Replacing the stupid Bose amp/woofer/..tweeter?
 

The stock Bose subwoofer or tweeter as Bose refers to it has started rattling on my 2000 GLE, and while it looks like it can be contained with some sort of soundproofing or foam pads, I would really just like to get rid of it. However, I have *no* idea what's going on with audio and every single car audio place I called basically started salivating and already ran up estimates of 8-900 just ove the phone.

From what I understand, I need to dash the HU first, get a separate amp, and a 8" subwoofer to put back in the original Bose enclosure. Do single DIN and double DIN stereos differ in anything but size? I have a lot of CDs so I need a good CD player, plus I don't really like that pocket a single DIN HU leaves behind.

And the most confusing thing is the amp. I don't know how many channels were on the stock Bose amp, maybe it was amplifying the small speakers as well.. So do I buy a mono amp just for the subwoofer, or do I buy a 5 channel amp so *everything* is amplified? And if I buy an amp with enough channels to amplify everything, will it destroy the Bose door speakers?

Bose systems run on 2 ohm impedance while most aftermarket components are 4 ohm. Not a good idea to mix and match, as you will likely end up blowing things out. If you're going to invest in a separate amp and sub anyway, you might as well replace the entire, outdated system.

Single or double din is your own personal preference. They offer everything from throw-away crap to top shelf, high end head units in both configurations. Double din is much more popular now due to ease of touchscreen

I'd really like to hold off on replacing all the door speakers, I'd just like to be functional for the time being. What it if I get a 2 ohm amp and a 2 ohm 8" subwoofer?

Sounds like you are missing some information. It is true about the Bose speakers being 2 ohms and would not work properly with a non-Bose redio/head unit.

The Bose system in the car consists of 4 speakers, 2 tweeters and 1 8" woofer. It is called a woofer and nor subwoofer because of its small size. All speaker outputs from the head unit go to an amplifier mounted in the trunk on the underside of the parcel shelf on the passenger side. The amplifier is a 4 channel amplifier. Then wires from the amplifier go to the 4 speakers and the woofer. I don't think the output to the woofer is considered a channel because the woofer has its own amplifier. The tweeters are located in the A pillars and are parasites off the front door speakers.

Since you don't want to replace the door speakers, I think what you want to do is get the aftermarket head unit you want. Then get a Pac Roem NIS-2 adaptor that goes between the radio and the Bose amplifier and does impedance matching for the speakers. If the woofer is bad, get one from a junkyard car.

It's not that I don't want to replace the door speakers, it's that I more or less can't afford to. I looked into it and to replace all the door speakers along with the HU and an amp and a 8" woofer is close to a grand. I just wanted to replace what broke. As far as junkyard stuff goes, can't find any locally. And **** ebay, I found a barely used throttle body for like $90, the package monkeys caught wind of what was inside and just straight up confiscated it to be resold and gave the seller and I each $90 instead and told us to **** off. "Prohibited item" my ***.

The car is 21 years old with a proprietary sound system. You'll either need to replace with another used one from ebay or the junkyard, or disconnect it and live without it.

If its just rattling an not damaged, I would look to find a way to get it to stop rattling. I don't think a the woofers are prone to blowing out on our cars. What's to say that the replacement woofer doesn't rattle.

If you have a cassette adapter to use your phone for music, you can play the frequency that causes the rattle to locate the source and fix it that way. https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/

I had the same dilemma. Woofer cut out and once I priced out a new system along with the possibility of non-working steering wheel controls, I just repaired the woofer and added an FM bluetooth receiver.

that's pretty much what I didn't want to hear but knew all along.. I think it is blown out because even if I muffle the rattling, it still sounds off.

​​​​​​How many speakers am I looking at here to replace everything, and how difficult is it to splice into the harness? I know I saw a HU adapter to make things easier and also an antenna adapter to connect the amp, but I don't remember seeing any adapters for the door speakers..

Oh man that thing is freaking COOL!!! 10 years ago you could've made serious money phreaking

From the inside of the trunk where the housing for the subwoofer is visible, there seems to be an exposed wire of some kind sticking out, and if I touch it I hear electricity crackling. So did I blow out my subwoofer or did a wire just come loose?

Car-part.com will sell you a replacement OEM sub for cheap