[snareman]

I ordered all the Bavsound speakers and subs for my X3. I took my last Jeep apart and replaced the speakers myself but wasn't really up for doing it on this car so I went to one of the local stereo places. They said about $1,100 and 2 days worth of time. The Bavsound website makes it look like it takes just a few hours. I was hoping for drop it off in the morning and pick it up at night. Maybe I'll try a few other places.

[dmanb2b]

Originally Posted by snareman

I ordered all the Bavsound speakers and subs for my X3. I took my last Jeep apart and replaced the speakers myself but wasn't really up for doing it on this car so I went to one of the local stereo places. They said about $1,100 and 2 days worth of time. The Bavsound website makes it look like it takes just a few hours. I was hoping for drop it off in the morning and pick it up at night. Maybe I'll try a few other places.

Yeah...keep shopping, that's ridiculous for a PnP speaker install

[Gritty]

They aren't fabricating any brackets - correct? I would think 1/2 day to complete the speaker install.

[Burr001]

Originally Posted by snareman

I ordered all the Bavsound speakers and subs for my X3. I took my last Jeep apart and replaced the speakers myself but wasn't really up for doing it on this car so I went to one of the local stereo places. They said about $1,100 and 2 days worth of time. The Bavsound website makes it look like it takes just a few hours. I was hoping for drop it off in the morning and pick it up at night. Maybe I'll try a few other places.

With some basic tools it took 4hrs to install all my bimmertech speakers..doors, subs and amp.
It shouldn't take 2 days. Heck you can install the subs yourself to save time at installer.

[snareman]

With my Jeep it actually wasn't a hateful process. Took a few hours, but in the end I was glad I did it myself. I did break a few of the door tabs along the way when I was trying to pry the door panels off. What are the chances of breaking something doing this? And do you need a glue gun for the subs like the bavsound site says?

[Stone_M6]

Hell to the no on that one man. That is highway robbery and two days. What the hell are they doing? One speaker every 6 hours?

[Burr001]

Originally Posted by snareman

With my Jeep it actually wasn't a hateful process. Took a few hours, but in the end I was glad I did it myself. I did break a few of the door tabs along the way when I was trying to pry the door panels off. What are the chances of breaking something doing this? And do you need a glue gun for the subs like the bavsound site says?

You don't need a glue gun, but a heat gun or hair dryer as the subs are glued into its own enclosure...but with heat and prying it will come out. The only chances of messing something would be removing the door Handel cover to get to 2 scres holding the panel in use a good strong trim tool as to not mar the leather....check YouTube for bimmertech x3 speaker install..and it will give you better details than me trying to type it in detail.

https://youtu.be/eYIntjXX3VI same procedure for bavsound or whatever

[snareman]

Alright, so I got the dash speakers and all 4 doors done in about 4h today on my own. Definitely wasn't worth $1,000. The second door on each side certainly went smoother than the first. I did definitely break something that looks like a large this plastic cable on the passenger rear door thinking it was something I could unplug, but thankfully everything seems to still work when I put the door back together. Most of the time was just trying to figure out how to do each new thing. The second time through each took probably half the time.

Also, they sent me 3 pairs of tweeters and 3 pairs of mids. I put a pair each in the front and rear doors, but where does the other pair go? It seems that there are speakers in the trunk area, but I don't see videos on how to replace those.

Anyone have a clue what this thing is that I broke?

[jzmundy]

Originally Posted by snareman

Alright, so I got the dash speakers and all 4 doors done in about 4h today on my own. Definitely wasn't worth $1,000. The second door on each side certainly went smoother than the first. I did definitely break something that looks like a large this plastic cable on the passenger rear door thinking it was something I could unplug, but thankfully everything seems to still work when I put the door back together. Most of the time was just trying to figure out how to do each new thing. The second time through each took probably half the time.

Also, they sent me 3 pairs of tweeters and 3 pairs of mids. I put a pair each in the front and rear doors, but where does the other pair go? It seems that there are speakers in the trunk area, but I don't see videos on how to replace those.

Anyone have a clue what this thing is that I broke?

That is your ambient lighting tube unfortunately.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by jzmundy

That is your ambient lighting tube unfortunately.

it looks expensive. So what lights shouldn't work now? The colored light on the mid upper door still works. I was initially afraid that I broke the cable that makes the window go up and down and it was going to be stuck in the down position. Thankfully that wasn't the case

[jzmundy]

Originally Posted by snareman

it looks expensive. So what lights shouldn't work now? The colored light on the mid upper door still works. I was initially afraid that I broke the cable that makes the window go up and down and it was going to be stuck in the down position. Thankfully that wasn't the case

Honestly not the most expensive thing you could've broken, but it's a pain to replace.

Based on this part diagram from RealOEM, the front and rear doors use the same conductor, labeled #3. About a $40 part from getbmwparts.com, but to replace you have to remove the decorative trim on the door panel. That process involves drilling out plastic welds which can be a real pain if not drilled out properly (want to ensure you drill the weld out enough to remove the trim piece, but not so much as to be unable to secure it with a washer and screw when reattaching the trim.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by jzmundy

Honestly not the most expensive thing you could've broken, but it's a pain to replace.

Based on this part diagram from RealOEM, the front and rear doors use the same conductor, labeled #3. About a $40 part from getbmwparts.com, but to replace you have to remove the decorative trim on the door panel. That process involves drilling out plastic welds which can be a real pain if not drilled out properly (want to ensure you drill the weld out enough to remove the trim piece, but not so much as to be unable to secure it with a washer and screw when reattaching the trim.

