Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio Mystique factory amp...

I'm in the process of replacing the car audio in the 1998 Mystique that I just bought. It comes with the factory CD. Crutchfield says that this means I have a seperate amp somewhere. Can anyone tell me where I should be looking to find it?

Pull your glovebox all the way down by pushing in on the sides. The amp is the large rectangular grey part with a wiring harness going to it.

------------------
'98.5 Mystique GS ATX/re-contented door lights/K&N Filter/Energy Suspension Sway Bar Bushings/Mintex Street Pads/universal-fit sidemarkers/Pioneer DEH-P3100 receiver/Pioneer TS-A6855's in all doors

[This message has been edited by 4cylmys (edited November 15, 2000).]

What do I do with this when I replace the head unit? do I need to disconnect this, or do I just wire the new unit into the existing connector?

Is this amp any good? Could I bridge it for a sub-woofer in another car?

Some people here have bypassed the amp with an aftermarket harness, but I chose to get an adapter harness from Wal-Mart for $10 and connect my Pioneer to the factory harness. The amp isn't very powerful, but hooking an aftermarket head unit to it does work and sounds pretty good.

Crutchfield should give you the harness to bypass, unless the person you were talking to tried to sell you the $50 adapter.

I bought an Aiwa CDC-MP3 and the built-in 45W amp on that produces much cleaner sound, so I would say just junk the thing altogehter and take a whopping half pound off your car.

Well, the factory amp and head unit are gone. I went to PO Performance in Toronto and they dropped in a nice Blaupunkt Munchen. I haven't changed the speakers or added a sub woofer or amp arrangement yet, but just having a decent head unit makes a huge difference.

I played around with the parametric equalizer and now have a very nice warm sound coming from the speakers. All in all, it makes for much nicer drive in the morning.