CD Players for cars

[Lisa78]

What I know about this could be written on a stamp with room to spare!
I have a fairly new car, with a radio cassette player, that comes off if you see what I mean. DH has a fairly old car, with a radio cassette that doesn't come off (not that anyone has ever tried to nick it!)
I was thinking a CD player would be much better, and as far as I can figure, there are two options

1. Have one fitted into the car - think this would be pretty expensive???
2. Get a personal CD player and buy an adaptor

Have seen "in car adaptors" for £15 in Comet, but couldn't figure out what on earth you did with them! Eg, if you plug them into your cigarette lighter, would you still need batteries for the CD player?

Anyone at all have any knowledge, I don't want to make any expensive mistakes or get ripped off

TIA

If CD is plugged into the cigarette lighter it won't need batteries as well - the socket can work as an electricity point so works off car's battery.

I used to have a CD player and adapter and to be honest it was more trouble than it was worth. Unless you have secure parking at home, work and everywhere you go, its a PITA to plug it and unplug it everytime you need to use it. You can't leave it plugged into the car as its on view and would be a target for thieves.
I once left just the power lead plugged into the lighter and some charming young gents smashed my window to have a search for the rest of the kit. They nicked the power lead but chucked it in a garden up the street when they realised it was useless, but I had to pay for the window.
FWIW I'd get a proper "face off" (removable front) CD player (can get them in Argos fairly cheaply) and get it fitted.

Any idea where to get it fitted - my car is still under warranty, would it have to be done at the dealership (they say I have to have it serviced there or the warranty is invalid)

Lisa,

Depending what your car is, if it's fairly new you may find that the existing cassette player will take a cd changer mounted in the boot. So you dont have to pay for a whole new thing in the dashboard, just the cd changer and fitting. I know all fords have been like this for about 2 - 3 years, ask a dealer (or try the manufacturers website) to find out, or even ask a car audio shop (make it clear when you ask that you won't go for changing the existing radio/cassette, just that you'd like to add a changer if possible, then they're less likely to fib). Fitting a changer probably won't be super cheap, but not mega expensive either.

oh, and you don't have to get a main dealer to do it, it won't invalidate the warranty. Check yellow pages under car audio, or look in your local paper. Halfords do it at their service centres, but I don't know how good they are.

Look in the yellow pages under car audio fitting, or car stereo fitting, or if you buy from Argos I think they come with free fitting vouchers. Halfords fit them too.
You wouldn't have to have it done at the dealership, although you could get a quote from them to see what they'd charge. Their stereos would probably be pricey though.
I got mine put in by a small garage and it cost me about £20.

Ah, Easy, you were quicker on the draw I see!

I bought a newish used car last year (Vauxhall main dealer) and as part of the trade-in deal they replaced the existing radio cassette with an equivalent radio-CD, which is wired in to the existing display thingy to show radio stations etc, although the salesperson didn't think it would be.

The cash equivalent was £200 but I don't know how realistic that is. (Front doesn't come off but it's the most boring anonymous looking thing you ever saw.) (Now watch me report tomorrow that it was nicked tonight!)