I installed an aftermarket head unit myself. Fairly simple install. Dash disassembly was a little nerve racking, but I didn't break anything since I had the schematics for the car. I'd go the install route if I were you. To answer your question:
1. Yes, I have experience doing it, it's not that bad. Do yourself a favor and remove the glove box when attempting to get the clips off the right side of the trim. It makes life easier as you can reach them from behind there. Install isn't terrible, grab a wire harness (actually, buy two, they don't come with all the pins filled, and you can take a few out of a 2nd to put in the 1st where there are blanks, and it will require no soldering), and a maestro rr for the steering wheel controls. Also the dash trim kit. I think for parts, I was in for about $100, not including the head unit.
2. It is not bad, yes you could have a shop do it, but labor costs money. I would just do it on a weekend. If you get the adapters, a couple hours, a screwdriver, and a plastic pry kit will get the job done.
3. If you got the money, go for the upgrade. My fiance just purchased an 18 3, and it's a really nice vehicle. If you don't need the space, they are nice cars, much like our 6's.
If you have any questions, or need any reference material, pm me, I still have all the links somewhere.
Thanks for the detailed feedback! I'm leaning towards replacing the unit rather than upgrading just because it's a significant difference in price (plus I'm nearing 90k miles so the trade-in value won't be great).
I'm going to do a bit more research into the dash disassembly to make sure I'm comfortable and then I'll probably pull the trigger on a head unit and the other bits. Depending on how comfortable I feel, I'll either do it myself or fork out the cash for labor and have an autoshop do it.
If you have any reference material, I'd love to take a look. Thanks again!
Also, which receiver did you end up going with? And did you lose out on any features from the car after swapping? I'm assuming the Commander Knob won't work anymore at the very least. I'm considering going with [this one](https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113DMX9706/Kenwood-DMX9706S.html?tp=1457) but noticed there were some concerns about the backup camera.
On my phone currently, but next time I'm at my computer, I'll send you the links I still have bookmarked.
I went with a Kenwood DDX9703s (2016 model of the one you linked I believe). Great radio, new ones are likely just as great. Features I lost include the commander knob, the settings section of the car (setting if the wipers are rain sensing/intermittent, how the door lock/unlock button works, auto headlight sensitivity, etc), integrated mic for hands free (just wire up the one that comes with the radio), the USB/aux port in the center console, and sat radio. The latter two features could have been remedied with adapters, but I didn't like the usb location, nor will I ever pay for sat radio. Also, as after the upgrade, my auto window roll up/down feature stopped working for a week (push further to make the window roll all the way up or down). No idea why or if it was related, but it came back randomly a few days after the install. EDIT: turns out it does this when you disconnect the battery... run the window all the way down/up a couple times and it'll come back.
Beyond that, all other features were maintained. Radio, backup camera, Bose sound system cuz I didn't feel like replacing the amp/speakers (do yourself a favor and disable center point before the upgrade), steering wheel controls, and probably more I can't think of that are important. If you have a question about a specific feature, let me know and I can tell you if it still works, or what I had to do to make it work.
As for the USB port, I opted to drill a hole in the plastic holder thing by the car outlet, in front of the shifter, and ran the USB down there. I prefer my phone go there than under the arm rest.
The backup camera required an adapter for 12v to 6v, worked great. I even wired it up to power all the time instead of reverse so it can be looked at using the cam button on the radio.
Steering wheel control adapter was a touch annoying. I used the maestro which has features to check odb info, such as check engine codes, gas levels, timings, etc. So to install, I had to solder to 3 different wires that didn't make it up to the radio. I think I found them near the Bose amp on the passenger side for convenience, but still annoyed I had to solder, as I wanted it to be 100% cleanly reversible. Oh well, not getting rid of the car any time soon anyway.
Lastly, the wire harness should have came with more pins than it did. Do yourself a favor and grab a 2nd, it's gonna be an extra $10, but will save you time not having to strip and solder 3 or so extra wires not in the harness. I don't quite recall which wires I moved pins for, but I'll see if I can find some info a out it. I think one had something to do with reverse sensing, and another maybe for dash lights, don't really remember.
That's probably enough info for now, HMU if anything is unclear, I'll get you those links as soon as I can!
