Selecting a good car audio shop - part 2
OK, so for whatever reason, you’re not going to use one of the big box car stereo stores. Perhaps it’s principal, or just lack of availability in your area. Here’s some tips on selecting a good store to patronize.
First one. NEVER do business with a car stereo store that doesn’t have prices on their products! I’ve worked at a place like this and they’d just size you up as you walked in to decide on how high they could jack up the prices on you. A good car audio shop will have prices clearly marked on items on display and most will have a list of prices of various services; flat rates from installing anything from remote starters, to amps, speakers, head unit, and so on. This of course will come in handy to do comparison shopping. Unless the shop comes highly recommended by friends or family who have shopped around, you should consider talking to the competition to at least feel things out.
Some jobs on some cars will of course not fit a cookie cutter price schedule. Generally a high end luxury car is much more complex to work on, so if you’re being asked a little more for the install, it’s probably NOT just that they think you have the money to spend. In fact, if a shop can tell you why it’s more difficult or costly for a particular job, (and it sounds like they’re not just making it up as they go), that’s a very good sign that they’ve worked on similar cars and should know their way around!
Almost any shop should be able to do simple jobs on common make/model vehicles. Head unit and stock speaker replacements are common jobs that just about anyone should be able to do. It is still worth asking around town to see what people’s experiences have been like.
Don’t be afraid of a new shop! Often established businesses stay in business by building a good track record, but that shouldn’t discourage you from supporting the new kid on the block. Many new shops are opened up by disgruntled long-time employees of the big established shops that think they can offer better. You should judge more based on the experience of the individuals than how long the store has had the same name on the sign.
Many small shops will also have employees cars set up to show off their products and their work. This is a good way to see first hand their work. Other shops will keep a book of pictures (or a website) displaying some of their more complex projects. Trophies on the walls can be a good sign, but considering some of the more popular competition categories don’t give points for style, execution, or cosmetics, this alone might not tell you much without researching the specifics of the type of competition.
Most installers are MECP certified in the USA (Canada has it’s own certification, and other countries may also have their own). Ask if the installers are certified. There are some hacks that are certified, but the certification at least ensures some level of competence and understanding of 12V electronics. Some manufacturers have their own training for sales and install people. The more training an installer has the better.
There is of course no substitute for experience! Ask how long their install guy(s) have been with the company. Most shops won’t let a rookie on a job, unsupervised, and it’s nice to know there’s an experienced veteren in the shop in case someone has trouble.
So, as with everything, always look before you leap. The internet is a great resource, Google the name of the shop and look for any reviews or horror stories. Check into their past work, and compare prices with other places. Depending on the going rates of goods, services, advertizing and general costs of operating a business, prices may vary a bit depending on your area. This is to be expected.
Do your homework, and you will most probably have a positive experience.
