Re: CD Changers for 98 Jettas

[John Kiekhaefer <jonnk@execpc.com>]

Two weeks ago, I called every Best Buy Store in Milwaukee, Madison, Schaumberg,
Chicago and St Louis.  These appear to be long gone at Best Buy.
They have a high inventory turnover.

John Kiekhaefer


David Kim wrote:

> Fellow VW enthusiasts,
>
> Call up your local 'Best Buy' stores to see if they have any Panasonic 6
> CD changers in stock, model # CX-DP 601 EUC.  'Best Buy' has been
> clearing them out and if you are lucky you will cash in on a sweet
> deal.  I purchased mine early this year for $149.95, at the Schaumburg,
> IL store.  Another list member, in St. Louis, recently picked one up
> from the 'Best Buy' in the St. Louis area for only $79.95.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> David Kim
> 1997 Vento GLX
>
> Bruce Stapley wrote:
> >
> > Attention David Andrew Robertson:  I just went through the CD changer thing
> > with my 3-week-old GLX, and here's what I have learned:
> >
> > I don't know how much this applies to previous years for you older Jetta
> > owners, but for '98, the only audio system that appears to come in any GLX
> > is a Panasonic head unit with the Bose 10-speaker setup.  For this head
> > unit, the Panasonic CDXP601 mentioned by several others is definitely the
> > right changer, and you do need the Panasonic/VW adapter.  Both are
> > available from Crutchfield, as John Kiekhaefer and others wrote.  Be
> > advised, however, that the CDXP601 has already been discontinued and
> > replaced by the 801 (an 8-disc unit), which Panasonic *claims* is
> > controlled by their VW head unit, but one shop I went to (which had no more
> > 601s) actually hooked one up and tried it, and it didn't work.  (Since this
> > shop was selling changers to local VW dealers for far less than VW's price
> > of $450, and the dealers were then selling them to the public for the MSRP
> > of $508 w/o installation, they were pretty bummed that their cash cow had
> > dried up!)  Crutchfield does have 601s in stock (and *not* listed on their
> > website, as John Kiekhaefer also wrote), but for how long?  It seems to be
> > the only aftermarket changer option available for the stock head unit.
> >
> > I personally blew the whole changer thing off and went for CD in-dash,
> > which is what I really wanted anyway.  I got a Sony refurbed Mobile ES unit
> > (And please, no elitist Blaupunkt/Alpine flames for that, Ok?  For sticking
> > with the stock amps/speakers, the Sony does pretty well.) for about $50
> > more than it would've cost me for the changer setup, and not only do I have
> > better security and in-dash convenience, I also have immeasurably superior
> > sound versus the original head unit -- and that's all I replaced.  And I
> > can always add a changer later if I want to.
> >
> > Bruce Stapley
> > Chicago
> > Blk 98 GLX
> > no mods yet