Car Stereos: Car Stereo installation, car stereo installation, watts rms

Question
Got a 1998 Kia Sportage,need to what size are the door speakers. Also the deck that's in the truck looks like an aftermarket deck but it says Kia on it.So i'm asking if i take that deck out will i need a wiring harness.Once i replace the speakers should i run them to and Amp.Lastly what kind of Amp do you recommend for the size speakers that are in the Kia.

Answer
Hi William,

I've found mixed information on the front door speakers in your Sportage, but it looks like you'll want to use 4" speakers for the front doors and 6-1/2" speakers in the rear.  One source listed 5-1/4" speakers for the front doors, but you can always make a smaller speaker fit a larger opening, while it's not always possible to fit a larger speaker into a smaller opening.  That makes 4" speakers a safer choice, but if you want to be certain, you can take a speaker out and take it along with you when you shop for replacements.  Be sure to make a note of the available mounting depth; using a larger speaker won't do you much good if you can't roll the window down behind it.

You'll definitely need a wire harness adapter to install an after-market head unit.  Look for a Metra 70-1003 harness. I'd also suggest buying a mounting kit for the new deck; it might be possible to install the after-market deck using the factory brackets and pocket, but in my experience with Kia's, a mounting kit makes things much easier.  I like Scosche's KA2065B kit for this application (assuming you're installing a standard single-DIN head unit).

There are a wide range of 4-channel amps that should work very well in your Sportage; I'd look for something rated around 40-60 watts RMS at 4 ohms.  You'll also want to look for a built-in high pass filter feature; this allows you to cut the deep bass out of the front door speakers, which will make them sound cleaner and reduce the chance of blowing them.

Hope this helps!

Brian