WHAT YOU NEED
> Car stereo with RCA auxiliary inputs
> Screwdrivers and/or other tools to access the car stereo
> 12-volt power outlet ($10 at automotive store)
> Wire cutter, stripper
> 10-gauge wire ($5 to $10 at automotive store, optional)
> Assorted crimp connectors ($5 at automotive store)
> Crimping tool
> Drill (optional)
> XtremeMac RoadShow Car Audio/Video Cable ($49.95, www.xtrememac.com), Belkin Auto Kit for iPod w/Dock Connector ($39.99, www.belkin.com), TuneFlex ($49.99, www.griffintechnology.com), or similar
> Stereo RCA-to-mini adapter ($5 to $10) required for Auto Kit or TuneFlex; not needed for RoadShow
> Cable ties (optional)

 

Sure, you’ve got your iPod, your nano, your shuffle, and if the mood strikes you can dance around in silhouette all day long. But on the outside chance that you have to drive somewhere - what then? Break the law, in many states, and earbud it? Or rig your ride so you can play it in your car? Hey, now there’s an idea. In eight relatively easy steps, here’s how to add the iPod to the auto.

 

Note: This how-to assumes you have a car stereo with an RCA auxiliary input behind the dash. These inputs are pretty standard on aftermarket stereos, but unfortunately, not as standard on car manufacturers’ systems. Check your car’s manual to see if you have that input. If you don’t, we’ve included a few other ways to add an iPod interface in “No Aux, No Cry.”

 

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Step 1: Disconnect the Battery

 

Your car’s electrical system doesn’t pack enough juice to cause most people significant injury (read: people with their original hearts), but nobody likes getting shocked. (Also, you can better fake the gearhead aesthetic with a popped hood.) Disconnect the negative battery cable. If it can’t swing far enough away to avoid its circuit, insulate the connection with a cloth between the cable and the battery.

 

The great hope? That your battery is better tended to than this one. But a standard ratchet should help undo it quite nicely.

 

Step 2: Remove the Stereo

 

Getting to the stereo varies in degree of difficulty depending on both car and manufacturer, and owner’s manuals rarely give directions for this kind of thing. So search online to try to find free instructions, or barring that, visit www.carstereohelp.com to buy downloadable instructions, available for many car makes for a few dollars each. Also consider Chilton’s Total Car Care Manual book series ($20 to $30, www.chiltonsonline.com) for service manual directions to nearly every aspect of a car. Pulling the stereo may also require special tools, so reference this documentation to decide, and save money buying online at a retailer like www.cardomain.com. (We got a simple removal tool for $5.) Remove the stereo and cabling, and tape the wires together if you’re concerned that they’ll fall back behind the dash.

 

Once we figured out which way the hooks went, always toward the stereo, yanking it out was easy-peasey.

 

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Step 3: Access the 12-Volt Power Outlet

 

We used to call 12-volt power outlets “cigarette lighters” when we still lived in flavor country. With the stereo removed, you may be able to reach yours through the hole in the dashboard, or you may need to remove other panels for better access. Consult any available service manuals or online documentation.

 

We've got power!

 

Step 4: Wire the Second 12-Volt Power Outlet

 

Unplug the current outlet if possible, freeing its wires. Otherwise, cut its connection about 5 inches above the outlet. Strip a small section, exposing each wire, and connect each of the two wires running from the power system to one crimp connector. (See “Crimp My Ride” for more tips.) Connect the new outlet and the original outlet together and to each crimp connector, forming a Y with each connection, splitting the battery power to each outlet. (If you need to add more cabling, use the appropriate gauge; see “Gauging the Connection.”) Match the original polarity so that the two negative leads from each outlet connect to the original negative lead.

 

When you seat your wires, a firm shove and twist should be enough to ensure road vibration won’t eventually jostle all your hard work loose.

 

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Step 5: Plan the iPod Cable

 

Determine the path that the iPod connection will take. Many cars have an opening on the passenger side below the dashboard that can lead to the stereo. Otherwise, drill an out-of-the-way hole in one of the panels or even into the glove compartment for inconspicuous placement.

 

Discreet. Sweet.

