Discussing buying car audio, bad investment?
12-13-2009, 08:46 PM
#11
Yankee
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,599
I generally drive alone and I often drive long distances. Music, sports, entertainment provide companionship, entertain me (keep me awake), sooth me in traffic, and reminds me of good times and places. Music helps set my mood and keeps me from complete road rage induced mass murder. I can remember a lost love, old friends, drunken adventures, college antics, times and places snap into place.
A good sound system helps me escape from the problems of the world...priceless
A good sound system helps me escape from the problems of the world...priceless
12-13-2009, 09:18 PM
#12
fresh1, Dukk & John Vroom have all given some well stated answers - to which I wholeheartedly concur. The pleasure derived from a great car audio system is a true joy.
In my opinion, and perhaps more importantly, from my own experience, where car audio can rapidly become a bad investment are in some of the following areas (in no particular order):
Just my 2 cents... YMMV.
Cheers!
In my opinion, and perhaps more importantly, from my own experience, where car audio can rapidly become a bad investment are in some of the following areas (in no particular order):
- Failing to have a clear set objective on what you what to achieve with your system.
- Repeated changing your mind on how you want to achieve the goals that you have set.
- Catching "forumboneritis"
- Buying gear thinking it will appreciate in value
- Buying gear that appears to be great deal, without considering the optimum performance requirements and verifying if you can deliver on / are willing to modify the vehicle to meet those criterion (mainly speaker related, but can also apply to amplifiers)
Just my 2 cents... YMMV.
Cheers!
12-14-2009, 04:12 PM
#13
500 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 849
I was always stuck with buying things and not being happy with them, this time I am doing planning for months in advance. I just received my new Eclipse Cd5030 and the Morel Tempo's in the mail today from rob 
. The speakers will not be installed for a few months until I save up the money and decide what 2 amps I want. But the deck I will install myself because you don't even need a brain to do it.
As for what JohnVroom said, I too find it a great escape from the world. Sometimes if I am having a bad day I like to go for a ride and listen to my stereo. I feel it really opens my mind. The stereo is for me alone, and not to show off. Now that I have a stock stereo, I barely want to drive anywhere because the speakers sound like a paper cup...
As for an alarm system, I got quoted at 2.5 hours of work at $60 an hour. I thought that wasn't too bad because it's only a one way alarm which is easier to install I suppose. So to have an alarm system bought and installed would probably cost me less than $300 which is excellent.
. The speakers will not be installed for a few months until I save up the money and decide what 2 amps I want. But the deck I will install myself because you don't even need a brain to do it.As for what JohnVroom said, I too find it a great escape from the world. Sometimes if I am having a bad day I like to go for a ride and listen to my stereo. I feel it really opens my mind. The stereo is for me alone, and not to show off. Now that I have a stock stereo, I barely want to drive anywhere because the speakers sound like a paper cup...
As for an alarm system, I got quoted at 2.5 hours of work at $60 an hour. I thought that wasn't too bad because it's only a one way alarm which is easier to install I suppose. So to have an alarm system bought and installed would probably cost me less than $300 which is excellent.
12-14-2009, 06:14 PM
#17
I generally drive alone and I often drive long distances. Music, sports, entertainment provide companionship, entertain me (keep me awake), sooth me in traffic, and reminds me of good times and places. Music helps set my mood and keeps me from complete road rage induced mass murder. I can remember a lost love, old friends, drunken adventures, college antics, times and places snap into place.
A good sound system helps me escape from the problems of the world...priceless
A good sound system helps me escape from the problems of the world...priceless
dude.. i nearly shed a tear lol I couldnt agree more. much love!
LOL at the mass murder on the roads and quite possibly does keep most of us from destroying our vehicles and possibly lives for the most part just by enjoying a long drive in total euphoria and beat. AMEN
12-14-2009, 06:35 PM
#18
lmao ive been planing for a year now.. and car audio is a waste of money. especially if it becomes a hobby.. not bad for a regular consumer but for hobbys.. theres just to much money gone into it.. im on my 6th setup and counting.. i dont think ill ever be satisfied. cause my standards go up with every time i change my system.. i whent from crappy to decent and now i want amazing SQ but i want sick SQL with that.. im never happy and im spending to much money lol.. BUT next system will be coming and it will be better and bigger>
i just wish i could of had more money when i started and i wish i knew about this site and learned everything that i know so far from the start.. and then maybe i wouldnt of spent so much and so many times
education is the key in car audio. know what u want and how you want it. and know what you are doing lol
i just wish i could of had more money when i started and i wish i knew about this site and learned everything that i know so far from the start.. and then maybe i wouldnt of spent so much and so many times
education is the key in car audio. know what u want and how you want it. and know what you are doing lol
12-14-2009, 07:28 PM
#19
Yankee
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,599
lets face it, if you have a hobby and you take it to a level considered "serious" or compulsive... then almost any hobby gets pricey (horse riding, snowmobiles, skiing, racing, car shows, drinking, stamps, comic books, gambling, etc.). I think the goal is to spend money wisely and not to keep throwing money at a problem till it goes away.
12-14-2009, 07:58 PM
#20
500 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 849
Well said JohnVroom.
I play guitar, acoustic and electric. So when I go out and buy one I don't want a piece of garbage. I spent over $1,000 for an electric guitar and it will last me many years as long as I take care of it.
Instruments are also a hobby, but they cost money too. I guess you can same the exact same thing for car audio.
I play guitar, acoustic and electric. So when I go out and buy one I don't want a piece of garbage. I spent over $1,000 for an electric guitar and it will last me many years as long as I take care of it.
Instruments are also a hobby, but they cost money too. I guess you can same the exact same thing for car audio.
