Front Door Speakers in a BMW 3 Series

**ajdale** · 07-31-2006, 09:26 PM

Has anyone changed the speakers and tweeters in the front doors of thier BMW 3 Series? Mine did not come with the Harmon/Kardon factory upgrade, so I'm looking to install some new speakers.

However my brands of choice are Rockford Fosgate or Alpine, BUT www.crutchfield.com says that neither RF or Alpine's 6-1/2" speakers will fit in the front doors of my car.

The only front speakers it says will fit are some Kicker speakers I've never heard of before. The only difference I can see between the Kicker speakers and the Alpine speakers are a top mount depth of 2" on the Kickers' and 2-1/4" on the Alpine type S ones.

Surely 1/4" is a small enough distance to allow the speakers to have a modified fit, but crutchfield doesn't even list any speakers that will have a modified fit for the car.

So I'm just asking if anyone has installed any aftermarket speakers in thier 3 Series (other than the Kickers which apparently fit)

Thanks

**XC-C30** · 07-31-2006, 09:42 PM

what model 3-series are we talking about? and it's bull only kicker fits! all speakers with a normal euronorm chassis will fit. as for mountingdepth: take out your stockspeakers and measure up the hole. if you don't have anough mountingdepth, you could be thinking of putting an adapter on your existing speakerholes to mount them on.

**ajdale** · 07-31-2006, 10:43 PM

I've got a 2003 320i, I'll go try and figure out how to remove the door speakers.

**Shadow** · 08-01-2006, 07:45 AM

You've gotta take the door off. The speakers are attached to the door panel from behind.

**3onDubs** · 08-01-2006, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by ajdale

Has anyone changed the speakers and tweeters in the front doors of thier BMW 3 Series? Mine did not come with the Harmon/Kardon factory upgrade, so I'm looking to install some new speakers.

However my brands of choice are Rockford Fosgate or Alpine, BUT www.crutchfield.com says that neither RF or Alpine's 6-1/2" speakers will fit in the front doors of my car.

The only front speakers it says will fit are some Kicker speakers I've never heard of before. The only difference I can see between the Kicker speakers and the Alpine speakers are a top mount depth of 2" on the Kickers' and 2-1/4" on the Alpine type S ones.

Surely 1/4" is a small enough distance to allow the speakers to have a modified fit, but crutchfield doesn't even list any speakers that will have a modified fit for the car.

So I'm just asking if anyone has installed any aftermarket speakers in thier 3 Series (other than the Kickers which apparently fit)

Thanks

I have an 04 3 series sedan and i've changed my speakers prolly around 4 or 5 times so far. Crutchfield is right....unless you are willing to cut holes in your door metal, you won't be able to fit 6.5" speakers in there. The largest drop in speaker that you can fit (and that i recommend) are the diamond hex's (S600's). It's a component set with 6" mids and these will be a direct replacement for your stock front speakers.

Other than those speakers, any 5.25" component set will fit in there.

I ended up cutting holes in my door metal and mounting some 6.5" woofers directly to my door and then dynamatting around them. The purpose of that was to fit a bigger speaker while maximizing midbass. There are many threads on this topic on http://forum.e46fanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=22. You should be able to find all the bmw audio information you need by searching that page.

**XC-C30** · 08-01-2006, 11:58 AM

I'm sorry but it REALY is a load of crap you're telling here! I've seen enough E46's with 16.5 without anything being cut out. just mount a 16.5 adapter o, your existing speaker-holes and you'll be fine! unless the American BMW's are that different from the European ones.

**3onDubs** · 08-01-2006, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by IC-C30

I'm sorry but it REALY is a load of crap you're telling here! I've seen enough E46's with 16.5 without anything being cut out. just mount a 16.5 adapter o, your existing speaker-holes and you'll be fine! unless the American BMW's are that different from the European ones.

16.5 inches???????? That's a big freakin speaker bro...u'd be lucky to get it in the trunk.

Without modifying the mounting location, you won't be able to fit 6.5's. IF you get mounting rings and break the stock mounting prongs off (there are 3 large prongs...breaking them off is irreversable), then you can create a custom mounting location on the door panel that accomodate up to a 7" speaker depending on the speaker's depth. Most 6.5" speakers will be too deep to fit in that location without cutting a hole in the door metal. I have OZ audio matrix elites and their magnets would hit the door and not allow me to mount the door panel back on...i needed another 1.5" of clearance, so i cut holes in my doors.

**XC-C30** · 08-01-2006, 06:02 PM

talking 'bout cm's..... not inches

**3onDubs** · 08-01-2006, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by IC-C30

talking 'bout cm's..... not inches

Oops...ur right then. In my first install, i had 6.5" CDT CF-61's mounted to the doors with 6.5" mdf speaker rings bolted to the stock location. The magnet touched the door metal, but they barely fit.

I still recommend getting the Diamond hex's. They sound excellent and are a direct replacement for your stock speakers (the stock speakers in the e46 are 6" all the way around).

**ajdale** · 08-01-2006, 07:30 PM

I was mainly looking at Alpine because I have an Alpine head unit, and my friend put an entire Alpine system in his 1992 Acura Integra, for the sake of having all the same components by the same manufacturer, for consistency.

He gave me the impression that if you mix and match manufacturers, you won't get as great a sounding result as if you were to take speakers, subs and amps that were designed to work together.

Although who knows how much difference it really makes.

Originally Posted by 3onDubs

Most 6.5" speakers will be too deep to fit in that location without cutting a hole in the door metal. I have OZ audio matrix elites and their magnets would hit the door and not allow me to mount the door panel back on...i needed another 1.5" of clearance, so i cut holes in my doors.

It says that the kickers that will fit are a 6 1/2" speaker, so are the alpine ones I'm looking, but the Alpine ones are only 1/4" deeper than the kickers. I haven't looked at the door yet, but would I be easy to do it on my own without any sort of professional installation?

Or is there some sort of riser to bring the speaker out more so you don't have the modify the door frame? bring it like 1/4" closer to the drivers legs?