Maybe this is a dumb idea, but maybe not...

I was perusing the posts about good/bad experiences with specific shops, and I think that maybe there could be some sort of objective, independent review process or something done by someone out there (Pasmag? I dunno)

IDEA 1:
a 'incognito install' review, where a reviewer, obviously someone who is unknown, takes a car in, gets work done, and then the work is scrutinized by some sort of 'panel of experts' in a review later, and printed. Obviously the shop would have to be let in on the idea before the review went to print, but I figured most shops SHOULD be proud of the work they do for average Joe's, not just their own sponsorshiip cars. Also if the work is really good, then the shop would essentially be getting free advertising space.

OR

IDEA 2: Perhaps an install challenge, with awards, etc, like 'Consumer Choice: Best Installs in the GTA' or something. You could have a playoff type format, with the winners of each face-off going head to head on the same projects, with $$ limits, time limits, etc....

Kinda like monster garage type stuff, but obviously on a smaller scale.

I know that stuff like this might be hard to pull off at first, but perhaps something could come of it down the road.
Obviously a shop that does shoddy work would be PO'ed at example #1, but then I suppose those arent the type of shops that should be promoted, are they.
I think that the average consumer would appreciate something like this, mainly because it would hopefully cut down on the number of horror stories that we all have seen/heard/experienced, and it would direct customers to the shops that really do ROCK.
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[ January 23, 2004, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: Buffdaddy ]

Good idea. I like the shop install "feedback and review". Good for others to read that may be considering taking their ride to a certain shop and wondering about the "value" in what they pay for.

I find it is a great idea. One of the places I've been shouldn't have been dealing with car audio for the following reasons:

1) The guy sold mostly car alarms and remote starters, out of his home
2) He sold Power Acoustik stuff [img]tongue.gif[/img]
3)Since my amp (PA Gothic series; beginner's mistake) didn't take raw wire (like a JBL 1200.1), he put a 8awg spade. Put as many strands he could in the connector, crimped, soldered, and cut off the remaining strands.

Now I am concious that not everybody can be specialized in car audio and that not everybody can spot a good shop. Somthing in the likes of what Buffdaddy said would help us all, newbies and not-so-newbies.

Steven

You can't win when someone loses...

You'd be sick to your stomach if you saw what some of the 'reputable' local shops have done and said...

Yeah, I guess despite the noblest of intentions you gotta prevent the alienation of your target market, huh Dave

Oh well, maybe someone will do a car audio Silverman Helps someday

I'm afraid that's the nature of the beast...

Car Audio Silverman eh?? There is an industry magazine called Market News that used to do that sort of thing with home audio shops... Nothing really bad, just pointed out the lack of training of most salespeople...

I remember when i was looking for my wife's last car.. I was in a Hyundai dealership, and they had a Tiburon all done up with ground effects, heavy chrome wheels and a carbon fiber dash kit. I looked at it a sorta chuckled. The salesman said that it was the only one like it and that I could never duplicate it.. I looked at my wife and smiled.. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head... I was about to say something, when my lovely wife piped up with "Why would he want to waste his time?".. I nearly fell on the floor. Point is, so many salespeople have no idea who they are dealing with, and don't give their customers enough credit... They need to learn to deal with people before they cut them down.

That being said, he was a good salesperson overall, and did a good job helping us. We didn't buy the Santa Fe, only because we get a phenominal deal on something similar.

The sad thing is he probably thought it was true Dave. Basically salespeople get their info from their boss, usually the sales manager, who gets their info from someone above him. I used to get into discussions all the time with my uncle about cars as he was a car salesman, I was appalled at some of the stuff he would say to me, like I didn't know better. Basically in this day and age a salespersons pay doesn't depend on his knowledge, and this is true of almost any ssales be it car audio or cars, or anything. It more depends on price than anything nowadays.

I don't doubt that I he thought it was true.. but it's a fine example of not knowing your customer before making an assumption. Like I said, he was a good guy, and I didn't have a problem with him, but c'mon, look at where I work... how long would it take me to duplicate the car?? Two days perhaps?

Ah well, you can't always beleive what you hear..