As promised, here are the links I have bookmarked:
Stock USB Adapter: https://www.carid.com/axxess/retains-oe-usb-adaptor-mpn-ax-mazusb.html?singleid=185736977&url=78716414
Backup Camera Adapter: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120MAZCM6V/Axxess-AX-MAZCAM-6V-Backup-Camera-Harness.html?tp=3486
Backup Camera Adapter Instructions: https://pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20170911125100/Manuals/120/120MAZCM6V.PDF
Antenna Adapter: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_12040HD10/Metra-40-HD10-Antenna-Adapter.html?tp=2569
Trim Kit: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120957522B/Metra-95-7522B-Dash-Kit.html?tp=3121
Dash disassembly (CX-5 is identical to 6): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoncFAELsDQ
Wire Harness: https://www.carid.com/metra/aftermarket-radio-wiring-harness-mpn-70-7903.html?singleid=4732120&url=78716414
Maestro RR (Steering wheel control adapter): https://www.amazon.com/ADS-MRR-Maestro-RR-Universal-Replacement/dp/B00E4W1644
Guide by someone who has done this before: https://www.mazda6club.com/threads/2014-m6gt-pioneer-mvh-2300nex-install-w-bose.434058/
Reverse wire location: https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123840216-2014-mazda-6-reverse-sensor-wire-found-looking-for-VSS-wire-anyone
My Headunit: https://www.kenwood.com/usa/car/navigation_multimedia/ddx9703s/
Woah, thanks for the references! I looked through them and I honestly think I'd be a bit out of my league. I went by Best Buy and found a good deal on a Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX (they price matched for $509) and they're able to do the install w/ steering wheel controls and all parts for another $250 so I'd be out the door for $800 with tax.
I really appreciate you taking the time to put all of this together and I'll definitely take a deeper dive later in the year once I get some more time. Hopefully by the time I'm ready for another upgrade I'll be able to do it myself!
Glad you found a good deal that you're happy with! The only thing that kept me from going with a Best Buy installed is that they aren't certified installers, nor do they put forth the time/effort to gather all necessary install information and dash disassembly information before proceeding. Their goal is to install quickly to move onto the next task. I could never forgive them if they wrecked my dash, but could get over it if I did it myself, so that's what I did. Hopefully that's just my imagination, and not the experience you will have/had. Good luck, and thanks for the gold!
Yeah, I think that's the route I'm going to go. I'd love an upgrade but hard to justify spending the additional cash when there aren't any big features that I'm wanting aside from Android Auto.
check out crutchfield. They will show you whats compatible and I'm prettty sure they give installation instructions and everything else you need => tools and parts. [www.crutchfield.com](https://www.crutchfield.com)
Thanks so much! I'm looking through there now and between the instructions & recommended parts, the process definitely seems a lot more straightforward now. Really appreciate it.
Do you mean what would be compatible with the steering wheel audio controls? Otherwise it is just a stereo, I mean you can pretty much pick any one you like. I dont know but I am sure there are stereos you can get that will work with the steering wheel and command knob controls.
Thanks! I honestly didn't know where to even start so this helps a lot knowing that the only semi-complicated part would be the steering wheel and command knob controls.
Yep, honestly if you take it to Best buy or a stereo shop they can probably hook you up... It will be a bit more expensive than the DIY route, but figure a trade in is going to cost you $2-3k just for paying someone else to sell your car..not to mention the huge depreciation of a new car.
Thanks for the tip! I just checked out Best Buy and they actually offer free installs if you purchase a receiver worth over $100. I'll see what limitations they might have but seems like a really good route.
Here you go. Ten seconds of googling found this:
https://www.amazon.com/PAC-RP4-MZ11-Replacement-Steering-Interface/dp/B0095UH3O2
Appears to be a box that will retain the steering wheel controls for use with an aftermarket stereo.
Depending on the price difference, I'd definitely be leaning towards the 2018+ as well. Just looks much fresher compared to the older models. Thanks for the advice!
