Hi i am wanting to install a sub and an amp that i have from an old car i just have no idea how to do it in my mini. Everything is stock so far and i have not changed anything on the sound system. Where should i start and how? any help is appreciated

 

The first thing to know is if your MINI has the Harman kardon option.

 

If you don't have HK: First determine where you want to install the amp. Mines in the trunk, so heres how.
Open the doors, trunk, and hood
Take off plastic battery cover
Disconnect battery cables
Undo screw at front of battery and remove battery
There is a plastic cover with wires going into it. Take off the cover
Cut a small hole in the rubber and push your power wire through a little
Go in passenger side and look under the dash and pull the cord through
If you want to hide your wires, then remove the lower trim by the door and/or the back panel. I only hid it to the end of the door panel
Make sure to use a fuse as close as you can to the battery on the power wire.

For the speaker wire, run it from the x9331 connector. This thread https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nnel-swap.html describes a channel swap, you want to connect your speaker wires to the wires from one of the front speakers. I believe mine are spliced into yellow. Or you could splice into a left and right channel and have them both going into amp

Not sure about the HK system, but it could be the same

 

How do I know if its hk?

 

What year car is it? This WILL affect the install....

 

If you have tweeters in the a pillar you have hifi (on R56)

 

I have a 2007 non s mini

 

Please sit inside your car and look to the left and right near the windshield and tell us if you see Black pods with a mesh grille on the A pillars of the car. These are the pillars that separate the windshield from your front door window glass. There are two. One to your left and one to your right.

They look like this.



see the pod at the bottom? that is what we need to know if you have.

If you see NOTHING on these two pillars to your left or right except for an airbag logo at the top... then we can guide you on how to install a sub

 

I do not have tweeters in my car

 

Am I correct in assuming that it isn't necessary to do the channel swap on the R55? I recall reading in another thread that the line levels weren't reversed like they are, so you can use the rear channel for the line output converter.

Also, can you tap into the rear 12volt cigarette adapter for the amplifier remote turn on wire?

 

I tapped into the rear power outlet because I ran all wiring before I realized my amp didnt have signal sensing turn on. Works just fine but I am pretty sure it doesnt come on in the acc position bit rather the on position (2nd push of the start button) which isnt a big deal

I would look for an inline fuse holder and a 1 amp fuse because there is a lot a sharp metal in the floor that can eventually wear the wire down. Mine is under the seat though so if you have it in the trunk its probably not a problem but good practice nonetheless. Just use a quicktap and go at it

 

Could you go more into detail please? I'd like to do the same.

 

Oh, no... It's VERY MUCH worth doing on the r55. Very, very much worth doing.

Even my wife asked if I got new speakers.. It really, really made a huge change.

 

Sounds like it would be a good idea to do a channel swap and splice into a rear speaker for the sub...?