The Real Traffic Pro... Pimp my ride Pt2 (long.)

[Hipendicular M]

Well for those of you that remember (or who care) I put in a 6.5" Kenwood dual din unit in my car. I know, I know, what about the gauges. Well, I was thinking about pillar mount but I don't want to pretend that I have FI, so I know have no idea what my oil temp is. I could care less about the volts and missing my clock kinda sucks but you can deal with it...

Now its time for the next step. I installed the Kenwood KNA-2100 Nav unit. This is the way old Kenwood unit but this is the one that put them on the map. The 3100 and 4100 have voice recoginition (sp?) and some slightly different options but are based on the 2100. The Kenwood units before this are on their own. The DVDs will swap between the 2100-4100 but cost an arm and a leg, and yes my DVD is about 2 years out of a date. I picked this up used from my favorite flee market in the world (Ebay) for $500.

This thing works great. I've only tried it once (the other times I was just playing around with it) and it lead me in and out of a pretty hard to find place. It could be a little better but its more than enough. Its more eye candy for my screen tho as i usually just leave it on. The nav unit really looks like a OEM nav unit, which is what I wanted. You can switch bewteen 3d and 2d maps and can even search the map with just a push of the screen (It looks like your flying in 3d mode because you can turn your view so your pointing in the right direction). What makes this thing really helpful is that it will show all the gas stations on the screen when you need to find gas, or it will show ATMs, or restuarants. You just touch the icon twice and it will even tell you if its a Mobil or Shell gas station.. Very cool.

It does sometimes show you driving down a street that doesn't exist or a wrong street sometimes after turning but it corrects itself once the GPS figures out that its wrong. And it rather distracting when your trying to punch in an address or change a menu or even if your watching if you need to turn here or the next street. I don't care for the start up warning that I have to "Ok" every time I want to use it. But thats about it.

Well, here's the pics.. I also re-painted my center console using the same paint. I found out that if I lightly sand it, just enough to take off the gloss, it really does match good. I just wish I had more time to perfect the paint match.

Enjoy
Ken 99R6
99 //Mcoupe

[Hipendicular M]

Here's another pic... BTW, the head unit is a Kenwood DDX7015

[Captain Drifto]

thats awsome! I got to get me one of those!

[Hipendicular M]

And yet another (I love pretty pictures..)

[Hipendicular M]

Sorry the pics are blurry.. My camara sucks..

And another..

[Hipendicular M]

Here's the gas stations..

[Hipendicular M]

And lastly, here's my graphic I've been using. This is my ver 6.3 graphic but when the nav is off, its either black or some gay Kenwood graphic. The DDX sucks as it has no visualations or other cool screens.. I used a tv photo viewer with a spare memory card..

Laters
Ken 99R6
99 //Mcoupe

P.s. I ordered some mud flaps from LeatherZ. If you've never ordered from Andy, I have to say he is very very good. I got my stuff in two days and I got emails with every step. LeatherZ is highly recommended. I don't know if I like the mud flaps or not but I'm going to install them just to see.. I'll keep everyone posted..

[Hipendicular M]

Opps, one more pic.. Here's the KNA-2100 unit installed.. I want to thank the TrafficPro guys. I used alot of their ideas and help to get this installed. I used the speed sensor wire that is used to control the GAL (Speed volume) and I mounted my GPS sensor on top of the center duct.. Just pull out the grill and shove the sensor between the duct and top of the dash. It works great there and super easy to install..

My Nav unit is completely hidden and once I get my changer installed (Its sitting here in my office and I've already run the cable, just too lazy to bolt it in) my car will look stock and function like stock. Its been a hard road to get my stereo complete but man was it worth it..

Laters
Ken 99R6
99 //Mcoupe

[dannyh]

that truly is just amazing... what is the price tag on that and then the full installation?

[muffles]

so the screen is the headunit, and the sat nav bit is that separate box? it sounds like you use dvd's with maps on, is that correct (that's how you keep up to date)?

[///MDex]

Dude, you should open a business. Sharp install

[Alex.M]

:eek
That's very cool!

[Seafodder]

That is a beautiful install job! Looks completely stock! I hate to think how much of a PITA it must have been.

Standing by for the step-by-step write-up with obligitory pics of each step!

[Hipendicular M]

Yeah, the head unit is a DVD/screen combo, which also plays CDs and has a Radio (standard Pimp my ride fare). The head unit also has mulitple ports on the back for Nav, TV, Video in and CD changer. Was thinking about getting a TV tuner but thats a little too much "Pimp" for me... =) The Nav unit also has a DVD player but it can only read the map disk. I've heard the updated map disk are like $300 or so. I'll be fine with mine for now. The Nav unit is only two years old (3100 for last year and 4100 for this year) and the map isn't too old..

As far as the step by step.. I don't think this board has enough bandwidth. Getting the head unit in was a real Bitc# but if you run a flip out screen, the Nav unit was easy.

Not too much into showing off the stuff but thought some people would like to see it can be done if your an Idiot with a dremel tool.. Thanks.. =)

Laters
Ken 99R6
99 //MCoupe

[muffles]

so you used the original console "facia" and just cut out a larger hole for the head unit, thereby wiping out the dials or switches or whatever was there? which bit(s) did you paint again?

[Hipendicular M]

so you used the original console "facia" and just cut out a larger hole for the head unit, thereby wiping out the dials or switches or whatever was there? which bit(s) did you paint again?

Well yes and no. The three holes below the radio are for the ac controls. I relocated them down to where my three gauges used to go. The cut-out for the radio doesn't go past the three holes for the ac controls so its not an easy to do thing. I cut out the bottom of the radio and remolded it back on the bottom and then just worked with a filler and kept on going.. Not easy for someone that has never done this type of work before. I'm just an idiot that really wanted a screen in my car with out going to a flip out...

Here's a pic of what I was up against. I re-painted my center console, both the upper (radio and ac controls) and the bottom (part that goes around the shifter). Imola red is a bitc# to match. Much easier if your car is black interior..

Ken 99R6
99 //Mcoupe

[Hipendicular M]

Here's with the radio bottom re-molded back in place.. Lots of sanding and filling..

[muffles]

looks excellent - i love this type of stuff. i've done a fair bit of bodywork type filling and building things from fibreglass, so i don't think i would have a problem even if i didn't remould the bottom on (i.e. had to build from fibreglass). i know what you mean about the filling, it's so precise on bodywork cos of the gloss finish so time consuming!

on my interior...it's currently wood - most difficult to match

but underneath it's black, so ok

[muffles]

i had actually thought it would be quite cool to just remodel the dash anyway - maybe put the headunit lower down, and move the obc up (i can't see it easily from the driver's seat cos of my arm!). a remodelled dash would be hard to spot by "outsiders" but be that little something extra that other z3'ers could spot...

[NightKidz]

very nice set up

eric