Will this fit my dash and wiring?

[James Morse]

GENUINE Ford Ranger Radio | Pioneer 6 Disc Player | 2001 - 2006 | 6L5T-18C815-BD | eBay

 

[Curious Hound]

If your dash has a double din space for it, it should.

 

[James Morse]

well, I thought it was double-din but some people have told me it's slightly smaller than double-din so I'm confused about it.
I have now the stock OEM cd/radio, it's basically a double, I guess if the wiring is ok then the question is whether the dash changed... if it didn't change from '99 then it should be ok...

How do you use MP3 on it? Wouldn't there be an input jack for this?

 

[SenorNoob]

Has to be either wireless (bluetooth). Or it reads MP3 CDs.

Gonna guess MP3 CDs. Kind of an odd tech. But it means you can put many more (lower quality) songs on a disc.

 

[James Morse]

I hate buying stuff with no return policy unless I'm pretty sure it'll work. The one I'm looking at says it's from '01-06 and I looked at a '04 manual (courtesy TRS) and that's the Pioneer stereo that was available.
Yes MP3 is just different format like you say kind of weird.
What would be really good is 6-CD in-dash changer that has AUX input that's really useful but I haven't see them yet. Sticking with OEM stuff if I can.

 

[James Morse]

Ford Ranger Audio - What Fits - The Ranger Station
found this in TRS but it only goes up to '99, does anyone know if similar chart exists for later years?
I looked at a bunch of 6-CD changes, some people (selling them) are saying '99-06 is a fit.
They are all model xL5T with the x can be 3,4,6... I believe that would be the model year...
I guess I could look at back of mine and see if it looks like back of the 6-CD models... surprised TRS doesn't have an interchangeability list.

 

[fastpakr]

Are you locked in to using an OEM radio?

 

[James Morse]

I kind of am and I'll explain.
If I were intending to keep the truck forever it would be a different matter, but here's the thing. And this might just be me.
When I look at pics of used stuff when I see radio swapped out my mind says "they messed with it" and it makes me wonder what else did they do.
That's the main reason I want to stay OEM. I haven't changed a thing from stock on my truck.
So that's just me. Granted people do all kinds of things to modify the trucks and I'm not saying that's a bad thing... for instance 5.0L and Explorer rear end - these things work great if done by someone who knows what they are doing like you.
So if I had a Ford 6CD changer to me that's still kind of OEM, but granted, you couldn't get that, I'm pretty sure, in '99.
As to MP3 I guess it still has some use depending on how a person does thing.
As to bluetooth, I can see it would be nice, but my phone already does hands-free calling so as to the phone, all bluetooth would get you is you can hear better thru the truck speakers. And stream music from phone, which might be good, but I'd probably not use it a lot.
I'm thinking at this point the best thing might be get exactly the same radio, then it would be plug/play and I wouldn't be worrying about the fit physically or the fit of connectors/harness.
Or else take mine apart and see if I can get to the lens and try cleaning it. I've run cleaner discs thru it a million times, and it's still working only sporadically and only if the cd is perfect. But all the cds play fine on my computer CD reader so I am saying they are good CD.
So probably after all this I'll likely just go like for like, if I had a working CD that would be one less broken thing and I'm trying to get the truck to where everything works and I'm pretty close. Even though I don't intend to keep it forever (but who knows) not only is it nice to have all working but I feel it makes for a much easier sale.
I know at one point Best Buy had a good deal on a radio I think you posted about it, and they had free install too as part of it. If you were going OEM that would have been a good deal.
I love my '99 it might be hard to part with it but I want 4x4 and at this point am pretty much focused on as late (up to '11) as possible XLT. Problem is if I insist on '11 (rear discs) the prices are still unreal, even for '10 they are horrible yet.
It's hard to say though, I could end up w/ another '99. I guess I researched enough about them that I feel like when I see and drive the truck I want, I will know it.

 

[Blmpkn]

Just put in a decent aftermarket unit and put the stock one in if you decide to sell it. My experience with ford radios is that they're crap. I'm hoping the fancy one in my '21 isn't like the 5 I've had previous lol.


And honestly, your worrying too much about the resale-ability of your truck with an aftermarket radio in it.. for every one person who would reject a used vehicle for that reason.. theres probably at least 5 who don't care. Not only don't they care... but they're obviously way less nit-picky of people.. and probably wouldn't try to haggle you down as far

 

[James Morse]

I admit you are right and if there were a hole where the radio goes but the truck was good, then who cares. The Pioneer radios might be better than Sanyo, I don't know. Some, maybe not all, had the mfg name on the back (as well as "Ford").
I just hate it when people say everything works then you go look at it and say to yourself in what world are they living that everything works. Maybe I expect too much, but there's a big difference between a well-maintained truck where everything actually does work versus something maybe cosmetically nice but you find multiple issues before you even get in it and that makes me say to myself whoever had it didn't give a sh*t about taking care of it which could translate to other issues.

 

[CrabGuy]

When I bought my Ranger one of the deciding factors was it had a good aftermarket Pioneer DD with backup camera. The seller showed me the receipt from the shop for $550. The truck was bone stock otherwise. My OEM radio/CD in my 2011 E350 is garbage now and I have no concerns about resale by replacing it with an aftermarket component of better quality. I doubt there's as many purists looking for a totally OEM truck.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

I replaced the head unit with aftermarket in a '97 Escort wagon (bought new) and '98 Taurus wagon (bought used), and also changed the speakers in the Escort. The original head units sounded like crap. The replacements were far better and could play CDs.

Ironically, my 2011 Ranger has a pretty decent factory head unit including CD player, and decent speakers. Decided to leave well enough alone this time.

I agree with James Morse about keeping OEM when possible if the results are good. I pondered finding a slightly older factory Ranger head unit that could play CDs and cassettes (yes, still got some of those, I'm a Neanderthal). There was one aftermarket company that made single-DIN head units that could play both, but that was years ago. Again, decided to leave things alone.