Gareth F's 2000 BMW 528i

Joshua Crane — Jun 01, 2008

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Items installed:

Alpine IVA D106 DVD receiver
Alpine KCE-422i iPod cable
Polk MMC5250 5-1/4" component speaker system (front)
Polk MMC525 5-1/4" 2-way car speakers (rear)
JL Audio W6v2 Series 12" subwoofer with dual 4-ohm voice coils
Kenwood KAC 9103D
Kenwood KAC 8402
Rockford Fosgate 3 Farad Cap
16 AWG JL Audio wiring for speakers
12 AWG JL Audio wiring for sub
4AWG JL Audio power

Installation Description

The first time around I went cheap (big mistake) and suffered the consequences. I think the factory stereo that I complained about all the time actually may have sounded better than what I had installed. The second time around I took my time, researched quite a bit from Crutchfield and other sites, and went to local shops and listened to countless combinations of speakers/amplifier setups until I finally decided on what I wanted. My current amplifiers now are only temporary and I have my eyes on the new PDX amplifiers from Alpine. Overall, I am really happy with the sound of my system but I know there is room for improvement. Since my BMW is my toy/project/daily driver (a real bad combination if you like to save money BTW), I am currently in the process of picking new stuff to install this summer and have already started planning a new setup in the trunk. Overall, I am very happy with what I have and am anxious for summer to come so I can get to work again. Ideally I would like to come back to school with a complete set up that I will be too happy with to touch, but I like to play with things, so chances are I will tweak things as time progresses. Who knows, one day I may build the ultimate system for myself.

Q&A Section

Why did you decide to upgrade your A/V system?

The factory system had horrible top end performance. I also didn't like the fact that my factory head unit had a tape deck (2000 was the last year on E39's) and besides the 6 disc CD changer, the rest of the system was horrible.

What's the first thing you show people about your installation?

The trunk because you don't see any wires, after taking a lot of time and asking knowledgable people for help, I was able to run RCA's, power, ground, and speaker wire into and out of my trunk without it being noticeable.

Why did you choose these products?

I went to stereo shops and listened to a variety of speakers. In the end I went with what I have based on what my ears heard in relation to my budget.

What was the most difficult part of the installation?

Running RCA's to the trunk, and speaker wire from the trunk back to the front of the car. BMW's have very little room, and running speaker wire and running RCA's took quite a bit of time.

What plans, if any, do you have for future upgrades?

I plan on adding an Alpine PDX 1.1000, Alpine PDX 4.100, 2 Alpine SWR 1222D in a custom sealed box, and I am more than likely going to rework the entire trunk for a cleaner look.