Just got back from one of the better regional audio shops...

[Citizen Z]

They had their senior installer guy, Jay Enge (Mobile Electronics Magazine's 2008 installer of the year), take a look at my car and gave me a quote for full-up stereo overhual. Leaving the stock head unit (my preference) they would replace all six cabin speakers with low efficiency, high power handling components, installing two JL 10W3v3 in the little cubbies in the trunk, each with their own custom fiberglass sealed enclosure, a Rockford Fosgate 3Sixty.2 equalizer, and a full-range amplifier plus dynamat around all the installed speakers would run me $2900. Is that a lot, or is it reasonable for the level of work?

When I did basically the same install in my Mazda3, after the fiddly bits and everything I spent $1400 and it took about 20 hours. Granted, a BMW is put together WAY better than my Mazda and would take an equivalent amount of care to prevent damaging the panels during the install... but seriously? I dunno if $1500 for the competition class labor is really worth it. These guys are among the best from what I've read online. They're Car-Fi in Springfield, Missouri. http://www.car-fi.com/about.asp

Is $2900 a lot or can I get the job done well at just about ANY not-sucky car audio place?

[hbiscuit]

with car audio, the install is as important as the equipment.

[lannypoffo]

Considering you get two fiberglass sub enclosures with it, its a pretty good deal. I have got quotes of $600-$800 for a fiberglass enclosure before. If its top quality work that is a fair price. Of course you would need to know exact speaker brands before you commit to anything. The front sets could range from $100 to $500.

[Citizen Z]

The fronts were Boston Acoustics S45's, only $80 for the set. There really arn't hardly any component 4" speakers available as the S45's are coax and kind of two steps forward, one back in that regard.

Based on this thread
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...t+speaker+size
I'm going to have the shop research what 5"+ speakers could fit with the mounting depth limitations.

[lannypoffo]

hmm for those very low end speakers, the deal doesnt look so nice. but i dont have any better ideas, havent researched 4" speakers before. The Hybrid Legatia 4" set is very high end, but the cost probably shows it.

[Temple]

I think the Diamond Audio S400s is a good option for up front. Or Focal if you want to pay big money

I am going to go with the DLS PS4a. Good bang for the buck and fits well.

[Citizen Z]

Nobody's going to try and fit 5.25"ers?

[lannypoffo]

Not bolted to the door card they arent..

my focal K2P kevlar set was in my top 3 favorites of all time. Also in my top 3 of all time were the Pioneer Premier TS-720PRS. Was the subbiest 6.75" component set I've ever heard in my life. It was a steal until shops caught on and raised the price $100-$200.

[Citizen Z]

Originally Posted by lannypoffo

Not bolted to the door card they arent...

I'm not sure I follow.

[lannypoffo]

Originally Posted by Citizen Z

I'm not sure I follow.

It would just be a very bad idea to bolt a 5.25" speaker to the door card itself. No matter how much deadening you use, it just wouldnt be solid like a proper door mount. The 4" just wouldnt create enough bass to cause problems most likely. Now if you could bolt a piece of wood to the back of your door card like that Hybrid audio thread guy did, maybe it would be solid enough. But that was still a 4"..

[DTNJNQ]

I tried a 5.25" component speaker. The model was a VDO dayton MPS 1300. The speaker fits in the opening however the speaker is 50mm deep and there was a problem with the depth. It just hit the window on the way down. I think that a speaker with a depth of 45mm or less would fit.

These are some 5.25in that may fit:

Component type

Clarion SRS 1326 depth 46mm
Alpine SPE-13CS depth 43mm
Blaupunkt THC132 depth 43mm


Co-axial type

Alpine SPE-13C2 depth 43mm
Cadence FXS-5524 depth 45mm
Clarion SRR1316 or SRR 1326 or SRR 1336 depth 46mm


The problem with the specified depths is that they are usually to the rear of the mounts. As the door speaker will mount behind the door card, the depth of the speaker needs to be measured from the top of the mount and therefore may be more the the specified depths

[Technic]

What type of OEM system does your car have, the standard or the Logic7?

Originally Posted by Citizen Z

They had their senior installer guy, Jay Enge (Mobile Electronics Magazine's 2008 installer of the year), take a look at my car and gave me a quote for full-up stereo overhual. Leaving the stock head unit (my preference) they would replace all six cabin speakers with low efficiency, high power handling components, installing two JL 10W3v3 in the little cubbies in the trunk, each with their own custom fiberglass sealed enclosure, a Rockford Fosgate 3Sixty.2 equalizer, and a full-range amplifier plus dynamat around all the installed speakers would run me $2900. Is that a lot, or is it reasonable for the level of work?

When I did basically the same install in my Mazda3, after the fiddly bits and everything I spent $1400 and it took about 20 hours. Granted, a BMW is put together WAY better than my Mazda and would take an equivalent amount of care to prevent damaging the panels during the install... but seriously? I dunno if $1500 for the competition class labor is really worth it. These guys are among the best from what I've read online. They're Car-Fi in Springfield, Missouri. http://www.car-fi.com/about.asp

Is $2900 a lot or can I get the job done well at just about ANY not-sucky car audio place?

[Citizen Z]

Originally Posted by Technic

What type of OEM system does your car have, the standard or the Logic7?

Standard US audio e.g. "HiFi" e.g. "BMW Professional" e.g. 150w amplifier with 10 speakers.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by Citizen Z

Standard US audio e.g. "HiFi" e.g. "BMW Professional" e.g. 150w amplifier with 10 speakers.

Other than the trunk subs, I just can't see the $2900 anywhere for this "upgrade".

You can get 2 pairs of Focal 100KP K2 components, a pair of SWS-8 underseat subs, and a Zapco DC650.6 amp (this is a big size amp but it has a extremelly nice DSP processor built in; you can go with a PDX-5 and the 3SIXTY.2 or a DQXS as well if you are concerned about footprint) and install it yourself for less than $2000. Or give these components to this audio shop for installation and still can be less than $2900 with much, much better componentry...

[Citizen Z]

Originally Posted by Technic

Other than the trunk subs, I just can't see the $2900 anywhere for this "upgrade".

You can get 2 pairs of Focal 100KP K2 components, a pair of SWS-8 underseat subs, and a Zapco DC650.6 amp (this is a big size amp but it has a extremelly nice DSP processor built in; you can go with a PDX-5 and the 3SIXTY.2 or a DQXS as well if you are concerned about footprint) and install it yourself for less than $2000. Or give these components to this audio shop for installation and still can be less than $2900 with much, much better componentry...

The more I research and examine what exactly is involved, the less I am likely to pay for the install.

[LouDog]

Originally Posted by Citizen Z

The more I research and examine what exactly is involved, the less I am likely to pay for the install.

Before you decide on where your going to go, look at car-fi's work....

http://carfifun.com/vette/vette-main.html = 81 corvette they built for a pioneer comp.

http://www.car-fi.com/news/RetailerYear/TopHonors.html = Jay Enge 07-08 moble electronics installer of the year.

http://www.car-fi.com/galindexCarfi.htm = some examples of more custom work.

Basicly, yes you may have a higher quote then if you went to "joe's car stereo shack", but your also going to get a higher quality.

Jay Enge and the car-fi sales/reginal (spelling?) manger Aaron "Chili" Roberts have been around car stereos for over 20+ years and they know what they are doing. They will not cut corners to make it "fit". They will tell you straight up whats going on, so think about it.

Plus they are "two good ole boys".

Yes, I know them both personally.

Sorry about this being my first post, but I just wanted to chime in.

[135iUSN]

does this include any nav or blue tooth function?