The mechanical aspects of playing a CD, including dynamic adjustment of LED focus are quite remarkable, and I find it hard to understand how they can make it work so well when brand new. It is a characteristic of mechanical devices that they wear out. The electronic part probably won't wear out, but becomes obsolete.
My first player was a Mission, and the disc player mechanism was stock Phillips. It "only" lasted 15 years. I have not had any other player fail.
When I had occasion to repair an auto radio cassette player I discovered that the entire mechanical tape transport mechanism was an easy plug-in job, and that in spite of there being hundreds of brands of car radios, there were only two types of tape transports used. I think it cost $19. I wonder how many different disc spinners exist. I don't know for sure, but replacement of the mechanical part of a CD player might be simple and inexpensive.
My first player was a Mission, and the disc player mechanism was stock Phillips. It "only" lasted 15 years. I have not had any other player fail.
When I had occasion to repair an auto radio cassette player I discovered that the entire mechanical tape transport mechanism was an easy plug-in job, and that in spite of there being hundreds of brands of car radios, there were only two types of tape transports used. I think it cost $19. I wonder how many different disc spinners exist. I don't know for sure, but replacement of the mechanical part of a CD player might be simple and inexpensive.