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Author Topic: My First Car!  (Read 325 times)

CJLee89

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My First Car!
« Reply #15 on: August 18, 2007, 08:00:00 AM »

QUOTE(sicknasty413 @ Aug 16 2007, 03:01 PM) View Post

^ Yeah.

I've always just loved black cars.. blacks my favorite color.. you could easily tell if you saw my room.

It would be ridiculous in Virgina.. it's been 95+ degrees everyday that last week or two. So a black car definitely doesn't sound ideal.

So if not black.. what color!!??

On a somewhat unrelated note, I got new floor mats.. for now. I'm also going to steam clean the car today. I'll be sure to take some pictures.

not red either....most pulled over and the most expensive to repair if you would get a scratch or worse. the insurance is often higher as well.
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Chancer

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« Reply #16 on: August 18, 2007, 12:03:00 PM »

QUOTE
not red either....most pulled over

 Bloody Hell! That doesn't sound too fair getting pulled more because you drive a RED car. Can they do that in the US?
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hamwbone

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« Reply #17 on: August 18, 2007, 12:35:00 PM »

insurance has nothing to do with color, thats a straight bull.  rolleyes.gif


Taken from progressive.com

"Do red cars cost more to insure?
Color is not a factor used to calculate car insurance rates — we don't even ask you what color your car is when you get a quote from us. Factors that do matter are the year, make, model, body type, engine size and age of your car, as well as drivers on your policy."

gettin pulled more over because its red is also a legend...

http://www.snopes.co...law/redcars.asp
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xboxgamer733

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« Reply #18 on: August 18, 2007, 03:29:00 PM »

QUOTE(hamwbone @ Aug 18 2007, 01:11 PM) View Post
gettin pulled more over because its red is also a legend...
Very true.

Although I don't think I drive any differently, I've actually been pulled over much more in my gold Grand Prix than my red Neon. smile.gif
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CJLee89

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« Reply #19 on: August 18, 2007, 07:30:00 PM »

.
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yaazz

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« Reply #20 on: August 19, 2007, 09:03:00 AM »

QUOTE(sicknasty413 @ Aug 18 2007, 07:22 PM) View Post
So how about we talk audio.

I'm not really audio savvy when it comes to car audio..

So any recommendations? Probably lookin' to spend around $500.. not sure though.

I need a new radio/cd player/deck thing..

Probably some new speakers (probably 4)..

And some subwoofers (preferably 2).. and obviously an amp for them.

So throw me some info, recommendations, etc.

Thanks!



My recomendation is to wait a few months before putting any substantial amount of audio equipment in your car..... get used to driving without distractions first.
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jrl2222

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« Reply #21 on: August 19, 2007, 10:56:00 AM »

QUOTE(CJLee89 @ Aug 18 2007, 10:36 AM) View Post

not red either....most pulled over and the most expensive to repair if you would get a scratch or worse. the insurance is often higher as well.


They just had a thing on 20/20 ... "20/20" Examines Common Myths ... Segment: "Red cars mean trouble?" and they said that in the US 11% of all cars made are red and only 1% of cars pulled over are red. So really red cars get pulled over less often.

Now I am quoting from memory so it may have been 11% and one percent in some certain state but I am pretty sure they said the whole US.
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twistedsymphony

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« Reply #22 on: August 20, 2007, 09:17:00 AM »

QUOTE(sicknasty413 @ Aug 16 2007, 03:01 PM) View Post

...So if not black.. what color!!??...

Might I suggest Cadillac's "Lightning White" It's an optional color found on the Escilade it's a creamy pearlescent White and it look damn amazing.

QUOTE(sicknasty413 @ Aug 18 2007, 06:22 PM) View Post

So how about we talk audio.

I'm not really audio savvy when it comes to car audio..

So any recommendations? Probably lookin' to spend around $500.. not sure though.

I need a new radio/cd player/deck thing..

Probably some new speakers (probably 4)..

And some subwoofers (preferably 2).. and obviously an amp for them.

So throw me some info, recommendations, etc.

Thanks!


ugh... $500 is not much to work with in the car audio world... especially when the stock speakers and wiring is probably trash... remember car audio has less space to work with, need to be resistant against extreme heat and cold, it needs to withstand and play normally through jolts in the road as well as constantly changing momentum and to top it all off it has to work with an extremely dirty power source

All of that adds greatly to the cost of car audio equipment.

Personally I like Alpine equipment and that's what I use in all of my cars. There are a number of speaker brands I like too but they're all way out of your price range... (and by that I mean a single component is more than your entire budget  laugh.gif )

I'd say buy a decent head unit. Shop around and find something you like, avoid brands you've never heard of. Pioneer tends to deliver the best bang for your buck. Sony is typically so-so but over priced.  brands like Pyle and Legacy should be avoided like the plague.

I would not go used on a head unit as they tend to be abused quite a bit. Getting a used amp is hit or miss as well since heat damage can really screw them up but I'd say a used amp is safer than a used head unit.

