'97 LeSabre audio deck compatability

[Dr. Pimento]

Hi all! Found this place searching (desperately) for a CD deck for my 1997 Buick LeSabre, and after being told by the dealer they could get one.. for the very small and insignificant fee of $677.00

Anyway.. I've had a bad experience with audio systems.. a friend got me one that "said" on the packaging (he read it over, he said) that it would work with Buick vehicles '96-'00. Needless to say, we got the dash off, only to find that it was too large by a couple of eighths of an inch.

The question, exactly, is "what" vehicles can I scavange from, and expect the deck to fit? I /assume/ that a Century/Regal/ParkAvenue from the 97'-'00 range would work, but I'd like clarification.

Also, I know someone who has a CD deck pulled from a Rendezvous.. any hope for THAT to fit?

Thanks for your time!

>-~~-> Dr. Pimento

[edit]
(Of course, I know I'll need an adapter of some sort, in all likelihood.. what I'm looking for is, is the "dinn" (is that how to spell it?) specs compatable?)

[sallisonbrown]

Hey, Dr. P
Not too sure which cars you might scavange an audio deck from, but a good site that I've found and recommended previously is: http://www.carsterohelp.com and it gives some pretty good cross reference info that might help you back into some compatible units. Also, I have found the Crutchfield catalog a good source of cross references and adapter kits.

Hope this helps.

[Ruley73]

I am 99.9% sure that you can use a radio from any Buick Regal, LeSabre, and Park Avenue/Ultra from 1995-2002 and it will plug in and bolt in with no mods necessary. *Maybe* 1996-98 Skylark and 1997-2002 Century - you'd have to look into those. I know this because I've been looking for another radio for my 1995 Regal GS (which has the same radio as your LeSabre) and that is what I've learned. Your radio size is most commonly referred to as DIN 1.5 (read "DIN and a half"). If you're looking for a good used O.E. CD player I would expect to pay around $100-$150 from a junkard. These CD Players notoriously wear out and won't eject CDs (as mine does) so make sure it works before you buy it if at all possible. Also, watch out for the Theftloc (anti-theft system) it costs about $30 to get a radio unlocked at a dealership.

[Dr. Pimento]

Hey, thanks for the info! All the dealers around here want to screw me, apparently - I'm getting anywhere from $275 (used) to $1,500 (new). Good grief!

I'm looking online at eBay, but I have no way to check those out prior to buying them.

[happydog500]

I have a 1997 LeSabre and the 2001 radio is said NOT to fit. I was told up to 1999. I know the 2001 is a differnt plug. It's the brown one. Yours is the single Blue Plug. Not all the Blue Plugs are the same, but at least it has to have A Blue plug.

Here is what I have. I would not bet my life on this, since I have not tried all these aplacations personally.

# 1996 and 1997 Skylark
# 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999 LeSabre
# 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 Park Avenue
# 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 Century
# 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999 Rivera
# 1996 Roadmaster
# 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 Regal

[Dr. Pimento]

Thanks so much for that!