Want to save some money? Ever wonder if you could do a car stereo installation yourself? Yes, you can do it yourself! Go ahead, spend that money on your hardware! Don’t spend it on labor. Besides, doing a car stereo installation yourself can be a very rewarding experience, not to mention you can learn a lot from it too. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing your “creation” in action, running smoothly and perfectly.

But be very careful, you really won’t want to damage your expensive hardware. Well, most car audio hardware are no-brainers to install, you’d find that most of the time the parts have specially shaped sockets and slots etc. and would only fit where it’s supposed to be installed. Still, it’s best to proceed methodically.

In a car stereo installation, you have to determine what kind of rig you’re going to put into your vehicle. If you’re a beginner, it’s best you do a car stereo installation if it’s just a simple system. You may want to leave the complicated stuff to the professionals, like installing delicate equipment like LCD panels, motorized parts etc. especially if it requires the creation of custom panels and such.

Head units are one of the easiest to do in a car stereo installation. Fortunately, most units follow the same size standards (DIN). In many cars, once the factory radio is removed the aftermarket radio will fit in the hole. In many other cars, a kit is needed if the factory hole is too big, or not deep enough. In some cases the dash has to be cut.  Any car stereo store should have kits required for installation.

There are two types of mounting in a car stereo installation. ISO mounting is when the radio can be screwed to existing factory radio brackets, such as in most Japanese cars. Ring mounting is when an aftermarket radio comes with a metal ring that gets mounted to the factory radio hole or aftermarket kit via bendable tabs. In many cars, dash and trim rings have to be filed to enlarge the radio hole. Once the ring is installed, the radio slides in and is held by snaps. In most cases, special tools are required to remove the radio.

Speakers are very critical in a car stereo installation. No matter how expensive your speakers are, if they are not properly installed, the sound will not be up to par.

In a simple car stereo installation, you’ll probably be using speakers that fit into a factory location. Just make sure there are no gaps or holes. Sometimes building a wood or fiberglass baffle helps reduce holes and gives you much better sound. But always be careful when using power tools around speakers. Car stereo installation warranties usually don't cover holes in speakers.

For unconventional speaker locations, sometimes metal has to be cut. You might want to leave this to the professionals, tools like plasma cutters and pneumatics drills are required. But if you’re going to insist, a pair of metal snips (left and right cut) will do.

A car stereo installation has to put up with vibrations and other noise sources in its environment. Even though it is impossible to eliminate these completely, there are products that will greatly decrease the noise and rattling, particularly on non-luxury cars. Liners, sprays and adhesive strips and even carpeting applied onto the panels can make a world of difference.

It’s important for consumers to spend time when shopping for a new or used car, to know what car safety features to look for in making sure that the vehicle is safe. There are quite a few online car safety guides where car owners and buyers can go to learn more about the safety features of a particular vehicle. Guides offer an overview of the features that most affect the safety of a vehicle. Kelly Blue Book, located online at www.kbb.com, provides unbiased and accurate information to consumers, including pricing for new, used, and trade-in values. This guide to car safety outlines what consumers should consider before making a vehicle purchase. Adjustability and comfort are important features, as are handling and stability, the restraint system, front/side air bags, audible warning devices, anti-lock brakes, front and side impact protection, traction control, and other factors including whether it’s four wheel drive, front wheel drive, or rear wheel drive.

According to CNN Money at www.money.cnn.com, cruise control is more important to some consumers than side air bags, a safety feature people need but don't want to pay for. Many buyers overlook car safety features, and auto companies tout their crash test ratings and advanced safety features because they think safety sells. According to a recent survey by Consumer Reports, anti-lock brakes came in fourth in desirability after air conditioning, a radio and a CD player. More focus should be emphasized on finding out which cars have which safety features, instead of color and cruise control when shopping for a new or used vehicle. With rising gas prices, consumers also may want to keep in mind economy and gas usage in addition to the car’s safety features.

It’s a good idea to test drive a vehicle at night to check visibility of headlights, as well as to make sure the seat belts fit well, are comfortable, and that head restraints, roof structures, and windshield designs don’t interfere with the driver’s ability to see clearly.

Other important car safety features that buyer should pay particular attention to are front/side air bags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, all-wheel drive, and electronic stability control, which is designed to assist drivers in maintaining control of their vehicles during extreme steering maneuvers. New car safety features are ever increasing, and many are included as standard equipment or available for purchase as an option. To learn more about available car safety features, visit www.auto.msn.com, www.carsdirect.com, www.kbb.com, or www.travelers.com for reliable consumer car buying information.