Another Car Stereo Shop bites the dust!!!

[bluemarvin3030]

Just driving around the Mid-City area of Baton Rouge. I've just moved here less than a year ago and have been checking out the local stereo shops. Stopped by a place on Florida blvd that shall reamin nameless. Lets just say their name starts with a "D" and ends with "avid's"

I've visited several around town inquiring about different things, custom boxes, amps, non-mainstream subs. Have crossed several off my list of future business dealings due to prices, unknowledgeable staff.

I've been looking to upgrade my amp. Needing 1500 rms at 1 ohm, so I stop in. Tell him what I need, so you would think I walk in asking for 1500 rms at 1 ohm that I must know what I'm talking about. This jack-ball shows me a f**king Power Acoustic GT1-2400D. I'm thinking to myself, "Well I'll never do business with this guy." Worst part of all the price was $219 plus tax. This crappy amp can be had for around or less than $150 online.

Just felt like ranting about my experience. I have decided to in the future never deal with car audio shops. I've always done my own installs anyway, and what I don't know I can learn from YouTube and Google.

Gonna have to fix my PayPal so I can buy from here used, or shop online

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[dragnix 5,000+ posts]

not every shop can match online prices

 

[Nutdawg651]

not every shop can match online prices

True its always good to look online or even call the company themselves because you may get a good price that you werent expecting

 

[bluemarvin3030]

not every shop can match online prices

Not so much the price, just didn't expect a real shop with multiple locations in this area to be selling such junk.

To be fair it wasn't the best neighborhood in town, so he probably sells plenty to his cliental.

 

[shizzzon 10+ year member]

Most companies who sell online do not purchase direct from the manufacturer but rather a distributor.

Doing so violates their policy and refusal to authorize manufacturer warranty.

Shops primarily only purchase direct through manufacturer providing manufacturer warranty.

The Storefront has a totally different consumer base than the online community.

There is MUCH business sense here that is not talked about and i am not authorized to go into detail about it as we are not paying member.

 

[NFrazier 10+ year member]

In his defense, PA claims it does 1500@1 ohm...he can only work with what he's got. Do I support every shops selection? No. But on the regular you have cheapskates that come in and want "fiteen' hunded watts yo'!" but want to spend $100....You also can't walk into a retail establishment and think they will be selling it for the same price you can get it online for. There's MAP, MSRP, etc. Along with other contractual obligations they undertook when carrying the product.

Don't get me wrong, I can't defend lack of knowledge etc. but a lot of DIY/internet folks don't understand the legal side of having a shop/carrying product inside that shop.

 

[bluemarvin3030]

I understand the business aspect of it all. I was mainly venting about a single experience. I expected better products from a supposedly reputable shop. I didn't expect a great price, I did however expect a better product offered up.

 

[MakkMar10]

I understand the business aspect of it all. I was mainly venting about a single experience. I expected better products from a supposedly reputable shop. I didn't expect a great price, I did however expect a better product offered up.

Same out here in Southern California, I call around an get a lot of "Waa, Na man I never heard of it" even had a few shops ask me wat a Big3 was, WTF rite. I asked for a job Hahaha....

 

[bluemarvin3030]

Same out here in Southern California, I call around an get a lot of "Waa, Na man I never heard of it" even had a few shops ask me wat a Big3 was, WTF rite. I asked for a job Hahaha....

^^^ This guy understands me.

And I forgot to mention this guy offered me $50 for my Alpine amp. In an effort to persuade me to buy a power acoustik.

I should open a shop, I know more than half these places. And I don't know sh!+. Lol

 

[bluemarvin3030]

I got a good guy an hour away, he sells AB, ct sounds, sundown, crescendo, tantric. The good stuff.

 

[MerkConvoy501]

This is a touchy subject. I was a member of this forum on a different name around 10 years ago before i started to work in a shop. Before the experience in the shop i was 100% against local shops because of pricing and knowledge. After being in the business for 2 years i see the value in a local shop. Warranty, service, etc. When dealing with the masses of people atleast were i live, what i learn and know depends alot on what the masses want. I cant defend a shop i know nothing of but i can say that i didnt respect or understand how stuff works in a shop before working in one.

 

[Better-Action 10+ year member]

that pa might put out 900-1.1k not 175 Watts like some would claim but that price is crap though.

 

[bluemarvin3030]

that pa might put out 900-1.1k not 175 Watts like some would claim but that price is crap though.

Yeah and I NEED 1500 or more RMS @ 1ohm. He couldn't offer that. That's what frustrated me. He assumed I didn't know enough to not buy a power acoustik for $220 plus.

