installing stereo

Has anyone put an aftermarket head unit in their 06-08? I've got the REC radio with VES and after 2 years I've grown tired of playing music on my iPod through the VES system. It's too temperamental and sound quality is terrible. I have a Pioneer Nav unit I'm thinking of installing but I've heard...

I bought the AVIC-Z3 a month ago, and it has been sitting in my trunk since then. Id like to put it in now, but I have no experience installing car stereos. To my credit I am a pretty intelligent guy, and I am sure I can figure it out with some direction. I dont plan on replacing the stock...