The only time I've ever had to clean the lens on a CD head unit was on one that I'd gotten from a wrecking yard (an OE Mazda AM/FM/CD). It had been sitting in a very dusty warehouse. It would play non-burned CDs and 74-minute CD-Rs just fine, but it had trouble seeking to tracks on 80-minute CD-Rs.
I tried one of those cleaning discs--it didn't help.
Then I took the cover off, got a q-tip, put some 90% isopropyl alcohol on it, and wiped the lens off. Dried the lens with the other side of the q-tip. It played 80-minute CD-Rs just fine after that.
I then installed that Mazda CD player in my mom's 97 Ford Escort using a Metra kit (also obtained from a wrecking yard, normally they're about $50) and it looked very stock, a look no Sony head unit made in the last couple of years is even remotely capable of.
Total cost of install: $65
Mazda CD player....$45
Metra kit..........$10
Misc wiring+plugs..$10
The look on people's
face when they see
a Mazda CD player in
a Ford.............$priceless
