Which stock CD/tape players fit 1999 Camry LE?

[jbrams]

My stock unit is skipping pretty seriously on many new CDs (and old) even after running a cleaning CD thru it several times so I'm looking for a new unit. I want a stock unit because my fiancee works in a pretty rough neighborhood as a 4th grade teacher and her last car (a 1992 Corolla) was broken into so they could take a really crummy non-stock stereo.

While I can find many double din stock units on ebay, I'm not sure which will easily fit into my 1999 Camry LE. Can you help?

My understanding is that the 2002 and newer Camry units won't work. I'm not interested in getting a much older unit (1997 and newer are what I'm looking at basically).

BUT I don't know which units will swap right in.

(1) Does the 1999 LE have an external amp? (I've done installs on other Toyota's with this amp, like a family member's 2000 4Runner, just removed the amp to put in a Pioneer system) If it has the amp, can it be removed and replaced with a head unit that has an internal amp?

(2) If it doesn't have an external amp, which stock stereos with internal amps will fit nicely in the space of my car?

(3) Is there any way to tell if mine has an internal or external amp without removing it from the dashboard?

Here are some reference pictures:

Stereos with external amps (right?):
1998 Camry (not mine, do not know if it was 4 or 6 speaker, etc):



2000 Tundra



Stereo's with internal amps:
1999 Camry (also not mine):

[geoff5093]

I may be buying a 1999 Camry LE in a few days, and if I do I would be replacing the stock stereo. If you dont mind waiting a week or so, I may be able to sell you one. But it depends if I end up getting the car.

[jbrams]

Well, that would be great Geoff5093 (PM me with your price shipped to 94609 I guess), but I still want to know which other stock stereos would fit (like if they red back lit tacoma player would work).

anyone know which other stereos would work?

[Mike Gerber]

This site should help you determine which units fit your car:

http://oemvalue.com/index2.html

Mike

[nodrogkam]

do you have a photo of your stock unit that skips now? take it out and compare it.

my xle with the upgraded premium 6 speaker system is the first stereo you posted. And i have been told by 3 shops i do have an external amp. to be safe stick with the gen 4 stereos. the gen 4.5 JBL systems may not fit..or at least wont hook up properly.

you could just take this opportunity to buy a dash kit and a newer stereo..they are pretty cheap these days. I replaced our corolla's with a clarion that was on sale for about 67 bucks. pretty damn happy with it, but its not like one that people would break into the car and steal.

on the other hand the alpine in my car catches a few more eyes. the aftermarket stereos really do sound better than factory. You dont need to even change your speakers to hear the difference.

upon the install of my alpine the guy said something about a cable or something used to bypass the factory amp, so there was no need to remove it.

[touringcamry]

You've got it correct which ones have external amps and which have internal ones.

What you are looking for is the the two separated plugs like on that '99 Camry stero has on the upper right side. The other ones have only one plug on the back. Also, the metal on the back od the '99 Camry stereo is noticeably thicker and more stout looking than the other two. That is because the back is the heatsink for the internal amp.