbrake), I assume you plug that wire (you have in your pic) into there and into the i-pod?

 

[SeanyK]

Hi mate - with this no, as the Alpine head unit I bought has an iPod connector from the rear of the unit, so I wired it behind the dash and into the glovebox so not using the Aux connector - this way you have full control of the iPod, and it also charges it.

If you had your standard cd player, and used the aux in by the handbrake, you'd just need a aux cable (£2) to plug your iPod into, although remember, using aux in like that, you get no control over your iPod at all.

 

[Poochy]

Sorry about this, don't want to derail your opening post - but no control of the ipod? so once its plugged it, it'll just play through all my songs? - without being able to skip or choose a playlist? - or do you mean, i would have to control it using the ipod rather than the cd player?

 

[SeanyK]

Yeah, if you use Aux-In, it has no functionality other than to play the iPod through the stereo. You'll have to do it all yourself on the iPod. No skipping, no choosing can be done on the original stereo etc.

Thats why an aftermarket iPod headunit is much better

 

[BKR]

looking good dude

did you put the shelf in upside down on purpose?

 

[Cal91]

I was gonna say that too.
Your single din tray is upside down

 

[SeanyK]

Hey The single din tray is upside down as I couldn't get it to go in the other way round lol, as it's usually meant to be below the radio - but I prefer the radio above the heater controls with no gap.

As for the shelf - not sure what you mean by upside down? Do you mean the way the wires should be going the other way? As I know I mounted the speakers round differently but I did that knowing of it.

 

[Pabs]

I started by fitting my new head unit, I went for the Alpine CDE-103BT, as it has the iPod connection from the rear so I could thread it into the gearbox, and the bluetooth functionality with the external microphone.

I hope you didn't wire the HU to the gearbox... lol

 

[SeanyK]

LOL! Oops I meant glovebox