Need help w/ Car Stereos

[Mouse7088]

K...I'm TOTALLY "duh" when it comes to car stereos. We purchased a Jeep Cherokee several months ago...ummm...it was SUPPOSE to be for Kenny (to replace his POC looking truck)...let's just say I fell in love with it after I drove it the fist time...LOL! Part of what he was looking forward to was playing his CDs during his long drive to work. Well he has my Oldsmobile which DOES NOT have a CD player. I was thinking a new stereo for the Olds. would make a good Father's Day gift, but I haven't a clue to what I need to know when buying one...I know someone who would probably install it for me, but I would rather not take this person with me to shop for the stereo...uhhhhh, since he IS my ex husband..LOL! Any help would be greatly appreciated. Keep in mind I don't want to go really high dollar since when it's not his turn to "car pool" (just he and his section head) the Oldsmobile is at his friends house. TIA

[telos2000]

Crutchfield is a good place to learn about stereos. I bought mine from them and installed the whole system myself. They give step-by-step instructions. You can probably get one cheaper elsewhere, but Crutchfield has a help line if you get messed up.

Or do your research there and then go to Best Buy during their free installtion days.

[Mouse7088]

Sorry I didn't come back to thank-you Rod...had AWFUL PC problems today.
I get the Crutchfield catalogs...or at least I used to.
Dumb question...how do I go about knowing what will fit in the same spot as the old stereo??? Are they like basically all of the same and just use face plates or something to make it all work?? Am I making sense here??? LOL!

[kat]

Mouse, do you have a Best Buy or Circuit City or someplace like that nearby? If so, take the car in with you and tell them that you'd like to see what kind of systems they have available. You don't have to buy one right there on the spot so you could then look around for the best deal. Or, if you're worried that they might act like the dingbats here & try to pressure you into buying on the spot - just go in with the year & model of the Oldsmobile and they can pull out their little books & tell you which ones should work for your car.

I did this for Christy's old car and while they weren't too pleased that I wasn't going to purchase it right away, the guys at Best Buy were able to tell me which models would work & which ones wouldn't.

[Mouse7088]

GOTCHA!!!

We don't have BB or CC near by, but I am sure I can find some place if I look hard enuf I think I better skip on trying to install it myself...don't get me wrong tho, I would LOVE to do it...especially if there are precise instructions, but closest I have ever come to helping install one is sitting on the seat and watching...LOL!
Kenny won't share the car with me now either (little miffed that I got the Jeep, lol) so I might have to wait until one day when his friend is driving them to work and steal the Oldsmobilee...ahem...borrow it for a bit LOL!

[telos2000]

Originally Posted by Mouse7088

GOTCHA!!!

We don't have BB or CC near by, but I am sure I can find some place if I look hard enuf I think I better skip on trying to install it myself...don't get me wrong tho, I would LOVE to do it...especially if there are precise instructions, but closest I have ever come to helping install one is sitting on the seat and watching...LOL!
Kenny won't share the car with me now either (little miffed that I got the Jeep, lol) so I might have to wait until one day when his friend is driving them to work and steal the Oldsmobilee...ahem...borrow it for a bit LOL!

When you go online to Crutchfield, you can enter your year, make, and model and they will give you a list of stereos that fit your car. If you don't see any, you can use their online help without a commitment to buy. I found them more knowledgeable and helpful than BB or CC. You can try them, but you need to have some knowledge or they will sell you something you don't want.

[Mouse7088]

but you need to have some knowledge

Yipes! LOL! Car stereos are totally out of my bailiwick. At least I can look it up and maybe not appear to be so dense when it comes time to buy..LOL!

[telos2000]

If you want, you can do that and then email me for my opinion. I don't mind. If I can't answer you question, then I will find the answer.

[Mouse7088]

Ahhh thanks Rod...you know I'll take ya up on that
I'd like to do this as a surprise so I would rather not talk any of it over with Kenny....heck, if I even bring it up he'll know I'm up to somethin'..LOL!

[Mouse7088]

K...ya know what? I may just order from Crutchfield..Brian will know how to install anything I buy. I honestly don't want to get into all of that other "speaker, subwoofer" stuff...I just wanna improve a bit..not blow him outta the car..LOL!
Here is what came up in the search:

Blaupunkt Montreal CD34 CD Receiver
Detachable face • 23 watts RMS x 4 • auxiliary input • rear preamp outputs • 3-band preset EQ • 3-color display • remote
FEATURED PRODUCT! $129.99

Kenwood KDC-105 CD Receiver
Save $50 on a new Kenwood car audio system!
CD-R/W playback • 22 watts RMS x 4 • CR-2 tuner • System Q Sound Control • preamp outputs
FEATURED PRODUCT! $99.99


Kenwood KDC-205 CD Receiver
Price Break: Save $10! Was: $119.99, Now: $109.99
Plus, save $50 on a new Kenwood car audio system!
CD-R/W playback • detachable face • 22 watts RMS x 4 • CR-2 tuner • System Q Sound Control • preamp outputs
$109.99

Kenwood KDC-2025 CD Receiver
FREE SIRIUS Tuner Offer!
Plus, save $50 on a new Kenwood car audio system!
CD-R/W playback • detachable face • CD changer controls • SIRIUS Radio-ready • 22 watts RMS x 4 • CR-2 tuner • System Q Sound Control • preamp outputs • remote
$139.99

