"New" radio, how to get the code?

Hey

I went to an autowreckers yesterday, and found an SC-810 radio out of a 1993
850. Same radio as in my 960. They gave me a VIN number and a 90 day return
policy, and told me that the radio worked when they tested it, but no radio
code... (I don't know how they tested it... maybe the car it was in had a
functional battery when it was brought to them)

Can I goto my Volvo dealer with the radio, and the VIN number and get a new
code? Or should the code from my original radio work (ie, is the code
referenced to a system in the car or in the radio).

I hope this radio, which only cost $40 works - the rebuilt Volvo radios are
$350 around here.... I'd really like FM and the tape deck back (none had the
CD player at the wreckers, then again, do I want a 10 year old CD player,
probably won't work very well).

 

The CD player in my '92 940 still works OK.

Taff...........



www.sounds-pa.com | www.thecomputerworkshop.com

 

Go to the dealer with the VIN number from the wreck and the radio,
and they should be able to give you the code for the radio.

Too bad you couldn't find an SC-815 -- at least I think that's the
model number for the radio with the CD-player.

 

I hope this radio, which only cost $40 works - the rebuilt Volvo radios are

The 1992 240 wagon I've just bought has the Volvo AM/FM tape deck system. I
was thinking of having this replaced with a new CD stereo. Is this a mistake?
The 1989 240 wagon I have now has a CD player installed by the previous owner,
and I've gotten kind of spoiled. And, if I do replace the Volvo stereo with a
new CD stereo, is there a market for the old stereo? Should I try to sell it?

 

I don't think so. You can probably get a replacement system for under $200
that plays audio CDs and mp3 disks, and installing it should be simple.

I would - through ebay.

 

If the 960 was my daily driver, i'd have changed out the radio to a newer
one... but for this car we want to retain the original, classy, upscale look
of the interior, so we are opting for a Volvo radio system.... We looked for
a SC-816 CD radio, but there were none to be found, I saw some on e-bay for
around $150 US.... Too much for a used CD player IMO.

Even if this car was my daily driver, I think i'd stay stock... I put in a
$300 CD add on unit (single CD in dash) for my VW Golf this year.... just
because I couldn't find a whole new radio that would look good, despite the
fact that a decent radio w/CD could have been had for ~$250.

it?

 

Maybe so, but i've seen enough CD players, only a few years old that don't
work anymore... It's all about how you treat the unit, and clean it and
such... Some people don't care about anything. And when you buy from a
wrecked car, you certainly can't tell how anything was treated.

 

Even if this car was my daily driver, I think i'd stay stock... I put in a

I wouldn't mind this kind of arrangement, as then I'd have the flexibility to
listen to both cassettes and CDs. The only other thing I could think of would
be to get a portable CD player with a car kit, which I'd do in a minute if any
of the portables came with a dashboard mounting contraption. Otherwise, I
don't see how it would work very well.

 

This is what I do when I drive the Volvo (actually... I had to do this with
a walkman to get FM radio reception for the past year.... now that is
totally embarrasing when you have to drive people around in a $40K luxury
car). The tape deck finally crapped out on me 2 weeks ago, so my radio hunt
picked up. With the Volvo, being that it is already a 2-DIN radio, I
couldn't add in a CD player, the VW had a 1-DIN radio, with a 1-DIN storage
compartment above it... the CD player now occupies the radio's old spot and
the radio moves up one position on the rack (Volvo and VW both have
excellent engineering for their radio racks... I was impressed with both
cars).

CD players thru the tape deck don't sound as good as a true in car unit...
and you have those extra wires... And the CD player occupies a carseat, or
storage pocket.

You're better off finding a radio you really want, and buying it... Or if
you want to spend a bit more money then I did, go on e-bay and get a radio
from a late model car. The 900 series from 93-98, as well as the same era
800 series cars have compatible radios. Don't know about your 240 (that's
what you have, right?) I know next to nothing about 240's... All I know is
that we still had one when I was really young (1974 244)... But I remember
our 2 740's (85 and an 89) as I was a little older... The radios looked a
lot different then the one in the 960, I don't know if the new radios would
work in the older cars.

 

Got the code today, radio works amazingly well too!.... Some minor crackle
from the volume, but it got better the whole drive home, guess it needs to
be worked in.