Alpine won't fix their own radio

[thomis44]

I need some help please.
2005 Accord LX 4-door
The OEM radio went out over a year ago. Finally I took out the radio and sent it to Alpine along with the check in the amount they requested. 3 weeks later I received the check back voided out, a letter stating it was not repairable and the unit arrived shortly afterwards.
Now I don't know what to do. I don't want to go aftermarket, I want to keep the original face and controls (I've heard the aftermarket face has finish issues). So I'm looking on ebay and similar websites and all I can find is 6 disc cd players. Will I be able to make the 6 disc version work? And I saw an ad that said once installed it will have to go to the dealer for programming. Can someone please clarify this for me?
I'm very grateful for your time.

[65comet]

I am a firm believer in keeping things stock on a car. So when my Accord radio died, I tried fixing it. One of the boards was fried, not repairable. So I got a replacement from a salvage yard. They gave me a tag with the VIN and other info so I could have it reprogrammed. They did not have the program code, said I'd have to get Honda to get it based in the info of VIN, stickers on radio and their receipt. Honda dealer said heck no, they said they couldn't be sure it wasn't a stolen radio. At least the salvage yard gave me my money back, probably because of all the business I do there. Normally no returns on anything of an electrical nature. So I bought an aftermarket as everyone on all the forums had told me to do. I did spend a lot of time refining and trimming the face plate to get a better look. Now I wish I'd have just done that to start. The aftermarket is so much better. USB plugin so I can listen to all my own music is the best part of the one I got.

[thomis44]

The adapter kit is $245 and out of stock at Crutchfields!
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1209978...r.html?tp=3486

That doesn't even include the cost of the aftermarket radio/ cd player

[65comet]

I went with a generic kit for $20 at Meijer and a Panasonic radio for $49. Meijer probably isn't in your area. They are a Walmart competitor. Walmart had the same for $20 all together more. I just want to show the option. I commend your desire to stay original, but with my 2 and a half hours a day of commuting near Chicago I had to get a radio going for traffic reports.