These days most of us buy our vehicles, whether brand-new or CPO, either off the lot or off the Internet. The downside is that choosing from what’s available can limit options, so sometimes we have to settle for something slightly less than ideal. This happened to me when I recently purchased a new BMW 3 Series. The Bimmer I found was perfect in every way: color, interior, and trim level. The car even had all the options I wanted—except one. Wouldn’t you know it, this particular vehicle lacked an upgraded audio system.
I tried living with BMW’s base sound system for over a year. Finally, though, I could no longer abide its shrieking tinny highs, weak flaccid lows, and glossy details. Something had to be done. Fortunately, there is a company that was established specifically to address this very situation. Bavsound offers aftermarket audio upgrades for BMW’s, and that’s all it does.
In practice this means that you simply get on its website and specify your vehicle, and you’ll be presented with a series of upgrade options designed with your exact car or SUV in mind. No mechanical vehicle modification is required, and all Bavsound components are plug-compatible with BMW’s wacky proprietary connectors.
I decided to take a baby step and opted for the Stage One speaker replacement kit. Basically, this upgrade replaces all the speakers in the car, but leaves the amp untouched and forgoes the addition of a subwoofer. Since my 3 Series is a four-door, the Stage One kit I received included tweeters and mid/bass units for the front doors, additional mid/bass drivers for the back doors, and a center-channel speaker got the top of the dash.
In examining the Bavsound kit I could see clearly and immediately that these were high-quality drivers. The Bavsound Stage One speakers have beefy frames, rigid cones, and oversized magnets. I was even more impressed when, in due course, I was able to compare the Bavsounds with the stock drivers. The latter were far lighter and flimsier.
Unlike factory audio upgrades, you’re on your own when it comes to installing a Bavsound system. For some, this will be an understandable deterrent. I, however, took it as a challenge. Working solo, the project took about four hours. The most difficult thing about it was mental, not mechanical. I had to get over treating my “baby” like a delicate flower. Cars—at least BMWs—are not built delicately; force is needed to take them apart and put them back together. Once I understood this, and realized that I wasn’t going to hurt anything, all went smoothly.