Actually, now that I've done it, I have to disagree with Dan. If you have a good car that you're happy with... I've seen simple car stereo systems that cost more and were much more time consuming to install. That said, it is time consuming - at least a days worth of work (6-8hrs) if you're good at this sort of thing - and not inexpensive. I had all necessary parts offered to me a couple of weeks ago and PM'd back and forth with fisha here on the board about an installation in his RR. Would have been roughly GBP1800.
If you're interested, let me know and I'll check if and what's still available.
Here's a copy of my post in the 'ultimate entertainment upgrade' thread showing the install in progress:
Here's a couple of pics of my upgrade. As mine too was an MID (non Nav) vehicle, before adding the PC/touch screen/etc, I first had to make the base system work. This meant installing wiring and components for the OEM I-Bus nav + the wiring for the future (pc) components.
Even with the older system, buying new components/wiring was prohibitively expensive so my purchasing went the same way Colin's did: internet, a friendly dealer, and the bay. Finding the components was not difficult but Range Rover harnesses are generally not available. Since the systems were standardized by BMW and I was going to be adding wiring anyway, the easiest and least expensive route was to pick up a BMW harness and modify it to fit the RR and suit my needs. I got a harness from an E46 with DSP - so better sound and a sub were added into the overall picture as well.
First thing to do was to trial fit the harness to determine where it needed to be modified. So the RR came apart and in went all the components.
I do have to say that I was just as impressed on dissecting the RR as when first driving an LM. I worked on cars (mainly MB, BMW, and Porsche) professionally for about 12 years while going to high school and university. I've taken apart a lot of vehicles (including Rolls and Bentley). None were like the LM. The fit of the interior parts is impeccable. Most impressive, though, is the weight of the pieces. Even the smallest cover has dampening material on the back - and I thought I was going to keel over when lifting out the back seat. Unreal. It is no wonder driving an LM is so supple.
Here's the harness in mid work with tags noting what needed to be done.
Despite the very different sizes of the vehicles, there was surprisingly little that needed to be changed. After about 3 1/2 hrs of work the harness was done including the addition of USB and several addtl shielded cables front to rear.
So then it was off to the car to see if everything worked before burying the harness.
So today I have to button everything back up.
Items that remain to be done in the future are:
- recoding the nav computer
- modifying my second head unit for touch screen
- configuring the PC - still a lot to decide on
- finishing the phone integration in the consloe
- possibly reworking the MY10 steering wheel switches.
These are actually the more time consuming tasks, though... :cry:
Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)
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