I have recently leased a Honda accord LX coupe ($1350 down/$239/month tax Inc./36mo/15k mile/yrs) and the only thing I’m missing is an AUX input and maybe mp3 playback. That said, I want my dash to remain purty. Should I get an official Honda upgrade or are they too expensive?
Im also considering upgrading the speakers. I like my music loud and proud.
Anyne who’s done this and who’d like to share?
Still hoping for some answers.
If your car is the 2007 model, you’ll be able to buy a special box that plugs into the port under the radio and thread the mini-jack line to the center console. I did this in my 2003 Accord and it worked great. It involved taking off the plastic around the gear shift and removing the storage box under the radio. Here’s some tips to get you started:
I used this to hook into the stereo. Be sure to use a ground loop isolator, probably $10 at RadioShack.
I followed these instructions when I installed my connector.
Thanks. That’s a great little accessory indeed. How is the volume through Honda’s factory speakers?
I thought it was fine, but I’m no audiophile. Of course, neither are you, if you’re listening to music through an MP3 player. 
For some reason, car manufacturers want to rape people straight up the butt when it comes to stereos. When I bought my first vehicle, it was a small Mazda truck and the total cost was $8680 unless I wanted a radio in it, which added $600 for an AM only unit or $800 for an FM cassette. No thanks. No thanks, I bought a unit for less than $100 and put it in myself in 30 minutes.
I had an aftermarket stereo with CD and MP3 compatibility put in my current SUV for $150 installed and I couldn’t be happier with it even 3 years later. Many people complain that today’s after market stereos have too much bling but mine is a Clarion which looks exactly like something that would come factory installed.
$150 will get you a nice MP3 compatible design installed and $400 can get you a very impressive sound system all around. Car manufacturers will charge you more than that just to make a small sound or compatibility enhancement. It is also fairly easy to hold on to the factory unit and put it back it when you need to.
I’ve done a fair bit of research since then and am not considering a factory upgrade anymore, which was the topic of this thread, originally.
I bought 4 Polk MMC6500 6.5 speakers. (125W RMS, 250W peak)
I’m thinking of getting an Alpine 9887 Head unit.
Is the Metra turbo2 the only replacement dash available? Apparently, you need one of those to get a 3rd party head unit in the accord, unless you want to cannibalize the center-front storage compartment underneath, which leaves the stock unit intact but nonfunctional.
I would welcome some recommendations for Amp(s) and Subwoofer.
Thank you for reading.
I have the Alpine 9885. It’s a good product, and the only performance difference is that the 87 has 7 equalizer bands. While the 85 only has 2.
When I’m looking for amps and subs, I basically just find what’s on sale.
I have 2 12" Rockford Fosgate Stage 2. That’s a pretty good price for them. I had to modify the box to fit over the wheel wells in my '06 Charger, so it may be too big for your Honda. However, they sell them in singles, also.
I can’t find my amp on Crutchfield, but it’s an MTX Thunder that’s rated the same as the subs.
When buying a car system, I basically decide how much money I can afford to spend, which is usually $1,000. With that, about $250 goes for each the head unit, door speakers, subs, and an amp. So, find some subs you like, then find an amp that’ll push it. I like to have my amp rated above the subs, so the amp isn’t straining and getting overly hot all the time. Other people like to have their amp rated below their subs, so they have less risk of blowing their subs out. Just remember, it’s not high volume that blows speakers, it’s a poor signal with lots of noise that does it.
Thanks Pygmy, here is what I have bought so far:
4 Polk MMC6500 speakers. $320
Alpine CDA-9887 w/ HD Radio module and iPod cable. $500
Kicker ZX350.4 ZX 4 channel Speaker Amp . $190
What I need to buy:
-Some sort of dash replacement. The only one I could find is the $150 Metra (Honda Accord Factory Integration Adapter Factory stereo integration adapter for 2003-up Honda Accord with heating, ventilation, and AC controls at Crutchfield)
-Professional install around Fort Lauderdale ($265-$300).
-Subwoofer + Subwoofer Amp (I’m going to get this at a later date. Already broke my budget)
-??? (Is there something I’ve forgotten?)
Are there any terms in the lease that would prohibit you from modifying the car that the leasing company owns?