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Should I Fix My Stock CD Player or get a Aftermarket CD Player?


89GranSport

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I have a stock single disc CD player in my '89 Regal that doesn't work (it lights up from time to time, but it doesn't read or play CD's.) The stock CD player I have is hard to come by, it's the 1988-1994 one, which is separated from the AM/FM radio and controls. I don't have a sub woofer or a really good sound system or anything like that. I just have stock speakers and would like to have a working CD just so I'd have the freedom to listen to CD's whenever I want. The downside to the aftermarket CD player is, I wouldn't be able to use the radio controls on the dash next to the steering wheel (which I like). I'd like to hear what you guys think and/or suggest. So should I fix my stock CD player or buy a aftermarket one? Price wise, both choices would cost around the same price. Thanks everyone! :smile:

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You can use the radio controls on the steering wheel, if you purchase the correct adapter.

I don't have radio controls on steering wheel, I said the radio controls on the dash next to the steering wheel.

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Aftermarket, most definitely. IMO stock units sound inferior to properly tuned aftermarket units, especially when you have access to EQ curves and crossover settings. My deck (and most Pioneers, for that matter) allows you to use the rear speakers as subwoofers, which really is the proper way to listen to music in the car, fronts for highs and mids, rear for bass and fill. This way, I can cut the bass off from the fronts entirely and have the rears reproduce 100% of the bass, which makes the fronts more efficient. They sound decent, and I only have stock speakers.

 

Aftermarket, and I personally recommend Pioneer, Kenwood, or JVC has some nice budget decks.

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Ah.... yeah, that's right you have the little square radio and then the slave CD or Tape deck.

 

I'd toss that POS.

 

Where do you mount aftermarket decks in regals?

 

Also how much does the steering wheel adapter run?

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im a true fan of pioneers. in my old Z34 i changed out to a pioneer and the sound diffrence between the factory deck and the aftermarket was incredible. i was contemplateing new speakers till i changed the head unit and heard the difference.

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Ah.... yeah, that's right you have the little square radio and then the slave CD or Tape deck.

 

I'd toss that POS.

 

Where do you mount aftermarket decks in regals?

 

Also how much does the steering wheel adapter run?

Well, the PAC SWI-X steering wheel adapter will set you back about $70, but I only checked one website, so it might be cheaper on some other website. There are also other steering wheel radio control adapters that are cheaper, one W-Body member said he bought his on Ebay for about $40.

 

Aftermarket decks mount right where my stock CD player is.

IMG_1513_edited.jpg

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Hmm.. I've never seen a setup like that one before.. If it were me, and I'm gonna go against the grain here, I'd fix the old one..

Yeah, I'm leaning more towards fixing the stock CD player, I like it! I like the radio controls on the dash too, they make adjusting the radio and volume much easier while I'm driving. I haven't seen a lot of Regals with my style CD player, most seem to just have the stock cassette player.

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Toss that POS on E bay, reclaim a little $$$ if possible.

 

My friend had a regal back in the day. Way back when the fit kit was $100-70ish. The HU mounts where the slave deck is. It also protrudes out of that spot about 1 1/2" A pocket goes into the little radio cube then...

 

You will pay to much to fix that if its even fixable...

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They are quite rare, especially in a 1989. Probably only a handful came with CD in 1989.

All the more reason to restore it. Right now I'm requesting price quotes from different online companies that restore Delco CD players. I think it's repairable, it will take in a CD and say it's reading the CD, but then it will say error and spit out the CD. The online Delco stereo repair companies describe that as being a common problem with older Delco CD players, and they say it's repairable.

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