Just replaced the standard Clarion head unit on my 04 2.0 Gen 3 - here's a few tips for anyone planning the same:

-- metal look fascia must be removed first, this is easily removed by opening ashtray & pulling the fascia from the bottom

-- 4 screws need undoing holding in the metal h/unit bracket


--- disconnect all connectors, although the bottom ones for the heating can be left & the fascia placed carefully to one side

-- complete bracket together with h/unit & torque gauge etc can now be removed

-- clarion unit is removed by pushing in the 4 "sprung metal" clips (2 either side)

-- to fit the new unit the easiest thing to do is unscrew the 2 pieces of metal that acted as the clips from the old h/nit & fit them to the new one - the new one should have a set of standard screw holes already in place -- the new unit will now just lock in place exactly the same as the old one


-- refit the metal bracket/gauges & connect up all the wires cables - the new h/unit should be ISO so should fit without connector - the only problem I had was the AERIAL connector, I need an ISO to STANDARD adapter (£1.99 from Maplins)


it should take you about 30/45 mins


one more thing the standard Clarion unit is awful once you've heard something else, I fitted the ALPINE CD/MP3 (9845RR) - £120 & the sound quality is completely transformed !!!

yours must be different from mine behind the dash, i have the 2.7 with torque gauges etc, no handy screw holes just a spot welded cage, it was welded to the brackets for the gauges, see my other thread for the fun i had with that!!

as for the ariel my alpine must be different from yours too as the ariel went straight in (not much slack though)

totally agree on the sound though, i have kept the clarion in case i sell the car on, i can shove it back in!!

i will post pics of the stereo when i can, it is:

alpine 1004 headunit/screen
alpine cd changer
alpine nv099 sat nav (awesome piece of kit!!!)
dvd player

really looks and sounds the part

Sleepy,


I have the torque gauges etc though -- the head-unit cage was welded to the bracket holding the 3 gauges, all of it came out when undoing the 4 screws, all I had to do then was unclip the old H/U from the cage then remove the 2 metal pieces that acted as the clips (either side of the old H/U). These then screwed directly onto new H/U & it "clipped" straight back into the old cage (just the same as the Clarion one had)

Yours was probably different as it's SAT/NAV etc ??

--- Pretty amazed by the difference in sound quality, always considered Clarion a quality company -- not anymore !!!! I was always messing with the equaliser/bass etc trying to get the sound right & never quite did, Alpine sounded excellent straight from the box, well impressed !!!

ah i get it now!!

why didn't i think of that instead of grinding away at the cage, never gave it a thought that the clips would fit the alpine, d'oh!!

anyway its all working and is snuggly fitted now won't go anywhere

i've never rated clarion stuff, alright for standard kit but best binned!!

i go for alpine all the time, the last h/u i had had been in my alfa 156, civic type-r, accord type-r, jaguar s type and now it is in my neighbours range rover and it has never missed a beat in 5 years, just fancied a change, got the same h/u in the coupe as in the wifes citroen c2 but i have the latest alpine sat nav, she has the last model and the difference is unbelievable, hers seems steam powered compared to mine, lightning quick!!

the next stereo mod is gonna be a freeview box!