Five Star

5k? All installed by yourself? You should get some goooood sound for that. I'm a bit out of date with model numbers so I'll post up some models for you to have a look at tomorrow.. HU - Clarion/eclipse/alpine (if they still have USB and haven't fallen into the ipod trap) Speaker amps - JL/DD/Doesn't matter too much(quite outdated on this one, but I've heard good things about the new JL amps.. also depends if you're going to run active, semi active or passive) Sub amp - Jaycar mono (all you need, gives you more money to spend elsewhere) Front splits - Boston/Polk/DD/Focal/DLS(there's a million to listen to) Sub - Boston/Image dynamics/polk/rainbow Dynamat extreme - bulk pack Plus install To be honest I haven't heard much of the components of your price range, only the boston pros which blew my mind. I'll be able to find model numbers and recommendations tomorrow. But then again it's all about how it sounds to you... just remember the dynamat and you'll be sorted! I'm also interested in how you'll be installing the sub.. what ideas do you have in mind?

I'm pretty sure the mounts are different. It's not an auto... I'll need a new box and driveshaft (depends how much it'll cost to get the current one modified).

Oops. 6 Cylinder. I'll check up if there's any other details I need to include..

Looking for prices on this, otherwise I'll be looking around for a decent donor car for a long..

Over 1k for a bootlid to be painted...?

Rattles..? Not enough midbass? Dynamat extreme is your answer!

You can actually tell where sub bass is coming from. It's just far harder. What you said about the 'thumping bass' is purely tuning. You can be running 3x 15 inch subs and not have the thumping bass. And yes, anything below 80hz is still needed. Go have a listen to some good systems and then listen to them with their sub not running. You'll notice something is missing Also, I know what you mean about useless salespeople with car audio. I've found few who know what they're doing, and even less who aren't completely bias.

I had a clunking sound randomly... got worried until I realised my exhaust was a little loose due to having to pick up the then girlfriend at the river

I had that on my old m20. It was the valve clearance.. I needed to get it fixed twice though. Jeff Grey stuffed it up first time.

Bahahaha those cars are awesome. Good luck

Bigger subs aren't slower. Just poor box design, if that. And big noise is terrible. Hate to say it on here, but I've delt with them (so most likely the guy mentioned) a decent number of times and everytime I've been told something totally wrong. The decent car audio shop around the corner are sick of the **** they tell people and have to explain. If you need a decent opinion to compare to what shops tell you post up your budget, car and current gear (and that you're looking for SQ ) here

Is that the 2004 version? Or was there one before that..

Kenwood? Probably not... maybe for an amp? Yes you'll need a sub. Put it in the boot.. or search around for people with similar installs.

I'd be looking at the alpine 9887 if you're in it for serious SQ and a decent price. Pioneer speakers have some fans too.. I've heard good reports about some of their top end ones being run active. Like I said, it's how they sound to you. Search around and have a listen.. Oh, and you can build a very good sounding brand new system for far under 7k Class D amps are becoming more common for front speakers (new alpines etc) but are not that common yet (price is still a big limiting factor). Don't bother with expensive amps, spend the money on other components first. It sounds like the big factor you're missing out on is planning for a sub. And this is a BIG factor in car audio. Measure up the max size you're willing to allow for a sub and go from there. Edit - Grammar!

Just done this. Euro italian (forum sponser) is your answer!

Woah, that price is way too much for that e21. You should pay around 1-2k for a decent one. That's the market price for them... The offer is still there for me to check out an e21 for you if it's near me. Rust is something you want to avoid!

So you've already got speakers you want to use.. they aren't home speakers are they?? Worth seeing how they sound in a car, but don't hold your breath. 2k for HU + amps? Do you already have a sub, or do you even want one? If you've already got the speakers you want to use then the money priority is your source unit and sub. Then amps. I'm still a bit confused as to your setup.. If you're set on using .wav (I'd never use mp3's.. I use my ipod with lossless recordings) then that will limit your choice of HU. A lot. Also to discount any of the car audio made in asia, especially on your budget, is a big mistake. A lot of very good gear comes out of asia and most of the products you'll be looking at on your budget will come from asia. Have you thought about having a hard drive store all your music in the car? .wav's are big. I can't think of any HU that uses .wav's off the top of my head. I'll have to have a look around. Only recommendations I can offer with the info I've got are.. Get a 4 channel amp, run the fronts active or semi-active. Run the rears off the HU. I like the new rockford/alpine/jaycar range due to size, give them a listen. A lot of brands are all made in the same factory, don't be fooled by brandnames.. Look into how much boot space you've got for a sub and let us know/look around for a sub that fits that and your sound expectations. Look at sound deadening. Dynamat extreme is the way to go. Oh, and I don't know about rainbow amps on his budget. But rainbow speakers are well worth a look

Cleaned out the bottom end with a nice moulded bit of hose and a lot of fabric blocking up most of the holes for coolant. I also got that product, thanks glen. It arrived about 12 hours after I called the guy.. he sent it before the money was even in his account!

Hawkes Bay Automatic Transmission Specialists 16 Lipton Pl Onekawa Napier 843 6846 Ansin & Monteith 878 6623 508 Karamu Rd Hastings Good luck. Never heard of either of them before though...

Was that a $2000 budget for just the HU or entire setup? Will you do the install yourself, or get it installed? An easy way to tell if an installer knows what they're talking about is if they offer sound deadening (dynamat extreme!). If they offer a capacitor, run. The 9887 sounds like the way to go SQwise from what everyones saying, unless you're going to get into serious money. I can draw up a suggested price to spend on each component of the system for a self installed system or a professionally installed system, with recommened HU's/speakers etc to listen to so you can decide what sounds best to you(not this board or the installer ). Just need to know if you can do the install or not!

I haven't had a good experience with Jeff Grey.. Then again they'd never worked on an e21 before. I'm not sure of any place I hate to tell you. I use the mobil garage in havelock, but not for anything like a bmw trans. Talk to the guys at the caltex down omahu road (spelling? I haven't been up here in a long time). They've been easily the best in the bay I've used. Edit - Also, the guy at peak autoworx in havelock seemed to know what he was doing with audis, so might be worth a shot too. Although I've had little experience with them too. Hope this helps.

Woah, nice cars. Welcome!

Does grounding the unit to a normal grounding point instead of the handbrake work for standard units or is it only aftermarket?

I'm in Hawkes Bay, but thanks anyway glen.

The head I got I just checked out and it's got a broken mount for the extractors. Three others are missing, but I'll just steal those from my old head. This one is broken inside the head. And there'd be no way of getting it out without a lot of drilling.. Is it still possible to mount the exhaust?