How to tell P5 HU differences with other HU's

[Aristoi]

Hello all, we just picked up our new to us P5 the day before yesterday. It is an 02 black bone stock except for the strut brace in the front. The only other modification is there is an aftermarket HU in there, but the car came with no face plate. The dealer does not know why it was never turned in with the car.

Anyway i am looking to put the stock HU back in there and i am not sure how to tell the difference between P5 HU's and all other Mazda HU's. I know this sort of belongs in the Audio section but since it is specific to P5's with the amber backlight it might be better in here. So i have searched and found pictures of the amber vs green backlight head units and the only difference i can tell is the front of the knobs on the amber have dimples and green do not. So is this true of all year P5 having the dimples or just certain years. Are there any Mazda HU's that are amber without the dimples? Also anyone looking to get rid of their stock amber HU let me know.

 

[redpr5]

you could always go to a stereo shop and find a face plate for the radio too

 

[p5power]

Hello all, we just picked up our new to us P5 the day before yesterday. It is an 02 black bone stock except for the strut brace in the front. The only other modification is there is an aftermarket HU in there, but the car came with no face plate. The dealer does not know why it was never turned in with the car.

Anyway i am looking to put the stock HU back in there and i am not sure how to tell the difference between P5 HU's and all other Mazda HU's. I know this sort of belongs in the Audio section but since it is specific to P5's with the amber backlight it might be better in here. So i have searched and found pictures of the amber vs green backlight head units and the only difference i can tell is the front of the knobs on the amber have dimples and green do not. So is this true of all year P5 having the dimples or just certain years. Are there any Mazda HU's that are amber without the dimples? Also anyone looking to get rid of their stock amber HU let me know.

hmmm...dimples or no dimples...lol. Don't think we've ever had this discussion before. Well, I did some quick research:

2002

2003

Look the same to me! Which makes sense, considering most of the changes between 2002 and 2003 were just cosmetic. And if you want to get a stock HU, I would keep an eye on the for sale section, since they usually come up for sale every now and then. You've also got ebay, your local salvage yard, and www.car-part.com. You're in luck since a stock HU is pretty cheap used.

Oh, and that strut bar you were talking about, believe it or not, is stock too!

 

[Aristoi]

Here is where i found the info on the dimples that led to this post. So within the protege model HERE is how to tell. I am just wondering if this applied to other Mazdas like the MPV, Millenia, or 626. I am not sure what other Mazdas share the same stock HU with amber backlight.

 

[Aristoi]

Here is a stock HU from a 00-01 Millenia/626 ebay auction, but no dimples.

I attched an image from another HU ebay auction from an 01 626 no dimples. Do all of these have green backlights?

 

[TheMAN]

what "dimples" are you talking about?

NONE of the pics you posted are the right radio for your car
the pics posted by the other guy ARE the right radio for your car... you need to find THAT radio

 

[CTt3P5]

I have been looking at an aftermarket hu (to buy soon)....if I do, you could buy mine. Will let you know.

 

[Aristoi]

what "dimples" are you talking about?

NONE of the pics you posted are the right radio for your car
the pics posted by the other guy ARE the right radio for your car... you need to find THAT radio

Look at the face of knobs, they have dimples in the P5 pictures. The link i posted is from the protege forum where the stock HU for DX and LX don't have dimples and the HU's from the ES and P5 do have dimples. That is how you can tell the difference in the protege model which ones are amber and which are green backlight. Other model mazdas like the 626, tribute, millenia have the same plug in the back bit no dimples. I am wondering it that means they are all green or are there some HU that are amber backlight with no dimples.

 

[Aristoi]

I have been looking at an aftermarket hu (to buy soon)....if I do, you could buy mine. Will let you know.

Let me know how soon. I am hoping to have tunes within a week. No tunes is driving me nuts. I have a single din in there now. You could have the install kit in mine if you want that includes the compartment to take up the space below the aftermarket HU in going from a double DIN stock to a single DIN aftermarket.

 

[TheMAN]

you tell the difference by looking at the knobs? :wtf:

look man, the whole styling of the radios are different (buttons, display, etc), I don't know how you can miss that obvious fact

 

[KronixKid22]

I have my stock HU from my 03' P5, nothing wrong with it. Only problem is I'm in Rhode Island at the moment and wouln't be able to send it until October 6th.

 

[kold]

I've got a stock HU laying around since last year since I installed my Alpine - it is a 6-cd changer model. I am moving in a month so im cleaning up and want to get rid of it. PM me if you're interested.

 

[CTt3P5]

Go for kold's hu. I would still have to buy a hu and most likely wait a few days for shipping then install, and then get my stock one in the mail to ya. Plus mine is not the 6cd changer.

 

[Skoozul]

my '02.5 has one similar to the first two pics but it is a six disk in-dash-changer. It has a 'load' button right above the "seek, track, apc" buton, and my lights are also red. Those are the only differences with mine.

 

[Katya4me]

If you're looking for the differences in coloring, then all '02-'03 Proteges should have red backlighting on the headunit and be doubledin sized.

Do you not have a HU in there now, or do you not like the aftermarket one it came with?

Nate has one for sale if you want a cassette player: http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123643898

If not, only the P5 came w/ the 6 disk in-dash as an option w/ the moonroof package, otherwise it is a single CD player and it came in all of the P5s. Currently my 6 disk player is residing in my cousin's 626 because he doesn't care that it clashes w/ the stock green backlighting.

 

[nate0123]

thanks katie, I was about to link to that

mine is red/amber so it will match your gauges