Installing Aftermarket Radio

[Flamm]

The person that owned my car before did this... they didn't buy a harness, they used wire taps and tapped into every wire before the connector... freaking idiot

Saw this thread a few days ago and was face palming at the idea of someone hacking the factory harness. Pulled the radio out of the P5 I just got only to find exactly that. FML. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to DIY.

 

[Teeson]

Thinking about hooking up a 12"kenwood sub. But im worried about oveloading my alternator.
What amp can i run safely with my stock alternator without cooking it?

JL XD or HD, extremely low amp draw.

next time you pull the deck, put the 2 keys on the bottom holes. I find it squeezes better there, if not then the middle, and a lot of fiddling.


people! buy a wiring harness! its like $10 nbd, you will regret cutting it

 

[HellaMazdaFive]

Along with it, buddy has a 300w amp. Is that decent enough?

 

[Teeson]

Along with it, buddy has a 300w amp. Is that decent enough?

probably. I have 200w going to my ported 12, mind you its a very sensitive sub, but it's ridiculously loud

/threadjack

 

[HellaMazdaFive]

Well, i scrapped the idea for a sub. Going to get the basics done and go with aftermarket speakers to start off.
Can i use a bigger speaker? Our stock ones are 25w (4ohm) but could i throw in some speakers that are pushing more 100w, etc? Or is it too much? Do i need to run an amp for a bigger speaker or can it handle the extra power on its own?

 

[Teeson]

are stock ones maybe get 5w RMS, please dont get me started on my frustration with people quoting max power (or IfLightingStrikes) power ratings.
any aftermarket speaker will be better than stock, keep it 4 ohm if you have a stock headunit. Amped speakers is a large upgrade, but if you're worried about a 300w rms sub amp, why aren't you worried about a 250w speaker amp?
I would stick with the sub, they add a lot to music. Speakers can't hit that low and not only do you take the load off of them by not asking them to play so low, you can now hear those low notes in clarity.

my personal preference is round speakers, the 6x8 hole can be adapted to fit a 6 1/2, the rear takes a 5 1/4

any more questions feel free to change to PM, as I don't think we need to keep resurrecting this thread

 

[Bastian]

the rear takes a 5 1/4

rears in the P5 are 6" and can take 6.5" with some extra holes...

 

[HellaMazdaFive]

I didn't find out till later that i needed a 6x8 (or used the stock 5x7)...i had gone ahead and bought 6x9's. (which are 300w) They're nice speakers, clarity is decent, bass...so-so, but wow, i had a lot of retrofitting to do. Stupid of me to even take on such a project when i could've just replaced with the correct size, but anyways. Enlarged the hole about an inch and they fit great. But i feel the sound could be slightly better. Seems as though a lot of sound is being lost by going through the door. Sound deadner would fix it, but that's too damn expensive for me. Any other solutions?

 

[Teeson]

rears in the P5 are 6" and can take 6.5" with some extra holes...

i say 5 1/4 to avoid that ^

 

[pkane]

i say 5 1/4 to avoid that ^

The extra holes are not because of the size, but because the factory speaker only used 3 mounting screws. To mount a larger speaker you need to trim the rain guard on the inside of the door panel and drill mounting holes into the door itself. (or at least I did).

 

[Teeson]

When I install them, as I do for a living, I sell a 5 1/4. We need the rain guard up here in the great Canada weather we have. Screwing them into the door is standard practice, 5 1/4 fit well. It's also what my database suggests.. To each hi own I guess, I personally don't even have back speakers anymore