Upgrade the stock radio with OEM Toyota Double DIN unit

My car came with an old crappy Kenwood CD player which looked too flashy and out of place.  Here is a cheap alternative to buying aftermarket CD players which also retains that clean factory look.













I bought this on Ebay from a seller who sold OEM radios from various brands and models of cars.  I paid around $70 for this radio from a 2001 Toyota Sienna.  My MR2 did NOT have the premium sound option which meant that I had to find a radio which utilized the standard audio plug.  It is the plug on the right in this picture of the backside of the radio.

The installation of this radio is very straightforward and super easy assuming that you've done your homework and found a compatible unit.  All you need to do is remove the plastic dash trim below the speedometer along with the radio bezel piece.  Then its just four bolts to remove and then unplug the connectors from the back of your radio.  Reverse the process to install this guy.  Don't forget to disconnect the battery before swapping your radio.  Aside from the risk of shocking yourself, you can short out the radio causing unrepairable damage.

If you are looking on ebay for this radio be careful that you get the exact same model.  There is a similar model which does not sit flush with the radio bezel.  Also, figure out if your MR2 came from the factory with the premium sound option or not as this is a very important part of determining which radios will plug in to the wiring currently in your car.  For more information about OEM radio upgrades, take a look at this long thread on MR2OC.com



Here it is installed and ready to go followed by a blurry night shot with the back lights on.