TorontoFob

Just curious..would u buy and install your car audio equipments from:

1) Franchise chain stores: Best Buy, Futureshop etc

2) Private shops like audio heaven?

Factors to consider: Price, Warantee, Workmanship

Jay P

1) no
2) yes



you get what you pay for right?


i'll be biased but its based on experience, shops like audio heaven and selective sound know their stuff, have great workmanship and the price/waranty are fairly similair to big box chains

szuberi

big stores = big profit margin = you pay more

trusted vendors like AH/SS will for sure give you a good deal

k_r_a_c_k_e_r

iTrader: (3)

ditto!.

Vinny

Well, i must offer a alternative point of view. Buying from big box chains can proove to be sometimes a better deal if during a sale but the problem comes in when these big box stores only hold the warranties if you install intheir shops. Installing in these big box stores are done mainly by dumbasses. There are a few good guys in big box stores. Like inda scarborough area, at the best buy at warden n eglinton all those guys no lie suck. but one guy, i believe his name George, he knows his stuff. Is hard with big box stores, i seen guys who don't know stuff installing ****.

jdesouz

best buy / fs stuff isnt that bad :S ... yes the prices are marked up but thats why you work there or u make friends with ppl that do :P

MTX / rockford fosgate = bump bump

jaromer

future shop/ best buy
i work there and i got my system for a crazy price. if you know how to install everything yourself then thats the way to go

screwface

i just recently hooked up a system i got from best buy and CT. total cost for fronts, rears, and HU was about $350 and it's friggen BANGIN. oh yeah... closer to $400 if you include the 2 year warranty i got for the parts (bestbuy even offered a 4 year lol.) i installed myself but they still offer replacement if parts are f&kt.

all i was interested in cost and high SNR for good sound quality... and that's just **** i can read off a box myself. hell, i woulda just gotten speakers at a hock shop if i knew one that was still open

rick10

i find it more expensive at the private shops. However the quality IMO is better there too . You will find people that do this for a living and they are experts.

However , it also depends how important is your sound system for you. For me as long as it sounds decent I'm ok with it , so I am the type of guy who will buy it a future shop and just get it install.

But , I also have friends that like their sound system to be perfect , sometimes even customizer so they prefer going to the small shops

jdesouz

lol whats wrong with future shop subs? MTX is sick ...

starboy869

i find it more expensive at the private shops.

I find it more expensive in Canada in general. Depending on when the Alpine IVA-W505 comes out I might buy it in the USA instead of 2001 Audio Video. I would go to a mom & pop shop, but usually there stuff doesn't go on sale, and some have lame return/refund policy's etc.

Norb

Being an installer at Best Buy myself, I can only vouch for my store only. We have three installers, myself included and I'm pretty confident in saying that we know our ****. I have seen a lot of **** up's come from best buy also. Having something installed all depends on who is doing it. Best bet, talk to the installer before hand. If he seems skeptical or can't give you a straight up answer, don't have it installed by him.

TorontoFob

I had my wiring done in Best Buy before 1.5 yrs ago. Little did I know they screw up something which I didnt know until it was too late. They bend my water hose for my back window and now no water comes out anymore. Honda say it will take them 2-3 hours to fix it which gonna cost me 3 bills. That bull.

Norb

Sorry to hear that man. One thing i strongly suggest anytime you bring a car in for service is check everything that works and doesnt work. Once the work is done, check it again. If you still have your work order, what you can do is go to a dealership and let them know what work was done. If they check it out and confirm that it is the stores fault. Have them write a letter and bring it to the store. That way they can fix it without you paying anything. Which store did you have the work done at?

thrill_house

Davis at selective sound ftw!!

Flyte

HAHAHAHAHA WAIT! are you serious?

jdesouz

ya when ur staff and paid 300 bucks for 2 10" MTX subs + box (MXS sludgehammer kit) s-hit sounds good! And i bet the sludgehammer pounds harder then most

http://www.mtx.com/caraudio/products...Hammer8500.cfm

TorontoFob

Let see.. I did it at BB either at Scarboro town one or Markville one..cant remember ~.~