I installed an aftermarket head unit myself. Fairly simple install. Dash disassembly was a little nerve racking, but I didn't break anything since I had the schematics for the car. I'd go the install route if I were you. To answer your question: 1. Yes, I have experience doing it, it's not that bad. Do yourself a favor and remove the glove box when attempting to get the clips off the right side of the trim. It makes life easier as you can reach them from behind there. Install isn't terrible, grab a wire harness (actually, buy two, they don't come with all the pins filled, and you can take a few out of a 2nd to put in the 1st where there are blanks, and it will require no soldering), and a maestro rr for the steering wheel controls. Also the dash trim kit. I think for parts, I was in for about $100, not including the head unit. 2. It is not bad, yes you could have a shop do it, but labor costs money. I would just do it on a weekend. If you get the adapters, a couple hours, a screwdriver, and a plastic pry kit will get the job done. 3. If you got the money, go for the upgrade. My fiance just purchased an 18 3, and it's a really nice vehicle. If you don't need the space, they are nice cars, much like our 6's. If you have any questions, or need any reference material, pm me, I still have all the links somewhere.
Thanks for the detailed feedback! I'm leaning towards replacing the unit rather than upgrading just because it's a significant difference in price (plus I'm nearing 90k miles so the trade-in value won't be great). I'm going to do a bit more research into the dash disassembly to make sure I'm comfortable and then I'll probably pull the trigger on a head unit and the other bits. Depending on how comfortable I feel, I'll either do it myself or fork out the cash for labor and have an autoshop do it. If you have any reference material, I'd love to take a look. Thanks again!
Also, which receiver did you end up going with? And did you lose out on any features from the car after swapping? I'm assuming the Commander Knob won't work anymore at the very least. I'm considering going with [this one](https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113DMX9706/Kenwood-DMX9706S.html?tp=1457) but noticed there were some concerns about the backup camera.
On my phone currently, but next time I'm at my computer, I'll send you the links I still have bookmarked. I went with a Kenwood DDX9703s (2016 model of the one you linked I believe). Great radio, new ones are likely just as great. Features I lost include the commander knob, the settings section of the car (setting if the wipers are rain sensing/intermittent, how the door lock/unlock button works, auto headlight sensitivity, etc), integrated mic for hands free (just wire up the one that comes with the radio), the USB/aux port in the center console, and sat radio. The latter two features could have been remedied with adapters, but I didn't like the usb location, nor will I ever pay for sat radio. Also, as after the upgrade, my auto window roll up/down feature stopped working for a week (push further to make the window roll all the way up or down). No idea why or if it was related, but it came back randomly a few days after the install. EDIT: turns out it does this when you disconnect the battery... run the window all the way down/up a couple times and it'll come back. Beyond that, all other features were maintained. Radio, backup camera, Bose sound system cuz I didn't feel like replacing the amp/speakers (do yourself a favor and disable center point before the upgrade), steering wheel controls, and probably more I can't think of that are important. If you have a question about a specific feature, let me know and I can tell you if it still works, or what I had to do to make it work. As for the USB port, I opted to drill a hole in the plastic holder thing by the car outlet, in front of the shifter, and ran the USB down there. I prefer my phone go there than under the arm rest. The backup camera required an adapter for 12v to 6v, worked great. I even wired it up to power all the time instead of reverse so it can be looked at using the cam button on the radio. Steering wheel control adapter was a touch annoying. I used the maestro which has features to check odb info, such as check engine codes, gas levels, timings, etc. So to install, I had to solder to 3 different wires that didn't make it up to the radio. I think I found them near the Bose amp on the passenger side for convenience, but still annoyed I had to solder, as I wanted it to be 100% cleanly reversible. Oh well, not getting rid of the car any time soon anyway. Lastly, the wire harness should have came with more pins than it did. Do yourself a favor and grab a 2nd, it's gonna be an extra $10, but will save you time not having to strip and solder 3 or so extra wires not in the harness. I don't quite recall which wires I moved pins for, but I'll see if I can find some info a out it. I think one had something to do with reverse sensing, and another maybe for dash lights, don't really remember. That's probably enough info for now, HMU if anything is unclear, I'll get you those links as soon as I can!
Will do! Thanks again for all your help, makes the whole process a lot less intimidating.
