Ok, so I've now received my pair of Pioneer 8" shallow mount subs and the accompanying amp and I'm having a moment of indecision on the actual mounting of the speakers. Mounting the amp will be easy. If the subs go under the seats, the amps can go on the back wall, and if the subs go anywhere else, the amps can go under the seats.

These speakers can be free air mounted, so my original plan was to mount them under the seats. My plan was to build some kind of simple spacer and either set them up upward or downward firing under the seats.

But I've done a little bit more looking and I think I'm going to have better sound if I put these puppies in a sealed box(es). So now I'm trying to decide between three options:

1. Attempt to build and fit a sealed box for each sub under the seats. I know the space under the seats isn't exactly vast, but these speakers do have a sealed box minimum volume of something like .17 cu ft. Advantage here is that the sound remains inside the passenger compartment. The problem is that I don't know how much space and what dimensions are available under the seats without having to pull the seats out twice (once to measure and once to build), something I'd prefer to avoid if anyone here knows what kind of space I'm working with.

2. Build and fit a sealed box under the soft top partition in the trunk. Because of the shallow mounting depth of these subs it's possible to build a box that will fit in that space and still give the subs plenty of room to move. Advantage here is that I'll be able to build a bigger box, and the actual fitment/removal of stuff will be easier. The disadvantage, of course, is that this moves the sound out of the passenger area and I'm not sure I'll get quite the punch out of the subs I want with them closed in the trunk.

3. Mount the subs free air under the seats. This is by far the simplest, and cheapest option and it does get the sound inside the passenger area. If I go this route I just have to decide whether it makes more sense for them to be upward or downward firing.

I'm 99% sure the basket on these babies is a little bit too big around to try to widen out the stock opening, but if I'm wrong I'd definitely be up for considering that as an option.

So if anyone has any advice, I'd greatly appreciate it. Here's a link to Pioneer's page on the subs: Pioneer USA - TS-SW841D - 8" Shallow-Mount Subwoofer with 500 Watts Max. Power

I'd also be interested to know if anyone has any step-by-step info on removing the back wall carpet. I can certainly try myself, but I feel safer about not breaking stuff if I get a little tutorial. I searched and couldn't find anything.

Thanks!