Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio (Good idea/Bad idea) Amp under the seat.

I had a nice MTX 4-ch amp in my old Contour, but it stopped working, and replaced it with an Alpine amp. When I picked up that amp, the guy I got it from told me that having an amp under the seat was a bad idea, as it didn't get the circulation it requires. What he said made sense to me anyways.
I have since purchased my dads 98, and I'm about to install all my goodies (I really cant deal with the factory set up no more) and I was wondering if I should put the amps in the trunk.
I have 2 amps, 1 for my Sub, and 1 for the doors. I was gonna install them both in the trunk, and run 1 4 ga wire from the battery back, and then split it at the back, as the 'new' tour has a power seat, so I really couldn't put an amp under that seat, not to mention I really wouldn't want to. The only reason I put the amps under the seats in the first place was to keep trunk room.
Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.
Mike.

Put them in the trunk. You can make some panels on the side and flush mount them for a nice clean look and you'll still retain most of your trunk space. A few people on here have done this and there are some pics floating around.

trunk is better, but if there's at least an inch or so of clearance from the amp to the seat bottom, under the seat won't hurt it.

Also consider that the contour has rear floor heat ducts that come out under the seats. If you put the amp there, it will have the hot air blowing over it when you use your heater, and block the flow of air to the rear seats.
Not that it would really get hot enough to cause problems, just something else to consider.

If you have a good amp that doesn't get hot, its a great place. I have an orion cobalt 4 channel under the passanger seat and i don't think i'd want it anywhere else. Its hidden, so it doesn't look like I have a real system, and its not an easy smash and grab thing if they pop the trunk. I've had it under the seat in a contour for 5+ years now without any problems (was in my other contour that got totalled before the svt).

I had a 92 MR2 and had my amp under the seat and when it was hot or the heater was on I would have issues with it cutting out.