A few years ago, installing a touch screen monitor in your car was something you either saw in the movies or on those wacky, tricked out cars built especially for science fairs. Now nearly all of the newer cars come with them factory installed or at least they can be installed aftermarket quite easily. Through these monitors, drivers can program their GPS navigational system, control their Bluetooth, and set all of their stereo channels all with the tap of your fingertip.

Can you tell the difference between a nice car and a great car? It’s easy a great will make someone’s head turn as it drives by. The same line of thinking holds true for a great car audio system. A great stereo system can get people outside the car nodding their heads to the music while a poorly put together car stereo system causes nothing but stares and laughs. The lesson in all this is to know your car audio system pieces.

You’ve got a nice pearled paint job. You’ve got your 18’ sized chrome mags. You’ve got an interior job that looks like a dream. But all of that would be superficial if you don’t have a good car stereo system in your ride.

When it comes to car audio, it’s all about the bass. You don’t have a real system if people standing outside your car can’t feel the thump of your audio system. That deep thump sound comes from the subwoofer and it easily one of the most exciting aspects of a car audio system.

For many first time car enthusiasts, it was that deep bass and pounding rhythms which initially drew them in. Unfortunately, factory installed OEM speakers just don’t cut it. If you want real, quality sound, you will need to shop around for a subwoofer.

people have always pushed their car stereos to the limit in order to produce the best sound possible. Our grandparents’ cars with their bulky and static-filled AM radios gave way to the FM broadcasts and cassette tape playing stereo’s of our parents. Now, car manufacturers are going digital with the use of not only CD players but satellite radio with MP3 playing compatibility.

You’re tired of those cables tangled around your console, your stick shift, or your emergency brake. But you’re not ready or able to put a whole new deck into your car. Or you already sacrificed mega-bucks for your neat iPod or MP3 player. You now drive around with earplugs in your ears listening to your chosen tunes.

Well, driving around like that opens an entirely different matter of the “never do that" subject, but I’ll stay away from that for now.

The Why's

If you are lucky enough to own a luxury sport utility vehicle, you might have chosen the BMW X5. Families enjoy the comfort, power and safety that comes equipped in every X5. Its all-wheel drive system can take you wherever you need to go in whatever road conditions the weather dishes up. No matter where you drive, be it to school to drop the kids off, shopping, or on long road trips, one feature of your X5 that is sure to get a lot of use is your car's outstanding audio system. An important part of that stereo system is the BMW subwoofer.

If you are someone who uses his or her BMW for long auto journeys, you might want to consider investing in satellite radio. BMW car owners choose this popular option in order to enjoy the shows they most like to hear on the radio.

'Car audio' is a general term describing the sound system fitted inside an automobile. Similarly, the term 'stock car audio system' refers to the sound system specified by the manufacturer when the car was built. A custom car audio installation, on the other hand, can involve anything from upgrading of the radio head-unit to a full-scale modification of the car based around its audio equipment - such as subwoofers, stereo CD changers, etc..

How do you go about stopping all that rattling in the trunk when you turn your subs up loud? And why don't most installation shops take care of that? There are a few easy fixes to get 80% of the unwanted noise removed.