When did cars stop having 8 track players? (car audio, buying, Audi)

[Deez Nuttz]

Ok I'm gonna pick your brain at this one...since someone already did a post on "when did cars stop having cassette players"....how about 8 track players....?

I'm going to guess 1982....IIRC I believe my 1981 Delta 81 talked about an 8 track player option in the owners manual. I don't believe I've seen a car any newer than 1982 with one...I might be wrong.

So....who knows?

[Big George]

I don't know how long they were available as an option, but I never saw one in anything past the mid-late 70s.

[Coldjensens]

I was still buying 8 tracks in 1981. I would gess that the change in cars was no earlier than that.

[stilldriveem]

Ford quit installing them in 1983. By that time they had separate base and treble controls and digital displays. Could also be had with extra amplifer (for rear speakers only!). Some of my cars still have 'em and I still use 'em! Have lots of blank 8 track tapes and put my CD's on 'em. I also align my tape heads and keep them de-magnitized. There's a bit of hiss at loud sound levels, but at normal levels they sound identical to the CD sound. I can't tell much difference. But I'm not a ultra-critical listener either.

[rlrl]

i was going to say exactly like deez nutz said--"I would guess in 1982"

that is the year the very first CD came out--8/17/1982

[PokerMunkee]

I honestly have never used/seen a 8 track player. I had to google some pictures.

Another good question.....which car had the first CD player?

[ranger17]

Originally Posted by PokerMunkee

I honestly have never used/seen a 8 track player. I had to google some pictures.

boy, did you miss the true hi end car audio we had back in the day lol. Nothing like a long song being split onto 2 different tracks, and having to jamb a matchbox under the tape case to prevent double tracking. I even had an 8-track boom box. Of course i had no room to carry around any extra tapes.....
Seems somewhere in the late 70's is when cassettes became more available as under dash and replacement head units. Of course one had to add an "amp/eq" with lots of led's and sliders, an advertised 300 watts (maybe 10 clean), and a pair of jensen 6x9's in the rear deck. oh those were the days

[jambo101]

Couple of years ago the local radio station had a treasure hunt, one of the must find items was first album by Led Zepplin on 8 track,some guy posted an ad in the paper saying he was looking for the needed tape, i called him up and said i had the required album, he dropped by and gave me $100 for the tape

[banger]

Originally Posted by rlrl

i was going to say exactly like deez nutz said--"I would guess in 1982"

that is the year the very first CD came out--8/17/1982

You forget...there was a "transition period" where Cassette tape were available.

My father had a 1974 Caddy with the cassette.

[frankgn87]

my 81 Charger had an 8 track player.. I would agree around 82 was the last year