Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

I'm trying to understand car stereo stuff, which I've never ever looked at before, so wanted to sanity check this.

I have the "hifi" option in the car, which means that I have a Nokia M490 amplifier running six speakers, two units in the dash which each have a four inch mid-range and a 1 inch treble, a 5.25 inch unit in each door that is a woofer (note - not a sub), and then two units in the rear which are 4 inch mid-range again. The amp is 6x40W.

There's an optional Bose subwoofer for these cars which fits in the passenger footwell, and has it's own amplifier - I ordered one from a breakers to take a look at it/see if I could use it.

As the sub has it's own amp I had presumed that it would be run from the head unit, but looking at the wiring diagram that's not looking possible:

So I am already way beyond my competence here. Wire the sub to the same circuit as the woofers, I presume?

Some more reading, looking at this diagram of the amp connections:

Could the following pins connect to the amp for the sub?

B18 - rear sub (+)
B7 - rear sub (-)
A7 - 12v switched
B1 - Ground
B2 - 12v constant

I once managed to install a stereo in a Nissan sunny. Can't remember any details. /csb

Actually that wiring diagram is wrong, this one is correct (for the head unit):

And plug C1 appears to have what I'm after - on pin 6. So, presumably that could connect direct to the sub amplifier?

As you are having (and prevaricating about) the greatest engine that has ever been engined fitted in the Porsche, I sincerely hope you can rarely hear the stereo.

I've learned a lot from this page: http://www.bcae1.com
Slightly dated look, but full of info

Living in London means that any drive starts and finishes with an hour of stop/start traffic. A nice stereo is therefore a good partner to an excellent engine.

Yep, looks like pin 6 would go straight to the subamp line in. But you need a ground line from the head unit to the amp, which probably just means a shared earth, which is probably the AF earth on pin 3.

I'm would expect the sub's amp to have a line in pin and an AF earth pin to which those would be wired, respectively.

Yarp, so I'd need the equivalent of this lot, from the back of the HU, to the Bose sub:

B18 - rear sub (+)
B7 - rear sub (-)
A7 - 12v switched
B1 - Ground
B2 - 12v constant

Which would be:

Socket C1, pin 6, rear sub +
Socket C1, pin 3, line out ground
Socket A, pin 17, switched live
Socket A, pin 8, ground
Socket A, pin 4, permanent live

?

Where does that first list come from, do you have a wiring diagram for the sub's amp?

Potentially this

Hmm: https://cai-store.com/pages/adding-independent-level-control-to-factory-bose-subwoofer-997-987

And more detail here: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/997/357705-retaining-bose-subwoofer-new-radio-information.html

The wilds of Surrey.

Boss. 😎

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https://www.google.com/search?q=Brubaker+Box&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjhx8L3gb3eAhUnKcAKHVOkDVAQ_AUIDigB&biw=1969&bih=1034

sooo fukin ACE!!! love it!!!

Lol at everything about this

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Nice bay window for sale in this Facebook group.
Cc: @Dammit

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yes that is awesome. shame more of them weren't made.

Saw one of these blast past me on the drive back from Chamonix this summer. Natural environment for it I suppose.

More than enough to send me off on one of those trawls through carandclassic.

More idle musings...

Skoda Yeti, Volvo V50, Golf/Focus Estate. Up to £8k - anything else to consider?

Get an old V70 and spend that again every year maintaining it

I’m probably being quite ignorant here, but if you’re gonna spend £8k on a second hand car, plus more on the hidden problems, you might as well just go new on finance.
I take the “buy cheap and run into the ground” approach - so far my £400 mk1 focus estate has needed a new clutch and 2x new tyres in the 3 years I’ve owned it.

It gets parked on the road - I don't want to do that with a new car.

But I am definitely ignorant about car buying so maybe that is the best thing to do.

I'd take the bangernomics approach, but Mrs upsidedown (the main driver) won't.

If you aren't fussy about what you drive, there are some cars you can buy brand new for 8k

Seat probably.

Pretty sure a mazda 6 estate falls into that £s. Might be a bit big though and they ll probably be higher milage. Whereas £8 will get you a decent low milage Golf.

.