Just purchased a "93" 850 and am looking into adding CD changer. I've seen several listings on ebay for OEM units, but only for 94 and up models. The radio is an SC-810 with cassette. I searched the archives and found information about patch cables for using Alpine changers. Is there a consenses out there on adding a changer? Thanks for your help. JT

Adding a CD changer is super-easy to do. I bought an Alpine S620 unit on ebay slightly used for $125.00 and got the adapter at a local car stereo chain for $49.00

I would recommend mounting the changer in the glovebox to access your cd's quickly and easily from the driver's seat. You can jam it in there, but I took my glovebox out and cut a piece out of the top so the changer fit flush, and I could bolt it in using the Alpine mounting brackets.

The only slightly tricky part is to find a power wire on the head unit which you'll need to tap into to complete the install. If you have a voltmeter or a lead tester this should be easy.

Good luck, and shop on ebay...all kinds of deals there.

L8R,

warren.
redline76@hotmail.com

On the SC-810 it is not difficult to install your own 6-disc changer in the trunk yourslelf. It is actually really easy. I've done it on both a 95 954T and a 95 944. The 850 was a little easier, more room behind the stereo for the wires. It is not hard to run cabling down the door panel floor moldings to the trunk, with the 850 you don't even have to remove any screws. And the stereo head just pops out.
There is NO WAY you should pay for the OEM Volvo deck. I believe they charge you somewhere around $550 for the deck, $80-90 for the wiring kid, and $12 for the mounting bracket at the Volvo dealer. And don't even ask for the labour charge to have them install it! That's way too much! You can get a Volvo to Alpine adapter (Volvo uses Alpine for their OEM brand) for about $25 with shipping here: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/audio-etc/pie-vol-alp.html
Then I believe the CD unit you want to use is the Alpine CHM-S620 (6 disc of course). These run somewhere from $200-300 (check Yahoo! shopping, they acutall have a decent price for them). And then you'll just need the cable to run from the trunk to the stereo. I recomend running the stereo line up the passnger side of the car, becasue I found that you can just tuck the wire up into the trim above the passanger knee bolster, and there's not really any wiring to interrupt anywhere between there and the back of the car. A 16 ft cable should do you just fine. I would acutally recommend getting the Volvo CD bracket (I got mine for $12 at Volvoworld.com). The alpine deck is supposed to be a different size than the oem deck, but appearntly it's not hard to use the Alpine mounting hardware to install it on the OEM bracket. I like the OEM bracket because it's made of a really sturdy thick steel, and it's easy to mount on the side of the trunk (no drilling). I don't have an alphine deck (I bought this kit on ebay, not Alphine, but the qualitity on my SC-811 premium is excellent http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1341308014). I took my bracket down to my friend's machine shop, dripped a couple of holes it in on his press, and cut the bottom angle off so I wouldn't have to cut through the floor of my trunk. It works perfectly. Rather than write it all out, here's a like to an excellent reference for this (plus there is a really nice wiring diagram for the 850 SC-810/8xx stereo systems and Alpine Changers:
http://au.geocities.com/ozbrick850/cdchangerinstall.html

I paid $255 for my kit on Ebay, it came with the adapter, cable, and a USA-Spec SCD-88A 6 disc changer. It comes with some "mounting hardware" but again, I bought the bracket. It's pretty late and I'm just ranting, so I hope I answered some of your questions. Let me know if there's anything else.

Brandon

Thanks for all the info! Should be able to get it done now. JT

If you want to go the route of installing a Volvo changer in the glove box, it should only cost around $200 - plus any increase in price since I bought that unit in April of 2001 from Nils Sefeldt Volvo in Texas, now Houston Volvo or Volvo of Houston. The changer (9204762-0)was $156 with all necessary wiring and the mounting bracket (9204860-2)was $31.40. Shipping was $8 to my door. The advertisement for the unit at my local dealer indicated for 94 and up for $300 installed but I had no problem installing it in my daughter's 93. The one hangup I did have was installing the mounting braket in backwards. This pushed the unit to far forward to allow the glove box door to close properly. Once I reversed the bracket, all was well. The down side is you don't have much room left in the glove box. The number to call is 1-800-468-0041. Don't call until at least 9:30 Texas time because the parts guys are busy with pulling parts for the shop. Yes, it is an Alpine unit, 6 disc.