My sister-in-law bought me for Christmas a replacement original radio for my 1984 300SD for Christmas from Everdrive.com. After a long and tortuous back-and-forth with the pleasant folks there (the first one didn't work, the second was the wrong (754) model), they've now informed me that they cannot find a working 612 model Becker Grand Prix. I've struck out on Ebay and am reluctant to pay what Becker North America has quoted me on fixing the one I have.

Anyone have any suggestions? I think my sister-in-law probably paid $100+ for it, and I'd be willing to do that for one that is known to work, both radio and cassette.

Thanks,
Ian

PM JimmyL on here, he has a few I think. None of my spares work.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

I have a spare that works but the far left digit of the display doesn't work.....

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

The tuner was actually on 88.5 at the time of the pic. The first segment doesn't seem to work at all, and the 4th one works in pieces. Radio sounds great though once you find the stations and lock them in with the buttons. Love having that large amount of buttons on these radios...

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

How's that 612 in the wagon?

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

The 754 will plug directly in and is a better radio. It superseded the 612. I have a 780 in mine with noticeable sound improvement. (The 780 came after the 754 and was the last with the same connectors.)

__________________
Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

Perfect! Still.......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Adam,
I tried to plug in the 754, but it didn't even power up. The 754 seemed to have extra connection ports on the back, a five-pin chassis thing and also an electrical connector which I think is for an anti-theft circuit. Does that sound right? Maybe you're saying that those aren't necessary in my car. In any case, I plugged in everything there was to plug, and it didn't work. That may well be because the radio Everdrive sent was bad to begin with. So I'm going to try with a 612 JimmyL is sending, and pray for the cassette to work.

Thanks for everyone's advice.

Ian

I believe that is for security. Completely not needed. You probably got a dud. The key is to get a working radio, so good luck with that 612.

__________________
Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

Many thanks to everyone who replied to this post, especially JimmyL. I plugged in the radio I bought from him at a highly reasonable price, and it works just as advertised. Reception isn't perfect, some digits are missing, and the cassette turns but doesn't make noise (anyone know if a head cleaner might work?), but it looks as pretty as the day it was born, and the silence of my daily commute has been broken.

Ian

Why can't these tape players ever work? I've only had one 612 with a working tape player. At least it turns. Hope for a cleaning......
I just put a Becker 780 in China, and I sure don't like the looks and lighting near as much as the 612. They do seem to put out a little more power though.
Keep me posted Ian, and it was a pleasure....

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

LOL, wasn't the 612 that you have that functions 100% free?

I have a stack of 612s I'll be happy to trade you for that 780

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

The 612 in my has gone kaput. I don't suppose you have any units remaining, do you? I think it is only my faceplate, but might as well replace the whole thing.

Thanks,
~Justin