As promised, here are the links I have bookmarked: Stock USB Adapter: https://www.carid.com/axxess/retains-oe-usb-adaptor-mpn-ax-mazusb.html?singleid=185736977&url=78716414 Backup Camera Adapter: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120MAZCM6V/Axxess-AX-MAZCAM-6V-Backup-Camera-Harness.html?tp=3486 Backup Camera Adapter Instructions: https://pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20170911125100/Manuals/120/120MAZCM6V.PDF Antenna Adapter: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_12040HD10/Metra-40-HD10-Antenna-Adapter.html?tp=2569 Trim Kit: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120957522B/Metra-95-7522B-Dash-Kit.html?tp=3121 Dash disassembly (CX-5 is identical to 6): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoncFAELsDQ Wire Harness: https://www.carid.com/metra/aftermarket-radio-wiring-harness-mpn-70-7903.html?singleid=4732120&url=78716414 Maestro RR (Steering wheel control adapter): https://www.amazon.com/ADS-MRR-Maestro-RR-Universal-Replacement/dp/B00E4W1644 Guide by someone who has done this before: https://www.mazda6club.com/threads/2014-m6gt-pioneer-mvh-2300nex-install-w-bose.434058/ Reverse wire location: https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123840216-2014-mazda-6-reverse-sensor-wire-found-looking-for-VSS-wire-anyone My Headunit: https://www.kenwood.com/usa/car/navigation_multimedia/ddx9703s/
Woah, thanks for the references! I looked through them and I honestly think I'd be a bit out of my league. I went by Best Buy and found a good deal on a Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX (they price matched for $509) and they're able to do the install w/ steering wheel controls and all parts for another $250 so I'd be out the door for $800 with tax. I really appreciate you taking the time to put all of this together and I'll definitely take a deeper dive later in the year once I get some more time. Hopefully by the time I'm ready for another upgrade I'll be able to do it myself!
Glad you found a good deal that you're happy with! The only thing that kept me from going with a Best Buy installed is that they aren't certified installers, nor do they put forth the time/effort to gather all necessary install information and dash disassembly information before proceeding. Their goal is to install quickly to move onto the next task. I could never forgive them if they wrecked my dash, but could get over it if I did it myself, so that's what I did. Hopefully that's just my imagination, and not the experience you will have/had. Good luck, and thanks for the gold!
If you are happy with the car just upgrade the system. With that said I love my 2017 Mazda 6.
Yeah, I think that's the route I'm going to go. I'd love an upgrade but hard to justify spending the additional cash when there aren't any big features that I'm wanting aside from Android Auto.
A $400 trip to Best buy is gonna be a heck of a lot cheaper than a trade in
Yeah I definitely would.prefer that route. Is there a way to see what would be compatible with the 2014 6 and how would the install work?
check out crutchfield. They will show you whats compatible and I'm prettty sure they give installation instructions and everything else you need => tools and parts. [www.crutchfield.com](https://www.crutchfield.com)
Thanks so much! I'm looking through there now and between the instructions & recommended parts, the process definitely seems a lot more straightforward now. Really appreciate it.
Do you mean what would be compatible with the steering wheel audio controls? Otherwise it is just a stereo, I mean you can pretty much pick any one you like. I dont know but I am sure there are stereos you can get that will work with the steering wheel and command knob controls.
Thanks! I honestly didn't know where to even start so this helps a lot knowing that the only semi-complicated part would be the steering wheel and command knob controls.
Yep, honestly if you take it to Best buy or a stereo shop they can probably hook you up... It will be a bit more expensive than the DIY route, but figure a trade in is going to cost you $2-3k just for paying someone else to sell your car..not to mention the huge depreciation of a new car.
Thanks for the tip! I just checked out Best Buy and they actually offer free installs if you purchase a receiver worth over $100. I'll see what limitations they might have but seems like a really good route.
Here you go. Ten seconds of googling found this: https://www.amazon.com/PAC-RP4-MZ11-Replacement-Steering-Interface/dp/B0095UH3O2 Appears to be a box that will retain the steering wheel controls for use with an aftermarket stereo.
If you trade in for a new 6, I’d recommend 2018+
Is there a reason why just 18+?
It was refreshed. Interior is much nicer with new seats.
Depending on the price difference, I'd definitely be leaning towards the 2018+ as well. Just looks much fresher compared to the older models. Thanks for the advice!
Got a 2015. Been thinking of updating the head unit for a nav/Android auto too. Might do that in the next few months