eBay sellers: used auto stereo

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Benzadmiral

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Not sure if this is the right forum. I'm currently looking for a used but 100% functional stereo (single CD/cassette/AM-FM) unit for my '03 Buick Park Avenue. All the functions on mine work, but a lot of the lights have burned out. Dealer wants some exorbitant amount for a new one. So, eBay.

I've located three sellers. All offer return/exchange; all are located in the CONUS.

1) wants $125 OBO for the unit, but offers free shipping, and says he will pay for return shipping as well. 60 days return policy, and he has 100% feedback.

2) wants $85 BIN, but free shipping to me; I pay return shipping. 30 day return policy, 99.2% positive feedback.

3) wants $46 OBO, $25 shipping from Wisconsin, I pay return shipping; 14 days return policy; also 99.2%.

Looks to me like the first one, with $125, might be the best bet, with a longer period to return, and free shipping both ways should that become necessary. Though there is a $40 gap between his price and that of No. 2, whose offer is almost as good.

Thoughts?
 
Have you checked out www.car-part.com ? There are numerous units on there for $25, may even be one in your town so no shipping.

I'd just put an aftermarket deck from www.crutchfield.com in, they come with the dash kit and wire harness automatically when you buy from Crutchfield, and a $100ish budget would get you USB/iphone and probably bluetooth.. no cassette, of course. Can't say I've personally touched a cassette this century.
smile.gif
 
I don't play too many cassettes either, but I have some I haven't upgraded, and it's a nice feature for a stock radio. I just like the look of the radio as it is. The burned out lights make it look uncared-for and shabby -- two things my car is not.

According to Car-Part.com, Stevens Auto Parts out in NO East has several of these for $50 each. I'll give 'em a call.
 
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
The burned out lights make it look uncared-for and shabby -- two things my car is not.


Have you looked into whether the lights inside are replaceable? How do you know one from a junkyard won't have burned out lights?
 
Oh, I've tried to have the unit refurbished. My mechanic doesn't know of anyone who repairs 'em. I thought I had a line to a local electronic shop that would do it, but when I checked with them recently, they don't handle ones that old (2003) any more.

No, I don't know a unit pulled from a junked Buick will have the lights. That's why I want to make sure whoever I buy from has a good return policy.

ETA: I've found a 4th one on eBay. $52 and $13 shipping, 30 days, I pay return shipping if necessary, 98.2% feedback. He says simply "Yes" to whether the lights all work.
 
Shop in the Crutchfield outlet store scratch and dent great deals can be found.
 
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Oh, I've tried to have the unit refurbished. My mechanic doesn't know of anyone who repairs 'em. I thought I had a line to a local electronic shop that would do it, but when I checked with them recently, they don't handle ones that old (2003) any more.


This is the type of thing a local mechanic would almost never know.

You'll have to do some poking around online, I'm sure.

I just did a quick google and came up with some info. I don't know if these are similar to your stereo or not, but it shows there is info available.
 
Your best option is to try and find a local junkyard or part-out so you can check the stereo on the spot (in their car or yours). The local salvage yard from car-part would be a good start, or look around on your local craigslist.

If not, get whichever one of the Ebay stereos is cheapest, ie the 52+13 option. If a product doesn't work they have to take it back-- ebay has you covered and sides with the buyer 99% of the time. If it doesn't work, take a photo of the burned out lights and tell the buyer you want your money back.
 
These radios are coded with your VIN, so you'll need to take it to the dealer or someone with a Tech 2. My experience with used radios is they look awful - nicotine stained with buttons worn to nothing from a woman with long fingernails flaking the plastic away.

You might be best to find a repair facility online, they do exist.
 
Wow, for $125 you could go new aftermarket. And if the lights in the old part are not burned out yet, they likely will be soon. $125, seriously?

I replaced the original GM unit in my Suburban, and wow, what a great difference in sound! I had speakers that I thought were "scratchy", but after I replaced the head unit, I realized that it was the head unit and not the speakers.
 
If the radio is "Theftlock" equipped as many GM CD players are from that time, it's not ready to go out of the box. With early Theftlock you could just get the code and be back and business, but with Theftlock II, which your car probably has, it has to be reprogrammed by the dealer as the radios are tied to the VIN...no VIN match on start up = no work.

Also, not sure if this applies to any GM headunits, but Ford radios with the in-dash 6-disc CD changer need to be put into shipping mode or the built in changer can get messed up and refuse to load CDs.

That said, I have had good luck with the couple of OEM Ford headunits I bought on eBay. They didn't have any sort of anti-theft or shipping mode though. I would buy from a seller who routinely deals with radios as they are usually set up to bench test them and can confirm all lights are working. Private sellers may have taken the radio out of the car a while ago and can't remember if the lights are working, and won't go through the trouble of bench testing.

Honestly, if you can find one that has an appearance that's acceptable to you, I'd just go aftermarket. Sound quality is better, you can get a wider range of features, upgrading the rest of the sound system will be easier, and if you get a Crutchfield install package, install is a snap and totally plug and play with the harness they provide. Making your own harness is pretty easy too, but with a Crutchfield install kit you can possibly have the new aftermarket radio in and working faster than you could a Theftlock II equipped used radio. I used to be all about OEM headunits for the cleaner appearance, but after installing the Alpine headunit I have now, I haven't looked back.
 
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
If the radio is "Theftlock" equipped as many GM CD players are from that time, it's not ready to go out of the box. With early Theftlock you could just get the code and be back and business, but with Theftlock II, which your car probably has, it has to be reprogrammed by the dealer as the radios are tied to the VIN...no VIN match on start up = no work. . . .

Hmmm. If I call the dealer, the parts department, will they know what needs to be done?
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
These radios are coded with your VIN, so you'll need to take it to the dealer or someone with a Tech 2. My experience with used radios is they look awful - nicotine stained with buttons worn to nothing from a woman with long fingernails flaking the plastic away.

You might be best to find a repair facility online, they do exist.

There's these folks: http://replacementradios.com/index.php?cPath=289_316 None of the radios they picture on that page is an exact match for mine, but I can call 'em.

They also have new OEM radios for sale: http://replacementradios.com/product_info.php?products_id=28 Now that's a little pricey, but they say "Theftlock deactivated -- no expensive trips to the dealer." Is that possible? Legit?
 
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
If the radio is "Theftlock" equipped as many GM CD players are from that time, it's not ready to go out of the box. With early Theftlock you could just get the code and be back and business, but with Theftlock II, which your car probably has, it has to be reprogrammed by the dealer as the radios are tied to the VIN...no VIN match on start up = no work. . . .

Hmmm. If I call the dealer, the parts department, will they know what needs to be done?


Yeah, but they will charge you for it. Like dishdude said, a Tech2 scanner is needed to change the VIN stored in the headunit.

As far as deactivating Theftlock, I suppose it's possible if someone knows the ins and outs of these radios. The replacementradios.com site appears legit, but I've never used them. I'd probably try them before eBay for a fully functional and clean headunit.
 
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