If there’s any way you can squeeze at least one sub in that car, I’d highly recommend it even it’s one 8” somewhere. Car audio is no different that home audio, hard hitting bass rules. I’d take a peak under your rear seats or behind them and see what you have for room. If it can be done, it has been. Like Duckman said, this is a huge hobby and I’m sure that someone, somewhere has already figure out how to do exactly what you are looking to do. Keep searching the car audio forums and I bet you’ll find a solution. But whatever you do, don’t confuse car subs with the thump-thump low rider perception many people have. Car subs can be extremely musical. My Von Gogh’s were amazing and that was five years ago, so I bet there’s even better subs out now for half the price.
DM, I don’t quite understand why you feel that capacitors are a myth or that you would need a trunk full of them to work. They do work, but to get them to work is not very cost effective. Depending on the number of amps and the wattage and impedance of the amps, caps can be sized and wired correctly to virtually eliminate all transient load voltage dips. The reasons I recommend using a yellow top battery over caps is cost and ease of installation. The battery is under $100. A 1 farad cap with an acceptable impedance rating to do any good are at least $100 each and every amp will need one, or better yet, two ½ farad caps in parallel at $75 each (preferably a 16v and a 20v). The Yellow top is not just a deep cycle battery. It’s a RG (Recombinant gas) battery. They have much higher current providing capabilities than standard car batteries and I’m not talking about cold cranking amps either. Even though the alternator provides all current while the engine is running, the voltage regulator can not respond quickly enough during heavy transient load spikes when the amps pull extra current for deep bass notes. I’ve yet to see an alternator overloaded and they rarely output max amperage. Even with a half a dozen baja lights on a light bar, the electrical system may see a 100 amp continuous draw. Most alternators put out at least 120 amps. Even though the alternator’s voltage is around 14.4 volts, when the amps pull, the voltage will dip under the battery’s release voltage and that is where the yellow top act as a voltage ‘shock absorber’ just like the caps would. If the lights are dim all the time, then a new alternator should be on the shopping list, but if they just dim for a second when the subs are hitting, your stuck with caps, RG battery or go with an alternator that has a quicker responding voltage regulator. And to be real honest, I haven’t bothered to look for one, so I don’t know what’s available. The yellow tops have always cured my problems.
But all that aside, if I'm full of it, please educate me because I don't want to be handing out bogus advice and I'm always open to the idea that I am wrong.
