Car Stereos: OEM radio substitution, gm radios, buick lesabre


Question
Brian,
I've got a 2001 Buick LeSabre, with a factory AM/FM CD/Cassette radio.  The radio is no good, and I want to replace it with the same OEM model.  I've found a website where I can buy a refurbished one, and I know that this model radio has a "theftlock" feature...and I'll have to take it to a Buick dealership and have it reprogrammed (or reset, whatever you call it) so it will work with my car.
But also on the same website, they have some radios advertised as:
"AM/FM/CASS/CD: FOR A 2000-2004 BUICK LESABRE WITH BARB ANTENNA. DOCK AND LOCK RADIO. NEW STYLE"
And it looks like this radio...though it doesn't look exactly like the factory one I have now...would fit.  (My current radio does have the white "dock and lock" connections.)  And this radio is advertised as "plug and play", and not needing to have the code programmed...because they are currently unlocked, and will learn the vehicle VIN when they are plugged in and will then only work in that vehicle.  And that would save me both the trouble and the expense of taking an OEM radio to the dealership to have re-coded.  (The website is:
http://oem-auto-accessory.com in case you want to review it...the radio I'm looking at is listed under the "Factory GM Radios" submenu.)
Without being able to guarantee it, of course...does this radio look like it would fit my car?
Any advice/suggestions you could offer is greatly appreciated.

Answer
Hi David,

I hadn't seen the web site in your question before now, and I'm glad you showed it to me, because it looks like a handy reference site.  In looking at the list of GM radios, I only saw two units listed for the 00-04 LeSabre, and both radios were the same model--there was just a choice of a new unit, or a refurbished.  I may have missed the particular unit you are considering.  However, I really haven't seen any difference between the various "dock and lock" GM radio systems, at least in terms of after-market equipment.  All the dock and lock vehicles require the same adapter parts for installing an after-market head unit, so that implies to me that the various dock and lock OEM radios are likely to be interchangeable as well.  If you're looking at a radio made for the LeSabre, then I'd expect it to work in any 00-04 LeSabre; in fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it worked in an Aurora or Bonneville as well.  

Hope this helps!

Brian