help, i need to put in a headunit...

My winter car is a '94 ford explorer. the cd-player broke (i think the eye is screwed up) and i have a clarion that i want to put in. BUT, it has premium sound and i was told that i have to buy some stupid adapter or else i won't get any sound through the speakers. my local audio store told me this and there adapter was like $80 or something like that. i already paid something like $200 for the headunit and i'm trying to get it in cheap. is there a way to bypass the adapter or find one cheaper?

I think what they may be reffering to is the steering wheel controls, which is something not necessary. I don't see why else this would be a problem. Unless the speakers are powered by an external amp. In that case you may have issues but would still be able to "bypass" the problem if you ran something in to the rcas on the new deck. To help I think you need to be more specific to what this adapter does. Ask the people who told you you needed one and then we can probably help you out.

OK here ya go:
http://www.installdr.com/InstallDocs/FLM/PDF/356007.pdf
you do have an external amp but have options.

and heres the link to buy that $80 adapter for $12.95
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=265-615

Thanks! But...i need one for a '94 explorer, not a '95...

that part said its for 1995 and up, do you guys think i'd work on a '94? i know that sounds like a stupid questoin, but sometimes stuff works with other years then they say it will.

I'm not sure I was unable to find any install info. on the 1994 explorer, Originally I was thinking that your car WAS a 95. I'm sure the concept is very similar in the 94 from the way the setup sounds. Try taking it out and looking at the harnesses and seeing if they are the same as the 95 ones pictured.

Hey that harness that the guy showed you at parts express was wrong. Thats the stock wiring to aftermarket head unit adapter, and that does run about 10-20 dollars for all cars. What the guy at the car audio place told you about was an aftermarket premium sound system adapter which allows your aftermarket head unit to control the stock amp that was put into you car by the manufacturer. This part does run about 80 dollars and is most likely one mady by installedge.com. Basically it prevents the new head unit from sending too much juice into your amp and causing overpowering and distortion, due to the fact that most factory amp have line level inputs. There you go. Honestly if you have any other questions though, I would go to best buy. They are pretty good and have all the parts you'd ever need, and they wont cheat you. Good Luck.