Kenwood KDC-3025 CD Receiver
FREE SIRIUS Tuner Offer!
Plus, save $50 on a new Kenwood car audio system!
CD-R/W playback • detachable, fold-down face • CD changer controls • SIRIUS Satellite Radio-ready • 22 watts RMS x 4 • CR-2 tuner • System Q Sound Control • two sets of preamp outputs • remote
$159.99

Pioneer DEH-1600 CD Receiver
CD-R/W playback • detachable face • 22 watts RMS x 4 • Supertuner IIID • Easy EQ • Front Image Enhancer
$109.99

Pioneer DEH-P2600 CD Receiver
CD-R/W playback • detachable fold-down face • 22 watts RMS x 4 • Supertuner IIID • XM Satellite Radio-ready • Easy EQ • Front Image Enhancer • optional AUX input • remote • changer control
$149.99

Pioneer DEH-P6600 CD Receiver
CD-R/W playback • detachable fold-down face • Organic EL display • 22 watts RMS x 4 • Supertuner IIID • XM Satellite Radio-ready • Easy EQ • EQ-EX • Sound Focus EQ • optional AUX input • 3 sets of preamp outputs • remote • changer control
$249.99

[telos2000]

Originally Posted by Mouse7088

K...ya know what? I may just order from Crutchfield..Brian will know how to install anything I buy. I honestly don't want to get into all of that other "speaker, subwoofer" stuff...I just wanna improve a bit..not blow him outta the car..LOL!
Here is what came up in the search:

Blaupunkt Montreal CD34 CD Receiver
Detachable face • 23 watts RMS x 4 • auxiliary input • rear preamp outputs • 3-band preset EQ • 3-color display • remote
FEATURED PRODUCT! $129.99 good basic system

Kenwood KDC-105 CD Receiver
Save $50 on a new Kenwood car audio system!
CD-R/W playback • 22 watts RMS x 4 • CR-2 tuner • System Q Sound Control • preamp outputs
FEATURED PRODUCT! $99.99 good basic system



Kenwood KDC-205 CD Receiver
Price Break: Save $10! Was: $119.99, Now: $109.99
Plus, save $50 on a new Kenwood car audio system!
CD-R/W playback • detachable face • 22 watts RMS x 4 • CR-2 tuner • System Q Sound Control • preamp outputs
$109.99 good basic system


Kenwood KDC-2025 CD Receiver
FREE SIRIUS Tuner Offer!
Plus, save $50 on a new Kenwood car audio system!
CD-R/W playback • detachable face • CD changer controls • SIRIUS Radio-ready • 22 watts RMS x 4 • CR-2 tuner • System Q Sound Control • preamp outputs • remote good basic system

$139.99

Kenwood KDC-3025 CD Receiver
FREE SIRIUS Tuner Offer!
Plus, save $50 on a new Kenwood car audio system!
CD-R/W playback • detachable, fold-down face • CD changer controls • SIRIUS Satellite Radio-ready • 22 watts RMS x 4 • CR-2 tuner • System Q Sound Control • two sets of preamp outputs • remote
$159.99 [/color]Paying for SIRIUS which you don't need [/color]

Pioneer DEH-1600 CD Receiver
CD-R/W playback • detachable face • 22 watts RMS x 4 • Supertuner IIID • Easy EQ • Front Image Enhancer
$109.99 good basic system


Pioneer DEH-P2600 CD Receiver
CD-R/W playback • detachable fold-down face • 22 watts RMS x 4 • Supertuner IIID • XM Satellite Radio-ready • Easy EQ • Front Image Enhancer • optional AUX input • remote • changer control
$149.99 [/color]Paying for XM which you don't need [/color]

Pioneer DEH-P6600 CD Receiver
CD-R/W playback • detachable fold-down face • Organic EL display • 22 watts RMS x 4 • Supertuner IIID • XM Satellite Radio-ready • Easy EQ • EQ-EX • Sound Focus EQ • optional AUX input • 3 sets of preamp outputs • remote • changer control
$249.99

[/color]Best system for blowing people out if you buy the speakers[/color]

I would go with the Blaupunkt or KDC-105 which will serve your purposes. However, older speakers might blow with the new higher outputs. You might want to check out some of the speakers too. Go with the lower dollar stereo and spend the difference on speaker upgrades. Door and back deck speakers are easy to install.

[Mouse7088]

Thanks for the input Rod!!! Appreciate it Hmmmm....uhhhh...will blowing out the speaker(s) cause any damage to the stereo itself..hee hee...I might like to see that happen...LOL!!!

[telos2000]

Nope, go ahead and blow them puppy dogs, but just be sure on cover your ears. Blown speakers can make some awful noises.

By the way, I went with a Kenwood stereo and four new speakers in my new Dodge Hemi. I didn't spend a ton of money on the package (around $500), but I sure did get some quality sounds! Mine came with the SIRIUS which I never use because you have to subscribe to it for around $40 a month. Mine also plays MP3, but I am not big in downloading music. Also the remote control is sort of useless in a single cab pickup. It does have a lot of pretty lights that flash at night! A favorite with my 15 year old son,

If you go with the lower priced radio, you should be able to come in around $300 with all new speakers. Good luck!