After 17 years my amplifier is about gone. Anyone know what fits in the trunk side panel and is compatible? Do I need to just mount a new one under the back seat shelf?
Compatible for a BMW amp is an interesting possibility. Look at the plug connection at the amp - if it doesn't look like anything standard, then in almost all likelihood it's a your-car-only-specific plug. So the only thing that would be plug-&-go compatible would be an oem replacement. Furthermore, it wasn't uncommon for the amp you're mentioning to be simply a 'booster' amp, not an amp that took in a line-level signal and fully amplified it, (as in your standard amplifier) - so, adapting a regular amplifier, besides figuring out what every wire is in your oem connector (which might well include all inputs & outputs in a single plug), might require a device to step-down the oem radio output down to line-level for a different amp. And then there's the issue of wire gauge, which might basically work and be more-or-less adequate for the stock setup, but woefully undersized for audio quality from a higher output amp. I don't know if that's the case for your car or not, so research that a bit, or maybe someone else will pipe up with more specific insight for you.
Also give a call to the folks at Crutchfield (http://www.crutchfield.com/). For decades they have produced custom harness adapters to connect a huge variety of head units, amps and whatnot to an equally huge variety of cars. If there is an amp out there that's a plug-in replacement for the factory unit--with or without a harness adapter--they'll probably know about it.
There's these, but they're for adapting a head unit to oem wiring. http://www.installer.com/item/display_item.php?it=70-8590 http://www.installer.com/item/display_item.php?it=70-8591 Crutchfield appears to be offering something along the same lines... I guess the point of this (http://www.installer.com/item/display_item.php?it=71-8590) would be to either replace a missing oem plug, or let you run your own wiring if you didn't want to splice into factory wiring, but I suspect it still goes up at the head-unit end - again, look at the amp connection, just in case it's the same plug. Might also be worth inquiring of installer.com if they have a suggestion (if you don't go the oem-amp route), in addition to asking Crutchfield. If you happen to know any car-audiophiles in Germany who are longtime BMW enthusiasts.............
