Durable at the least
Written: Mar 17 '05
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Pros: DURABLE. And excellent sound quality.
Cons: Expensive
The Bottom Line: Get it, you won't have to get another for years.
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| mrg715's Full Review: Alpine CDA-7861 Car CD Player |
I installed this in my 96' Civic, and let me give you just a small idea what this thing put up with.
First of all it installed with only a small mounting kit into the Honda, and didn't have a problem from then, although the display was incredibly bright at night. The sound pushed out compared to my previous deck made me take my subs out, I just didn't need them. For some reason this was able to take a 6" speaker and make it feel like much more.
Ok, flash forward, I crash the car into th back of a Nissan going 50 mph, luckily no one is hurt, although I totaled the Honda, the Nissan, and did alot of rear damage to the Saab that the Nissan hit. Cds sitting on my backseat flew forward and smashed ot pieces against my windshield. My car leaked 4 different colors and my door I had to bend to open to get out. It was a NASTY accident.
This thing ejected the CD I was playing when I went to go get it at the towing lot.
I installed it then into my 88 Century, I didn't want to pay alot for insurance so put it in an old car, and one with terrible shocks that make the whole car rattle like you wouldn't believe around 70 mph. I do mostly highway driving, and I put 40k miles on this american 4-banger, with my own fillings coming loose, and this little radio took it like a pro, and never stopped working.
After all that rattling, which /cracked my windshield/ and so many problems with my electrics, this thing kept working. Well. I loved this deck. Now my buick has finally died, and I took the Alpine out of that, and it'll find a home in my next car.
After all this, WAY more than any deck is supposed to take and still be considered to work, it still does, and now, the only problem with it, is that the track forward button is a little loose. I now SWEAR by alpine, and wouldn't buy anything else. The buttons are small, the display is big, but that's what most people want. Mine came with a remote, but in a Civic or Buick, not going to do you alot of good. I assume it's more for vans, something you can sit far away from and still be in your vehicle.
Mine I bought from a CarTunes in detroit, and that was awhile ago, and anything from Alpine is going to be more expensive than most other brands unless you go with something like McIntosh, whose unit will run about a grand or more.
This was a great head unit, and I would rather have something by Alpine than anyone else, simply because I never had a problem with it, durability for me is the biggest requirement so I can get in my car and not have to worry about it going on the fritz. It's solid, it's well built, it's CD ejector is quiet and hasn't even had a pause in 50k miles in 2 cars. I drive quite a bit, and I'd swear by it. If you want something flashier go somewhere else, but if you want a solid unit that will give you years of service, go Alpine.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 350
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Epinions.com ID:
mrg715
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Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 0 members
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