 

Step 6: Plug It All In

 

Connect the left and right RCA cables to the stereo, and plug the power adapter into the new outlet. If you’re using the RoadShow, leave the yellow video cable unconnected. If you’re using the Auto Kit or TuneFlex, connect the mini-jack adapter. String the iPod cable out of its escape route. Reconnect the stereo wires.

 

Just a step away from playing a tune.

 

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Step 7: Test It

 

Don’t connect the iPod yet. After all the cabling is attached, reconnect the car battery. First test the car stereo to be sure it works the same as it did before. Then attach an iPod and try the stereo’s auxiliary input. If everything works properly, the iPod should say it’s charging, and the music should be as clear as a CD recording of angels. Or Metallica.

 

There. That wasn't so hard, was it?

 

Step 8: Permanently Mount Everything

 

Disconnect the iPod. Temporarily disconnect the car battery again. Use cable ties to neaten up the stereo wiring - especially the 12-volt connections because you don’t want the power adapter to get jostled. Carefully position the new cabling and 12-volt plug behind the dashboard, and reattach the stereo. Finally, reconnect the car battery again.

 

Done.

 

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BONUS TIP: No Aux, No Cry
If you don’t have a stereo with RCA inputs, check eBay or the junkyard for a used one, or check out these options.

 

FM TRANSMITTERS Devices like the Belkin TuneBase ($79.99, www.belkin.com) or Monster iCarPlay Wireless 200 ($99.95, www.monstercable.com) broadcast music from an iPod over an FM radio signal. These devices don’t need to be wired to a car stereo, but local radio stations often cause interference, creating static and other issues.

 

TAPE ADAPTERS If your current stereo has a cassette deck, these offer better sound than FM transmitters. Just stick the tape into the stereo, and connect the cable to an iPod. The tape deck’s playheads are tricked into thinking the adapter is a regular old audiotape. Consider the Belkin Cassette Adapter for iPod ($19.99, www.belkin.com) or Griffin’s SmartDeck ($29.99, www.griffintechnology.com).

 

REAR INPUT ADAPTERS Most car stereos offer upgrades for CD changers and other add-ons, and a third-party adapter can exploit this proprietary jack to create an iPod or RCA input. For options, browse products and distributors at Precision Interface Electronics (www.pie.net) - street prices range from $40 to $150 depending on features. You’ll still have to reach the stereo to make the connection, but the result gives great sound.

 

USED STEREOS Replace the built-in stereo with a used, aftermarket option that includes an RCA input. Search craigslist.org, eBay, or local junkyards for options.

 

NEW STEREOS Find a model with an RCA input - these can be found for less than $100 - or buy one that can be upgraded for an iPod. Nearly every stereo company offers an upgrade path for roughly $30 to $50, even on entry-level models (about $100). Or splurge on a high-end option with a built-in iPod interface, such as Alpine’s iDA-X001 stereo, which includes a 320-by-240-pixel color screen that displays album artwork ($450, www.alpine.com). Be aware of extra costs if you’re adding a new or used stereo, such as a wiring harness to connect the new stereo to a car’s built-in speakers ($10 to $20), an antenna adapter ($10), and installation housing if the new stereo is smaller than the original ($10 to $20).

 

BONUS TIP: Crimp My Ride

Crimp connectors are insulated tubes that hold wires on at least one end. Crimp connectors come in several shapes, so locate the correct connector depending on the leads wired to the 12-volt housing. We used disconnectors to match our 12-volt leads and butt connectors, which are tubes open on both ends for bare wires. Strip about 1/2 inch of insulation off a wire, twist its end, and insert it into one side of the tube. Use a crimping tool - often part of a large wire cutter - to crush the connector around that end of the wire. You should leave no metal exposed, and a gentle tug will verify that the juncture is tight.

 

BONUS TIP: Gauging the Connection
Wires come in many gauges, with smaller numbers signifying a thicker cable. A thin wire handles fewer amps before heating up and posing a hazard, while thicker gauges stay cool during use. You can calculate the exact gauge needed for your car by referencing its electrical system’s fuse. The fuse’s amp rating should always be lower than a wire’s safe level so that the fuse is the failure point. Check out en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge to translate a wire’s gauge into its amp cutoff. Or just use a thick gauge - 10 should be sufficient.