I'm going to do it...

[JJxUSAF]

I really wanted navigation on my Mazdaspeed, but I found a really great deal on the one I got, so I settled without it. It's probably a good thing, because from what I've heard the factory navigation isn't much to brag about. So after much, much, much searching, I was able to locate a cool little mount for an LCD screen. It's made by Mazda for the Atenza (Japanese 6) and I was able to order it through www.Japanparts.com. I'm not 100% sure it will fit, but I'm going to try.

So with the mount (see attached pic), I'm going to hopefully install a Kenwood (lz-702w) LCD touch screen and navigation system (KNA-G510). I think it will be a fairly straightforward process and what I will basically end up with is a Garmin / Tom Tom type navigation that is permanently installed into my dash. And I'll have the LCD screen with another input, so if I want to add a dvd player or carputer at a later date, I have that option.

For the most part I've got everything figured out, but the one problem I see is that I don't think I'll be able to integrate the sound output from the navigation to my stock stereo system. I thought about using an auxmod to have it as an auxillary input, but then I'll have to switch to media or something to listen to the nav prompts, i.e. no music while using the nav. I think the LCD has speakers, so I could probably just use that, but I can't imagine the sound will be the greatest.

Anyway, I just thought I'd start a post so that anyone who is interested can follow this project of mine. I should have the nav mount in 10-15 days (it is coming from Japan afterall), and I'll go from there. Wish me luck! (nana)

 

[buit9110]

good luck man, great find, there are lots of stuff to get from this site.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

looks like a great idea, post pics when done!

 

[Irish_5150]

keep us informed

I wanted to do the same thing but wasn't sure how it would work out. Can't wait to see the final product.

 

[JJxUSAF]

Well I got the piece from www.japanparts.com. Their customer service was great and I got the piece in a timely manner. I haven't bought the screen or the navi yet, but here are some pics of the mount. It seems well made, and should accommodate a 7" screen with no problems. I'm looking at the Kenwood LZ-702W with a Kenwood KNA-G510 Navigation system.

 

[yelomp5]

Well I got the piece from www.japanparts.com. Their customer service was great and I got the piece in a timely manner. I haven't bought the screen or the navi yet, but here are some pics of the mount. It seems well made, and should accommodate a 7" screen with no problems. I'm looking at the Kenwood LZ-702W with a Kenwood KNA-G510 Navigation system.

so can u install a 1din motroized screen in there?
i still have my DVD screen/player from my P5....
but cannot find a dashkit for the MS6

 

[JJxUSAF]

You could use this from the japanparts.com website. The wiring might be tricky, but you might be able to use an auxmod if your stereo has auxillary outputs. That's how I plan on hooking up my navigation.

 

[Mr. Win]

I would consider a carputer at this point. Put in a 7inch touchscreen.

MP3CAR.COM is a great site that could give you a better on idea on what you could do

 

[JJxUSAF]

I looked at that, and it does offer a lot of cool options, but I want good functionality with the least amount of hassle. Waiting for a computer to boot up, having to start my software, not really my cup of tea. And the GPS software available doesn't hold a candle to most standard navigation setups, from what I've read. The 7" LCD has aux inputs if I want to add an xbox or a DVD player, what can a carputer really do that I would need?

 

[Mr. Win]

I have no idea what you need. Just an option for you in your journey and those guys have drastically cut startup time.

The options are endless...

 

[yelomp5]

You could use this from the japanparts.com website. The wiring might be tricky, but you might be able to use an auxmod if your stereo has auxillary outputs. That's how I plan on hooking up my navigation.

I like the one that you purchased, since the screen had to be mounted
at that loaction, i would wanna hide the screen...and not make
it too obivious.....let us know how urs installed! post pics when finish!

 

[Gandalf]

You could use this from the japanparts.com website. The wiring might be tricky, but you might be able to use an auxmod if your stereo has auxillary outputs. That's how I plan on hooking up my navigation.

That looks like a great start to a gauge pod if someone doesnt already make one. Easy to glass the opening over and add holes for guages. . . I can think of alot of good uses for tat piece. . . kinda of pricey though

 

[wannabe]

any updates on this?

 

[atoy74]

How's the project working out? I'm very interested.

 

[JJxUSAF]

Update: Well after saving for a few months and doing tons of research, I have finally completed this project. It didn't turn out exactly how I wanted, but I think it worked out great all around.

My original plan was to install a Kenwood KNA-G510 add-on navigation system with a Kenwood LX-702W touchscreen. That screen looked like it would go perfectly with the box I bought, probably a little better than what I ended up going with. I planned on connecting the line out of the monitor to an auxmod, hence giving me the ability to listen to navigation prompts over my factory speakers.

The problem with all that is that the auxmod utilizes the tape player input of the stereo, meaning if I switched to the navigation, I wouldn't be able to listen to my radio or cds. And the KNA-G510 does not have any sort of MP3 player (How a trunk mounted unit can have far less options than a 4", dash mounted unit is beyond me, but it has no MP3, no bluetooth). So basically if I wanted to listen to the prompts, that's all I would be able to listen to. This turned me off to the KNA-G510.

Enter the Garmin Streetpilot 7200. It has a 7" touchscreen, an mp3 player and XM radio capabilities. AND it will pause the music to give you navigation prompts. So using this unit I could upload music using a simple SD card and play the music while waiting or navigation prompts. Sure, I couldn't control the music selection with my steering wheel buttons, but I could control the volume and mute. This unit was a lot bigger than the Kenwood touch screen, but I thought it might still work.

Here is where I ran into a bit of trouble. The mount that came with the Streetpilot 7200 is rather large, and complex. It is designed to sit on the top of your dash. There was no way the mount was going to work with the box I bought, it simply made the whole thing too big. What I ended up doing (and this is not for the faint of heart), is taking apart my brand new $850 navigation system, removing the back cover, mounting the back cover to the mount of my dash box, and putting everything back together. It was tricky, but in the end I just barely got the unit to squeeze in there, and it still works great.

So I was able to install the Garmin Streetpilot 7200 into the box that I got from www.japanparts.com. I used an auxmod to connect the audio to my car speakers. Now I can switch my stereo input to the navigation, listen to mp3's through my navigation, and have the navigation pause the mp3 playback to give my guidance directions. I also highly recommend this navigation system, it has given me great directions so far, and has a lot of really cool features.

There are only really two problems with how I set this up, neither of which are really solvable the way I see it. The Garmin unit comes with a remote, but because it sits so low in the box, I have to hold the remote up in the air to get a clear shot. Not a big deal, the touch screen works great. Two, because I'm using an auxmod, if I lower the volume on the steering wheel controls, it lowers the volume of the entire unit, mp3 player and voice prompts alike. Not a big deal, you can go into the settings of the unit and lower the mp3 playback independently of the navigation prompts, it's just a little more difficult than pressing the volume buttons on the steering wheel.

Pics to follow.

 

[wannabe]

sweet. definitly need to see pics of this.

 

[JJxUSAF]

Here you go.

 

[Killer]

Nice work!!!

 

[evo'skickass]

that looks sweet, but quick question, is the screen powered? in terms of movement, i mean does it come out on its own, if not, then how does it come out.

 

[Japan8]

No it doesn't. That JDM Mazda OEM screen mount for aftermarket nav is manual.

If you are willing to go more the CarPC route... I'd suggest checking out the "Holy Grail" on the other Mazda6 forum. It's really quite sweet (and motorized).