Audio Install Question
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: nj
Originally Posted by sundevil67
I finally was able to reach the owner today to set up an appointment to bring my car back in. When I mentioned the AM reception problem, the response I got was that you can't expect the signal to be as good as it was with the factory radio. When I reminded him that the radio that was replaced was in fact an aftermarket Pioneer head unit, he said that every head unit is different, and that my new model doesn't have a "super tuner" like the old one, so it wasn't as good. Something about this reply just doesn't sit well with me. I mean, is there really a logical reason that my 10 year old Pioneer head unit would have so much better AM radio reception than my brand new Pioneer head unit? I checked the specs here, and see that this unit in fact has something called "Supertuner IIID", and I just can't swallow this explanation. I looked at the manual from my old deck, and see that it had a "SuperTuner III". What do you guys think? Is he just avoiding some extra work? He claimed that he just hooked up the new one the same way the old one was hooked up, but some stations that I used to get crystal clear are now dead air. Any ideas on how I can strengthen my case here? I don't know much about audio hookup. Truth be told, I don't know if I even want him to pull the deck back out because they will probably scratch it or make some other careless mistake. You guys think a product like this would help? Though I hate to pay them to install this if it isn't necessary.
wait till you go to add your amps and speakers, than go to a really good place,the kind that has a waiting list to get into...great installs aren't cheap. than, tell the new place that your AM reception has been bad, have them test it out when they are running the RCAs for the amps, you may even want to see if they will wire it up outside the car and test it that way.
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, AZ
Audio Install
OK, here's the update if anyone still cares! I don't know why I am writing all of this minute detail, but I guess it is for all of you folks that are bored at work like me and read these forums a lot!
I have to say that I may have overreacted a teensy bit, and the installer has redeemed himself somewhat. I am still going to go to a different shop for the remaining work, but I do think this shop has some talent - they just have poor business skills. I made an appointment last week for this morning at 8:30. I showed up right on time, and the place was all closed up. I called and their message machine said they open at 8AM. I had my boss follow me there, so I was kind of under the gun to get to work. We hung around and BS'ed for about 30 minutes, and the owner showed up right around 9. When he finally showed up, the first thing he said to me was "I didn't know you were coming in today, we have 5 cars to do today". I think the look on my face at that point convinced him that this had to get done today. I went down the list...
AM Antenna
He said he would check the AM radio antenna, because I insisted that something had to be wrong. It's a good thing I didn't accept the original explanation, because he fixed it and now it works perfectly. He said that he sanded down the antenna connection. Sounds a bit fishy; I think the explanation is probably that they just forgot to plug in the special antenna connection that Z owners have been telling me about. It must be a common mistake, because the last time I had a deck installed the exact same thing happened - that is why i think it was likely just an oversight.
MP3 Player
Turns out the MP3 player hadn't blown a fuse - the face was actually partially detached - so it was my own stupid fault! I didn't even know it had a detachable face. The one thing I am still conerned about is that if I leave it playing while I change the source to Sirius radio, I hear both through the speakers. I don't know if this is indicative of a wiring mistake or if this is normal and I just have to make sure that the MP3 player is paused before I switch to Sirius. Anyone know? It is on the deck's "AUX" source.
Extra Screws & Clips
I showed him the extra screws and clips I found, and he said it was from the old brackets - all throw aways and nothing was missing from the new install. He promised to replace the missing clip, and I haven't checked yet if he did. OK, I suppose I can buy that - but I didn't mention the broken dry cleaning hook because I figure it is less trouble to just have it replaced by the dealer when I go in for service.
Bluetooth Cellphone
When I asked him to move the controls to the change bin, he said he would have to charge me. When I complained, he said that the charge would be for the trim panel he would have to fabricate. I said I didn't think I really needed that, and told him to just mount it to the bottom of the change bin. I then called him back later and asked what this would actually cost, and he promised to call me back after taking a closer look. He never called me back. He moved it to the change bin and everything seems OK, but on my paperwork next to that line item, he wrote "should have told me about this in the first place!" - and I feel like mailing it to him and writing next to that: "you should have actually read the instructions I gave you!". He tightened the kuda base like I asked him to (it had become very loose and flopping all over the place) and even added a screw so that I would be able to tighten the swivel part myself in the future - very creative and nicely done.
Glock Mount
After going over all of that, I asked him to install my Fobus holster mount for my Glock. I figured this would be a really easy job, it is really just a couple of screws and I'd rather have a professional do it. Check out this thread if you are interested.
