# Car Audio Shop Did Not Deliver - Looking for your opinion



## Nick_15_KL (Nov 7, 2017)

I am looking for your opinion on what I should do in this situation (especially if you are an installer, I would love to hear from you!):

*tl;dr* - Paid a local shop up front to install a system in my vehicle, they did not install what I paid for.

*Full Story:*

In November of 2017, I went to a local car audio shop (hour drive) to upgrade my stereo in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. They sold me a bunch of gear they had "at wholesale from the previous year" and required payment in full up front. (After payment and research, I found they charged me more than I could have paid at Crutchfield or Amazon). During the sale they assured me the equipment would sound amazing (good salesman). They sold me:

Alpine Type-R 6x9" with component tweeter for the front
Alpine Type-R 6.5" for the rear
Alpine KTU amp for the door speakers
Alpine MRV amp for the subwoofer
JL Audio subwoofer
4x MESA Door Kits
LoC
Amp Wiring Kits
Installation for front speakers
Installation for rear speakers
Installation for door amp
Installation for subwoofer amp
Installation for MESA door kits
Installation for LOC
Installation for Amp wiring kits

Promised a 1 day install (because I could not afford to take any time off work). This all added up to over $2,000.

What I arrived to pick it up, they said they were only half way done and that I had to come back the next day, causing me to take time off work to make it there before they closed for the day. While there, the couple songs I listened to sounded fine so I signed for the install and drove away. The next day my subwoofer started popping real bad, sound quality was awful for most music (except the couple songs I listened to while at the shop). I took it back to the shop on the weekend and they said the sound quality was not what I expected because they could not install the equipment that I purchased.

Instead they installed 5.25" Alpine Type R in all of my doors. They said the 6x9 would not fit and the 6.5 were sold to another customer and they had none left in stock when it came time to install. I asked for some money back and they said the "custom mounting" offset the cost of the downgraded hardware. Then they assured me with tuning the sound would get better. Unfortunately, I had them install an LOC which does not have any EQ, so they upsold me a Fix-86 DSP to replace the LOC so I could tune myself via the software. I was sold, paid them extra to install the DSP and remove the LOC. This time it only took 1 day and again the sound was great when I picked it up. The next day the sound went to crap again. Turns out the DSP was set to "bypass" at the shop but would "time-out" of bypass mode overnight (found this out later via trial and error).

Being fed up with the lack of quality and popping sound, I took it back to them and demanded (frustrated at this point) they swap out the Alpine amp for a JL amp. They reluctantly did this saying it would not fix the issue. To their amazement, it did resolve the problem. At least my subwoofer sounded good at this point. Again, they charged me for the new amp and the install. I am up over $3000 at this point.

*Fast forward to 2019:*

I spent the past year tuning but I could never get the system to sound right, so this week I went to a different installer and had them install all new speakers and a new door amp. When they took the door panels off, there were no MESA door kits. The new installer recommended I ask the old installer for some money back because they did not install the gear I paid for.

*My Questions:*

Should I ask for money back?

How do I approach them without being combative or accusing?

It's been over a year, did I wait too long?

Hate to ask this, but should I skip asking and take this straight to small claims court?


I thank you all for your opinions. Please be honest with your answers regardless of which direction you think I should take.


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## 17Challenger (Jan 6, 2019)

It never hurts to try but imo it's been too long. A place like that isn't going to voluntarily refund you anything anyway. 


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## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

i'm not an installer...but yeah you got screwed. How could they sell you 6x9's and then install 5 1/4's without telling you upfront? looks like they sold you sound deadening and didn't do it? Thats your saving grace for waiting so long i guess....small claims court, but you better have written quotes with receipts detailing what you paid for and what they sold you.

Bottom line is you are probably screwed, but if you have the right documentation and have time to go to small claims court you might get some money back.

You are to blame too, in this day and age you can google prices of anything they are selling you immediately, plus NEVER pay upfront...especially when they did not have to order anything.


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## 207315 (Jan 6, 2019)

Id ask them for the sound deadening material. If they have a bunch in stock they might not argue with giving you a chunk.


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## ddshaw (Nov 14, 2018)

Nick_15_KL,

I agree with miniSQ. It is too late now. I used to sell and install many years ago. I understand your position but you should have done more with a year of the install. I think you have a weak case to take to them or small claims. That said, it never hurts to try. Good luck!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Well, I agree that you waiting WAY to long to complain.

Experience/Knowledge is sometimes very expensive.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

This makes me sad to be honest. Not really sure what to do from here, but you should have had them take it all out and give you your money back on the spot back in 2017. 

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## GEM592 (Jun 19, 2015)

Nick_15_KL said:


> Should I ask for money back?


Yes, although you certainly won't get it back. No harm in letting them know you're unhappy, even after trying your best to be, with the system. And asking for your money back is really the only way they will fully understand this.



Nick_15_KL said:


> How do I approach them without being combative or accusing?


Just don't be combative or accusing. There you go.



