Shopping for aftermarket stereo. Any suggestion? How hard or easy to install?

if you don't know how to solder, you won't be able to do it right. of course, the guys at best buy likely won't solder it either. they may use a heat gun and shrink tube connectors which is the easiest way to do it right, but they may also use crimp connectors and hack up your wiring harness . it isn't their car, so they will half-nice person it and later you will have problems with the install. watch some installs on ebay using the heat gun and shrink connectors. then if you think you can handle it, go for it. if you got a helpful friend that knows how to do it, even better. otherwise roll the dice and hope the installer takes pride in his work. crutchfield will help you a lot if you need it.

 

You must connect wires together somehow to install a car stereo. For a long time, I was fine with using good-quality crimpers or crimp connectors, but I now believe that soldering makes for a better junction between two wires.

If you are uncomfortable with soldering, Crutchfield offers a service where they will join your new stereo's wiring harness with the proper wiring harness for your Prius. I don't have firsthand knowledge of the finished product, but I do trust that company to do it right.

 

yes crutchfield will give you an adapter harness to fit your car, but you still need to connect some wires. you can do it the moron way, or the right way, which requires solder and shrink tubing. many idiots have just twisted the wires together and wrapped some tape around them; later they wondered why their system stopped working correctly.

you can use crimp terminals, but again, if you don't crimp them well, the wires will pull out or lose contact, and you're back to wondering why it doesn't work. most of the crimping pliers for sale these days are garbage, they don't have the little nub to mash into the back of the terminal, instead they just flatten the terminal. don't waste time or money on those pliers.

 

No, honest! Crutchfield will FULLY join your radio harness to your car harness. They do it, there are no "wires you still need to connect". Really. I mean it. They crimp, but I trust they do it well.

https://www.crutchfield.com/learn/installation-readyharness.html

 

Honestly, I don't care for any of them. Pick the features you want and look at the pictures. Tastes are individual.