How Do I Get My Head Unit to Look Like the Rest of My Dashboard?
Lots of people want the best stereo for their car. Whether you’re after top sound quality, if you want to be able to listen to digital radio on the go, get better reception or an integrated SatNav or DVD player, it can be an exciting purchase. But there’s a problem a lot of people don’t consider until they come to fit the stereo; it doesn’t look right. To fit your new stereo you’ve had to take off the fascia that surrounded the old one, and now it won’t fit back on again. A fascia adaptor can help. They’re available in both single and double DIN sizes and will help blend your new car stereo into your old car design.
In case you don’t know, “DIN” is short for “Deutsche Industrie Norm” and is, as as those of you who speak a little German will have guessed, the standard measurement for all aftermarket car stereos sold in the UK (if you don’t speak German, keep up). A DIN is 2 1/8 inches tall and 7 /18 inches wide – the depth is dependent on the design. A double DIN radio is twice the size and is generally the dimension used by the more showy car stereos boasting LCD screens, SatNavs, DVD screens and the like.
If your car radio socket is a standard DIN, then, yay, happy days, enjoy your new radio. If, however, it isn’t – as is the case with most retail cars – then you’ll need a DIN adaptor kit/double DIN kit. These kits fill in the empty socket left by the removal of your old car radio, leaving a socket into which your new DIN or double DIN aftermarket stereo can be fitted. It’s incredibly simple, handy and versatile.
But now there is a new problem; your radio doesn’t fit in with your rest of your car. It’s obvious that you’ve pulled off part of the dashboard and just stuck a new radio in. You might have better sound, but you’ve cheapened the appearance of your car.
Well, of course not. Your new car stereo was designed to work with any car into which it might be put. While that gives the head unit itself a wide range of adaptability it also inevitably means it isn’t going to be uniquely suited to any one car design. This is where fascia adaptors come in. A fascia adaptor is simply a plastic frame that fits around the outside of the new head unit, blending it into the design of your car. The genius of the piece is its simplicity. It doesn’t obscure the display or controls of the stereo, but it does make it look smart. DIN and double DIN fitting kits allow you to fit an aftermarket car stereo without radically altering the appearance of your car’s dashboard. Fascia adaptors are available for a wide range of major car brands, including Peugeot, Nissan, Ford, Jaguar and Vauxhall.
Please do note, however; some fascia adaptors will require you to buy the appropriate “cage” to hold your stereo and fascia in place. If this is the case, ensure that your fascia adaptor comes with the cage, as it could otherwise prove a headache to find a matching one. Quality suppliers of car stereo paraphernalia should offer this combination as standard where it is appropriate.
If you want the best quality stereo for your car, but don’t want to sacrifice style and elegance, then you need a fascia adaptor. Like all great ideas, it is simple but effective. You don’t need any technical expertise to fit the adaptors, it’s a quick process and one even the staunchest of technophobes can perform with ease.
Nexxia are quality suppliers of car audio solutions. As well as DIN and double DIN fascia adaptors, we offer a range of other peripherals for the audio enthusiast.
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