I am trying to get the standard radio off my 2001 Fabia and it's being a pain in the backside. After searching this forum, I tried strips cut off credit cards with no success: they bend when I try to pull them outwards like the Haynes manual says. Poking in the slots with thick bent clips doesn't seem to help either.

So I nipped into my local Halfords, and they looked at me like I fell from another planet. A Skoda brand radio? Never heard of it.

So I tried to call Benfield. The guy in Parts I spoke to didn't have any idea what I was talking about and told me to call again another day. To find the right person in, I suppose?

What should I try next?

You could try taking the glove box out and pushing the radio from the rear thats what I had to do

You could try taking the glove box out and pushing the radio from the rear thats what I had to do

Oh, God, that complicated? I never tried to get the glove box out. Is it tricky?

Problem solved! With no removal keys and without taking off the glove box.

I just stuck two flat screwdrivers on the two sides of the radio as deep as they would go, then pushed them outwards. The plastic fascia yielded first, and got a bit loose, but that gave me the space to work on the body of the radio. Stuck the screwdrivers deeper, another big push - and the radio slid out, no problem at all. The fascia just clipped back on, and the radio was still working fine before unplugging it. I had a look at the spring clips, and I think that that strips cut from credit cards would never have worked.

Total time: about a minute. Total expense: zero!

If you guys try this method, I take no responsibility!

Most skoda dealers will do this for free. Just call and ask, saves the damage of ramming screwdrivers into your dash or £5 for keys you'll probably use once.

Most skoda dealers will do this for free. Just call and ask, saves the damage of ramming screwdrivers into your dash or £5 for keys you'll probably use once.

Let's say that the local chaps didn't make a good impression on me. I'd rather stick screwdrivers in the dash (for no damage, may I say) than throwing myself on the mercy of Benfield.

Let's say that the local chaps didn't make a good impression on me. I'd rather stick screwdrivers in the dash (for no damage, may I say) than throwing myself on the mercy of Benfield.

Strange, my 2 local ones had no problem when i asked them just told me to pop in and they'd do it there and then. No other local ones?

Can't see how I could get 2 screwdrivers down the side of my stereo without serious damage... but then maybe its a different one on my fabia? The gap is very thin.

I just used 2 knifes down the side.

2 minutes,

No damage,

No cost.