Also need to know the best type of Speakers I should look into...

thanks
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Douglas

i JUST installed all this stuff in my 91 240. For me, it boiled down to this...I can listen to all the posts (which were helpful), I can read all the archives (which were helpful), but in the end, it all depends on WHAT FITS in my car!!

Crutchfield can tell you that and gives you (free of charge), all the adaptors and harnesses you need to go along with your purchase.

Crutchfield doesn't tell you what COULD fit in your car with a little bit of extra work and some fabrication. Also, while they have some good stuff, only one of my components would have been available there, since they don't sell JL Audio or Alpine.

And buying something online, then installing it in your car and listening to it is not a very good way to compare, since the stock audio in a 240 is awful. This has been the Crutchfield trick since day 1, although it's getting harder as the auto companies are putting better sound in their cars now.

The best thing to do is to go listen carefully to a lot of different stuff using your own music and making sure that the subwoofers and extra amps are off, then talk to a local installer about what they think is possible, and if you want something "impossible", figure out a way to do it yourself, which I had to.

The wiring harness adapter Crutchfield includes is worthless on a 240 since the stock wires are inadequate and also old and possibly shorting somewhere. Why buy a new system and then trust it to those old wires which will denigrate the sound?

So the only thing that Crutchfield gives you is the mounting bezel, which you can buy locally for pocket change, and in return you get to pay retail plus shipping for everything. The only time I would buy from them is if they had something at a deep discount.

I went to www.800.com and added my car to the Car Audio page, Looks like i have some good choices like Pioneers DEHP7300 and FHP8800, not sure what i will go with, My wifes car has a pioneer DEHP3300 and we have been very happy with the sound and base...
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Douglas

I like players with BBE, think they sound better. Not sure how it works, but JVC and Alpine have it. The better models let you vary the BBE setting. My Alpine sounds pretty amazing for a car player, and I didn't even like Alpine before I decided on it. Take a bunch of CD's of different kinds of music and spend a couple of hours listening. A winner will emerge after a while.

You can put 4 or 5" speakers int he front doors, 4-6" in the rears, and probably 6.5's would be no problem either.

The main trick is to get speakers that have roughly the same sound signature so that the front and back don't sound radically different. I spent a lot of time listening before I bought mine and it was well worth it, even though I didn't buy expensive stuff. It's like sitting in a pool of sound rather than hearing a bass-heavy speaker in the back and a treble-heavy speaker in the front.

Just took a trip with my brother and he thought I didn't even HAVE rear speakers, until I worked the fader to demonstrate.

Since the noise level is high in a 240 you might consider using some Dynamat. I've thought about it, but it's a lot of work taking all the door panels off and applying the stuff. Best to do it while you're already in there installing the speakers.

I have a 1984 240 wagon. I installed a Blaupunkt in mine also. Put in the lower console because of gauge pack above. I put in a 4 inch component speaker set up, with the tweeters mounted up in the upper corners of the front windshield frame. Sounds great. Bought it through Crutchfield. Good Luck, Glen.

I bought a new Blaupunkt CD receiver for $110 online and am happy with it. I also had to place it in the lower console because I have the gauge pack up top, but it is more hidden from thieves. Good trade off. I am also going to get Blaupunkt speakers. I just haven't had the time to get them. The acoustic set up in the 240 is so rotten, that it's really not worth spending lots of money on a "system" if you ask me. Plus road noise is so present, you lose a lot of audio clarity. How much are you willing to spend. The most important aspect is the subwoofer in the 240. My friend has a great setup; Blaupunkt receiver and Boston Acoustics speakers. The problem is he has no base output. So you really have to go all the way if you want good sound output. Good luck.
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'86 245 DL Volvo Blue/ Blue Vinyl M46

I have a sony cd player in my 1980 244 GL it works great but since yours is the newer model i think you have a some choice in speakers and location of your deck. In my car i have to put it down at the bottom of my center console but if i am write yours will goi in the top which is wicked. Decks are what ever you want they are some what the same but with different looks my recomendation is to go to the store and check out all the makes. This will give you a better thought on what you want. Speakers i am not sure what size will fit in your car i know that in my car since it is the older model all i can fit in the door is 4" this is probably different in your car. At most audio stores they can tell you what would fit best and what is the recomended size. Then you can talk to them about speakers basicly audio equipment is how much money you want to spend the more money you spend better quality you get in terms of clarity and wattage.
Hope it helps.
Alberta
1980 244 GL