Distorted rearview mirrors and rattling trunks are problems often attributed to subwoofers, but some audio experts in Ames said subwoofers don’t cause that much damage.

Vibration from thumping subwoofers does not loosen a car’s frame, nor does it really hurt the car.

“There isn’t enough vibration to the metal components of cars to cause damage or the loosening of the car’s frame,” said Sam Shaffer, owner of Shaffer’s Auto Body, 1712 E. Lincoln Way.

The size and quantity of subwoofers however, may be a determining factor of the amount of possible maintenance issues they can cause.

“The size and the number of subs you have will obviously make the music louder and may cause loosening of some seals, nuts or bolts,” said Travis Sobski, general manager of Cyclone Stereo. “But that is nothing a little maintenance and a screwdriver can’t fix.”

Steve Vize, freshman in pre-advertising, said he has noticed some rattling in his trunk, where he stores his subwoofers. He said he doesn’t think the problem stemmed from his subwoofers.

“I haven’t really had any damage to my car caused by my subs besides the rattling off of my back bumper,” he said. “Yet that was probably more of a rust issue than a result from my subs.”

The subwoofer business has been consistent over the past few years mostly due to the high demand from high school and college students, Sobski said.

“Most college students already have subs,” Sobski said. “But the market for subs has been pretty steady over the past few years.”

Auto body repair shops and car audio retailers aren’t the only ones who are coming up short on the question of subwoofers and the possibility of damage they can cause. Matt Ingleby, senior in marketing, said he hasn’t had any problem with his subwoofers.

“I’ve had subs in my car for a couple years now, and I haven’t noticed any mechanical or structural damage to my car,” Ingleby said.

Ingleby said the music he listens to doesn’t use his subwoofers as much as other genres might.

“The music that I listen to doesn’t have much bass like rap or hip-hop,” he said. “I mostly listen to punk and rock music.”