Upgrading my Boxster's audio was my big project for the cold months beginning 2018. It's unlikely that I would have undertaken this project had my car come with a proper OEM Becker head unit instead of the very aftermarket looking Pioneer unit that clearly didn't look as if it belonged. Of course, I could have found and installed an OEM unit but that seemed like it would be a step backward. Instead, I chose to install a double-din touch screen Android head unit with a display that can be customized to appear OEM-ish.
This is the Pioneer head unit that came with the car. It worked OK but looked too fast and furious for me. Note that the storage bin above it didn't fit properly. Whoever installed this clearly didn't know what they were doing!
While removing the Pioneer it became apparent that another aftermarket head unit had been installed after the OEM Becker and before the Pioneer. The opening in the dash for the head unit had been modified suggesting that the previous unit was a double-din.
With the Pioneer removed from the dash I discovered wires for the previous aftermarket head unit's microphone, digital antenna, and i-phone connections had just been cut off and left in place.
Beneath the Pioneer's mounting cage I found the connector that should have been plugged into the intermittent windshield wiper control. Yet another example of a poor installation.
This is the central vent frame removed from the car sitting on the bench. The Metra brand double din installation kit attached directly to this frame.
The double din mount test fit inside the frame. Looks and fits like it belongs. High praise for any after market part!
There were lots of options but I finally chose this Xtrons brand head unit. It runs Android 7.1 so the interface is easy to customize plus it doesn't have any logos on it's face to make it obvious that it isn't OEM.
The Xtrons on the bench in my basement connected to a lawn mower battery. This way I was able to stay warm while installing apps and replacing this very aftermarket looking launcher and home screen that came pre-installed.
![20180131_164204[1]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/655499_1a2f40754a564c56908f7b0ef2d66761~mv2_d_2576_1932_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/655499_1a2f40754a564c56908f7b0ef2d66761~mv2_d_2576_1932_s_2.jpg)
The Metra double din mount had a small lip on the inside of the opening that needed to be removed for the Xtrons to fit properly. Careful work with saw, rasp and file allowed me to make the necessary modifications.
Everything together and ready to go back in the car. Note the simple "Boxster S" background I make in Photoshop.
The audio upgrade project also involved installing speakers in the storage bins behind the seat's headrests. This is the storage unit removed from the car and sitting upside down on the bench.
I could have bought OEM speaker grills but I decided to make my own instead. That involved fabricating frames (shown), covering them with grill cloth, and installing them behind the existing bin openings.
Sure, these aren't OEM but they look and work just as well plus I had the fun of making them!
This shows the storage bin with OEM speakers installed. (thanks Dave!) Running the wires from the speakers to the back of the head unit may have been the hardest part.
The storage unit with speakers installed. I'm well pleased with the way it looks and sounds!
Installing the new head unit in the car presented new challenges. It was a pleasant surprise to find that the Xtron's power connector plugged right into the Boxster's with minimal fuss and without the use of an adaptor. The original plan was to remove the aftermarket Alpine amp that came with the car and plug the car's speaker connectors directly to the Xtron's amp but, try as I might, I couldn't find the speaker connector!
Here are a few screen shots to show some of the software. I'll be quick to admit the current configuration isn't perfect but the great thing about the Xtrons running Android is that it can be customized to my taste. It does appear that I'm stuck with the included radio tuner and CD player apps but everything else can be considered a work in progress!
A part of the "B" on the rear trunk's Boxster badge was broken when I bought the car, most likely by someone washing or waxing it a little too vigorously. Not a big deal really but it still bothered me every time I saw it. Researching my car's history revealed that it was originally delivered with the "498 Delete Model Designation" option so I thought I'd try removing it completely to see if I'd like it.
Another minor flaw that annoyed me was the trim around the top and sides of the windshield. Instead of being a strip of shiny silver my car's trim was more of a dull grey/tan with some small black cracks in the finish as well. Replacing the trim seemed like a quick and easy, instant gratification kind of project. What could go wrong??
About this time I stopped taking photos and started worrying. The point of no return had long since passed and I was beginning to think that the only way to remove the old trim was to remove the windshield, a step that I did NOT want to take. After walking away for a while and giving it some thought I tried heating the trim with a hair dryer. That softened the good German adhesive just enough that I was able to pull out the old trim with a hemostat, millimeter by laborious millimeter. Installation is the reverse of removal, of course, so the hair dryer was needed to install the new trim. Even with the adhesive warm it was very difficult press the trim onto the edge of the windshield with enough force to get it to seat properly. The new trim was finally pressed into place using shallow wooden wedges. All's well what ends well I guess and the new trim does look much better than the old. That being said, instead of the feeling of accomplishment that I normally get after completing a project this time it's more of a feeling of relief that I didn't cause permanent damage. If I had it to do again I'd just paint the old trim and be done with it...
The windows in the Boxster's doors are intended tp open about a half inch when the door's latch is pulled to allow the door to open without interference from the convertible top's frame. The driver's side window stopped doing this and the window was starting catch on the top's frame when opening the door. Research suggested this was caused by a worn out window regulator so replacing it became my next project.
Another little thing that had been bothering me since I bought the Boxster was it's climate control display. The control worked properly but there was an irregular yellow line across the display's bottom that was visible even when the car was turned off. A little research found that replacement LCD's were available from 914Rubber.com so I ordered one with the expectation that I would install it when the car was off the road for the winter but decided to replace it sooner when a section of the temperature display stopped working.