My '04 has a pathetic setup in it now, the factory Infinity has been replaced with a old marine Alpine, why marine I don't know, maybe because it has a silver face that matches the console. The PO gave me the original radio with the sale, and told me the radio and door speakers were replaced at the same time.
So the issues are, the door speakers are blown already, they rattle like crazy with any volume, there is no sound from the rears speakers, and the ipod connection is old to where I have to use the scosche adapter to make it charge while hooked up. Btw, I pretty much only use the ipod when in the car, so its important to have that connetion right.
So I have a Infinity kappa 5 channel amp, 10 inch sub, and a backup camera, and a single din JVC Kameleon video display, just for the camera really. Oviously I will need some new speakers, do I have to have component? I just want to make sure I don't have to do any alterations to the door panel to install aftermarket tweeters.
Also I have noticed a pretty obvious dimming in the headlights whenever I am idling and the cooling fans kick in, so how stable is the electrical system in these cars, do I need to use a capacitor?
I also plan to install a Philips hid kit at some point, so I need to be sure the car can handle all this as is.
I had Xplorer before this car, and I had all this in it and never had a single problem, absolutely took everything I threw at it, even with hid fog lights.
Thanks for any help!

 

You will be fine on the electrical side. You need to make certain the battery is in good condition. A cap is NOT going to do anything for dimming lights if the car is pulling a large current draw like the fan. Caps were simply a tool for car audio competitors that used unregulated power supplies in their chosen brand of amps as they are impacted by the input voltage i.e. old Alpine V12 amps. Today most companies use regulated supplies to provide a stable input voltage to the amp stage. There is no harm in using one and the rule of thumb is 1mf for every 1000 watts.

NOW....The rest of the story....

If that audio system is as big as you will go then ensure you are running 4ga power AND 4ga Ground (watch the cheap kits that are marketed as 4ga but really fall short). Upgrade the factory ground and the power run that comes form the battery to the cars power fuse block.

There is plenty of output form the alternator in the car to cover you as long as you are not running everything in the car and hammering the system for hours nonstop.

I run two Kappa Four and a Kappa one amp plus a JBL MS8 fed from a kenwood front end on the stock electrical system. Power is 0ga from the battery to a distribution block at the rear of the car with each amp getting its own 4ga run. A small 10mf cap bank just because people expect it and the supplier of the cable for the car wanted me to promote it.

 

Luckily the PO replaced the battery within the last few months, nothing special about it, but its a good brand. The factory ground had a ton of corrosion on it, soaked it in clr to clean it up for now.
I just don't want to kill the alternator with the amp running and getting these big dips in power with the fans kicking on and off.
Also, is there a spot to sneak the amp cables into the cabin without drilling holes? I HATE drilling holes in cars, as I have restored a couple and try to avoid causing any unnecessary damage if I can.

 

I ran my cable through the lower inner portion of the firewall on the passenger side. There is a rubber plug on that side. Its below the rug. I used a capacitor with my amp as well. I have read a suggestion to use 1 farad per 1000 watts of amp. I don't have any problem with dimming lights etc.

 

Just as a footnote.. that rubber grommet will put you just under/behind the battery. I used a clothes hanger to fish mine through.. but removing the battery will give you easy access to it.

 

I don't have a cap yet, I'm running two pioneer 12's 1200W @ 1ohm, head lights and fogs are HIDs, and I run underglow as well which is another another 50W on a stock alternator and nothing special about the battery either.