Best Buy radio malibu 2002 installations

Works, March 11, 2011

I got this to install an after market radio to replace the OEM unit that stopped working in a 04 Suzuki Vitara. The finished install works and doesn’t look too bad, there is a small gap between this and the factory trim ring where I anticipate dirt collecting, could put some black weather strip in the gap but it is not that big a deal. This kit is intended to work for several cars and their is no indication as to which part is intended for which car. I wasted a bit of time playing with the ISO style side brackets before I realized they aren’t intended for this particular vehicle. It appears the metal DIN cage (included with the radio) is the intended mounting method. There is not enough space between the opening edge and the top of the storage compartment to bend back the DIN tabs (or “wings”) to securely hold the bottom of the DIN cage in pace. I had to resort to thick 3-M double sided tape between the cage and the top of the storage compartment. Also, the tabs on a plastic spacer that fits in the opening are in the perfect place to interfere with the only “DIN wings” that worked so the plastic tabs had to be cut off. The spacer is held in place by the DIN sleeve so one wonders why the tabs are there in the first place. There are several other tabs, probably included for other vehicles that had to be cut off as well. If I had to install in another vitara I wouldn’t buy this, I would start with a piece of 1//8 aluminum plate I already have, used the old radio as a template for the size and mounting hole locations and cut a hole for the DIN sleeve that came with the radio and paint it black. This would have been faster then waiting for this to be delivered and would have been about the same amount of work. The only thing that would be missing is the storage pocket which is too small for my hands to fit into anyway; we already have had to fish things out of the pocket with pens or other tools. One last thought; the plastic is kind of thin and the tabs that mount the dash are small. I fear there is the possibility of the radio getting ejected in the event of a rear end collision, a potential safety hazard.

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Wrong kit, February 15, 2011

This kit states that its for 92-up gm vehichles. I have a 99 gmc pickup and the kit was completely the wrong size. The main unit was too tall to fit in the stock location and there were no adapters on the sides for the pinch spring style clips for the sides of the stereo. I went to Oreilly auto parts and they had the right kit in stock for only 7$ more.. If you have the late 90′s model gm full size pick ups I suggest going there and just saving yourself the headaches. I believe wal-mart has the same kits on hand as well.

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Great product, February 19, 2010

By 

P. Pirtle (Brandon, FL) – See all my reviews

  

Awesome radio mount. I have had mine in my 02 Blazer for 2 months now and I love it. No problems with the install and I love having a cubby for my AUX cable and iPod. No issues at all for me.

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