zand02max

iTrader: (22)

Nice answer smarty! Most other audio shops are just as incompetant!

drumminguy81

iTrader: (19)

thats unfortunate that the best buy there is so terrible, best buy is like any shop though and varies greatly from store to store. i personally work for best buy here and we do quality work. we guarentee all of our installs for life. there are several custom car audio shops here in town and i know several of the installers from many of them and have seen a lot of the work that other shops have done, and from what i have seen there are very few installers that i would trust my car with over any one of the installers i work with at best buy. unfortunatly this must not be the case where you live, and personally if they told you that it couldnt be done i would steer clear of them and take your car to someone that knows what they are doing. its sad that places like that give us all a bad rep.

L33TZOR

iTrader: (1)

take a volt ohm meter and see.

04lemansZ

iTrader: (3)

my speakers still work with an Alpine DD unit

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

The bottom line is you have to know and trust the person working on your car. It amazes me that some people say 'take it to a custom shop and have it done right.' If they would have paid me $100 every time I fixed a 'custom shops' installs when I installed at Circuit City I would be retired right now.

There is something about the 'install a remote start as fast as possible because we get paid per job' mentality that promotes this.

At least at the chain stores they pay installers per hour, so they won't be rushed to get on to the next car.

But, my point is, the name on the store means absolutely nothing when it comes to who is actually working on your car. Even if you get a very experianced installer they can have bad days and things can go wrong.

My advice would be:

1. Talk to the person who will be working on your car. Tell them you are very protective of your car and that you only want them working on it.
2. Don't drop your car off. Stay and watch them work. It may take them longer to get it done, but at least they will be VERY careful
3. Inspect the entire install before you leave. If you aren't happy say something.
4. Know that NO store can deny you the opportunity to file a claim with their insurance. It is ultimately up to the insurance company what, if anything, you will be paid if something goes wrong.
5. Make sure you and the installer are on the same page so he can deliver what you are expecting.
6. Make sure you understand their warranty on their work before you pay them to do the install.

shushikiary

LOL I remember one summer in college when I didnt get an internship, but I had one the year before, I tried to get a job at Best Buy for installing car audio/hometheater/ or computer repair. At the interview for the job the guy asked me what I did at my internship (I designed power control circuitry for a 10gig/s 40 port fiberoptic SAN switch) and I told him some very basic stuff, but he kept asking questions about it so I finaly told him the whole jist (he was the head of the home theater install department), and he had this look on his face like he had no idea what I just said (understandable, he's not an EE). I also have designed several of my own subs, so he asked me about that, and I told him about taking the Q, VAF, etc from the driver specs and it's bode and caluculating the frequency response of several ported/bandpass/infanet baffel/sealed boxs in order to get a bode plot for the box that complimented the speaker well, like a resonance at 20hz for a sub that didnt have a good 20hz response to try to flaten out the curve.... again he had no idea what I just said....

In the end, he told me I was overqualified, and I told him I just wanted a job and that I could do the job well. I needed some kind of income for the summer and I figured this would be a fun job because it's something I enjoy and know about. He refused to hire me because I knew too much. I can only speculate on the reasoning behind that (maybe he thought I'd take his job? maybe he thought I'd really be sad with the job or the pay? maybe he thought I'd think I knew too much be snotty about it? who knows what he thought...) point is... they could have hired someone who knew what they where doing, but they didnt.... IMO. I dont think best buy looks for the "best people for the job" but rather people who can simply do what are told without thinking about it.... of course this is only 1 best buy... maybe there are a few out there who hire quality people.

w8lifter21

iTrader: (1)

+1, i've never understood why people think custom shops are are THAT much better than chain stores. I've worked for both CC and BB in 2 very different towns. I can say I have fixed more hack jobs from independant shops than from a chain. At least chain stores have SOME type of training, even if an installer really hasn't touched a set of tools, or been in the car audio aspect of the auto industry. When you go into a BB or CC, I would walk right past the sales person, and talk to an installer. Yes some installers work the sales floor, but even more don't. Alot of the time you have some HS kids who are just there for the discount and want to try and sound like they know what they are talking about. If an installer said that it couldn't be done, most definetly walk. When people come wanting to upgrade their stereo system, I always direct them to start with the headunit. 9/10 people hear a night and day difference even with the stock speakers just because aftermarket stereos but out much more power than stock and they have much better sound control. You get Joe Bob customer who wants some alpine type Rs on a stock deck with no amp, and they will 1. not get the same volume out of the speakers and 2. the sound quality could go right out the window because they are turning the volume up so high on the radio. It's all in who you talk to, if you feel like you're talking to a monkey, buy you're radio, and a few CD's and take it somewhere else to have it installed. Or just drive to IL, i'll put it in for you

