Boxster Radio is as good as my '72 Buick's

[Dons986]

I recently purchased a 2001 Boxster S 6 speed. I love the car and I drive it whenever I can. My problem is that the sound coming from my speakers suck. When the top is down and I am on the highway I can't hear a thing. I have speakers in the dash and door speakers but they are not Bose. I took it to a car stereo place and they told me that they could replace the amp with a 150 watt unit and replace all the speakers and it would sound great. They also said to forget about rear speakers because the space allows for only small units and it isn't worth it. The job will cost $1800. Has anyone had similiar work done and did it work. Don't suggest that I do the work myself because that will never happen.

Don

[Brucelee]

They stereo shop is incorrect. If you have the storage unit behind the seats, Porsche speakers fit right in the ends of the unit. The sound is pretty good and the speakers wire up to the existing stereo. If you are lucky, you can find some second hand ones at a Porsche dismanter.

Much less costly than what these stereo experts have in mind for you.

Do a search here on this forum. One fellow just reported on his efforts just last week.

Good luck!

[QporscheQ]

The OEM rear speaker kit is about $200. Seems like everyone that has done it thinks it’s a big time improvement. I reinstalled the storage bin complete with newly installed speakers this afternoon, but I haven’t run the cables to the head unit yet. I’m still waiting on some stuff to hook up my iPod. When that comes, I’m going to do it all at one time. However, you mentioned you didn’t want a do it yourself thing. This is a relatively easy installation; however it does involve removing a bunch of the interior trim pieces as well as taking a Dremel to your storage bin.

Basically, anybody who is into car audio will be seriously disappointed by any of the OEM audio packages. However, $1800 seems like a crazy high amount of money. You had better be getting an awesome system for that money. Also, depending on what you purchased the car to do, good stereos can be very very heavy. It always makes me laugh to see guys with zillion watt stereos, 15 subs, and fold down TVs point out the turbo charger kit they just installed.


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[Dons986]

The front speakers are flat and tinny. Will the small rear speakers really make up the difference. Please let me know after you do the installation. I have no intention of turning the car into a giant customized stereo unit that weighs a ton. I just want decent sound with the top down.

Don

[BuffaloBoxster]

$1800 is not really all that bad for a good install, including a new amp, new components in the dash, and new door drivers. Key word being good install. It seems a little high, but not by a while lot. I'm looking at serious upgrades in the audio department, and the installers I've been to range from a little over $3000 to $4500. This is for replacing the head unit with a 2-din navigation unit , replacing all speakers with MB Quart or JL Audio speakers, and a good amp with enough power to crank it when the top's down, plus install. The head unit alone is $2000 - $2200, so by subtracting that you'd be looking at $1000 - $2000 for the amp/speakers.

You could probably halve that by going with lower quality stuff, but this is your baby, right?

Also, in my opinion, the money is worth it for a nice clean install where everything looks and functions like stock.

[Brucelee]

I have had the rear speakers installed and it does make a qualitative difference. Worth the money in my opinion.

On the custom approach, as a dealer, I will tell you that I shy away from these cars. Most Porsche customers that I have had want their cars original. Moreover, if they are willing to buy the car with the boom boom stereo, they are NOT willing to pay extra for it. So, if you drop the $1800 on the stereo, it would be wise to consider this money as.... GONE!

Having said that, it is your car and your money. No one can make that call for you but you.

Good luck. Let us know how this turns out.

:dance:

[Adam]

1,800 bucks seems like alot but that's how much the bose system added to my sticker price. I like the sound but it could have slightly more low end for my tastes. It is PLENTY loud though and has lots of mid-to-highend. About the rear speaker kit. If I was going to drop 2 bills on the basic rear kit I would drop a few more or so for the BOSE rear shelf speakers(on ebay) to get the subwoofer that fits in between the speakers. I would think the car would be seriously lacking bass without this feature.

[Dons986]

The quote of $1800. was from a high end car stereo shop. There are mostly Mercedes and Porsches parked out front. I'm not sending my baby to the Best Buy. Still, it is a lot of bucks to drop.

[RandallNeighbour]

I too installed the rear storage compartment (Ebay purchase, 300.00) and the speakers from a guy who had sold his boxster (ebay purchase, 200.00). Makes a huge difference.

Let me add though that the instructions you'll find online for installation of the storage box and speakers, where you are told to remove all those panels in your boxster and the center console is total crap! I have a totally hidden wiring from the speakers to the head unit and didn't remove ONE thing from the car.

Just run the wires under the rollbar reinforcement, down the side of the passenger's carpeted piece of backing that covers the rear engine compartment, and tuck the wire up under the passenger's side of the center console and keep going unti you go under the passenger side dash. You're now done and you never took off the cubby hole in the passenger threshold or anything else.

Call my installation non-professional or "rigged", but no one knows the difference and nothing falls out or looks bad... which is the definition of good stereo installation if you ask me!

[Brucelee]

Keep in mind that in the Box, you have a fair amount of noise to deal with in listening to your stereo. Road and engine noise (a low car, fat tires and an engine right behind your head) all conspire to interfere with sound from your system.

With the top down, the issues compound greatly.

Simply put, this is not a Lexus and these issues may make discretion the better part of valor.

Also it might help to keep in mind that it is not REALLY a baby, but a car. A great car but a car nonetheless.

This thought might save you a ton of dough, no?

Best of luck

[IceBox]

What better music can you play in a Boxster than the sounds that come from the intake and exhaust. The stereo upgrades will drown out all that. You'll look like this guy if you make those changes :ah:

[Dons986]

Maby I should spend the money on a radar/laser detecter instead.

[QporscheQ]

Originally Posted by Dons986

Maby I should spend the money on a radar/laser detecter instead.

Haha. When I bought my car, I was seriously disappointed with the stereo too. However, I’m not big into expensive stereos so I put the money into a good radar detector, clear side markers, and clear/red tail lights. I was going to install the CD changer, but I realized it was much cheaper to buy an iPod and the appropriate connectors.

[Brucelee]

There you go!

Originally Posted by QporscheQ

Haha. When I bought my car, I was seriously disappointed with the stereo too. However, I’m not big into expensive stereos so I put the money into a good radar detector, clear side markers, and clear/red tail lights. I was going to install the CD changer, but I realized it was much cheaper to buy an iPod and the appropriate connectors.

[Dons986]

My guess is that the radar detector actually saved you big bucks in tickets and insurance.

[Perfectlap]

luckily my 2000 S came with the touring package, wind deflector four channel amp, six speakers (including rears) and the sound tuner-thing under the head unit.
This has to be the best sound set up in a convertible out of the box I've ever experienced. At speed with the top down its loud and clear. Maybe too loud because I can't hear the engine for gear changes.
Very deep rich sound from the dash speakers but the rears are not really equal at all. To have a 'surround sound effect' the out put has to be susbstantially lowered up front. So its a trade off.

[ettsn]

Originally Posted by Dons986

My guess is that the radar detector actually saved you big bucks in tickets and insurance.

The Boxster should have come with a Valentine1 from the factory. Get one, you'll love it.

-Paul

[jfmillr]

The V1 is aesome...got one myself

My 986 came with the basic setup dash and door speakers. i thought the stereo sounded crappy too, but for me it turned out to be just the deck. I hooked up an Alpine to the existing Amp and speakers. I added the rear speakers and the system sound 1000X better then it did before.

[RandallNeighbour]

How did you wire into the Porsche amp? I was told it would blow out the amp or the new head unit or both.

Also tell me what model of Alpine you put in as I'm looking for a new head unit myself!

[Perfectlap]

Jfmillr,
who did you order your GT3 front bumper from?