Narfle

iTrader: (16)

Atkins

arghx

iTrader: (3)

just wanted to update and say that the stock radio has been working really well for my needs. It's amazing how having the blue tooth tape with a modern phone transforms the functionality of the unit. I can load a Spotify play list and then pop the phone into the storage cubby with no wires to deal with. If I am on a road trip I can load up GPS turn-by-turn running in parallel. If I want to listen to SiriusXM satellite radio, I have a subscription to their app that I can pull through the bluetooth.

I also found that if I lay the phone horizontally flat in the cubby it's fine and I don't get the distortion sound I had before.

Narfle

iTrader: (16)

I ended up getting a used stock head head unit from Fritz and it worked fine.

TG888

iTrader: (15)

As the OEM FD3S RX-7 radios get more difficult to find, these other Mazda radios from Miata, 626, etc. become more viable options.

As stated above, once the faceplate is separated from the radio chassis, there are 5 green bulb covers that need to be removed that provide illumination to the switches. New orange/red covers can be sourced or simply paint over with nail polish, model paint, etc.

The green screen lighting can also be changed to match. According to a post on the Miata forums:

"I changed all the dash colors of my 99 nb from green to red, including the bose head unit and cassette player.
you need to open the head unit, remove the face plate, unsolder a metal cover (which is over the display like a frame). underneath the cover you will be able to see 2 or three small light bulbs with green rubber "condoms". after you removed these you take regular glass paint from the crafts store and paint them red. i applied three coats of red and also painted the interior housing of the bulbs in red to get some more red reflection."

I'll be trying this shortly and will take photos of the results.

TG888

iTrader: (15)

Radio from a 2000 Protege

5 bulbs with the green silicone bulb covers removed and painted red/orange. The metal frame around the LCD panel needs to be de-soldered in 2 areas and the tabs bent straight to remove from the board. Under the LCD is 1 bulb with a green silicone bulb cover that needs to be removed and bulb painted red/orange.

Display color is a shade off and needs to be more uniformly painted but otherwise it works!

ctirwin

I just tried contacting M&R about repairing my CD player from Bose system, and doing a general checkout/refurb of the stereo unit. They replied that they don't repair them.

Any one have any more recent luck using M&R?

Any one know any other companies that might still work on these units?