Nick_15_KL said:


> It's been over a year, did I wait too long?


Yes. The equipment change should have been an immediate deal-breaker. Live and learn I guess.



Nick_15_KL said:


> Hate to ask this, but should I skip asking and take this straight to small claims court?


Doubtful you would get paid, even if you got a judgement, and you probably wouldn't because of the "waiting too long" part.


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## Truthunter (Jun 15, 2015)

I've read so many of these stories on here and have had the same thing happen to people I know.. It makes me sick.


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## dcfis (Sep 9, 2016)

Spend another 2k to geta lawyer to make their lives miserable for the next 2 years


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## Lou Frasier2 (Jul 17, 2012)

also tell people you know in that area about the way they do business


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## Porsche (Jun 29, 2008)

write it off to a lesson learned, nothing you can do when its a year later. move on and enjoy life


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## Focused4door (Aug 15, 2015)

Yelp reviews often disappear but pictures rarely do. Pics of the lack of deadener and adapter rings with the invoice that you were charged tells far more than a review ever could.


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## Weigel21 (Sep 8, 2014)

Doubt contacting the better business bureau would do much good at this point, though it's an option. As said, it's been so long that it's likely an expensive lesson learned at this point. However, as others have said, I'd do my utmost to show the community what sort of shady practices they have and try to prevent others from having a similar experience.


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## beak81champ (Oct 2, 2015)

I wouldn’t care how long it’s been! Are you supposed to take your door cards off to inspect after install? That’s pretty unreasonable. I’d get after them!


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

Weigel21 said:


> Doubt contacting the better business bureau would do much good at this point, though it's an option. As said, it's been so long that it's likely an expensive lesson learned at this point. However, as others have said, I'd do my utmost to show the community what sort of shady practices they have and try to prevent others from having a similar experience.


it wont do anything unfortunately. The BBB is yelp for old people.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

But hell, why not post up what shop it is to save some others from going there


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## Elektra (Feb 4, 2013)

Well it’s partly your fault as well...

You should have googled the products first to see

A) is the price right considering it’s a sale for the equipment?
B) you should have had some sort of knowledge as to what fits and what doesn’t
C) it’s pretty easy to check if the door kits were installed without taking off your door card... just knock on the outer skin of the door if it sounds solid and dead then it was installed - if it sounds tinny then it wasn’t installed...

You should have requested them to remove the door cards to confirm “custom” install... more than likely the only thing custom was a set of fast rings to mount the speaker - at best...

Personally - you should have stopped at the equipment price at that point. Obviously not a reputable shop so in that instance fighting them will yield no result unless you take them to court.... the door kits are pretty easy to prove and you should win the case..

But why did you accept the speakers - I wouldn’t have accepted that? 

This is why people go DIY.... you can only blame yourself if something goes wrong. 

$3000 buys a pretty awesome system over here - sounds like you bought a $1000 system for $3000 and your gonna be in for another $2-3k to get it right....

Personally walk away... unless your the confrontational type person and are willing to make a noise...

This won’t end well...


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## OCD66 (Apr 2, 2017)

Porsche said:


> write it off to a lesson learned, nothing you can do when its a year later. move on and enjoy life


This.


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## Pb82 Ronin (Jun 6, 2018)

Lot of good advice here. I say you should put them on blast online. Every place to review, lodge a complaint, or otherwise tell your story and post pics of the shady business practice is worth it. Personally, as a consumer, I focus on negative reviews more than positive ones because they are usually the most detailed. A posted story like this would make me happily steer clear of this shop.


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## Sine Swept (Sep 3, 2010)

Post some pictures for the local's, those that don't already know will hopefully see them first.

I redid a system for a new customer, when we took his door panels off the previous shop had put all 16 screws through the surround's of the 6.5" coaxial's that he brought for the shop to install. He didn't know he got "screwed" until I showed him what they did. They used the original speakers as mounts for the new speakers, however the replacement speakers were larger than the OEM. The worst part was that it was a Chevy Equinox and there was plenty of room to mount the speaker to the door, without a baffle as you could fit anything in there without coming into contact with the window mechanism.

I was talking to my friend at another shop and mentioned the name to him. He goes "Those guys are a joke!"


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## Angrywhopper (Jan 20, 2010)

In hindsight, there were tons of red flags. It's probably too late to do anything at this point.
I would go back and explain the situation and ask them what they can do for you. If nothing, you just had a very expensive lesson.


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## Nick_15_KL (Nov 7, 2017)

Thank you everyone for your feedback. I value all of your opinions.

I agree it's too late for action. Instead I'll write them a friendly email, attach the original invoice, and ask for a partial refund. Worst they can do is say no.


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## nyquistrate (Apr 17, 2011)

Nick_15_KL said:


> Thank you everyone for your feedback. I value all of your opinions.
> 
> I agree it's too late for action. Instead I'll write them a friendly email, attach the original invoice, and ask for a partial refund. Worst they can do is say no.


Did you get any satisfaction/restitution?


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