350z2k3

iTrader: (5)

Ok, I have the no sound issue. Aftermarket headunit, Bose system. The wiring harness came preinstalled from the person I bought it from. I get power, but no sound. This will sound like a dumb question, but what's the remote turn on lead?

padam07

I hope you use heat shrink not tape.

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

Why?

I've used tape on every connection I've made for the past 10 years and never had a problem with any of them.

Of course, the trick is to use high quality tape (Scotch 33+).

Heat shrink is less desirable then tape because heat shrink requires you to cut the wire you are tapping in to, which can lead to more problems down the road.

Solder and taping is by far the preferred and best way to make connections in an automobile environment.

shushikiary

because no matter what the tape will degrade over time (though the better tape will last longer) and turn into a giant sticky gooey mess, which will then expose your wire to air and cause corosion eventually leading to the failure of the connection (if it was spliced, if it was soldered then you'll be more ok). Heat shink is a far better material to use, however you are right that you'll have to cut the wire to put it on. But cutting the wire, then solding the 3 pieces together and covering it with a properly done heat shrink is better. Unless you want to cover the entire connection with electrical epoxy which would be even better (but a PITA to undo later if need be), or close it in a hermetically sealed enclosure. If you're using a gold plated splice and gold wire, then I suppose electrical tape might be ok, or if soldering (still a gooey mess several years from now however, but it wont corrode, but it will expose the wire next to the solder to air and cause it to corrode, weakening the wire next to the solder joint and eventually causing a break (hard solder, soft wire -> stress and break) if it's not gold wire). Aluminum wire will also not corrode.

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

Scotch 33+ will not become gooey under any circumstance I've ever seen, and I live in the Midwest (hot summers, cold winters).

The only problem you'll have with 33+ is if you allow it to freeze before applying it. Once the adhesive freezes it won't be as tacky, but it still won't become gooey. You can tell if a roll has frozen by the way the adhesive breaks up as you unroll it.

I've seen 33+ last in cars for over 10 years with no signs of deterioration.

The other problem with 33+ is that most people arn't willing to pay $4 a roll for electrical tape when they can get a bigger roll for $0.88.

My problem with cutting the wire is that even the best soldering makes a bad joint every once in a great while. If you have a cold solder joint under heat shrink tubing there is a good chance that the car will have intermittent problems (including shutting off while driving). If you have the same cold solder joint under electrical tape (with the parent wire never cut) you will only have problems with the equipment that was added on.

Both methods are night and day better then any sort of crimping methods, especially 't-taps', but thats a completely different subject all together.

shushikiary

I've never seen this 33+, if it's as good as you say it is i'll have to try it out.... and if you know how to use solder, you shouldnt get a cold solder joint. Flux always helps in preventing that, even though most electrical solder has flux in the core, it's always good to flux before you solder.

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg...mId=1611604508

Tape Thickness (Mil) 7
Tape Size 3/4
Max. Voltage 600
Roll Size 66
UV Resistance Yes
Material Vinyl
Backing Flexible Vinyl, Conforms to Irregular Surfaces
Characteristics Flame Retardant
Resists Weather, Abrasion, Alkalis, Acids and Corrosion
Application Aggressive Adhesive Provides Fast, Sure Grab


Like I said, it's pretty good stuff, but at $4.34 a roll it should be.

StreetOC192

iTrader: (7)

I am a +1 on heat shrink tubing, but I have never used the 33+ tape. I suppose it might save a little time versus heat shrink......

I also have seen this stuff, but never used it, anybody try it out?
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=350-040

I might give it a whirl.

padam07

I hear ya on that subject!!!!

solidsnake

iTrader: (14)

Screw Best Buy. They suck. Thank goodness we have a fry's electronics here. Also if they have a Tweeter store there take it to them. Goodluck. Oh and you might wanna check how much the head-unit you where going to get cost on ebay compared to Best Buy.

2T350Z

go to a tweeter store they are experts