Another Ex. of a SH***Y Install
50 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 136
I know what you mean. TIME. Something some of us don't have. I've been doing car audio for such a long time, and now that I'm in university, it's really hard to find time to work on things like installing and building amp racks/boxes/wiring a whole car/making MDF baffles for those really deep CDT's. But, when it comes down to it, I make time because I don't care if I mess up my car's system, it's when some jackass does it for me.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 756
When I first got into car audio a few years ago, I got my stuff installed by shops, and it cost me a pretty penny. I still remember a friend of mine that got some new front speakers in his 99' civic. They recomended 5.25" rockfords, and not knowing better, he figured they were the correct speakers. Not only did the doors only take 6 1/2s, but they didn't even use speaker plates, and held the speakers on by screwing two of the screws in at an angle through the plastic door pod. There was at least an inch of air around the entire speaker. What a joke. They connected them up by cutting the stock speakers and twirling the copper strands around the terminals. There wasn't even electrical tape on them.
Anyways, if you want something done right, you should do it yourself. I know many people are intimidated when doing DIY work, but if you research what you are going to do, and give yourself plenty of time, you will have a much better finished product. You don't have to work on something as if it were your own, it is your own [img]smile.gif[/img] . Sometime's doing the install on your own is half the fun.
Anyways, if you want something done right, you should do it yourself. I know many people are intimidated when doing DIY work, but if you research what you are going to do, and give yourself plenty of time, you will have a much better finished product. You don't have to work on something as if it were your own, it is your own [img]smile.gif[/img] . Sometime's doing the install on your own is half the fun.
Originally posted by Orion_95:
but...most people who THINK they know what they are doing, really have no clue...And then when their hack job falls apart, they bring it to me to fix it...are they really saving money?
but...most people who THINK they know what they are doing, really have no clue...And then when their hack job falls apart, they bring it to me to fix it...are they really saving money?
jk [img]tongue.gif[/img]
50 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 62
I cant count the times ive fixed things for ppl who just didn't know any beter than, they thought they could do it , and they ended up screwing it up, and if it worked, its usualy 180 out of phase or just looked horrible.
Usualy, the ppl who are good at this stuff are in the industry, because there good, or they atleast know how to wire properly, plus theres alot more to kow about this stuff then the average do-it-yourselfer could even fathom
Usualy, the ppl who are good at this stuff are in the industry, because there good, or they atleast know how to wire properly, plus theres alot more to kow about this stuff then the average do-it-yourselfer could even fathom
Guest
Posts: n/a
Okay guys, not all professionals do a good job, but the great majority do. On the other hand DIY'ers in general do a terrible job (not all but most) that is a simple fact of life. Yes there are jobs that I do myself like all the mechanical work on my cars and building things out of wood, but I leave alot of stuff to professionals (home wiring, plumbing, some yardwork) for the simple fact that it will take too much time.
People ask me all the time if it's easy to do my job (say install a deck in a car) I will never say it's easy even if it is to me. Yes I can install a deck in a 1991 Tempo in about 10 minutes, but I have seen a DIY'er cause $800 damage to that exact same car when he installed a simple deck WITH A HARNESS.
If you want to see some of the so called good jobs that get done take a look here http://www./scarey_stuff.htm
[ August 13, 2003, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: DWVW ]
People ask me all the time if it's easy to do my job (say install a deck in a car) I will never say it's easy even if it is to me. Yes I can install a deck in a 1991 Tempo in about 10 minutes, but I have seen a DIY'er cause $800 damage to that exact same car when he installed a simple deck WITH A HARNESS.
If you want to see some of the so called good jobs that get done take a look here http://www./scarey_stuff.htm
[ August 13, 2003, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: DWVW ]
50 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 62
wow DW a pic is definatly worth a thousand words!
And Im willing to put money that any pro installer, has seen more than 10 examples as bad if not worse than that.
The thing is is its not just messy, and hard to fix, it can cause real big problems, like your car could catch fire! be carefull to all you back-yard bob installers out there. As you can see there is a reason that there are good professional installers out there, that are licensed to install all of you factory warranted parts, and if you dont have that little number that says you can, dont get mad when you blow up your car
And Im willing to put money that any pro installer, has seen more than 10 examples as bad if not worse than that.
The thing is is its not just messy, and hard to fix, it can cause real big problems, like your car could catch fire! be carefull to all you back-yard bob installers out there. As you can see there is a reason that there are good professional installers out there, that are licensed to install all of you factory warranted parts, and if you dont have that little number that says you can, dont get mad when you blow up your car
Guest
Posts: n/a
I have a few tips for people when dealing with shops
discuss your install work with the installer before you even discuss prices .......be very clear on exactly what you want and how you want t done
when I take my vehicle in I make sure they know I want all wires soldered to the speaker terminals, I specify what guage power and speaker wire I want, I even tell em to be sure to use a wire harness adaptor for the head unit
(don't lauf I took my intrepid in for a simple deck install, I didn't have time, I assumed they'd use a harness, who doesn't .....imagine how PO'd I was later to find they hacked my factory harness up)
I also make it clear that I want a good job done and if that means I got to pay a little extra then so be it as long as it's a good job
also ask to come in just before it's all buttoned up (panels put back on) and inspect the work or ask for pictures of the build up (again this is usually for larger jobs, don't expect pictures of a straight deck install)
and the best thing to do is feel out a few shops , talk to the installers and once you find a place you like stay there .....keep going back, build a relationship with the place, then they will go out of their way to take care of you
discuss your install work with the installer before you even discuss prices .......be very clear on exactly what you want and how you want t done
when I take my vehicle in I make sure they know I want all wires soldered to the speaker terminals, I specify what guage power and speaker wire I want, I even tell em to be sure to use a wire harness adaptor for the head unit
(don't lauf I took my intrepid in for a simple deck install, I didn't have time, I assumed they'd use a harness, who doesn't .....imagine how PO'd I was later to find they hacked my factory harness up)
I also make it clear that I want a good job done and if that means I got to pay a little extra then so be it as long as it's a good job
also ask to come in just before it's all buttoned up (panels put back on) and inspect the work or ask for pictures of the build up (again this is usually for larger jobs, don't expect pictures of a straight deck install)
and the best thing to do is feel out a few shops , talk to the installers and once you find a place you like stay there .....keep going back, build a relationship with the place, then they will go out of their way to take care of you
Thread Starter
50 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 419
Unfortunately, once you leave your car with an installer, there is not much you can do if you don't like the job...they have your car and if they are not interested in keeping you happy, it's pay up or don't get your car back...most installers I have ever dealt with are just too immature to understand anything about customer service...and remember, I have dealt with more than 15 installers over the past 20 years...I have NEVER been happy with one of them...I would love for someone to change my point of view, but I would argue, based on considerable real life experience, that the vast majority of car audio installers suck...NOT EVERYONE...but most of them...I don't think too many people can argue with 20 years of dealing with idiots...
Could I do better?...sometimes...not all the time...but it is NOT my profession...am I perfectionist?...yes, but if you post $50 an hour for a job, I expect $50 an hour worth of perfection...or close to it...
I would just love for an installer to shatter my disillusionment...someone, please...
FB
Could I do better?...sometimes...not all the time...but it is NOT my profession...am I perfectionist?...yes, but if you post $50 an hour for a job, I expect $50 an hour worth of perfection...or close to it...
I would just love for an installer to shatter my disillusionment...someone, please...
FB
