C5 Estate - replacement stereo

[garrylee]

Hi all, the stereo unit in my 54-plate C5 estate has packed up. Took it to a main dealer, who quoted £3k to replace , after picking up my jaw I politely declined.

Any suggestions for sourcing either a second-hand or after-market replacement?

Thanks in advance

Garry

[den169]

Get a facia plate off ebay and stick a normal car stereo in it.I took mine out years ago put a sony 1 disc mp3 player in it with a sony mp3 6 disc changer in the back.Also got the leads to make it work with the steering column remote.

[Lighty]

Not necessarily that simple to fit an aftermarket stereo, it can play havoc with the car.
You can source a used unit, and they are usually cheap because most people cannot swap them around, but it is easy if you get someone with Lexia to do it.

[stu9]

Hi all, the stereo unit in my 54-plate C5 estate has packed up. Took it to a main dealer, who quoted £3k to replace

Just how these dicks have the brass neck to charge prices like that is beyond me, they deserve to go bust!

[horsedentist]

What is different about a 2004 stereo as opposed to any other C5 radio, that it could cost that much? ordinary C5 radio's are about 40 to 50 quid second hand.

[Northern_Mike]

Not necessarily that simple to fit an aftermarket stereo, it can play havoc with the car.
You can source a used unit, and they are usually cheap because most people cannot swap them around, but it is easy if you get someone with Lexia to do it.

I'm not sure if it's anything like the 2004 Berlingo, but swapping the original one in that that for an aftermarket unit was simple enough. Make sure you get the correct cables for the stalk control and the power adaptor, (or swap the perm live and switched live round in the connector) then get a friendly lexia owner to disable - yes, disable - the stereo for you. Obviously you'll lose the Radio station display on the upper dash once the factory unit is removed.

I did fit it before I got it Lexia'd. It wasn't too unruly. I just found the "door open" display would freeze and stay on the screen.

At the moment the stereo in my C5 works fine. I'll change it if/when it starts playing up..

[Northern_Mike]

What is different about a 2004 stereo as opposed to any other C5 radio, that it could cost that much? ordinary C5 radio's are about 40 to 50 quid second hand.

Sounds like dealer pulling a fast one to me. They have the lexia, they have everything you need to do it. They can charge those that don't know better what they like really...

[den169]

Not necessarily that simple to fit an aftermarket stereo, it can play havoc with the car.
You can source a used unit, and they are usually cheap because most people cannot swap them around, but it is easy if you get someone with Lexia to do it.

Never had any problems when i did mine,Yes you lose the clock with the stations on but thats a small price to pay for an mp3 player,All the steering controls work with it so iv'e never missed the original.

[Peter.N.]

If you get the corrcect adaptor lead for the C5 they are fine, about £2.50 on ebay.

Peter

[Northern_Mike]

If you get the corrcect adaptor lead for the C5 they are fine, about £2.50 on ebay.

Peter

I bought the whole kit from some supplier on eBay - a Sony 1 disc mp3 player, the power lead and the stalk adaptor for £69 I think (all new in the box)

[Peter.N.]

I was looking at one of those but by shopping round I found it was cheaper to buy all the bits seperately - but that's the way I am

Peter

[wheeler]

If you wire up the aftermarket radio as per the instructions that come with the radio you will have no problems with it, also you don't need to un program the old one with Lexia either.

[terryi]

The C8 CD/radio is coded to the vehicle VIN number. Local man in SE Essex charged me £50 for a replacement unit coded to my vehicle. Apparently the Clarion unit has an inherent fault with the cassette deck. There is a plastic cover to a gear train where the fixing lugs break off allowing the cover to lift and the gears to come out of mesh when the CD will not eject.

Terry