Mazda RX8

I'm just venting my frustrations tonight guys, that's all. If you have not worked on one yet, they will prove to be a handfull. 8.25" cutout diameter and 3.5" mounting depth before spacing the window track for the front door speakers, yes that is right an 8" door speaker. 6x9" + tweeters are stock as is a stock tweeter in the sail panels up front. The entire thing reeks of Bose, thank god I have adumpster with a heavy lid, this way it cannot escape once it is all removed except the head which in this car must remain.

Thus the plethora of fine Audio Control equipment like a 6XS, EQS and Epicenter to add to his already owned Rockford amps and Lightning Audio subs and speakers. It is a real shame to see $150.00 5.25" components being mounted in the front doors and run off of a $600.00 amplifier. He just won't upgrade. Something tells me that he will when he listen to it and pronounces the Bose had more bass.

The wiring into the door is your standard pain in butt wires into molex configuration, I am going to have to be very creative here as there is very little room to work in. Well I have had enough of sore knuckles and brain cramps, so hear from you tomorrow.

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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

I had one of these in my shop about a week ago. He wanted to replace everything including the deck. I said the deck wasnt gonna happen, at least not at this point in time unless he wants to do some major ass mods and fiberglass. Then we got a look at the front speakers and asked the guy how far he really wanted to go with this whole thing. In the end he is booked in to get the job done on wed. We chose to do kickpods instead of using the stock door locations. He was fine with this. The 6x9s in the back are getting a set of 61/2inch components and then we are connecting a sub and amp in the back for some bottom end and an amp for the 2 sets of components. I am really not looking forward to this thing and am kinda wishing I just said no. O well, the life of an installer. If you run into any other little things I should no when Im doing this car Id appreciate if you could post them. Good Luck and keep the bose off the road

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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

Hey forbidden, in case you didn't see the post in the security forum, your PM box is full.

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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

(sighs) you know in all my recent installs on older cars. i just feel scared to work on newer cars..ESPECIALLY on an RX8. i would be doing a 1 hr install to make it like 3 hrs to get it done right and safe and no nicks or bumps..:p

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xTimx

I get paid by the hour so I dont care how much time a job takes me as long as its done right :)

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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

Morel makes a decent pair of speakers that will fit in the rx for a decently cheap price, maybe you can talk him into those hehe  =)
~Jay

The 8" door speskers in the Bose system for these cars is a woofer.  The tweeters that go with them are in the dash.  An Ultimate Audio TF-800 is an 8" 3-way that should fit those doors.  The mounting depth is 3-5/8, though, so you might need a spacer.  I don't think there's a dash kit yet for the head unit, but Mazda sells the front trim pieces seperately to give it that "round" effect, and behind those trim pieces you'll find a pretty standard Visteon two-piece CD6 unit just like Ford uses (Fird owns Mazda.)  You COULD replace the CD unit and leave the rest intact if you are creative and your client has some money.  There's also no wiring adapter yet, but here's the factory connector pin out:

Left Front + (RED / blue) pin 1A

Left Front - (light GREEN/ red) pin 1C

Right Front + (blue/white) pin 1D

Right Front - (YELLOW /GREEN) pin 1F

Left Rear + (GREEN/ orange) pin 1S

Left Rear - (blue/orange) pin 1U

Right Rear + (gray/red) pin 1V

Right Rear - (BROWN / red) pin 1X

Ground (black) pin 1W

Power (GREEN/ Red) pin 1B

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wow u guys are amazing..... have yall tryed working on the new bmw 7series? that looks like itd be a killer

As a matter of fact... the new Bimmer 5 and 7 series cars with the I-drive system have definately un-touchable head units.  The speakers (they ship with factory Blaupunkt) are pretty good but could be upgraded.  The non-I-drive cars look to be a bit more flexible...

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r u sure its blaupunkt?? i coulda sworn it was harmon kardon?? hmm... what about the...2000 5series i think the one right b4 the new body style? im almost positive that they are kardon...ill go look a lil later

Don't know for sure what came in earlier models.  The 2004 745Li has Blau speakers in it... at least the one at our work does.

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Oh great, here is a newsflash for you. If you want to get a sub box of any decent size (in my case 2.1 cu.ft.) into the back, take out the rear parcel shelf, take out the rear seats, take out the full center console, remove the rear center bezel, remove the anti roll braces behind where the seats used to be and then you can get the box in. Grrrrr. Well at least it will make it hard to steal. Newsflash, if anyone wants you to work on this vehicle, triple the labour estimate. I'm supposed to have a day off today but oh no....... flippen mazda......

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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

Ok, who wants to come work on a RX8? grumbles, kicks counter....... I think I'll just answer some more posts and think nice good thoughts about this install.

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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

No thanks, did one, hated it.  Nice car, but made for driving, not for audio upgrades!

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So is it easier or harder to work on then a C5 vette? Also forbidden if you need to get ahold of me you can hit me up on AIM at the same name at most times.

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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

Thanks dude, sorry to all that my inbox was full, had no idea. I would say harder than the vette based on the amount of finicky farty little jobs that have to be done and the amount of gear that this guy wants put in.

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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

Not a problem.

-------------
Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.