Wow, talk about dry rot!

[Mpire]

On the left is a picture of the sub from the HK system in the 5/00 Z and on the right is the sub from the HK system in the 8/01 coupe. You can see that the one on the left is completely disintegrated. The rubber or foam surround fell apart when I touched it.

The coupe speaker on the right, is fine though. No problems with it at all. I find it interesting. I wonder what would cause such deterioration.

On another note, the door handle surrounds are also dried and cracked. This was a car stored in the garage and ignored for a very long time, so I assume alot of things will just dry rot, but some things still surprise me.

Something tells me I should have the AC system completely drained and refilled with fresh oil and freon (or 134a if you want to get specific). Just in case its running low on oil or something.

What else should I expect to be falling apart on a car that sat in a garage in florida for 7 years without moving?

[jragan]

High quality speakers always use butyl rubber surrounds. Foam surrounds do not belong in an HK system.

[Mpire]

Right, but the foam surround on my coupe speaker is good as new. I assume both are HK and made by the same people. Maybe, maybe not. I don't know.

[Doc Holliday]

Right, but the foam surround on my coupe speaker is good as new. I assume both are HK and made by the same people. Maybe, maybe not. I don't know.


I have the HK system in my 2001 Z3. I have replaced both the front midbasses (the kick panel speakers) and the sub. The rear speakers so far have held together, but I'm replacing those pretty shortly, too, because frankly, they're terrible speakers. That foam/paper speaker is meant to disintegrate, and it does.

And wait until you price the HK replacement speaker. You can buy a good pair of speakers for the prices of one of them.

These speakers are subjected to some pretty good volumes if you drive almost exclusively with the top down like I do. And they just aren't up to the drill.

[Mpire]

No worries on the speaker replacements...

I have a JL Audio 6w0 laying around from the coupe.

I also have a set of A/D/S 346is speakers that I intend to install in the Z. They are the best sounding speakers I have ever heard.

And I also have a set of a/d/s 4" woofers I will probably throw in for rear fill.

I have been hoarding these speakers for my next car, but I do love her, so I guess its OK to put them in the car for now.

The head unit in her truck is a very nice Blaupunkt with IPOD and USB and the infinite color choices for the face.

The only unanswered question is what amplifier to use for the system. In a perfect world I would use a JL 500/5, but I think it will get too hot in the trunk, so I am thinking it over right now. Not sure what to do. Needs to be a very cool running amp that doesn't cost me an arm and a leg.