Boss 302 Radio Upgrade options

[byronj]

I know, I know the engine is all you need to hear in the Boss and I agree. The problem is, this is my 2nd Boss and this my cruiser, C&C, and twisty road car for the street. I have the GT350 for eating Apex's and passing six figure cars. The M3 is too pedestrian for me and the G- Wagons are fun with great audio but they don't cut it for fun driving on the streets. 1st world problems here. WHAAAAAAHHHH!!

That being said, I am looking at doing a head unit upgrade and weighing the options of the Dynavin, (which seems to be plug & play) or go with a name brand head unit and dash console. If I add an amp and sub it will be an under seat unit if it fits.

Roasting is expected but looking for input on the options.

 

[BackInBlack]

When I went to upgrade my head unit in 2022, there was a lot of hype about the Dynavins, but after doing research at the time I found a lot about people having to chase bugs. Ideally they do seem like the best option though. OEM-like controls with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay.

I ended up going the safe route. I got a Kenwood DMX9707S paired with this dash kit, and a Maestro RR control unit that allows you to retain use of steering wheel button functionality. I'm very happy with the Maestro. It comes with some digital gauges (software shown on head unit display) that are read from the OBDII port and some track app like features. The display also shows the tire pressure readings. I was able to wire the sync button to the Maestro unit to get it to work with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay voice controls. The head unit is very nice and I have no complaints there. It supports wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay and works flawlessly (it also supports screen mirroring). It has a standard brake sensor wire and can be grounded in order to disable the Android Auto/Apple CarPlay nannies. I kept the stock speakers and don't have an amp.

The dash kit however has pros and cons. It does come with 5 buttons 3 of which are customizable. But for the most part you have to get used to using the touch screen. It has a, "climate" button that brings up the heat/A/C screen, a button for the rear window defroster and for the other 3, I added heat/A/C fan up and down and a MAX AC button. If I want to adjust the temperature I have to use the touch screen. Using the touch screen while driving can be a pain, but I've gotten used to it.

While most of the OEM controls are lost, what you get instead is a little rubber insulated tray (big enough to hold several phones) with 2 USB ports. The USB ports can be used for wired Android Auto/Apple CarPlay if needed but I generally just use them as charging ports. I have a magnetic wireless charger mounted nearby and usually I'll use that combined with wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. I should also mention, the system retains the LCD screen from the factory dash kit and it continues to function as it did on the OEM system.

If I could regain the OEM controls without losing any functionality or gaining any problems, I might consider a switch. But I'm very happy with my setup.

This system was installed when my car was still a V6. Since I converted it to a BOSS 302 I still use the navigation systems but I find that I use the actual stereo less and less!

 

[stevbd]

@byronj How hard would it be to install the Shaker 500 or whatever system you prefer from the "premium" s197 of those years? Ideally it would give you totally oem functionality and look, which is kind of nice. I have this in my GT and the sync/bluetooth is smooth and consistent, it's got satellite although I never use it, and although I'm no audiophile I think the sound is actually quite good from the four speakers and two small subs in the doors.

 

[JDee]

There's a radio in a Dark Horse?
The engine makes all the music I need to hear.

 

[byronj]

@byronj How hard would it be to install the Shaker 500 or whatever system you prefer from the "premium" s197 of those years? Ideally it would give you totally oem functionality and look, which is kind of nice. I have this in my GT and the sync/bluetooth is smooth and consistent, it's got satellite although I never use it, and although I'm no audiophile I think the sound is actually quite good from the four speakers and two small subs in the doors.

Good question. That system would probably be more that an after market though.

 

[byronj]

There's a radio in a Dark Horse?
The engine makes all the music I need to hear.

There it is HAR HAR HAR!! Whats a Dark Horse? Never seen one of those in front of me?

 

[Dave_W]

You could probably find good Shaker system electronics at a reasonable price as a take-out from a wreck. I'd try upgrading just the speakers with some good aftermarket units first and see if that's enough - they'll either sound better than the cheap factory speakers, or make the deficiencies in the electronics more apparent (or both).

 

[byronj]

You could probably find good Shaker system electronics at a reasonable price as a take-out from a wreck. I'd try upgrading just the speakers with some good aftermarket units first and see if that's enough - they'll either sound better than the cheap factory speakers, or make the deficiencies in the electronics more apparent (or both).

I want to do a full head unit with touch screen, android audio, back up camera, etc. I got spoiled in my other vehicles and parking the Boss on its lift is a real PITA and time consuming without anyone there.

 

[dcpatters]

When I went to upgrade my head unit in 2022, there was a lot of hype about the Dynavins, but after doing research at the time I found a lot about people having to chase bugs. Ideally they do seem like the best option though. OEM-like controls with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay.

I ended up going the safe route. I got a Kenwood DMX9707S paired with this dash kit, and a Maestro RR control unit that allows you to retain use of steering wheel button functionality. I'm very happy with the Maestro. It comes with some digital gauges (software shown on head unit display) that are read from the OBDII port and some track app like features. The display also shows the tire pressure readings. I was able to wire the sync button to the Maestro unit to get it to work with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay voice controls. The head unit is very nice and I have no complaints there. It supports wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay and works flawlessly (it also supports screen mirroring). It has a standard brake sensor wire and can be grounded in order to disable the Android Auto/Apple CarPlay nannies. I kept the stock speakers and don't have an amp.

