Choosing a good car stereo shop
OK, so you want to upgrade your car stereo or add other 12V accessories (dvd player for the kids, satalite radio, alarm, remote starter, etc.) but don’t have the time, tools, ability, or desire to do it yourself. You are now in the market to find a good shop to do the work.
First lesson, the big box stores:
Big Box stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, Tweeter, and the like can be very hit or miss. On the up-side they are found in most areas, are typically established businesses, and if you warrantys can be claimed almost anywhere in the country. Also often times if something is damaged in the install these companies do have the deep pockets to pay for anything they mess up. On the downside, often getting satisfaction from huge corporations is not easy. Keep in mind also that while the Best Buy in my town may have great installers, the installers two towns over could be total hacks, so an element of researching and particular store is important.
Generally for cookie cutter jobs…. simple every day stuff like remote starters, keyless entry, flip down dvd players, or just radio or speaker replacement, the big box stores are a safe bet. Most will do enough of these to be able to do most common jobs and at a competitive price. Many of these stores often have deals where “free install” is included in the price of things you buy from them.
If you’re not trying to go crazy custom, check the big box stores. Do a little homework in advance, ask around your area and see what kind of experience people have had there recently. If possible, ask if you can see their work, often employees have had the shop they work in install stuff in their cars and you can get an idea what they are capable of.
Typically prices at these places will be consistant across the country and will be fair. Personally, I prefer giving my business to the little guys for numerous reasons, but there may not be a small shop in your area, so I’ll get into that later.
