Need some input (about car audio)

[pacman99]

Hey,

I park my car in a public subway parking. Last time I bought a Sony Xplode CD/MP3 car stereo (i know it's not that great) and it got stolen. The guy even damaged the car kit >_< Anyways, $300 down the drain.
Just bought another car stereo, this time much more cheaper, didn't care about the car stereo and did the installation myself (as apparent from my other thread). It just plays CDs.
Anyways my question was, I don't really like the idea of leaving my car stereo in my car while parked at the subway parking (for obvious reasons). I don't have a car alarm (95 sunfire, don't want to spend much money on the car to get an alarm system) and it's apparently easy to get into (last time the guy went into it through the trunk. It's a 2-door coupe). I did detach the faceplate on my sony xplode and kept it locked in the glove compartment (i'm stupid i know) which they easily opened too.
So my question is, do you guys think I should leave my car stereo in and detach the faceplate and keep it with me all day or just take out the whole stereo and walk around with it all day (which i can do as well hehe). I was just concerned about damage that might occur to the actual stereo by me doing that :P

[hopeless4life]

Don't take the whole cd player with you, you are more probable to damage the laser mechanism or something in the deck by removing it and reinstalling it all the time. Just take the face, thats why they make them like that. First off with the face removed it makes the deck less appealing because it is difficult to get a new face without proof of purchase. Although it does sadden me to know that some stereo shops help those guys. Also I recall it is a JVC KDS5050 is it not? That deck retails at the shop i work at for 129.95 CDN. Any theif that breaks into vehicles for stereo equipment knows whats worth the risk. JVC KDS5050 with no face, not worth it. The face probably costs close to what the deck costs. Not critisizing the deck cuz its not a bad deck but its low cost and risking damaging your deck by carrying it around far exceeds the risk of having it stolen with the face gone. And if it does get stolen put a new one in and wait in hiding with a shotgun and blow the bastards head off. I hate car audio theives they disrespect everything that is sacred to me, The car, the audio gear and the person who wishes to enjoy their equipment.

[pacman99]

well my last deck was worth $199.99 w/ the face plate hidden in the glove compartment, still got stolen lol.
I bought this deck only cuz it was one of the cheapest decent looking ones around

Getting into my car is extremely easy. Just pop open the trunk w/ a crowbar
But u have a point. Damage from just carrying around will be more than a one-time damage from it being stolen. Someone suggested i cut the cover from the stock deck and put it on top of this deck when i'm not in the car. I don't see it happening for a sunfire stock due to the way it's made. Plus, I didn't exactly use a car kit this time I installed the deck cuz I didn't wanna spend another $100 onyl to get it damaged again (the guy damaged my car kit as well)

[hopeless4life]

Just take the faceplate with you, if they don't find it in the car they'll be pissed. Also why is the car kit $100 that seems a little outrageous

[pacman99]

i guess cuz futureshop overcharged me or something? I remember paying $100 for the car kit....dunno why. How much should it be? I personally think it's worth less than $20. It's just two pieces of plastic that fit into my car :P The wire harness for my JVC came w/ the stereo and there's basically nothing else needed to use it.

[hopeless4life]

In those sunfires it should be a one piece kit and our shop sells them for 14.95 or 19.95 cdn, plus u'd need an antennae adapter 9.95 and possibly a turbo harness with future shop 14.95, still seems like a hell of a lot

[pacman99]

hmmm right now i'm using a cracked one piece kit i guess u woudl call it with the harness i attached to my sunfire wiring (which came w/ the stereo) and no antenna adapter. Everything works fine....:P
Yea, it's what i woudl call a homemade job but it works ^_^;;