I have a 2001 ford focus SE, the stock radio in the thing is taking a shit. The "antitheft" feature of the radio causes it to cut out and turn off to the point where it takes a hefty smack to get it to lodge back into place and turn back on. Anywho I was wondering what it takes to replace a car stereo, I want to put in a usb compatible maybe bluetooth compatable stereo but I know theres things such as wire harnesses and face plates that i really have no clue about.

If you guys could give me some insight on
A.) decent car stereos that arent crazy expensive working on a college budget
B.) the process on replacing a stereo
C.) Anything else that would be good general knowledge for the process
D.) Also any information on what it takes to put a decent sound system into a car after the stereo is upgraded/fixed

Thanks!

This post was edited by bensfriend1 on Feb 10 2015 11:25am

crutchfield good website to buy
they give/sell cheap to you a kit to help you install it and fit perfect for your car
I'm car audio noob and did my head unit and speakers myself with their kit

for current good models etc, I'm not the best at that but crutchfield has some advisors you can talk to and they can suggest you something

A. is $172 for head unit+all the install parts+4 speakers fine? i know speakers may feel optional but in reality its best to get them out of the way because aftermarket head units tend to blow factory speakers.

B. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSbzR9lv2OM is how to remove it
after that you just need to follow the instructions that come with the wiring harness and dash kit. wiring harness is paint by numbers and dash kit slips on.
and don't worry about electricity and being shocked or anything of that because that doesn't happen if you use a wiring harness instead of chopping up the factory wires.

C. you can either go with electrical tape or butt connectors for the wires. electrical tape is easier(don't cheap out on electrical tape if you go this route) this is a good option http://www.homedepot.com/p/Scotch-Super-33-3-4-in-x-66-ft-Electrical-Tape-6132-BA-10/100073402
butt connectors are the better choice as they are faster and are more reliable in the long term but they can also be annoying and fail to hold the wires after you mash them down. you can remedy this buy doing pull test everytime+adding some electrical tape on the ends as well. i'd say do both to avoid having to take it back out ever again to fix something thats came undone.

D. depends on what you mean by "sound system". door speakers generally require popping off door panels after removing a few screws since they are almost entirely held on by tension from http://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/294945_x800.jpg which just require a firm steady pressure to come undone.

adding amplifier(s) requires running power and ground wires. the power run all the way from your battery to the amp location and the grounds will require some drilling and sanding near the amp location as well.
you have to run rca+remote turn on wires from your head unit to the amp location(for subwoofer amp)
you have to run rca+remoter turn on wires from your head unit to the amp as well as run speaker wire from the amp to all the door speakers(for door speaker amp obv)

here is the setup i mentioned in first post.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_89887_Pioneer-DEH-X2700UI.html put in car info for the mostly free installation stuff. antenna adapter is $5 but wiring harness and dash kit are free.
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_88909_4-Speakers-Total-2-Pairs-of-NVX-N-Series-NSP68-Coaxial-Speakers.html replaces all 4 of your stock speakers.

or bluetooth option

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_89883_Pioneer-DEH-X4700BT.html

This post was edited by Subwoofer on Feb 10 2015 05:04pm

Kenwood head units are affordable and of great quality.

For the head unit itself, Kenwood is a great option. Entry level pricing with good reliability and quality. As mentioned above, aftermarket stereos can blow out your factory speakers. You may want to look into a new set if it fits within your budget.