All in all, this is a talented shop, but I think they are very careless because they are overloaded. Because they are overloaded, they don't really focus on customer service; I guess because they already have more business than they can handle. It is a shame, because I definitely would have brought my whole system there if they had been more honest and attentive to detail. The moral of the story is do what you say you're gonna do, call when you say you're gonna call, admit your mistakes, and manage your schedule! I am glad to put this behind me and am looking forward to intalling the subs & amps. I am going to pay extra to have it done at a high end shop in town, but I think it is worth it for peace of mind. When you are dealing with what is essentially your most prized possession in the world, it is worth it.
I have to say that I may have overreacted a teensy bit, and the installer has redeemed himself somewhat. I am still going to go to a different shop for the remaining work, but I do think this shop has some talent - they just have poor business skills. I made an appointment last week for this morning at 8:30. I showed up right on time, and the place was all closed up. I called and their message machine said they open at 8AM. I had my boss follow me there, so I was kind of under the gun to get to work. We hung around and BS'ed for about 30 minutes, and the owner showed up right around 9. When he finally showed up, the first thing he said to me was "I didn't know you were coming in today, we have 5 cars to do today". I think the look on my face at that point convinced him that this had to get done today. I went down the list...
AM Antenna
He said he would check the AM radio antenna, because I insisted that something had to be wrong. It's a good thing I didn't accept the original explanation, because he fixed it and now it works perfectly. He said that he sanded down the antenna connection. Sounds a bit fishy; I think the explanation is probably that they just forgot to plug in the special antenna connection that Z owners have been telling me about. It must be a common mistake, because the last time I had a deck installed the exact same thing happened - that is why i think it was likely just an oversight.
MP3 Player
Turns out the MP3 player hadn't blown a fuse - the face was actually partially detached - so it was my own stupid fault! I didn't even know it had a detachable face. The one thing I am still conerned about is that if I leave it playing while I change the source to Sirius radio, I hear both through the speakers. I don't know if this is indicative of a wiring mistake or if this is normal and I just have to make sure that the MP3 player is paused before I switch to Sirius. Anyone know? It is on the deck's "AUX" source.
Extra Screws & Clips
I showed him the extra screws and clips I found, and he said it was from the old brackets - all throw aways and nothing was missing from the new install. He promised to replace the missing clip, and I haven't checked yet if he did. OK, I suppose I can buy that - but I didn't mention the broken dry cleaning hook because I figure it is less trouble to just have it replaced by the dealer when I go in for service.
Bluetooth Cellphone
When I asked him to move the controls to the change bin, he said he would have to charge me. When I complained, he said that the charge would be for the trim panel he would have to fabricate. I said I didn't think I really needed that, and told him to just mount it to the bottom of the change bin. I then called him back later and asked what this would actually cost, and he promised to call me back after taking a closer look. He never called me back. He moved it to the change bin and everything seems OK, but on my paperwork next to that line item, he wrote "should have told me about this in the first place!" - and I feel like mailing it to him and writing next to that: "you should have actually read the instructions I gave you!". He tightened the kuda base like I asked him to (it had become very loose and flopping all over the place) and even added a screw so that I would be able to tighten the swivel part myself in the future - very creative and nicely done.
Glock Mount
After going over all of that, I asked him to install my Fobus holster mount for my Glock. I figured this would be a really easy job, it is really just a couple of screws and I'd rather have a professional do it. Check out this thread if you are interested.
All in all, this is a talented shop, but I think they are very careless because they are overloaded. Because they are overloaded, they don't really focus on customer service; I guess because they already have more business than they can handle. It is a shame, because I definitely would have brought my whole system there if they had been more honest and attentive to detail. The moral of the story is do what you say you're gonna do, call when you say you're gonna call, admit your mistakes, and manage your schedule! I am glad to put this behind me and am looking forward to intalling the subs & amps. I am going to pay extra to have it done at a high end shop in town, but I think it is worth it for peace of mind. When you are dealing with what is essentially your most prized possession in the world, it is worth it.
Thread Starter
New Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, AZ
Shady Pricing
Just when I thought the shop had earned some points back, I decide to go over my bill a little more closely - and see that I was charged $85 for a Pioneer Dual Aux adapter, and another $25 to plug it in. This is the CD-RB20 RCA to IP-BUS INTERCONNECTOR - and the highest price I was able to find it for was $45. I don't know if this is grounds for a credit card dispute, because I believed him at the time that the part cost that much. I guess he didn't count on me looking it up after the fact. I think I will call him back and ask if the shop has a 100% markup on their speakers as well. What a rip off. I am super pissed. Lesson learned. 
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