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2002 Civic EX coupe with A/T and stock sound system. Listening habits are classic rock and oldies stations primarily with a little country, classical and talk/news radio thrown in now and then. Volume preference is usually fairly low, primarily as background listening, with the occasional blast of high volume Aerosmith or whatever.

With a budget of $500 would you upgrade speakers or head unit and why? I want to use the stock locations if at all possible. Suggestions of places to use or avoid for the work? I will need an installer for whatever I do since I want it to work both before and again after the install.

 
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if you do the speakers only, you will probably hate the sound. the stock head unit puts out very little usable power and the speakers will bite. get a $150 headunit at BBuy or CCity installed for free at the least. pioneer HU's you have the advantage of almost all of them having the same rated power, even though looks and functions may differ. other solid brands are alpine, kenwood and clarion.

honestly though the 2002 civic is cake to do installation in. can't think of an easier car if you have the slightest interest in doing it, i highly recommend.

with the extra money dish out for some decent front speakers. would reccommend some coaxial ones that you like the sound of (go and listen to them first). these will run you 100-150 for a good pair. would reccommend components but those sound best with an amp, and that adds cost and complexity to what i assume is a modest upgrade you have planned.

the rear speakers will have the least effect on overall sound. if you spend too much on the first too, that's fine, keep the stock speakers in the rear. actually the stock speakers provide more midbass than a lot of aftermarket speakers i have seen, and will give you a full sound.

 
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good brand name head unit with 3 preouts and a small good brand name 4 channel amp. you can amp the factory speakers ( i have done it in an altima. then when u upgrade your speakers it will be all that much better.

 
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Is there any chain that seems better than the rest as far as quality of product offered, knowledge, etc.? I'm thinking somewhere like Best Buy or Circuit City may have high school kids working the departments and maybe a Car Toys would have more knowledgeable people? That's not a knock on young people. I know some of them know more than most anyone. I'm just thinking overall the big chains may have clerks and not tech types.

If I go with a good head unit and a moderate amp and just run it through the stock speakers are the 3 preouts because we have 6 speakers in the EX and it's one preout for each pair of speakers? I don't plan to ever enter any sound pressure contests or anything like that. About how much power should I be looking at so I don't blow up the stock speakers but can add more punch to better speakers upgraded later on?

Thanks for the suggestions and input.

 
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The 3 preouts are for front/rear/subs.

For $500 this is what I'd do if I where you.

1. Infinity Ref Component. 605CS ~$120 Shipped
2. Infinity Ref 6"x9" ~$70 Shipped
3. Kicker KX600.4 ~$210 Shipped
4. USED Pioneer DEh-P4400 ~$100 Shipped

Thats $500 total with some change left to help you buy hardware needed for installation (hu/speaker mounting kit & amp kit).
All of this was found through eBay, not saying that you should get this exact list but just showing you how you can work on that budget.
I'm assuming that you don't really have a need for a subwoofer.
I know some people will object to some of the products, but if you don't know what $500 6.5"s sound like, it wont matter because anything other than stock will sound like heaven.

 
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Oh and I'm sure theres a 7th gen member in your area willing to help you install in exchange for dinner or such.