So I am getting ready to overhaul my Fit Sport I got in September. Already have 13K miles on it, so I am in it a lot. I love audio and have a great sound system in my house (Yamaha receiver, Paradigm speaks and sub except for the center which is Tannoy). What I love about that setup and what I hope to get in my car is a clean sound with depth. I don't want a booming sub that rattles the mirrors. i want accurate reproduction of sound without any one frequency over powering others.

With that said, I am new to car audio and have been reading around fit freak a bunch trying to absorb as much as possible. I am planning on replacing the HU (probably Pioneer double din). I don't NEED blue tooth, GPS, or DVD functions but I am also not against it. I would like it to be iPod capable through the back of the HU, and the better the iPod interface the beter. I plan on having one sub (definitely not two). I saw this thread and thought this might be a good way to go because I use all functions of the magic seats regularly. https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...ox-design.html
Not a huge fan of having the amp in there with the spare (if I ever do blow a tire I wouldn't need another thing to do). Is there another place to put it that would be out of the way. Maybe behind a pannel? Next, I assume I should replace the speakers including the tweeters. Finally, I also plan on doing a full vibration dampening and sound deadening job including floors, fire walls, doors, wheel wells, hood, etc. I plan on going through this website that had a bunch of info.
Sound Deadener Showdown - Your Source for Sound Deadening Products and Information

I am debating whether to do it myself or have someone else do it. I am going to have to save up to do all this, and I assume it would be best to do it in one faul swoop.

So my questions:
What components do you recommend? I know at a certain point paying more only gives you minor improvements. So value is important, but I do want quality. I am looking for help choosing each piece as I wouldn't know what to look for. Basically I just know you want a high RMS rating for your power source and the or high for the speakers and sub, right? Should I be looking for anything else? I am capable of tweaking the unit if it has the ability to manually change the frequencies. Do they make separate equalizers like the used to? Would it be better to go with a single din and an equalizer if they do?

Next how much do you think this will cost me at the end of the day?

And how long do you think it would take to install (not including the building of a sub enclosure)? Bare in mind I have never installed car stereos, but am not afraid to learn, and also not against paying someone else if it is really worth it.

Thanks!