Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

Gripes About Stereo Installers

R

Robbie

Guest
Golden rule boys,

When taking your car to the mechanic, auto electrician, anywhere... take out EVERYTHING!!!! lose change, pens, bags... anything that you don't want to see go missing. That means they then have noithing to take... It only takes 5 minuted to clean out your car...

This is unless of course you have a mate doing the job for you
 

Bax

Projecting
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
Messages
3,502
Reaction score
37
Points
0
Age
40
Location
QLD
Members Ride
Nothing
Have to agree with that one, I had 10 Dollars or so stolen from the ash tray.

Its even worse when the mechanic is supposably a good friend of the family. Never going to him again for numerous reasons. Saying I'd be getting something and giving me something completely different.

Do whatever you can yourself.
 

Baldric

The BOSS
Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
710
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Age
44
Location
Brisbane
Members Ride
VE GTS M6
i'll do car stereos if the owner helps me, cos it's a prick of a jib pulling cables through the harness, i think i do a pretty neat job, ibe done about 40 cars , im a qualified tradesperson (elec&mech) and i dont do the butcher ****......


anyways
 
T

Tony

Guest
i used chad in melbourne about three times, done a brilliant job each time, would recommend him to anyone, now that i'm getting a bit more knowledge of car stereos, im starting to do more things myself. But if you want to use chad give him a ring, he's recommended by JB, autobarn, strathfield etc. Does an awesome job. Really knows what he is doing.
 

valet_dave

New Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
26
Reaction score
0
Points
0
I had a classic stereo experience when I lived in Sydney.

I had a pioneer 4x35W head unit and decided I needed more grunt, so I bought a cheap Sansui 200W amp and 2 boxed 10 inch kicker subwoofers from Strathfield (can't remember the name of the suburb, but it was somewhere between Cronulla and Mascot).

I booked the car in for the next available day, which was about a week from the time I purchased the gear and turned up at the agreed time to be told my car would be ready in 2 hours. 2.5 hours later, I found the car hadn't even made it into the "workshop". After having a non threatening word to the "manager", I was told they had a few jobs that took longer than they thought, and that they would get on to my vehicle right away! It sat there another hour before it was touched.

Eventually, the "apprentice" installer walked up to me and said it was complete, BUT, due to the fact my head unit only had one set of RCA's, they could only wire up the subwoofer and rear speakers in a MONO configuration!!! Not really knowing much about how everything was set up, I had to accept what he was saying. He told me to use the left/right balance to adjust the levels between the rear speaker and subs, which did work, but with a lack of stereo output the clarity was obviously pathetic.

I couldn't be bothered arguing because I was starting my next shift a few hours later and was missing valuable sleep, so I just left in digust.

A few weeks later, I removed the amp and woofer from the boot (the amp was mounted in a spot which made it impossible to adjust any of the settings). Upon inspection I found out that they had correctly installed a splitter to convert 2 to 4 channels, but had simply plugged the cables into the wrong outputs, ie. subs into the left channels, and rear speakers into right channels. I don't know if the "techs" at Strathfield were just lazy and so lied to me, or if they were just plain stupid. They probably realised their mistake, but because of the crap job they did on installing, it would have taken them too long to remove everything to plug the cables in correctly.

Anyway, after switching everything around, and selecting the correct setting on the amp for the subs (which took me a while since they kept all the instruction manuals), I finally got the thing working properly.

My lesson.. the prices were OK for the equipment, as for installation, don't let any of these unqualified butchers anywhere near your car.

Dave
 

jules

we like the bun
Joined
Dec 27, 2003
Messages
1,149
Reaction score
18
Points
0
Members Ride
pimpin
like i said, car stereo installers are the worst of the worst. i have dealt with paul philips in melbourne who sell top line equipment and they are utter crooks.
 

Kenaz

New Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Messages
47
Reaction score
0
Points
0
I've only had one experience with a pro doing a stereo install on my car. The other two times I've done it myself. I was lazy and needed a new h/u and a couple of amps installed in my old EA so I got JB HI-FI in Knox to do it. No complaints, the guy was quick, neat and didn't leave a mess in the car. I think I paid about $175.

Ash
 
V

vt_berlina

Guest
I have just had a new head unit installed in my VT Berlina and the idiots at Strathfield could not attach the auto arial. "It doesn't work" they kept telling me.

This is crap as I was using it two days before the install. Any ideas????
 
8

87-VL-Commodore

Guest
I had a h/u and 2 6x9s in the back and a set of splits in the front installed by some "car audio" joint in Cranbourne (near dandenong in Melbourne)
Anyway I got my car back after only 45 minutes! I thought that was really quick, but maybe too quick!
As I driving down the the south gimpy highway towards Koo Wee Rup, I smelled smoke, then I seen the smoke coming out around the head unit! Now I'm doing 100 ks down the highwayand then i see flames, I rip up the handbrake, let go of the steering wheel, and proceeded to rip out the head unit, which came out a bit too easily! By the time I hadf ripped it all out i had come to a complete stop!
I went back to the shop and cracked the shits and got a refund after a bout 3 hours of arguing!
 

Indy_387

New Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2004
Messages
378
Reaction score
1
Points
0
I actually had a good experience with car audio installers... Autobarn did mine for a great price & fixed up my alarm LED free of charge, I was very happy with it all.
 
Top