Normally I'd suggest running a separate amp for your normal speakers but since we're going cheap just make sure your head unit has adequate power output for your speakers...  and a full range pre-amp out so you can upgrade later.

As for the sub woofer I find that the box tends to be just as important as the driver itself. several 10" drivers seems to offer the best combination of punch and low frequency response while 12" can deliver lower beats they're usually quite sloppy and slow to respond unless it's a really high end driver is a quality sealed box. This would also require your main speakers to pick up some of the slack. Don't bother with the square subs they're quite sloppy and more expensive.

make sure you get a digital amp as they tend to run cooler and the last thing you want is your amp overheating on you and shutting off all the time.

Get your cables on ebay or monoprice.com use 4X shielded pre-amp wires. Monster XP or Monoprice 16ga or larger works good for speaker wire.

For power you'll want 4ga or larger and be sure to fuse it on the battery side (The amp should have it's own fuse so the inline fuse is really to protect your car not your amp. which is why you want to put it near the battery).

for speakers I'd recommend 5.5 or 6.5" round midranges with separate tweaters... since you're going cheap you might have to get 2-way units instead of separates... avoid the oval speakers if you can.

I haven't done up a car for a while so you'll want to talk to ub3rnewb, he's the resident car audio expert and can probably give you a better idea what new tech is good/bad/ugly.
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sicknasty413

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« Reply #23 on: August 20, 2007, 09:29:00 AM »

Thanks for the reply twisted.. some very good info there.

But yeah, I know $500 isn't that much to work with.. But that was just an estimate.. I may be able to savage some more.. Possibly up to a grand. But like I said, not sure.

I'll be sure to contact ubernewb one of these days.

I also need to factor in install.. I may do it myself.. I'm not sure how difficult it is.. Nor do I know much about wiring audio and what not.. I'm sure I could figure it out though.

Anyone else have any recommendations, tips, etc for car audio?

EDIT-
In regards to the color.. The "Lightning White" you mentioned is a nice color.. But idk, I'm not that fond of white.
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coldasice

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« Reply #24 on: August 20, 2007, 02:12:00 PM »

If you can slap a mod chip in solder style I think you can handle the install of your car stereo. A couple more tips before buying your speakers is to check and see if they mount from the top or bottom, buying the wrong ones is just a pain, I think most now days will go either way, but dont quote me on that. I belive crutchfield.com should have the info you need somewhere.

Doing the headunit is pretty straighforward, you can get the instructions, and wiring harness from Crutchfield if you buy a headunit from them, although I must say they are a tad overpriced. Luckily for you your front door speakers are 6 1/2 inch already, so you dont need an adapter. However you will in the back as they are 6x9s.

I paid a little over $500 for a set of Infinity speakers for my rear deck, and a 70 watt x 4 channel Alpine amp. Just to give you an idea of what you can get for the money, then again I tend to get the more expensive stuff.

You deffinatly need to find a balance of what you need/want from your system. You can't have a steak and champagne dinner on a pizza and beer budget, although most of us try to. If I were you I would do it piece by piece, maybe get a nice headunit and a good set of speakers for your rear deck for now, and wait until you get enough money to buy a set for the front, you know just work you way up to it.

Also when you install your amp run the power wire through the firewall where the rest go through, theres no need to drill a hole in it, although a fair ammount of people do.
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ubernewb

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« Reply #25 on: August 20, 2007, 08:59:00 PM »

haha.. i love that i'm the guy mentioned whenever car gear comes up..  cool.gif

okie doke.. several things to think about here...


first off, $500 might be a bit rough to meet. especially if you're after quality.. for a full system (deck, 4 speakers, 4ch amp, subs, 2ch/mono amp) you could easily spend that on the install alone.. especially in an older car like that. you could do it yourself, but you need the proper tools and a bit of patience. stereo install in general isn't that hard to do, but it can be a pain in the arse. definately have a pack of smokes and some beer nearby for when you start to feel frustrated.. when you do (which should happen once or twice) just kick back and relax a little.. working thru your anger usually results in things getting broken.

if you get stuck, post up some pics of what's giving you trouble and i'll try and give you some ideas on how to work around it..



equipment wise... alpine's a solid choice. they've been in the game for a while and they are well known for quality components. the only thing i don't like are their type r subs... i've listened to them more times than i can  count, and i have to say that i honestly prefer their type e subs instead.. i'm building 4 of their 10's into the back of my current car..



a few questions before we get started..

1. what kind of music do you listen to?

2. do you have an ipod? if so, how often do you listen to cd's?

3. do you want this to sound good for you, or everyone else? (ie. do you want the neighbors to know what your favorite song is?)

