Can I remove speakers before buy-back?

sun_dance99

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Location
LA
TDI
Q7
Hi,

I've have a full B&O stereo system in my Q7 and my buy-back is scheduled for next week. Was wondering if I can remove the speakers from the vehicle BEFORE I return it?

I'm not going to remove the MMI or anything, just the speakers from the doors, back, sub, and the pop-ups from the front. I'd need to remove the door cards to take out the speakers...so the doors will look "strange"

Has anyone returned a vehicle with the speakers taken out and was there any issue? TIA
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
Hi,

I've have a full B&O stereo system in my Q7 and my buy-back is scheduled for next week. Was wondering if I can remove the speakers from the vehicle BEFORE I return it?

I'm not going to remove the MMI or anything, just the speakers from the doors, back, sub, and the pop-ups from the front. I'd need to remove the door cards to take out the speakers...so the doors will look "strange"

Has anyone returned a vehicle with the speakers taken out and was there any issue? TIA
What are you going to do with the speakers once you remove them? Sell them and try to profit some more from this fiasco? Are they original to the car? If not put the speakers that came in the car back in.
 

scooperhsd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Kansas City KS
TDI
NB, 2000, RED(5 Speed conversion) 2015 Golf SE
Was this the factory stereo ? If not - do you have the OEM speakers to put back in ?

You do need to do some back reading of older threads about what has happened with people who took items from their car. In short - if the stereo isn't working when you return it, you may have problems.
 

sun_dance99

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Location
LA
TDI
Q7
What are you going to do with the speakers once you remove them? Sell them and try to profit some more from this fiasco? Are they original to the car? If not put the speakers that came in the car back in.
I was actually going to remove the speakers and put them in my other Q7. Not looking to profit, just re-use.
 

sun_dance99

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Location
LA
TDI
Q7
Was this the factory stereo ? If not - do you have the OEM speakers to put back in ?

You do need to do some back reading of older threads about what has happened with people who took items from their car. In short - if the stereo isn't working when you return it, you may have problems.
The B&O system was a $6300 upgrade when ordering the Q7. It came from the factory that way, so it is the OEM speakers...at least for me.

I'll try to use the search to determine what other's have experienced. Is there a good "this is what happened when I took XYZ out of my car and returned it"?

Thanx
 

bizzle

Veteran Member
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May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
TDI
2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
Doubt it would make any difference one way or the other in terms of the buyback but the speakers aren't worth the time to R&R them...twice. Better speakers exist for a few hundred dollars. Similar to the "Fender" option, chances are when you pull the B&O speakers they won't be anything other than standard speakers from Panasonic or Hitachi or something along those lines.

They also aren't likely to work very well with a headunit that isn't meant to drive them so just tossing them in a different Q7 without the rest of the audio upgrades will sound subpar even compared to the standard setup in whatever Q7 you buy. If you don't have the audio upgrade, you won't even have all of the speaker locations to transfer them into.
 

Rico567

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
I have read some -anecdotes- about turning in cars, and there doesn't seem to be a clear answer to the question in the OP. As the buyback process has changed over time, there seem to be more rejections of cars due to "stripping." Bottom line is, you do something like take out the speakers, you're taking a chance. A big chance? I doubt it.
 

KevinGary

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2017
Location
Long Island
TDI
2015 A6 TDI
Raj,

I certainly read stories in the beginning of owners stripping the cars considerably and Audi still buying them back. By the way are you stalking me? Or am I stalking you? LOl. This is a pretty good forum for getting TDI information.

Kevin
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
Invest your time with your family, pursuit of sticking it to VW will only get you so far.

I second the speakers are only a 1/4 or less of the system, the DSP and amp is prob where the money was spent.

It amazes me VW stuck with the north american market. (BTW I now regret sending back my '10 jetta with steel rims and studded snow tires).
 

sun_dance99

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Location
LA
TDI
Q7
Raj,

I certainly read stories in the beginning of owners stripping the cars considerably and Audi still buying them back. By the way are you stalking me? Or am I stalking you? LOl. This is a pretty good forum for getting TDI information.

Kevin
Too funny Kevin...thinks it's me taking your lead ;)
 

sun_dance99

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Location
LA
TDI
Q7
Doubt it would make any difference one way or the other in terms of the buyback but the speakers aren't worth the time to R&R them...twice. Better speakers exist for a few hundred dollars. Similar to the "Fender" option, chances are when you pull the B&O speakers they won't be anything other than standard speakers from Panasonic or Hitachi or something along those lines.

They also aren't likely to work very well with a headunit that isn't meant to drive them so just tossing them in a different Q7 without the rest of the audio upgrades will sound subpar even compared to the standard setup in whatever Q7 you buy. If you don't have the audio upgrade, you won't even have all of the speaker locations to transfer them into.
The speakers themselves are in fact https://www.bang-olufsen.com/en plus they sound fantastic, especially in relation to the Bose.

I could easily get at the amp (in the rear tire area) and the DSP is programmable. So It would be taking out the speakers, the amp and be done. But alas, I don't want to jeopardize my buy-back and not sure.
 

czeetah

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2014
Location
Mountains, NC
TDI
2014 Passat 6MT / Opera Red
You can do it. Slap some cheapies in there.

Imaging all the folks who got VW's, took stock speakers out, replaced with better speakers. But don't read as better, read as "different"

You think VW cares? Or would say "NO, put stock speakers BACK!!!"

Heck no. Replacing speakers with a speaker of your choice is a reasonable act when you buy a car. Most folks toss their OEM speakers anyway.

Not like you're taking the hood, trunk lid, and all the seats.
 

sun_dance99

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Location
LA
TDI
Q7
You can do it. Slap some cheapies in there.

Imaging all the folks who got VW's, took stock speakers out, replaced with better speakers. But don't read as better, read as "different"

You think VW cares? Or would say "NO, put stock speakers BACK!!!"

Heck no. Replacing speakers with a speaker of your choice is a reasonable act when you buy a car. Most folks toss their OEM speakers anyway.

Not like you're taking the hood, trunk lid, and all the seats.
Unfortunately I'll need to remove the more than just the speakers, since the panels are also different where the speakers fit, which will require their removal from the doors.
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
Unfortunately I'll need to remove the more than just the speakers, since the panels are also different where the speakers fit, which will require their removal from the doors.
Then do what you like are you looking for permission from the members here?:rolleyes:
 

sun_dance99

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Location
LA
TDI
Q7
Then do what you like are you looking for permission from the members here?:rolleyes:
No, what I was looking for was insight on my original question "Has anyone returned a vehicle with the speakers taken out and was there any issue?"

However, in this case there would also be door cards removed to accommodate, since here's the difference between the B&O vs. Bose setup.



 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
swap the whole door cards then, if you turned in ride with no door cards the rep may flag it, but if it has something there that looks stock they prob won't notice.

Worse case, they do flag it, then you just have to swap them back over, its only your time anyways right?
 
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