I got talking with another CCA member about bad car audio experiences and I felt that I should post mine. Several years back I went into Fast Foward Electronics in Owen Sound Ontario to check out what they had in their. I also have a stutter, and back then it was pretty bad. I tried asking a question and I got a bad stutter. The salesmen in the room could not but help snicker at me because of my stutter. It took me almost a year to even bother looking at car audio or even think about installing another stereo. It really hurt, but life goes on and I took my business elsewhere.

What are some negative experiences you have had in the field?

 

You should have layed his *** out across the boxes of pyramid amps and funky pups subs.

I haven't really had a bad car audio experiance. The installers in this town are awsome! I do however cringe when you try to talk audio with a car audio noob.

Like...
Me "Oh his sub must be DVC"
n00b "No way man they are rockford"

Or
Me "Watch your feet there are speakers in kick pods"
n00b "Thats stupid, your feet will block the sound"

hahaha or

Me installing a HU for a friends friend "Do you have any amps? I need to know how many RCA's to get"

n00b "Naw but i have 4 ohms in the trunk"

I just roll my eyes and clinch my teeth!

 

The first install I ever had done, I paid a shop in the southeast end of Toronto to do for me. The shop was recommended by a family friend, who said he did business with them all the time.

They did my install over the course of a saturday, and everything worked great
Unfortunately for me, I only noticed the BROKEN air conditioning duct on the underside of my dash when I had to tuck the wire bundle back up under it, because, I figured, it was 'supposed' to fall down onto my feet while I was driving.
No biggie, they agreed to fix everything....except the a/c duct, because, on an antique car like I was driving at that point, it was essentially irreplacable.
So my dad tore my head off, etc,etc...but there was really nothing I could do because I had no proof that they had broken it (I picked up the car at night, it was dark, I couldnt see it, etc.).
Upon further inspection all the wiring was crap...the speaker wires fell out 90% of the time when I shut the doors to hard, and when I pulled the woofers out of the false wall in the trunk, I found a nice UNCARPETED box, which I had PAID TO HAVE CARPETED.(of course, this was three years later, and I had no interest in pursuing it)

What did I learn....Dont leave your car in the hands of anyone without thouroughly checking everything both before and after. Also, when it comes to paying people you essentially dont know to do work, be a *****, it is, after all, your car and money

 

Sorry to hear that Zach some people are pathetic like that....its really just sad that they are......

Well i guess my experience would involve well.....Audio Obsession Sound in Edmonton/Sherwood Park (they were dealing with another stupid kid was their take on it [img]graemlins/bs.gif[/img] ) keep in mind it was not an install issue, I happened to be away for the summer working in Medicine Hat for the summer so i could buy an amp to compete with (i wanted to make it to a couple shows near the end of the season) Anyway i get a quote and i was like WTF? $1400......well seemed a little high but i thought that was the price you pay for custom install...ok whatever(it pays to do your homework and shop around) Anyway so it took about a week for it to get done, which i could and should have just done myself in the first place....oh well uneducated consumer makes the shop money and advertises for them (being me)
I mean the numbers seemed alright for playing a 42hz note.......146.6db certified...with 1200watts and a single s15L7 (dual 4's)

But the manager was such a dink i can't believed he jacked me around like that....the 1400$ was only for the box, and mounting rings in the doors, and some 1/0 wire (they didn't even use distro blocks cause the owner was so cheap).

I guess the good that came out of it was i made a good friend in the installer, and you have to realize that this was none of his fault, because he did an excellent job and i'm sure most of you who saw the install might agree. I was happy with the numbers it did [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img] Just the anager of the store....
Not too long after that the installer had some issues with the manager aswell transfered eventually to the other two stores, and now quit there and works at F/X Audio [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] so i'm happy now [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ January 22, 2004, 12:26 AM: Message edited by: Team Obsession ]

 

I too havent had too many bad experieences,but have witnessed some pretty crappy installs by people that "have been doing it for years"...

Had a guy come to me a couple weeks back with his tow truck..said his little brothe had in installed his system,but he wasnt sure about it...something didnt seem right..So I go out and take a look..no fuse on the main power wire,speakers where both bridged on the amp(oh yeah...a JENSEN amp from xs cargo(he couldnt figure out why his speakers were cutting out..duh!)This thing was anightmare..he said he wanted me to fix for him,but I'm still waiting(haha)for him to call.. [img]graemlins/boring.gif[/img]

Another guy at work in his Merc/Benz has done his own install as well..good lord..his amps are laying on the trunk floor..he had til today his gains turned right up(I fixed it for him)..He has agreed he needs to do a proper install soon,so I have offered to help him out...the nice guy I am..hehe

 

The shops that aren't your friend unless you purchase each piece of your stereo there.

Shops that host a competition but treat you like a** because you aren't running their gear even though you aren't advertising another shop with stickers/shirts etc.

Shops that tell me my RE sub is sh@t because they haven't heard of it but I don't usually give them the chance to sit in my car with that attitude either.

 

One time me and a friend walked into 2001 Audio Video, this is a tad after I first got into car audio.. just checking out the decks and such, there was a sign saying if you need help please ask or something to that effect.. so i just started playing with the features of the decks.. a snotty salesman came over and asked if we needed help.. i said no.. he pointed at the sign and pretty much said dont touch anything then.. walked back to his friend and started giggle.. so i walked out, and I wont buy anything from them again.. (not that i ever did anyways)..

 

I dont think I've ever been to an installer that has done a good job. I keep getting these people who do half a$$ed jobs. It's been around 3 years since I've been anywhere or installation work. I'm a big believer in DIY. If you have some patience, and do your homework.. Things usually work out well for you.