How do I make CDs to play in the car?

You will need to burn the CD in redbook audio format. MP3/WMA compatibility wasn't common on OEM audio systems until around 2005 onwards. You'll probably have to use CD-R discs as well.

It's not complex at all. People who over the age of 30 and were around before MP3s were common but during the time that CD burners came out will be all to familiar with this.

Burn your CDs using iTunes or Windows Media Player. They will always work in your car. By the way, you will be making an MP3 CD. It does not have to be an audio CD (which holds less).

For a 2002 model with an original CD player, look on the fascia - unless it shows MP3 or WMA then it will likely only recognise CDs in cda format - the same format as the original audio CD. Set your cd burning software to that and you should be fine.

If you have iTunes or windows media player they can produce CD in a suitable format

For iTunes create your playlist, insert a blank CD, rt. Click on the playlist , choose burn to CD, choose audio CD, follow the prompts

For WMP, create your playlist, insert your audio CD, click the burn tab after setting the burn options to audio CD format

As others have said choose a CD-R format disc, even then some old players may be picky about what manufactured discs they can read from

Unless you know it's an MP3 or WMA capable player, stick to "Audio CD" - only volume levelling and no gaps applies to them.

When the no gaps option is set, it may burn in "Disc At Once" mode and close the disc (no additions can be made).

If the no gaps option is not set, it may be burning "Track At Once" and allowing later addition - if the disc is still open to addition, it will only work on a writer drive - there should be an option somehow to "close" or "finalize" the disc to make it readable on other devices.

Finally, change the burn speed, while there is a lot of debate about optimum speeds, "fastest" is certainly not, while modern drives and media would be poor at the extreme slow speeds that used to be recommended for audio.

If the disc is good, then it may be that the player is just not good with CD-R - for one player of mine, I have just the remnants of one pack of CD-R media that it works with - and strangely, the media is some of the most dismal quality of any I have... the other old media with a reputation for working in difficult players was Princo CD-R, but looks like they only do DVD media now

Car CD players, will not all play copies of CD's. Depending on its age.

The format is the only thing you need to worry about. For music CD's, MP3 (aka MPEG) is the most common format, and it's compatible with pretty much any PC, home or car audio system.

It probably will only read CD-R and not CD-RW. Many earlier CD players could not read CD-RW. So, all you need is to purchase CD-R discs to record on, not CD-RW.

Also... suggest going here for further info on your audio system.. and download the audio system manual. Look for the cd player specs. There are different types of CDs. CD-R, CD-RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, Audio CDs, etc. You have to find out which ones your player will read.

In this situation, it would be best to ask a friend or family member who is familiar with this to help you out.