Possibly the most expensive modding job you can do on your car is the ICE Install. Basically, it's down to the budget you have and what you want from the system. In car entertainment includes everything from head units to sub woofers and DVD to games consoles like the X-Box.
If you spend a great deal of time in your car, cruising or going to shows then your ICE install will probably be the last, all important modding job.
If you're just starting to plan your ICE install here's a few tips on how to get the best out of your money.
The Basic of ICE
Head Unit: The head unit lets you control the sound, choose the track & how loud it goes.
Multi-Changers: Multiple DVD or CD unit that allows you to have from six - ten disks in your car.
Amplifier: Makes the sound generated by the head unit louder & re-routes sound to the various speakers.
Tweeter: Speaker that handles the higher end of the sound range, like vocals for example.
Woofer: Speaker that handles the lower end of sound including Bass.
Sub Woofer: BASS need I say more.
Car Head Units
It may sound a bit obvious but pick a head unit that looks good and has the features you want. It's difficult to choose one that isn't cool as manufacturers are all knocking out head units that ooze KEWL some even have customisable graphic displays. Another option is to go for a super DVD screen which is always a wicked thing to have, they are expensive but well worth the level of respect you get for having one, plus there's the added bonus of being able to watch movies in your car.
Car Speakers
There are loads of car speakers to choose from. Many of the more well known manufacturers have a selection of different price bands so you can tailor the install to meet your budget.
But it's not just how good a speaker sounds, it's how good it looks, both in terms of the overall design and the colour. More manufacturers have been concentrating on how to make their speakers look great from all angles including the speaker cone, body and more importantly the frame.
Exposing the back end of a speaker has become more popular with ICE installs so if you're going to do this then you want a kewl back end.
Door Builds
You can really go mad with a door build. So long as the speakers have a secure mounting there's almost no limit to what you can do. With a fibre glass door build you can have almost any shape you can imagine and colour code it to match the rest of your ICE, its harder than just replacing your door speakers but well worth the effort.
Car Audio Extras
If your desire is to make a BIG impact with your ICE install then all the other components can be made a feature. Power caps, crossovers, graphic equalisers etc can all be incorporated to improve the look of your ICE. Give it some thought and get them out in the open.
ICE Install Materials
Your choice of material can make or break your ICE install. The standard black cloth looks ok but it's not going to win any awards. There are loads of materials that you can use to make your ICE a little bit different. Fibreglass, Carbon Fibre, Metal and Perspex are just a few suggestions. Check out your local DIY shop for possibles, they have loads of things you can use if you use your imagination.
Hopefully you now have some idea of how you want to present your ICE. Look for inspiration around the car shows or in Magazines like REDLINE. They usually have a feature car with an ICE install you can get ideas from but don't copy outright, there's nothing more annoying to show up at a show to find someone has the same ICE as you.
Planning your ICE Install.
Deciding on your ICE Install depends on two things.
Budget - How much are you prepared to spend
Available space - How much interior space you want your ICE to have.
It's all about the end product. If you want to replace your head unit & current speakers then obviously this isn't going to cost as much as a full blown custom boot installation. But it's the boot installation that will do the business, even if it does mean losing a vast amount of load capacity. Something to consider if you have a family or if you use your car for work.
If you want to add a games console & TFT screens to the install then there's even more to consider. Where are the screens going to go? Where are you going to mount the games console? What about the power requirements?
All these questions have to be answered before you start to strip out the interior of your car.
Make sketches on how you want your install to end up.
Once you've considered all the options you can start your install. Alternatively you can get a professional ICE installation company to do the whole lot. It's expensive but could save you a LOT of time and effort.
