The Toyota dealer wants over $600 to fix the radio in my 2005 Corolla. Can’t it been done for less than that? I’ve been listening to cds because there’s no radio, and pretty soon I’m going to have to spend $600 on new cds.
Why not go to Best Buy or someplace like that to see how much to put in a different stereo?
You don’t need a Toyota radio. Dealers are always going to be the most expensive.
Yeah, I certainly won’t have a dealer fix it. But it’s not the stereo. I have to find the paper I got from the dealer to do a better job of explaining what part needs replacing - it’s like the amplifier or something. I’ll write back soon.
I agree with Goldwing, but would like to suggest that you insstead go to an auto sound store. And make certain that when they do the installation they use an “adapter plug”. With an adapter plug, the new unit is spliced to the radio on the bench and then the installation becomes an “unplug the old one, plug in the new one” process. The adapter will cost an extra $15 or so, but allows the new unit to plug directly into the original wiring harness with no splicing ir butchering of the original wires. It is definitely worth the extra bucks.
Ah yes. The dealer said that the antenna base (amplifier) and pole need to be replaced. Could an auto sound store do this?
Could an auto sound store do this? Usually.
When I owned my 1982 Toyota Cressida, my dealer recommended United Radio in New York (Syracuse) to do the repair (on a graphic Equalizer /AMP). For $95, they did a great job.
(The amp was repaired due to a voltage spike from the alternator)
Some cars have a separate amp in the trunk or elsewhere. But I don’t understand what you’re saying—if you can play CDs on the car stereo, there’s nothing wrong with the amp, it would have to be the unit in the dash. You can get a much better stereo than you have from crutchfield.com or elsewhere.
If you mean you’ve been listening to a walkman or iPod or similar through headphones while you’re driving, and it is the amp that’s bad, you still could probably get an aftermarket system for less than $600. Or, you could try calling around to see if any of the numerous car audio places can fix it for less than what you’ve been quoted.
You ought to understand that the dealer has no idea what’s broken nor what to replace. He’s quoting you for the most expensive repair possible, just to ensure the service will be successful. This tactic is not necessarily a ripoff; he’s trying to ensure customer satisfaction.
I agree with others that you need to go to an audio shop. They too might suggest you replace more than is really necessary, but you will get quality work and still save a bundle.
The antenna amp is on the roof of the car. I attached a picture. I agree that a aftermarket radio is better and cheaper. I installed one in my son’s 05 Corolla and it sounded great.
I was talking about the audio amp being bad… didn’t know this car had an antenna amp. Must be so they can get away with using a stubby little antenna instead of a full-size one.