Does the idea of cruising with a changer full of your home-recorded CD-R's and CD-RW's appeal to you? What if we talked about ten hours of great tunes as mp3 files on a single cd? You can drive for days on end without hearing the same song twice -- just load a changer with mp3 discs.

This must be said: fumbling around for a misplaced CD while driving has caused a few accidents. CD and mp3 changers make it easier for you to stay focused on driving (no distraction of changing discs) without losing a moment of music. They have user-friendly controls that make it easy for you to navigate through tracks with your eyes on the road.

You can keep your discs safer and well-arranged in a changer. This also reduces the likelihood of misplacing any of them. Since they install in concealed spaces like the boot, under a seat, etc, they are less likely to attract thieves.

These prove that cd/mp3 changers are great for your car. However, it will be a lot more if you considered a few things.

Is it an original factory-installed radio you want to add a changer to? Then you'll have to ensure you go for a vehicle-specific package that includes an interface adapter. These allow you to connect an aftermarket CD changer to your factory radio with CD changer controls. They also give you the added advantage of using your radio's controls for the mp3/cd changer. And if your car has steering wheel radio controls, these will remain fully functional.

Are you adding a CD changer to an aftermarket radio, i.e. alpine, sony, etc? If, in your case, you have an aftermarket radio that has cd changer controls, you must get a changer of the same brand as your radio. This is something you must not forget: Your CD changer in this case must be of the same brand as your radio. Don't forget!

Are you adding a CD changer to a radio that doesn't have CD changer compatibility?

If you're driving a leased car or classic you may not want to change the factory radio for a new in-dash radio. Fortunately, that doesn't mean you have to give up the many advantages of a CD changer. With an FM add-on (or RF) changer package, you can get terrific-sounding results playing an add-on cd or mp3 changer through your existing FM radio. Furthermore, if your car has steering wheel radio controls, they'll remain intact.

Manaufcturers have really gone overboard with features -- Some can be confusing. However, here are some "must-haves"...

Shock protection: This means your CD/mp3 changer has the ability to read ahead and store a reasonable amount of music data. If a severe jolt causes a CD to skip, the changer plays from the stored reservoir until the data stream is re-established. This is a very useful feature for those of us who take our cars off-road.

CD-R/CD-RW compatibility: Make sure your changer can play these type of cds -- Not all can. You'll

wonder why your pc plays a disc that you can't enjoy in your car if your changer does not have this feature.

Mp3 decoding: If you want to play those music files you downloaded from the internet, you'll need this feature. However, please, note that not all music files downloaded from the internet are mp3 files.

Id-3 tags: A changer's ability to read ID-3 tags means that it will give you track details like artiste's name, track title, track duration, and any other related information. This is especially useful if you're playing mp3 files as a single disc can hold up to ten hours worth of songs.

Zero-bit detector mute circuit: You'll like this if you like complete silence inbetween tracks. This feature shuts down the changer's output once there is no signal.

Wireless Remote: This feature may or may not be so important depending on the presence of other features in your audio setup. This is very useful if you do not have steering wheel controls or if they are not functional. You'll certainly find it a lot easier and safer to control your changer than otherwise.

This is a guide. You know what's best for you. Choose what you may, but be sure of this: A CD/mp3 changer will certainly enhance your music experience on the road. A car cd/mp3 changer is certainly another audio level -- The way to go.