Hey guys I just got my new head unit a Clarion DXZ785USB for my 1990 535i, but my car is too old for the adaptor so wires need to be spliced for it to work. I was wondering if anybody could help me out with this because I have no experience with electronics.

Thanks

Wouldn't this work for you?

http://retailer.installationexcellence.com/productfeatures.aspx?retailerid=1944&productid=1095&sid=58C703B2-CBF2-488A-9B46-ED9EFFBD3937&vehicleid=100911

or this

http://retailer.installationexcellence.com/productfeatures.aspx?retailerid=1944&productid=2358&sid=58C703B2-CBF2-488A-9B46-ED9EFFBD3937&vehicleid=100911

looks like it would work..it's very simple to hook it up. You litterally just mate the wires from clarion (they have instructions telling you which wire does what) to the harness that Girardsays recommended (that also should have instructions telling you which wire does what).

TO connect them you can do it in 3 ways..

1.) twist the two exposed wires together and then electrical tape it. (this is usually ok but you CAN risk the wires coming loose...although it never happened on my civic after 3 years).

2.) use 16 guage crimps (literally its like a tube thingy and you insert the wire into both ends and squeeeeeeeeeeze so it crushes it).

3.) solder.

Good luck! If you can go the harness route its easy. If you have to splice..the above instructions will work just the same, instead you would have to cut the harness from where the factory head unit is and strip each wire and then connect it to your clarion harness with one of the 3 above instructions. Of course you'd need to buy a splicer in this case...

If i was closer to San Diego I'd help.

Thanks guys. I got the first adaptor Girard posted with the HU but I have heard many people say that the adapotr will work but many that say it will not work so I am confused about it. I went over to a good stereo installing place today and they said there is an adaptor so I will try to use it. It is just unclear whether or not it will work.

Unless you have a digital amp ("premium system etc") it should work. It doesn't make sense that it won't.

Let us know if you have any issues..should be easy to trouble shoot.

Well I guess I have premium sound. I got all the wiring sorted out and know what wires to splice together, but someone told me I need to rewire my speakers because it is a common ground system and this looks like it is becoming really costly just to swap in a HU because I can't rewire my car.

So to splice, do I cut these wires off of my stock stereo and just attach to the wiring of the Clarion?

Here is what the back of my stock HU looks like, there is nowhere to attach an adaptor

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb256/billygoat777/S6300770.jpg