I know what you mean about retaining the authenticity etc. I would be reluctant to change the stock audio in my '04 9-5. However maybe you have lucked out with the FM transmitter. I have used three different transmitters, the type that you stick in the charger port of the iPod, in several cars including '97 9000, '02 9-3 and the 9-5, with (to my non-audiophile ears) excellent results. I find less interference at the bottom of the scale, at which I guess there are fewer radio stations.

 

The 9-3's CD changer is the same as the 9-5's, and if the cars I've seen at Pick-n-Pull are any indication, 9-5s are more likely to have one. The mounting brackets are different, but if yours are still usable, you can reuse your existing ones. One thing that complicates things is that the CD changer needs to be divorced from the donor car. Since that's often not practical, what people do is to get the VIN from the car it came out of, set your car's VIN to that with a Tech 2, divorce the CD changer, set your car's VIN back to the original one, and then marry it. I'm assuming that you could set a 9-3 to a 9-5's VIN for this purpose, but I'm not positive. Hopefully someone with more direct experience will chime in.

 

Jeremy - I knew about the VIN and divorced procedure. The mounting plates on my changer are 90% of the rusted parts. The 9-5 changer looked the same as the 9-3, so I just wanted to confirm I could use that. I don't have a tech2, but my local saab specialist does. I only have an ODB2 reader at the moment. I seriously doubt a car stereo place here would have a tech 2, so I can save that job up.

Doug - Interesting that you got the iPod FM tuner method to work. Maybe it's just the brand of tuner I bought that was the issue. Considering it was less than $50 I'll write that off as experience. If you still have it - I'll be interested to know the brand that worked with your 9-3.

 

A while back, It weemed that Orio was clearing out CD changer for OG9-3/9-5. I got a brand new one for not too outrageous a price. Of course it works fine. Does Orio distribute in Australia?

 

Update: I have a used CD changer, with mounts, cassette and donors VIN inbound to Aust.
Condition wise it looked very good.
At approx 1/4 of the price of a new one I think it was worth a chance to stay original.
Shipping however is always a costly exercise to the ends of the earth (either New Zealand or Australia).
Hopefully, it would be plug and play - otherwise, I'll need my mechanics tech2 to solve it.
My OG9-3 had a changer so I assume it's divorce x2 then a marry.
That shouldn't take too long.
I'll let you all know when its installed and running.