99-02 LX470 stereo fit kit

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Brock

Brock

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Threads
392
Messages
7,692
Location
Charleston
Website
www.lubedealer.com
Going in morning to get some help with stereo install...three shops said they absolutely could not use amp and i would need to use head unit amp or buy new one and they would need to run custom wires to speakers. I hung up on them with no reason to call back.

Called another and told them I had pinouts for amp, for factory harness and just wanted them to help by splicing in and soldering the connections. Sent them pinouts and such...they said no problem.

Called me back and said, hey instead of us spending an hour to custom fit a filler plate around the radio to match the curved corners and bow at top....we have access to a Custom Fit Kit specifically for your vehicle and as far as we know they are the ONLY ones making it...so it is a little pricey but gives it a clean factory look.

So going to check it out tomorrow and might have them go ahead and order the fit kit....and if it is all they say may go ahead and get it. Will post here for others but might be able to do a Group Buy if enough of you LX guys are interested...

here is a pic they sent but they did not give me source...LOL...so will be nosy tomorrow and try and find out more.

It pops right in it looks like from outside and fills curved corners perfectly while giving the square corner mesh with D-DIN units....as far as I can tell. :D
1998-2002-LEXUS-LX470-1[1].webp
 
I thought so too as it was only thing even similar I could find....I am just going to get the face panel part as the harness still wont work....says without Nav and without Mark Levinson so figure it wont work on Nakamichi either and uses 15pin stereo connector.

It is pricey but will tell you how it looks and take pics if I decide to go with it....
 
Stereo is in and working great with oem speakers and amp with sub....fit kit will be here on Saturday or Tuesday for final install. Will take pics...

The one linked to above is a lot more expensive than one I am getting so appears there are two locations with them now....but one above is not same one my local shop found.

http://www.navtool.com/index.aspx is source for version I am getting. They are DEALER ONLY and only show the NAV upgrade kits to public. That is where my dealer said he found it though...
 
Last edited:
Only the fit kit....from what I have found you are SOL on the wiring harness....but I got the pin outs for my stereo and the shop was able to cut and rewire the new radio wires...install...in 40 minutes. The fit kit trim will take 2 minutes...max.
 
Did they give you a price on the fit kit part alone... for any of us who might want to buy it without installation?
 
Ron,
Which shop?
why didn't you just go with a JL Cleansweep and leave the factory unit in? Are you going with a double din screen or single din stereo?
 
hoser said:
Did they give you a price on the fit kit part alone... for any of us who might want to buy it without installation?
Click to expand...
No they did not.....but without the fit kit the install was going to be anywhere from $150-175.....with fit kit it was $250 and he said it did not leave much room for labor but would save him a lot of time trimming and fitting over and over to give me a clean tight look. I am guessing it is around $100-150. It is easy to install....but they did say only dealers could order it. I am going to see if they will give me the price for dealers or at least the MSRP. I already paid for it so not worried if they made a few bucks...it is their business afterall. If it looks as good as I think then will be well worth it. I just said to myself, I did not have to spend a grand on new suspension and am able to keep my AHC for a couple years....so no harm, no foul! I am ahead of the game already...

BBQ BOY said:
Ron,
Which shop?
why didn't you just go with a JL Cleansweep and leave the factory unit in? Are you going with a double din screen or single din stereo?
Click to expand...

The factory Nakamich is troublesome....plenty of reports of eating CDs once it starts making noises and such. Mine wasnt making grinding noises when swapping between discs in the changer but did not want to wait plus I wanted ability to play music through a front access USB port like in my FJ60...and be able to add Sirius, IPOD, NAV, HD RADIO later at my convenience all to the same head unit. It is a D-DIN just like the oem radio. Visits and calls to NORTON and CUSTOM CAR both told me I could not use amp and would have to bypass and rewire all speakers...and buy another amp or use what is in the head unit...and might lose subwoofer. I told them they were wrong and they argued with me... So I went to CARS on Dorchester....said as long as you got pinouts (or they can get them themselves) and the amp is 12v Wake Up instead of the newer DAC (Digital) wake up...it should be no problem and they would make it work. They did not try to sell me amps and speakers and new wiring and a top of the line unit....all I wanted was good solid unit with custom back plate made from flat ABS or in this case a custom fit cover for that OEM look. They hooked me up...was very happy and would recommend again. Professional shop...
 
