Who can give me a ballpark estimate at cost??

[Mikes95XLT]

Ok guys here goes...

March/April '03 planned mod:
(already have X-Plod head unit with sub controls and pre-amp outs)
JL Audio sub enclosure for 10" sub
10" sub (not sure what brand yet) for enclosure
new X-Plod door speakers and speaker wiring
labor (not gonna do all this myself cause I'm afraid I'll F something up)

I am probably going to be having Best Buy do this work, because they did my head unit, and I want everything to be covered at the same place (I plan on buying the warranty etc for it). Can anyone give me a rough/ballpark estimate at cost? I hope to do this by May.... thanks for any help.

 

[WoodysX]

Dude install it yourself. BB charges at least $70 for the amp, $30 for each pair of speakers. It is REALLY hard to mess somthin up in the X. The worst thing that will happen is a blown fuse, and those are at most $5 for a few. Everyone on the board (me too) are most likely willing to help. There are a ton of threads about installing an amp. Making a box, and installing some speakers. I will help you later when i get home and have access to those links.
-Adam

 

[Mikes95XLT]

Ok thanks...

I'm still worried because I don't know the first thing about working with speakers and wiring. I'm also afraid about removing the door panels myself, because I tried to do that when I was painting my speaker grilles etc, and the panels did NOT want to come off. Also, removing things in the back for the enclosure etc. I would need very good instructions...

Let me know what you've got though, and I will think about it. Thanks.

 

[88vert]

Mike I will give you a hand if you want I am pretty handy with that kind of stuff

 

[WoodysX]

I did an amp installation all by my self And I was only 16.

Box construction
http://www.teamrocs.com/technical/pages/boxcon.htm

Box caculator
http://www.teamrocs.com/technical/pages/boxcalc.htm

Amp instalition
http://www.teamrocs.com/technical/pages/ampinstall.htm

All these pages helped me, so they should be able to help you out.

 

[XplorerKid]

Ive installed 4 systems and im only 15 and i havent F'ed ne thing up yet and ive worked on 2 fords 1 hyuandia(sp?) and a corvair........

so i think ull be able to do it..............


and if u have ne ?'s u can jsut ask us we'll be happy to help u

 

[karl_burns]

DIY

I got the HU installed by a local dealer (so the warranty would be 3 years in lieu of 1), but the amp(s), crossovers, speakers (in custom fiberglasses kick pods) et al I installed on my own. Just do plenty of research, and ask questions. Nobody could seemingly help me with fiberglass questions, but I saw a book at Barnes & Nobles and read about the process in about 20 minutes. Took a bit of a learning curve and some time, but instead of paying some shop $800 for kick pods, all the materials I bought didn't even total $200! Actually, I cheated and used some Ranger fronts for the pods, so really the materials would have been about $50.
So read up, ask questions, and have a blast. Feels much better to drive around listening to your Ex bump when you did all the work, instead of staying home becasue you can't afford the gas driving after you wrote a big check to Best Buy!
Karl

 

[davesexplorer]

The head unit you may want to have installed if you truly dont have any Idea what you're doing, most shops will fix anything that happens after they install it, maybe they will run a couple of rca's, and the remote to the back for you too. Then do the rest yourself, If you are just going to run the sony door speaks off the deck you dont need new speaker wire, as the head unit will only put out 25wrms at most. But it is a good idea if you plan to upgrade in the future.....

 

[Mikes95XLT]

Well the head unit is already in there... I had that done over break.

I'm just worried cause I don't know the first thing about stereo/speaker wiring, and the last time my friend and I tried to put his head unit into his Camaro, we ended up blowing all his fuses out.....

 

[davesexplorer]

just get some speaker cable adaptors if you dont want the headache of running new wire. Its really not all that bad, Ive had my door panels on/off like a hundred times now!! really its easy, take out: 2 screws above the door handle, the trim panel around the handles, and get yourself a panel popper, or a flat screw driver and pop the door panels off carefully, you'll see some wires going to the door panel, top is your power locks/windows, (drivers side also has the power window switch at the top, it slides out the back with a small screwdriver) the whole panel comes out the back of the door panel, you'll also need to take out the little bulb at the bottom corner. Viola! you should see the stock(crap) speaker now, just grab a ratchet set and get to work take out the old, splice new connectors/ or use the factory adaptor and put in the new speaks

any more Q's you can e-mail me:
coolz24guy@yahoo.com

 

[Soundguy01tx]

Its really not tough. Even a schmo like myself can replace the speakers at least. If your not comfortable relying on the directions givne here, go buy yourself aChilton's manual. That will explain how to remove door panels, etc.

Side not: That www.teamrocs.com site... wow, how weird... When I turned 16, I found the River Oaks Car Stereo website bc the owner had a hummer, and I thought it was aweomse. I had no idea anyone else knew who/about those guys. Cool stuff. His main page is www.installer.com I believe.

--bryan

 

[Mikes95XLT]

I tried taking off the door panels to paint my speaker grilles, and they did NOT want to come off. I was afraid of cracking the panel... is there a trick to it?

Also, davesexplorer, what did you mean by speaker cable adapters? What does that do for not running new speaker wire?

The only reason I would want to run new speaker wire is because my back passenger speaker is making this crackling noise, and I think that might fix it?

 

[davesexplorer]

-the first time I took my door panels off was really tight, It actually seemed kind of violent when I took them off, but thats just the factory plastic plugs holding it in. Just give em a little elbow grease, and make sure you are prying by the plastic plugs.

the speaker cable adaptors allow you to keep you factory wiring completely intact while being able to hook up aftermarket speakers, basically a plastic adaptor that hooks to your factory wires, and gives you a negative and positive speaker wire.

the crackling speaker may be the speaker itself or a loose connection, check it out.

 

[Mikes95XLT]

Does anyone have any kind of detailed write up on this? With pics?

Thanks WoodysX but those terms in that write up, like grommet, power distribution blocks, shielded RCA's, remote turn on lead wire..... way over my head. I am very afraid of messing something up.

 

[Mikes95XLT]

By the way, if I do end up doing this myself, I will be making a write up on it... I am confident however, that with your guy's help, I might just be able to do this....

 

[davesexplorer]

theres a quick right up on this, under useful threads...
wait a minute I think the link doesn't work.....
bah! anyways just let us know of any snags, and have fun!!!

 

[Mikes95XLT]

Thanks....

I won't be doing this until May sometime if I do it myself. I might just acquire the parts and do it as I go. I'm not sure yet.