TragicMagic

SouledOut,

MR2NR, amongst others, helped me piece my fiancee's system together. I did not buy everything all at once. I simply couldn't afford it.

So we bought the Kenwood Excelon KDC-x592, from a store here in Brantford, first. The wiring I ordered from KnuKonceptz.com. The 12" Eclipse subwoofer, and the MBQ Premiums I purchased from MR2NR. The amplifier I bought (from Zotman21) is a DLS Ultimate A5. Its a three channel amp that outputs 80W x 2 into 4 ohms for the front speakers, and 500W x 1 @ 2 ohms for the subwoofer. The rear speakers are stock Hyundai 6x9's, and sound way better now that they're being powered by the Kenwood head-unit. By not spending any extra money on replacing the rears, allowed me to go ahead and get the MBQ Premiums for the front. Her front doors have been sound-dampened. Her trunk needs to be done as well, her sub is causing it to rattle way too much.

I've had MBQ Reference in my Elantra for 6 years now. And they sound as good today as they did when I first bought them. I suggest you at least give this brand a listen, if nothing else.

Installing components will cost more than installing co-axial speakers, but much less than having customs kick panels fabricated/installed. You will be able to find someone who does installs on the side to help keep that part of your overall cost down. I did.

SouledOut

I think buying in pieces is what I'm going to have to do. Do I purchase something and get it installed or do I purchase it piece by piece and then have it all installed at once... it sounds like less labor that way

TragicMagic

We had the deck installed when we bought it. The rest was installed after everything else was collected. Labour will probably cost less, if all of it can be done it one shot.

The nice thing about installing by piece, as you get it, is that you get to experience how each single upgrade enhances your system. You appreciate what each component has to offer. If you bought a deck first, you notice an upgrade in sound immediately. Then if you bought front components, you'd notice a big improvement again. Then have your wiring and amp installed for your front speakers, and you'll notice a HUGE difference. Add the sub last, and you're laughing.
Although, adding aftermarket bass is probably the single most noticeable change you can make, for obvious reasons. Its probably the most over rated too, in my opinion.

SouledOut

What I will probably end up doing then is get a head unit installed first because the cassette deck is driving me crazy. Then over the next while save and purchase piece by piece the rest of the system.

Other than the obvious alarm system is there anything else I can do to increase the security of my car and make the chance of a break in less likely

TragicMagic

You're referring to when you have the system fully installed. Keep things stealth. Try to remove your head-unit all the time, and lock it in your glove box or something. Keep your CD's out of view. I used to keep mine in two visor-mounted CD holders, but they were in plain sight, and slide out all the time. So I bought a CD book instead, and keep that behind my seat.

If you do get the head-unit with the USB connectivity, then do away with CD's altogether, and just use a neat and tidy thumbdrive.

If you live in a rural area, keep the volume down around your residence so you don't draw attention to your system. Makes people curious.

Other than that, I don't think there's much you can do. If people are going to steal, they'll steal. I've had systems in my vehicles for over 8 years now, and have never had an issue. Neither one of my cars had any sort of alarm system, or anti theft device. I consider myself lucky.

SouledOut

Sounds good, thanks for the tips.

Is there a such thing as a mock face for the head unit that looks like a cassette player that you can put on when you take the real head unit face off

veeman

iTrader: (3)

False faceplate is the best theft deterrent you can get...well short of a pit bull in the back seat. Just get an oem style radio from a junk yard or repair shop for $10 and remove the face. Glue or silicone it to a black piece of plastic and just cover your stereo when you're away. As long as you don't have your shiny speakers plastered on the doors and a big focal logo on your window...no one will ever break in. Trust me i've been using them for 20+ years, and had my car passed over in a string of thefts...one night they broke into 5 cars in the underground...mine was right next to 2 of them and was not even scratched.
Click on my "images" and the first photo is of a false faceplate on my current system.

SouledOut

Good call, that works really well and you cant tell at all that there is a head unit underneath. My only question is in that picture how is the face staying there. What did you use to fit it in place

veeman

iTrader: (3)

Good eye! Actually if you look closely at some of the other photos, you'll see there is a slot under the cd player on the bezel. I just mounted a cd case(cut in half) to the bottom of the false face...and it just slides into the the slot.
It's so realistic looking that my brother got into the car one day and tried putting a cd into the slot...looks at me and says..."your cd player is jammed!" The funny part is, it's not even a chrysler deck..it's an old ford from my 94 mustang!!

SouledOut

Ah I see, very clever!