The dash kit however has pros and cons. It does come with 5 buttons 3 of which are customizable. But for the most part you have to get used to using the touch screen. It has a, "climate" button that brings up the heat/A/C screen, a button for the rear window defroster and for the other 3, I added heat/A/C fan up and down and a MAX AC button. If I want to adjust the temperature I have to use the touch screen. Using the touch screen while driving can be a pain, but I've gotten used to it.

While most of the OEM controls are lost, what you get instead is a little rubber insulated tray (big enough to hold several phones) with 2 USB ports. The USB ports can be used for wired Android Auto/Apple CarPlay if needed but I generally just use them as charging ports. I have a magnetic wireless charger mounted nearby and usually I'll use that combined with wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. I should also mention, the system retains the LCD screen from the factory dash kit and it continues to function as it did on the OEM system.

If I could regain the OEM controls without losing any functionality or gaining any problems, I might consider a switch. But I'm very happy with my setup.

This system was installed when my car was still a V6. Since I converted it to a BOSS 302 I still use the navigation systems but I find that I use the actual stereo less and less!

Wow, I like your set-up. Does the Kenwood support a rear backup-camera?

 

[BackInBlack]

---

Does the Kenwood support a rear backup-camera?

It supports 4 AV inputs. I think you can use them for anything -- but I've got both front and rear cameras (the front camera really saves the splitter on this car let me tell you!) and an integrated dash cam. One of the unique things about this unit is that it supports a Kenwood (kinda expensive) dash cam. No screen on it so it shows video on the head unit. The parking cameras I have are your basic license plate mounted ones. The rear looks nice and is hidden by the overhang of the rear bumper cover over the license plate. The front one doesn't look so good. I thought about replacing it with something that I could hide better but when I looked I found that all of the hidden type cameras are stationary once you install them. These license plate mounted ones mount the camera on a bendable metal arm and so they can be adjusted to point where you want them to point. My front points at the ground in front of the splitter so I don't crush it when I park. The rear also points at the ground. The dash cam works great -- a little insurance for all the work I've done on this car. As a bonus, if I take my car to be worked on somewhere, the shock sensors will activate camera recording and I can get video clips of what the mechanics were doing. Usually can't see much but it's kinda cool anyway.

The reasons I picked this particular head unit were because I wanted navigation but I didn't want built-in GPS. This unit allows you to use Android Auto/Apple CarPlay and it will use the GPS data provided by your phone. If you disconnect your phone there's no GPS. So if you're concerned about privacy like I am, this is a nice feature and it also makes the unit cheaper than the ones with built-in GPS. I picked Kenwood because they're one of the manufacturers that uses a single ground wire for the brake sensor. Some of the other manufacturers have more complicated setups that you have to purchase aftermarket parts in order to disable the Android Auto/Apple CarPlay nannies. With this setup my unit doesn't stop me from doing anything while driving. I could connect a new bluetooth device while driving or watch parking cams or anything else.

The dash kit is kinda industry standard for S197 Mustangs right now, it's what they'd give you if you did installation at Best Buy or any other big name car audio place. I looked at other units, but this one seemed the most reliable and I actually like the little tray that comes with it. It gives you a little more space to store things that you can reach while driving. Crutchfield sells a wiring harness that makes the system pretty easy to install. The only complicated part was wiring the sync button on the steering wheel. If your car didn't come with sync it doesn't have the wire that supports it. I have a GT500 steering wheel so I had the button but not the wire. I had to add the wire in to the steering wheel harness. Good thing is that the head unit can completely replace sync so if you have the wire then you don't need the sync box. You just splice it in to the Maestro harness. I could find no instructions anywhere on how to do this. Every audio shop and even Maestro support said I couldn't do this. I had to do a lot of digging into wiring diagrams to figure it out but it isn't that hard and it works great!

If you're interested in my phone charger setup, let me know and I'll post links. I went through several setups before I found the one I like. I wanted to be able to just get in the car and simply attach my phone and not have to mess with any wires or clips. The Kenwood does prompt me to hit a button on the head unit before it connects to my phone though, but it's easy.

The first 3 photos are from right after I installed the system when the car was still a V6, hence the base model dash and shifter boot. I hadn't yet attached the phone mount or modified the customizable buttons in these photos either. The last photo is more recent.

 

[stevbd]

Nice job, do the climate controls somehow get integrated into the head unit?

 

[BackInBlack]

Nice job, do the climate controls somehow get integrated into the head unit?

Yeah. It is now controlled by software displayed on the head unit. Looks kinda like this (this one isn't mine - I think it's a pic from a 2014 model).

I should mention, the gauges are customizable. In general I think it can display anything that can be read from the car's canbus system. If your car throws a code it can also be read from the head unit.

I don't know if they Dynavins can do this stuff or if or how well they can connect to the car's steering wheel controls. I do know that they have a lot more smart phone type features though. I think it is easier on a Dynavin to look at Youtube while driving for example. You can do it with this unit, but you have to use screen mirroring.

 

[cholmes1]

I upgraded the whole system itself and have been very happy with the results. While my 2014 OEM navigation and dual-zone HVAC swap is not needed, it did help with satisfying my need for more visual cues. That said, I think there are plenty of quality DSP amps that can tap into the OEM if you are worried about an OEM appearance as I was. I had a MATCH UP7DSP and BLAM Relax RA501D amp installed and paired with a removable MATCH PP7S-D sub in the spare tire well, and BLAM Relax 570/690s put into the doors and rear shelf. The difference is beyond explanation. This setup allows me to still control everything from my OEM headunit, connect my phone to the console USB for even cleaner audio (TIDAL or Amazon), and have no one that looks in the car be any the wiser.