So this all started last week when I was at the junkyard, I saw another Camry just like mine with a decent looking aftermarket JVC head unit installed and decided to grab it. It had the brackets and surround to install it and a Toyota to JVC wiring adapter so it was plug and play. I paid $10 for everything.
Let me preface this by saying I am not an audiophile at all. I usually prefer the clean look of a factory stereo over slightly better audio. I really only care about what music I'm listening to, as long as it's not pure static, I don't care an awful lot about the audio quality.
But as far as selection, the local radio stations have been relatively awful for some time and lately it seems even worse. At any given time, between 4 or 5 stations, I'm lucky if one is playing something half decent. And even still, it's like the same 30 songs over and over. I like Spotify and Pandora but my phone doesn't have an aux jack so the only way to listen to my phone without a bunch of cords and adapters is with an FM transmitter, which I did use for a while but the Bluetooth pairing is finicky and even on open frequencies, other stations will bleed over it. I used it for a couple months then got sick of the difficult Bluetooth pairing and threw it in the console. So I've been back to nothing but radio until this past week.
Stock Toyota Head Unit-
So I installed the junkyard aftermarket radio in the Camry which was a simple 15 minute job. It worked okay but after googling the model number KD-R660, I found that it was intended to be used with iPhones and iPods which I don't own because I don't buy into cults, and it didn't have Bluetooth, which made it borderline useless as far as using my phone with it. Also the LCD display was dim and the lighting wasn't adjustable and the buttons were tiny and they illuminated red which clashed with the factory green back lighting. Also I thought the single din layout with the little storage pocket looked chintzy. So I began looking online for a double din receiver that actually had Bluetooth and looked a little more original.
Junkyard Head Unit-
Website photo-
I wanted something locally available which basically narrowed my choices to Best Buy or Pepboys. Pepboys' website is unsurprisingly awful but Best Buy's is pretty good. I was able to see what receivers were available at which stores nearby and found a JVC KW-R930BTS for $99 at a Best Buy about 10 miles away. It had Bluetooth and variable color lighting, fair enough. So I drove the Camry to the store yesterday morning and bought it, and when I came back out to the car in the parking lot it wouldn't start.
It was pretty obvious that the battery was okay but the starter wouldn't crank at all, no click or anything. I literally had no tools with me, they were all still in my truck from the trip to the junkyard. I pulled out the factory tire iron and tried smacking the starter a few times to no avail. Fortunately this Best Buy was right across the road from a Walmart and about 1/2 a mile from an AutoZone. So I went over to Walmart and bought the cheapest tool set they had and the walked over to the AutoZone and bought a starter. Then walked back to the car and changed it out. It's a pretty easy starter to change out, it's right on top in front, I just had to remove the air cleaner box and the battery to make some room. Once the starter was replaced the car fired right up. If the starter was gonna go, I guess that was a pretty good place for it to happen.
New Starter Installed-
Once I got home I removed the KD-R660 head unit, removed the mounting brackets from it and reinstalled the brackets on the new KW-R930BTS. I was hoping to use the same wiring adapter but the two head units had different connectors. So I cut the KD-R660 connector off of the adapter and soldered the KW-R930BTS connector in place of it. I used marine grade heat shrink and a few zip ties to make it neat.
From there it was just a matter of plugging it in and putting the dash back together. I still have to install the microphone for the Bluetooth somewhere but that just plugs into an aux input in the back of the head unit. I haven't mounted it yet because I haven't decided where to put it. I want it as hidden as possible. But otherwise this new head unit is fantastic. Much better than the one I got at the junkyard. It was easy to pair the Bluetooth to my phone, and it pairs automatically after the initial pairing. It has AM/FM/CD/SiriusXM/USB/Aux Input, 1.5 amp USB charger and it was designed to work with Spotify, Pandora and iHeartRadio apps. It allows for hands free calling and answering, the lighting brightness is fully adjustable and dims/brightens with the headlights, and the lighting color is infinitely adjustable, I think the owners manual said there are something like 32,000 possible colors in two zones making 64,000 possible color combinations. There is a free remote control app too so that you can remotely control the head unit from your phone. It isn't Android Auto but it's probably the next best thing. I still haven't figured out all the features but it was $99 well spent. I've adjusted the color to match the factory green back lighting and it doesn't look very out of place at all. The buttons are much larger and easier to press than the KD-R660. I don't have to take my eyes off of the road to find the tiny buttons on the radio. And I will be keeping the original Toyota JBL stereo just in case I ever want to reinstall it and thanks to the custom adapter, there was no need to cut any factory wiring, so reinstalling the factory Toyota radio is a 10 minute unplug-and-plug-in job.
New KW-R930BTS Installed-
Oh and in addition to the aftermarket radio, while I was at the junkyard I grabbed a couple other factory upgrade parts. Nothing major, just some minor convenience features. My favorite one being an overhead console with a Homelink transmitter so I don't need a clip on garage door opener anymore. I also grabbed a pair of lighted visors, and of course I got the whole wiring harness for this stuff. It unplugged right at the bottom of the driver's a-pillar. Fairly easy install and now I can see if I have car grease on my face before I step out of the car lol.
