confused - factory cd changer replacement-Help!

[dsaldiv5]

I bought my wife a 2000 GLS, non Monsoon stereo. The factory cd changer was no longer installed in the car, the wiring is place. She loves the factory stereo head and does not want me to change it. Crutchfield has a USA SPEC SCD-VW44 6-disc changer that includes wiring adapters to fit the factory harness. However, the fine print indicates "Factory radio may need to be programmed by the car dealer. If the factory radio does not recognize the changer after it's installed, the vehicle may need to be taken to the dealer to have the radio programmed to accept a changer." This could potentially cost me more than the price of the new cd changer! Do I need to buy a VW factory changer and save me the headache ?? Any input/suggestions is appreciated! Dan

[LadybugEwa]

Hopefully our audio gurus will pipe in later, but here's my 2cents now
Get the VW changer. They are fairly cheap on eBay, and even come up in the classifieds here sometime. I have the factory changer, and I can't comment how it compares to the Cruchfield, but I'm pleased with it. Best of all, it's plug-and-play

[sb_beetle]

Originally Posted by dsaldiv5

I bought my wife a 2000 GLS, non Monsoon stereo. The factory cd changer was no longer installed in the car, the wiring is place. She loves the factory stereo head and does not want me to change it. Crutchfield has a USA SPEC SCD-VW44 6-disc changer that includes wiring adapters to fit the factory harness. However, the fine print indicates "Factory radio may need to be programmed by the car dealer. If the factory radio does not recognize the changer after it's installed, the vehicle may need to be taken to the dealer to have the radio programmed to accept a changer." This could potentially cost me more than the price of the new cd changer! Do I need to buy a VW factory changer and save me the headache ?? Any input/suggestions is appreciated! Dan

Find somebody with a VAG-COM and they can make the change in less than 5 minutes... cost? probably a few beers.

[Lnzbug]

I would make sure you have the code for the radio. It was in the owners manual. My husband installed the panasonic on in mine and it worked fine. Then the head unit went bad & we changed that too. But I had about 3 years use before it wimped out. He's sleeping already or I'd ask if there was a secret to doing it. I'm sure by the time I see him again someone here will have filled you in already.

[dsaldiv5]

Thanks everyone, I will search to see if we have the radio code.
Dan