This is how it starts

[JG-Man]

Once you get in your older, paid-for truck with an iPhone on your belt (even the iPhone 6 like mine) you already have 2 out of the three things on their list: The smart phone comes with a hot-spot=internet, AND bluetooth (for a bluetooth speaker?). Now all you need is a container of compound/wax from the auto supply store and you will have shinny paint in no time.

 

[Sherman Bird]

Had to laugh at this as i just bought a used '22 Rebel (8700) miles on it that has a few bells and whistles. My current 09 Laramie has 251K miles on it and is beginning to nickel & dime me to death. Needs an evap core, wheel bearing and for some reason it only starts with the remote start. Using the key in ignition just cranks & cranks...who knows. Damn thing has always had some electrical gremlins in it. I always buy used and this is my 4th Ram...i've always got at least 180K out of them as well.
At 53 im not looking at the "CDI" factor! That said all the safety $hit on these things nowadays drives me nuts. I cannot even put this thing in neutral without starting it...or back up with door open. Ugh....
I'll drive this thing to 250K with any luck & get a new (used) '32.

ALL vehicles that one buys, registers, insures, and operates on the roads nickel and dime one to death either in repairs or payments or both. Vehicles are NOT an asset.... they're a liability and very big expense.
Truth is, I think, folks merely tire of the old unit and want something new/ newer!

 

[Ron Boggio]

What are the two squares on either side of the temperature controls?

Are you replacing the head unit? If so with what?

As good as mine sounds, I don't like the speakers being behind the door panels, but I didn't want to butcher the door panels to mount the speakers in them. 6x9's behind 6 inch circular grills just seems wrong.
If I had an extra set of door panels or was doing another install, I might reconsider. Go with round components in the door panels and use the included grills in place of the molded speaker grills in the doors.
In my neighborhood I try not to call too much attention to it or give anyone a reason to want to break in. I know that is muddying the sound and reducing separation I could be getting. Think about that when you are picking out replacements.
The side view mirror trim panels that say Infinity would have been perfect mounting locations for component tweeters. I almost got another amp and a set of mids to go in the dash, but I was sort of on a budget, so I put the tweeters up there instead. I'm not missing any midrange so it's just as well.

@Oliver Closehauf I have replaced the head unit. For the time being I am using the factory infinity amplifier. The DMX1057 integrates with the amp and gives you certain control options that never came with the truck. Furthermore, the DMX1057 gave me access in real time to OBD2 data and the ability to read and clear code right form the head unit. It also opened the door to some other Body Control Module options I did not have access to before. It’s also WiFi capable.

Now for the infinity amp, I assure you it is integrated into the PCM, I set a least 20 codes. So, before I put in a bypass, I wanted to hear it first. Without getting into power, gain and crossover functions and why those are or are not important I wanted to know how it would perform as is. Well, I was pleasantly surprised it is doing very well. Its not the optimal way to set it up, however it works.

If you were to upgrade only one thing in an infinity sound system, the KFC-X3C tweeters will transform that system by themselves.

I went with all 6.5s for the doors with 150HZ cap filter to minimize the sub frequencies going to the 6.5. Keep in mind the DMX1057 has a DSP (digital signal processor built in) However I wanted a hard cutoff to the 6.5s so I still added the caps.

All the bass goes to the doors. The door grills are not what muddies the sound, it’s the amp with no crossovers driving sub frequencies to a 6.5s back and a 6.9s front. The infinity amp it plenty powerful 240-watt x7 however it has no way to interact with it from the factory.

How does it work, its phenomenal, in the Halo Reach sound track I can hear the musicians turning the pages on the sheet music (mind blown) Honestly you have no idea what you’re missing in sound quality.

The following is the upgrade components:

• Dodge Center Bezel for navigation radio
• Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX1057
• Kenwood Excelon KFC-X174 6.5s front and back
• Kenwood Excelon KFC-X3C Dash Tweeters
• Kenwood KSC-SW11 Subwoofer
• Kenwood CMOS-740HD rear camera
• Kenwood DRV-A301W Forward looking camara
• SiriusXM SXV300V1 Tuner
• iDataLink Maestro RR Interface Module
• Dynamat Sound treatment in the four doors

 

[Ron Boggio]

Can someone point me to the "chicks" that "dig it"? (for Informational purposes only of course) I have yet to meet one that gives a damn about what I'm driving or any of the engineering marvels I find cool or how much effort I put into a project, unless that project is for her.

Here I thought my 05 looked fantastic. I feel pride in ownership every time I get in. To find out it's yesterday's egg salad and girls won't like me because it's not a new Rebel.... what am I going to do? Good thing I married someone 20 years younger that doesn't care about what I drive.

Around here there are women that drive tractors, sling hay bales, cut corn and raise cows. They got trucks. They will sling mud and run a muck trough and think nothing about it. And yes, they love their trucks.

 

[Ron Boggio]

ALL vehicles that one buys, registers, insures, and operates on the roads nickel and dime one to death either in repairs or payments or both. Vehicles are NOT an asset.... they're a liability and very big expense.
Truth is, I think, folks merely tire of the old unit and want something new/ newer!

You know that right!