Double DIN into 2004 C3

[Missing Lincs]

My daughter is getting fed up with using a separate nav and I'm thinking of fitting a double DIN headunit with everthing built in.

If anyone has done this I'd be interested to here your thoughts and especially to see any photos. I'm particularly interested in how much room there is and if you fitted connectors for USB and where they are routed.

The existing radio is an aftermarket Pioneer so I already have the stalk control adaptor.

[Missing Lincs]

Not much response yet, oh well.

Here's another question; I'm thinking of putting the GPS antenna behind the instrument cluster, inside the plastic housing.

I've had a look at the photos in the Haynes manual and there seems to be some space. How much, and is there anything to attach a mounting plate onto?

[C3CAR]

The 2002 C3 has the option of a cd multichanger under the stereo, each being a single din. I would expect there to be plenty of room for a double din install.

The top cowling is easy to remove, it just pulls off.

There is a video of the removal on the site somewhere below.

As for adding a GPS antenna, there is quite a bit of room behind the multi line display, the single line display has less room, but still enough for a GPS antenna.

There are 2 screws holding the LCD display in place so I can see the re use of one of these to hold a bracket without too much difficulty.

[C3CAR]

Citroen C3 Double DIN install option

Both radio or radio and storage removed shows a Double DIN sized hole

[C3CAR]

[Missing Lincs]

Thanks C3CAR, just what I was looking for.

Your 'empty hole' photo us very useful. I've found a few pictures on the web of double DIN installs completed and also a kit from Connects2 which provides support for a cage and also a trim to tidy the install. That's something that the current replacement single DIN doesn't have, there is a mismatch in the panel depth around the radio.

I like the idea of installing the GPS antenna behind the top display, ours is only single line but I don't need much space, thanks for the suggestion C3CAR. I will probably make a metal bracket to mount the antenna so a couple of fixing screws will be handy. They are supposed to work better when on a metal plate, I guess it acts as a ground plane, also some antennas are magnetic which makes mounting on metal a useful option.

I only see the C3 every so often now as my daughter lives away, its coming back for a visit for a weekend soon so I want to have everything ready to do the install. Nipping out for parts isn't easy, its a couple of hours round-trip to the nearest Halfords.

I usually forget about taking photos until its too late, I'll try to remember this time.

[C3CAR]

I usually forget about taking photos until its too late, I'll try to remember this time.

Thank you

[C3driver52]

Double DIN with rear facing camera

I like the idea of the rear facing camera option, like this one on eBay. It would need a bit more time to wire in the camera and access to the reversing light wire.

[Missing Lincs]

I've fitted rear cameras on a couple of vehicles, it can involve a bit of time running wires, how you go about it depends on the car.

One car I did was fully CAN-Bus with a rear CAN-Bus module so picking up signals was easy, I bought a CAN-Bus interface which gave signals for reverse gear, handbrake, speed pulse and illumination simply by decoding them from the data stream. The only wiring front to back on the car was the video feed from the camera and a power feed to the camera from the CAN-Bus interface which was in the dash. I used a video cable with an extra conductor to feed the camera power.

The other car was conventional hard-wiring, the power for the camera came from the reverse lights at the back of the car, it was the easiest place to pick up the connection. I used the same video cable with extra conductor to take the reverse signal to the HU in the front of the car.

I would be very careful with 'unbranded' units. I'm sure some are fine but the ones I've experienced weren't so good. Performance was very shaky and not reliable, loads of functions but none of them done very well. I guess its the old adage to certain extent, you get what you pay for.

[Missing Lincs]

Here are a few photos from my install

The radio aperture ready for a double DIN cage.

Space behind the display ready for a GPS antenna.