Homelink-
Lighted Visor-
Also found this cool little Toyota Owner's Manual Pouch, says Toyota on it and even the zipper pull is a Toyota emblem. Junkyard gave it to me free.
Let me preface this by saying I am not an audiophile at all. I usually prefer the clean look of a factory stereo over slightly better audio. I really only care about what music I'm listening to, as long as it's not pure static, I don't care an awful lot about the audio quality.
But as far as selection, the local radio stations have been relatively awful for some time and lately it seems even worse. At any given time, between 4 or 5 stations, I'm lucky if one is playing something half decent. And even still, it's like the same 30 songs over and over. I like Spotify and Pandora but my phone doesn't have an aux jack so the only way to listen to my phone without a bunch of cords and adapters is with an FM transmitter, which I did use for a while but the Bluetooth pairing is finicky and even on open frequencies, other stations will bleed over it. I used it for a couple months then got sick of the difficult Bluetooth pairing and threw it in the console. So I've been back to nothing but radio until this past week.
Stock Toyota Head Unit-
So I installed the junkyard aftermarket radio in the Camry which was a simple 15 minute job. It worked okay but after googling the model number KD-R660, I found that it was intended to be used with iPhones and iPods which I don't own because I don't buy into cults, and it didn't have Bluetooth, which made it borderline useless as far as using my phone with it. Also the LCD display was dim and the lighting wasn't adjustable and the buttons were tiny and they illuminated red which clashed with the factory green back lighting. Also I thought the single din layout with the little storage pocket looked chintzy. So I began looking online for a double din receiver that actually had Bluetooth and looked a little more original.
Junkyard Head Unit-
Website photo-
I wanted something locally available which basically narrowed my choices to Best Buy or Pepboys. Pepboys' website is unsurprisingly awful but Best Buy's is pretty good. I was able to see what receivers were available at which stores nearby and found a JVC KW-R930BTS for $99 at a Best Buy about 10 miles away. It had Bluetooth and variable color lighting, fair enough. So I drove the Camry to the store yesterday morning and bought it, and when I came back out to the car in the parking lot it wouldn't start.
It was pretty obvious that the battery was okay but the starter wouldn't crank at all, no click or anything. I literally had no tools with me, they were all still in my truck from the trip to the junkyard. I pulled out the factory tire iron and tried smacking the starter a few times to no avail. Fortunately this Best Buy was right across the road from a Walmart and about 1/2 a mile from an AutoZone. So I went over to Walmart and bought the cheapest tool set they had and the walked over to the AutoZone and bought a starter. Then walked back to the car and changed it out. It's a pretty easy starter to change out, it's right on top in front, I just had to remove the air cleaner box and the battery to make some room. Once the starter was replaced the car fired right up. If the starter was gonna go, I guess that was a pretty good place for it to happen.
New Starter Installed-
Once I got home I removed the KD-R660 head unit, removed the mounting brackets from it and reinstalled the brackets on the new KW-R930BTS. I was hoping to use the same wiring adapter but the two head units had different connectors. So I cut the KD-R660 connector off of the adapter and soldered the KW-R930BTS connector in place of it. I used marine grade heat shrink and a few zip ties to make it neat.
From there it was just a matter of plugging it in and putting the dash back together. I still have to install the microphone for the Bluetooth somewhere but that just plugs into an aux input in the back of the head unit. I haven't mounted it yet because I haven't decided where to put it. I want it as hidden as possible. But otherwise this new head unit is fantastic. Much better than the one I got at the junkyard. It was easy to pair the Bluetooth to my phone, and it pairs automatically after the initial pairing. It has AM/FM/CD/SiriusXM/USB/Aux Input, 1.5 amp USB charger and it was designed to work with Spotify, Pandora and iHeartRadio apps. It allows for hands free calling and answering, the lighting brightness is fully adjustable and dims/brightens with the headlights, and the lighting color is infinitely adjustable, I think the owners manual said there are something like 32,000 possible colors in two zones making 64,000 possible color combinations. There is a free remote control app too so that you can remotely control the head unit from your phone. It isn't Android Auto but it's probably the next best thing. I still haven't figured out all the features but it was $99 well spent. I've adjusted the color to match the factory green back lighting and it doesn't look very out of place at all. The buttons are much larger and easier to press than the KD-R660. I don't have to take my eyes off of the road to find the tiny buttons on the radio. And I will be keeping the original Toyota JBL stereo just in case I ever want to reinstall it and thanks to the custom adapter, there was no need to cut any factory wiring, so reinstalling the factory Toyota radio is a 10 minute unplug-and-plug-in job.
New KW-R930BTS Installed-
Oh and in addition to the aftermarket radio, while I was at the junkyard I grabbed a couple other factory upgrade parts. Nothing major, just some minor convenience features. My favorite one being an overhead console with a Homelink transmitter so I don't need a clip on garage door opener anymore. I also grabbed a pair of lighted visors, and of course I got the whole wiring harness for this stuff. It unplugged right at the bottom of the driver's a-pillar. Fairly easy install and now I can see if I have car grease on my face before I step out of the car lol.
Homelink-
Lighted Visor-
Also found this cool little Toyota Owner's Manual Pouch, says Toyota on it and even the zipper pull is a Toyota emblem. Junkyard gave it to me free.
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