4. when you go see a band, do you like to be up close or more towards the back?
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jrl2222

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« Reply #26 on: August 20, 2007, 09:27:00 PM »

Some of the items your asking for recommendations are dependent on what type of subs you get. I mean you can generailize somewhat but it's best to buy or build a box based on what the sub calls for. How much air space does it need.
The amp you could use any amp that meets the needs of the subs you pick of course brand recommendations would be good. I myself have been out of the car audio scene for a while since I got married and had a few kids so I can't really recommend anything except for your enclosure I would build something custom. If done well they always look better then off the shelf boxes.
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ubernewb

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« Reply #27 on: August 20, 2007, 10:41:00 PM »

QUOTE(sicknasty413 @ Aug 20 2007, 09:29 PM) View Post

Honestly, I listen to anything. Typically when I'm with my friends- rap. But if not rap, then rock. Really anything.

rap=12's then... should go sealed box though, as that will help when you decide to pop some rock in.. i prefer sealed 10's for rock, but they don't do as well for rap

QUOTE

Ipod, no. Zune, yes. CDs.. not often. Unless there's some type of advantage over using CDs than an MP3 player.

then i'd probably step the deck down one notch to the 9883.. the only difference is the display, and the 9885's only real main advantage is when scrolling thru an attached ipod.. and since nobody does an interface for zune...

QUOTE

Mainly for me. But it would be nice if it could get REALLY loud.. yet still crisp.

yeah, definately type r's amped then... lol

QUOTE

..Never been to a concert. lol. But I like the loud musicz. Going deaf and what not. It's fun. lol

only reason i ask is cuz i wanted to know how realistic you wanted it... better speakers with more power up front is more like going to a live show.. if you just want it loud, then you amp em all



i'd still consider some type e subs tho.. can play just as loud with the proper amp... nice thing is that the proper amp won't cost as much as the proper amp for the type r's...  you can rail 2 type e 12's with a single mrp-m450 amp, where the type r's would prefer the mrp-m850.. so cheaper subs and cheaper amp..
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ubernewb

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« Reply #28 on: August 20, 2007, 11:04:00 PM »

excellent deck.. btu worthless to you if you're not rocking an ipod... without an ipod it's a fancy am/fm radio that'll read mp3's off flash drives...


lol



and jl makes some great stuff... i love their amps and subs.. not a big fan of their full range speakers, but they're decent enough..

whatever you do, i'd definately build the box for the subs.. prefabs are convenient, but they rarely match a sub's specs very well



go dig around crutchfield.com .. they've got some good stuff over there
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twistedsymphony

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« Reply #29 on: August 21, 2007, 11:39:00 AM »

QUOTE(sicknasty413 @ Aug 20 2007, 05:44 PM) View Post

...
I still need recommendations for-
2 tweeters
An amplifier for my subwoofers
A box for my subwoofers
Wires/Cables

As you can see.. this clearly doubled/triple my $500 budget.. But like I said, I may be able to do $1000.
...

Those 2-way alpine type-R speakers you listed have tweaters built in... that's what make the "2-WAY" speakers  laugh.gif  Separates simply have the mid and tweater as two separate units with a separate cross over unit. These are better because you can mount the tweaters closer to ear level and the cross over circuitry is usually higher quality.

Also if you're going to use an amp for the speakers then there is no reason to get an amplified deck at all since you wont be using it's internal amplification.

You should probably do this in steps
Step 1: Head unit with decent amplifications, and rear deck speakers

Step 2: Front door speakers/Speaker wire to deck

Step 3: Box/Subs/Sub Amp/Preamp wires/Power Wires

Step 4: Speaker Amp/All new Speaker Wire

If you do steps 1 and 2 at the same time you'll spend about $1000
Then steps 3 and 4 will run you about another $1000

Also doing it in steps will not only help spread out the costs but you'll learn what you like and don't like about each individual component and help you decide what to look for in the parts of the next step. Not to mention the install wont be so overwhelming doing it all at once.

Oh and screw bestbuy.... go to crutchfield.com they're more of a valuable resource and research tool then they are a store. I don't want to hear you mention bestbuy.com one more time... basically don't go there until you know what you want and are curious what their price is...


QUOTE(sicknasty413 @ Aug 21 2007, 02:08 AM) View Post


As for building a box..

Is that difficult? I'm quite capable of cutting wood, drilling, nailing, gluing, etc etc.

Is there a lot of science that goes behind it?

Like, are there certain things I need to factor in?

Certain things I need to keep in mind?

------------------------------------------------

Speaking of ohms.. I noticed on Alpine's website that the 12in Type Rs came in 2 flavors. "2ohms + 2ohms" and "4ohms + 4ohms". What's the difference? They're the same price. Is one better than the other? Is one recommended over the other? Will that affect my choice in amp?


Box Building:
http://www.ehow.com/...woofer-box.html

The biggest factor in box building is the air volume inside the box. Then of course there are 2 types of boxes, ported and sealed, we've already determined that you'll want to go with a sealed design  laugh.gif

Learning about ohms and Wattage: http://www.marktaw.c...ndSpeakers.html
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