No "MasterSheet" for 2013 Mazda5 speaker install, and a question about a "panel tool"

tanstaafl

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2013 Mazda5 GT
No "MasterSheet" for 2013 Mazda5 speaker install, and a question about a "panel tool"

I bought some speakers from Crutchfield for the front doors, expecting what they call a "Mastersheet"--detailed instructions, including photos, of how to remove the door panels.

I received the order with no Mastersheet. I phoned Crutchfield and Wes unapologetically told me that there is no Mastersheet for the Mazda5. (This is what they call "lifetime tech support--a $99 value.") This sort of defeats the purpose of paying $30 more (compared to Amazon) to Crutchfield for a pair of speakers. Also, they could have informed me before taking my money that there was no Mastersheet.

Anyway, I am debating whether or not to go ahead with the install. There are some vague instructions from Scosche that I found online for a 2012 Mazda5 which I assume is the same for my 2013.

I will need something called a "panel tool." Problem is, I don't know what such a thing is. There are various pics on Google. I am guessing I need some sort of plastic tool for prying. Does anyone have any info? Thanks.
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EDIT for an UPDATE Oct 30 2013: I should mention that Crutchfield apologized and refunded me $30 of my speaker purchase price when I complained about the lack of a Mastersheet. I didn't ask for the refund; they just gave it to me. That's very nice of them.
 
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You are in luck.
watch my video.
Although by title is has nothing to do with your question you get the answer if you watch between minute 5 and 7, feel free to skip right to it.
I should have made a cut out and made an extra speaker video removal but got lazy. Enjoy.
You should be able to catch a good glimpse of the tool used, I also used https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) on the other door and it worked well. It is just different colour, one in the video is white.
Good luck! (it is an easy job)
 
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Thanks Vasy! Your video was very helpful. I ordered the pry tool, then...in a fit of overexuberant overconfidence I decided to do the job right now with the tools I had.

It took me exactly 1 hour to remove the front door panels, replace the speakers, and put the door panels back on. May I suggest to anyone who wants to try this to watch Vasy's video. For each door panel, you have to remove two Phillips screws, and the rest is prying and disconnecting wiring harnesses.

I really only need a prying tool one time--the equivalent of the 10:59 mark of Vasy's video, where he inserts the tool to pry up the bottom corner of the door panel. I used the end of a putty knife covered in electric tape to prevent scratching to do that. After that corner was pried up, I could do the rest of the prying with my fingers (and I am not the strongest guy). You can also pry off the little tweetter panel using your fingers.

The hardest part, and I'm not kidding, was taking out the little plastic retainer bolts/clips that got stuck in the door frame after the door panel was removed. For that I had to use a tool that I had for prying off the back of watches. That prying of the little plastic bolts/clips probably took 1/2 the hour. (If I had waited for the https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned) that I had ordered, I could have just broken them off and put new ones on the door panel.)

To replace the speakers, I used Kenwood KFC-C6894PS 6x8 speakers that cost me $80 (though you can get them for $50 in places). It is also useful to have a wiring harness to connect the speaker to the factory harness. (I use Metra 71-048)

I'd like to tell you that the audio system sounds like a $1000 system now, but it doesn't. It sounds much better, because the factory speakers are really flimsy. But there is obviously a shortcoming in the head unit. I'm not gonna tackle that one...
 
I did not do the speakers. Wife drives the car 95% of the time and said that she likes the stock... (scratch)
With other projects taking priority I have not touched it.
 
Hehe... yes, it can be hard to convince the significant other about stereo upgrades. "What wrong with this one?"

... Actually I think that's true about every upgrade I attempt! (shady)
 
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