6th gen stereo install

[Kafziel]

Just got finished installing a new stereo in my car. Since I have keyless entry, I had to keep the stock radio behind the dash and use a wire harness from Crutchfield.
Everything works perfectly, but DAMN that's a bitch!
Everyone I've ever heard talk about this made it sound so easy, like there was tons of room behind the dash for the damned thing to fit. I ended up completely destroying my old radio for any future use; had to unscrew and pry off the faceplate, disconnect a strip connector, and use pliers to bend and tear off some of the metal housing just to get enough room to somehow manage to get the console back together with the radio inside. I'll have to hang on to the faceplate because whenever I need to reset my keyless entry I'll need to plug it back into the circuit board.
WTF??
Am I the only one who has had this problem? Does everyone else have like six cubic feet of empty space behind their dash?

[Kafziel]

Okay, so now a friend of mine wants me to help him hook his new stereo up, too. We're going to run into the same problem (his is a 98 EX sedan). Anyone have any suggestions, or am I right in doing what I did with mine?

[sageuvagony]

It seems really funny that you have to do that. Hvae you searched on here at all? There have been posts about splicing certain wires together and connecting them to get all this to work. jeez why the hell did honda make this so stupid?

[exman98]

i had the same problem myself
i finally said fuck it, and paid someone to do it.
some things i would rather pay to have people that know what they are doing.

[Kafziel]

well, everything is wired up perfectly. Radio works, CD player works, speakers work, cigarette lighter works, dome light works... it's just a bitch to get all that crap to fit under there. It IS doable, so I'm glad I didn't pay anyone to do mine, but I've replaced shocks and struts in less time and with less cursing.