I'd probably have the dealer do it if I was going to get it fixed. Taking the doors apart for the speakers was enough of a pain. Any ideas on the other set of speakers I have left?

[jzmundy]

Originally Posted by snareman

I'd probably have the dealer do it if I was going to get it fixed. Taking the doors apart for the speakers was enough of a pain. Any ideas on the other set of speakers I have left?

Not sure, but here are some screenshots on replacing the tweeter in the D pillar. Very easy compared to removing the door panels.

[snareman]

Got the subs swapped out. It wasn't an enjoyable process, but the 7ish hours I spent today was well worth saving $1100 and not having my car for 2 days.

And for anyone that finds this thread this is the only vid I found that shows the D pillar speakers at 18:30.

[lfdal54]

Originally Posted by snareman

Got the subs swapped out. It wasn't an enjoyable process, but the 7ish hours I spent today was well worth saving $1100 and not having my car for 2 days.

And for anyone that finds this thread this is the only vid I found that shows the D pillar speakers at 18:30.

Just curious, at the end of the day, are you happy with the sound, or still going after a different amp?

Sorry I missed this thread, I would have asked if you had the puddle light wiring in the door bottom. Just getting ready to pop my panels and contemplating all the things I can screw up. The list seems endless.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by lfdal54

Just curious, at the end of the day, are you happy with the sound, or still going after a different amp?

Sorry I missed this thread, I would have asked if you had the puddle light wiring in the door bottom. Just getting ready to pop my panels and contemplating all the things I can screw up. The list seems endless.

I don't have a full opinion on the new sound yet as my only experience so far is a 5min drive to Home Depot for a few more supplies before I had the subs in. Just in that short drive though it took me a minute to realize that I was hearing details in the music that I hadn't heard before. They say it takes 12h to break the subs in so I don't have a full opinion on those yet either. In the end though I think it's going to be a nice upgrade. I don't have any plans to change the amp, although I'm not even sure I can having the HK.

I can't say I looked at the puddle lights as I wasn't considering changing them, but I thought you could get to them from the bottom of the door?

[snareman]

I did the D pillar speakers. Again, not a fun process. The wires and tweeters were glued in so that took a little undoing. I also lost all 3 clips on the left side panel and broke one of the ones on the right side so I had to order a pack of them off Amazon.

Door Panel Clips

Somehow all 3 of the clips on the left side fell off and I assume down into the side of the trunk area somewhere, but no matter how much I searched I couldn't find any of them. Hopefully they don't rattle. And then one of the ones on the right side bent and eventually broke as I was trying to put the panel back on. A few of the pieces through the car didn't go back on quite as snugly as they were originally, but hopefully shouldn't cause a problem.

The subs are glued into their housing, but weren't super hateful to get apart after taking a heat gun to it for a bit. It's a darn good thing I'm replacing them because I totally demolished one of them trying to get it out. They are also a challenge to get seated back into the correct place under the seats, but with some jostling around they eventually seat themselves.

[Burr001]

Originally Posted by snareman

I did the D pillar speakers. Again, not a fun process. The wires and tweeters were glued in so that took a little undoing. I also lost all 3 clips on the left side panel and broke one of the ones on the right side so I had to order a pack of them off Amazon.

Door Panel Clips

Somehow all 3 of the clips on the left side fell off and I assume down into the side of the trunk area somewhere, but no matter how much I searched I couldn't find any of them. Hopefully they don't rattle. And then one of the ones on the right side bent and eventually broke as I was trying to put the panel back on. A few of the pieces through the car didn't go back on quite as snugly as they were originally, but hopefully shouldn't cause a problem.

The subs are glued into their housing, but weren't super hateful to get apart after taking a heat gun to it for a bit. It's a darn good thing I'm replacing them because I totally demolished one of them trying to get it out. They are also a challenge to get seated back into the correct place under the seats, but with some jostling around they eventually seat themselves.

Ehhh still cheaper to replace clips than spending over a g on labor..IMO replacing to a better amp will take full advantage of your new speakers. I know it did for mine before adding a second amp and sub.

Here is my full install https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1951854

As for the underneath seat subs, I later installed sound deadening underneath the plastic sub box and inside and that created more bass.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by Burr001

Ehhh still cheaper to replace clips than spending over a g on labor..IMO replacing to a better amp will take full advantage of your new speakers. I know it did for mine before adding a second amp and sub.

Here is my full install https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1951854

As for the underneath seat subs, I later installed sound deadening underneath the plastic sub box and inside and that created more bass.

If I had started with the HiFi I would have upgraded the amp, but with the HK amp there isn't really that option. And yes, still better than spending $1100.

[lfdal54]

Originally Posted by snareman

..... I can't say I looked at the puddle lights as I wasn't considering changing them, but I thought you could get to them from the bottom of the door?

Does yours have puddle lights in the bottom of the doors?

[snareman]

Originally Posted by lfdal54

Does yours have puddle lights in the bottom of the doors?

Mine seems to have the module under the door but my lights come from up in front here

[lfdal54]

Originally Posted by snareman

Mine seems to have the module under the door but my lights come from up in front here

Dealership Genius got back to me. Parts shortage, some got them, some didn't. I'm really, really, starting to dislike BMW corporate.