I have a 94 C4 with the Bose head unit. The CD section doesn't work so I want to either have it repaired or replace it with a Double din nav head unit by either Kenwood or Alpine but my question concerns mainly the Bose. I bought the car last September. It has the owner's manual but there's no documentation on the Bose meaning I don't have the security code if I remove it to either have it repaired or substitute an aftermarket unit and then later put the Bose back in to sell the car. Is there a way to retreive the security code? Or did GM perhaps hide it in the car somewhere like some car makers do? I called a Chevy dealer and they were no help.

 

The guy to use to repair the Bose is http://www.doctordons.com/

You will have it back in a week, about $150 or half the price ($300) if use a service like Ecklers.

Dr. Don can help with code too. If not my mechanic can do it. You basically call an 800 # with the serial number and it gives you the code for the radio if you are a GM mechanic etc and not a thief.

Call Dr. Don, you will be happy you did. He is good peeps. He has fixed 3 bose radios for me over the years. Also ask him about playing CD-R's or putting port for blackberry, ipod.

I'd fix the bose rather then aftermarket which is expensive. If your amps are all good, the bose sounds good enough and for $150 you are back in the game.

The amps can be fixed yourself if you are handy or you can pick them up new for about $75 per speaker.

When a Bose is operational as it was from factory, it sounds pretty good especially for a car so old. Many people's bose are not working properly anymore and don't have the same sound quality as new - amps can fix that.

 

Thanks! I've thought about having the unit repaired even if I do swithch to an aftermarket unit. That would make the car more salable if and when I do decide to sell it. Do you have any thoughts on what Dr Don charges for modifications for Ipod and CDRs?

 

Honestly I think its hit or miss, I have never paid him the extra $150 so my bose could play CD-RS but mine do play CDR's. I think on the Port it might be $200 but not sure - give him a ring, he is super nice and a great guy to talk to. Another option is to use the tape deck and plug into player which is about $15 but the sound quality is not as good as direct obviously but a much cheaper date.

Good luck. Do your homework if you go aftermarket, bose system is finicky - in a perfect world it should be all ripped out and replaced which is expensive.

He charges $115 to put a port on a C5 radio so maybe its less. I know you can get a harness that goes between antenna and radio for $100 that allows you to use phone/ipod.

Just talk to the guy. I think when he fixes the CD player, all the new mechanisms play CD-Rs and you only pay for it if you ask but I could be wrong.

Also the model years might be different. For example one time I bought a 95 radio on ebay and then had dr. don change out the front plate from white to orange for $40. That played CD-R's but who knows maybe the guy who sold it to me had purchased the upgrade. Ask around in the bose radio section, I'm pretty sure some guys can play CD-rs on stock system. Just always use a good quality CD-R disc for burning.

 

I've done a litlle research but need to do more. I spoke with a tech support person at Crutchfield and he told me that the Nav unit I'm considering would work fine with the existing Bose system with an adapter they sell for $29.95.

 

Search goldcyclon in C4 zr-1 section he has a cool nav setup.

 

Check out Fixworks.com , they are a lot cheaper and just as good as Dr.Dons.

 

honestly pull it out put something with usb/ipod and get a bose interface adapter