Car Stereos: 03 Tahoe Broken CD player, ebay motors, gm factory

Question
Hi Justin!  I have a 03 Tahoe with a CD player that has been broken for a while.  At first it just wouldn't play and now it won't even give the CD back.  I am wondering if it is worth the cash to get it fixed (not sure of the cost) or if there is a DIY trick my husband can try.  Other options I was considering are buying a used one on eBay Motors (~$170), buying a new factory one (~$300 and up) or buying an aftermarket and saving some money.  I am not too worried about great sound -- it's just me and the three boys in the car that now has over 90K miles.  We just want to be able to jam to Veggie Rocks now and then :)  Thanks for the advice!  
Ashley

Answer
Hi Ashley,

Your best bet is almost certainly aftermarket.  Not only will it be cheaper, it will also sound BETTER!  Even mediocre decks including hardware and installation will run you as little as $150 and sound infinitely better than the factory stereo.

For example:

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?showAll=N&g=300&i=500CDE98...

Which comes with all installation accessories and instructions on installing it in your truck.  You'll also need a 'GM factory integration adapter' which is responsible for maintaining door chimes and other things GM thought would be smart to route through the car stereo.  From Crutchfield, that's an extra 40 bucks with the purchase of the deck I listed above.  So for $169 or so, you'll have a far better sounding stereo and all the equipment it needs to install and maintain all of your car's functionality.

Justin