Well, first of all, it is very easy to get the stereo out of the dash. Gently pry off the wood grain strip on the dash (Gently!!). It is only held on by pressure sensitive clips. Once off, there are 4 very obvious screws to remove and the whole unit and mounting bracket pull right out.
Walk to the nearest bridge and drop the unit into the water. I doubt it would impact the unit's quality and might make you feel better.
I couldn't get a committed price from the stereo dealers in my city for the repairs and I just used an inexpensive portable CD player with a car kit that plays through the casette unit. A bit of a nuisance, but, a lot cheaper than I was being quoted for repairs. I thinnk buying the other working CD stereo unit would be a good idea as long as it's compatible with your Acura system and I don't have the tech knowledge to tell you what to look for. Others on the boards here will be able to give you that info. Hope that helps.