Last edited:
Would love to see a pic of this installed. I had new door speakers installed to replace my blown out mark levinson ones and am wishing I had ponied up and replaced the head unit at the same time. I love your Lx by the way. I was going to put 20" tundra wheels on mine but I might go with the 18 Lexi's now and love the newer grill too.
 
Only have a couple issues I am going to address when I go back:

1. if I turn volume all the way down I have a very low almost inaudible constant shhhhhhhhhhh...it is not any particular function or volume...just steady no matter what is happening while unit is on. Barely audible unless volume completely off.

2. if going from ACC to START it might pop once when going between the power sources...going from OFF to START does not happen but then again the unit comes on after it starts usually.

3. antennae comes up for anything while unit is powered on...not just for tuner. How can you set up antennae to only work with radio selection on the new units?


thanks for any ideas...
 
Iv'e been wanting to check out CARS. Looks like a descent place. NEVER EVER got to CC.
Audio Evolution on Savanah Hwy next door to Dunkin Donuts are pretty good. I know one of the brotha's there named Derrick.
 
I am going to let the shop check my concerns when I go back...thinking it is something simple. Kit not in today so will be Tuesday it appears...pictures are coming when complete.
 
Okay...went by shop today and checked it all out and all is good. Also, got the Fit Kit installed:

First of all it is expensive...$100-150 depending on what your local shop will charge you to order. It comes down to having someone spend an hour or more fitting and trimming and working with ABS panel and still not being able to get the curved portion at top right...or paying for this piece and having it look totally factory.

First impressions....it is just a piece of black plastic. No support mounts or anything else.

Pulled dash panel...fits over D-DIN perfect. Check fit behind panel and lines up very nice as well.

Put it all together and disappointment....the radio with fit kit on it had a gap between fit kit and dash panel. Tried spacing out radio but did not work right...but there is a solution.

Take mounting brackets off the head unit....grind off the tabs (ears) on the brackets that limit where you can mount them.

This allows you to mount the brackets slightly further back on the radio chassis than intended therefore bring face out toward panel and filling the space.

Put it all back together and it fits nice and snug and looks outstanding I think...but will let you all decide. Is it worth the money....for now YES. If I saw a custom shop job that looked nearly as good for half the price would maybe go with that instead but getting something that does not look FABBED UP and keeps it clean is a big plus as well.

The pic is overall shot for full look as it would be from inside without all the fill flash.

You can see the molded and curved section how they fit right in place.
5149.webp
5147.webp
 
Last edited:
I am not sure if there is a market or not for the Nakamichi stereos....mine works just fine..I was doing preventive measures to replace it before it messed up but mostly as I wanted to be able to play my music from USB and add NAV and SIRIUS soon.

If anyone wants the oem radio just make me an offer...have no idea what it is worth. Will put on Ebay or Craigslist if no takers in week or two.

Loving the new unit and trim piece for sure :D
5154.webp
 
I had a stereo shop wire up my double din on my 1998, as there is no plug and play harness out there for this year ( and particular radio I had). I also have a slight hiss or static noise at low or no volume. I accept it as I put a 2012 radio in a 1998 vehicle that couldn't be wired up directly. FWIW, the antenna is up if the unit is on, regardless if its on the FM/AM source.

Brock said:
Only have a couple issues I am going to address when I go back:

1. if I turn volume all the way down I have a very low almost inaudible constant shhhhhhhhhhh...it is not any particular function or volume...just steady no matter what is happening while unit is on. Barely audible unless volume completely off.

2. if going from ACC to START it might pop once when going between the power sources...going from OFF to START does not happen but then again the unit comes on after it starts usually.

3. antennae comes up for anything while unit is powered on...not just for tuner. How can you set up antennae to only work with radio selection on the new units?


thanks for any ideas...
Click to expand...
 
I have done some searching and Beat Sonic appears to still be the best trim available but I have no desire to go with a double DIN unit. Has anyone found any single DIN trim and brackets with a slot above or below the head unit opening? I prefer Google Maps personally, so the Nav would be unnecessary.

(My LX is a 2000).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom