"I am a service and repair specialist for the Ford combo radios listed on this particular eBay auction site. Almost all of them look the same and are advertised as if they were. There are, however, some significant differences which you really should know about before bidding on any of them. The following text and photos will explain:
1. Starting with the 1998 model year, Ford made a major across-the-board change in their radio source, design, and vehicle wiring. Japan's Pioneer Corp. became the source for the deluxe combination units (AM/FM/CD/Cassette) and variations of these self-contained systems were supplied as the premium radio in the SUV, pick-up truck, and van lines of various Ford vehicles. Connectors both on the radio and in the vehicles were also standardized across the board so that all radios could be interchanged (upgraded). '97 and older vehicles will need connector adaptors which are available.
2. These Pioneer-made units were the top of the line with a very comprehensive display including a visible all-the-time clock and the RDS selector system which allows reception of automatic emergency traffic info as well as station types, call letters, song titles, and names of the performing artist (if broadcast by the particular station). They were designed in essentially two styles - the Premium and the MACH.
3. The Premium is for use in all vehicles and has a power output of 20 watts per standard right/left/front/rear channel (80 watts total as opposed to 6-8 watts per channel in the standard AM/FM non-premium units). The MACH was supplied as an option in the SUV line and several other high end vehicles and requires a factory sub-woofer system to provide full range sound. The four standard channels in the MACH version are rated at 15 watts each with the necessary factory sub-woofer amp at 85 watts. The internal circuitry in the MACH radio is such that most of the bass frequencies are routed out of the sub-woofer connector (smallest of the three on the back of these units) and NOT out of the standard four channels.
Therefore do NOT buy a MACH unit if your vehicle does not have a sub-woofer system because you will not hear much bass in the program material regardless of how much you adjust the bass tone control.
4. Ford around the model year 2000 quit supplying these Pioneer-made units and went to a cheaper version made by their Visteon division in Mexico and Brazil. This radio has a much less comprehensive display with minimal text, the clock showing only by pushing a button, poorer quality AM/FM tuner (won't pull in weaker signals), less tone control range, lower power output, and no optional sub-woofer output.
It looks the same as the Pioneer from the front so how can you tell the difference? On the far right side of the radio face, you'll see two small buttons - the upper says "Auto". The lower, however, says "RDS" if the radio is the superior Pioneer - or "CLK" if it is the inferior Ford-made product. The photos below show both this and the display differences.
5. The Bottom Line - if you want to buy a combo unit for your '98-2005 (not all) vehicle and get the most for your money, you need to buy the Pioneer unit even if it may be older (these were manufactured from late 1997 through 2000). Further you need to buy the correct Pioneer model - don't buy a MACH if you don't have or intend to install a Ford factory sub-woofer system.
How do you tell a MACH from a Premium? There is a tag on the bottom of all Pioneer-made RDS system radios. It will say after the words "Vehicle Equalization:" which vehicle it is intended for - such as Ranger, Villager, 4/2 Door Explorer, 4 Door Explorer MACH, etc. All the versions other than the MACH will work fine in vehicles without a factory sub-woofer and, in fact, will work fine in a vehicle with a sub-woofer except there will be no output to drive the sub. The sound, however, coming out of the standard right/left/front/rear channels will be excellent full range. "
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