I can understand his retail markup. But his lack of selection is what amazed me. But like one guy commented, people come in his shop looking for cheap power. He has got to give them what they want. The area of town explains a lot about that.

I know to purchase online, install myself, and buy used.

 

[d77543020 10+ year member]

these shops sell cheap junk to survive unfortunately people who are really into car audio are the minority the majority are those cheap guys who come in and wants 1500 rms for 150 dollars so they sell a guy a amp that says 2000 watts max on the box and the guy thinks he got a deal

 

[bluemarvin3030]

Not sure why I keep subjecting myself to this torture, but got off early today and stopped in another shop. Told him what I was looking for. Now in the bright side he had a nice selection of hifonics amps to choose from with the usual/expected retail markup, for what it's worth. He asked what my setup was and I told him. He says "be careful, you don't want to blow that sub." I asked why, he says "12's can only take about 400-600 watts rms." I just left at that point. I'm done...

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

as an installer and being local to you, you are whats wrong with the 12v industry. you don't know what your talking about and you have no idea how to run a business. you put a business on blast b/c you don't like the brand they carry or the retail price they gave when you asked for a price.

 

[bluemarvin3030]

as an installer and being local to you, you are whats wrong with the 12v industry. you don't know what your talking about and you have no idea how to run a business. you put a business on blast b/c you don't like the brand they carry or the retail price they gave when you asked for a price.

Wasn't talking about you or your shop. Don't take it personal guy. I've been to shops with extensive knowledge and great selection. I was sharing a few singular experiences.

I don't claim to know anything, no need to bash me. I do know how to tell when someone is blowing smoke up my a$$. I'd be happy to come by your shop and see what you got. I prefer to shop at local shops, why do you think i keep stopping in different places. Try getting some looser fitting *******...

 

[bluemarvin3030]

Let me apologize to any and all installers, owners, dealers that I may have offended. Maybe I shouldn't have named names. I haven't lied or exaggerated any details of my experiences. Just reporting the facts. There are some great shops out there and even better guys working in them. Unfortunately some are not so good. To the guy in New Orleans. If you can offer a reliable amp that does rated then you were not who I was talking about.

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

if you are going to shop in a retail store front, expect retail pricing. if you don't like the product that store front has than move on to the next one. if you think you know more than the people working at a store front don't support them by not giving them your business. if you were to come into my location you can expect to pay $350 or more for an amp that does 1500 watts RMS. it would be a big box brand like Kicker or Alpine too. I'm sure you're going to complain saying "i can get that amp for half that online" my response is "pay me that price today and you can pick it up in 1 week also there's no warranty or receipt or returns".

 

[Wingman0121 10+ year member]

Let me apologize to any and all installers, owners, dealers that I may have offended. Maybe I shouldn't have named names. I haven't lied or exaggerated any details of my experiences. Just reporting the facts. There are some great shops out there and even better guys working in them. Unfortunately some are not so good. To the guy in New Orleans. If you can offer a reliable amp that does rated then you were not who I was talking about.

I got a good guy an hour away, he sells AB, ct sounds, sundown, crescendo, tantric. The good stuff.

I can guarantee that if a shop offers you a Phoenix Gold Ti21300.1, a Rockford Fosgate T1500 or a MTX XThunder 1500.1 you'll complain about how it's too expensive and "it's mainstream durrr." If you like those internet brands then why even bother wasting local shops' time and just go to your "guy" that's only an hour away? People who are in the car audio business and have physical stores hate people like you, aka "I want everything for cheap but they better be good" morons. Car audio died because a lot of people became cheapasses, you think local stores dying is a good thing? No, they're the one who used to host shows and competitions, people used to be able to go to a shop and ask questions and get stuff fixed, now they have to go online and deal with idiots on forums who either bash what they own or just not helpful at all.

$50 for your Alpine M500 is almost too much for a shop, why? When a shop sells something and breaks then it's on them, why would they risk buying used equipment for resell knowing they'll have to pay for the damages if it goes faulty? If I own a shop I would just tell you that I'm not interested in used equipment, the dude was nice enough to offer a trade and you act all offended, that amp only goes for $70~90 used on eBay anyway. When an authorized dealer sells and installs the amp you usually have 6 months or more for warranty so if it goes defective then they'll swap it out free of charge. When someone buys something online and it breaks then you'll have to either pay return shipping or wait for them to email a label, wait for however long for exchange and you're out of gear for awhile. Outside of the 30-day exchange period? Good luck, you may just earned a paper weight. RMA request got lost? "Sorry let me try to find it." Your requests and calls go unanswered? Too bad, what are you gonna do, send them an angry email?

Support your local shops, if you don't like their items then fine, but don't sit here and act like you know everything about operating a business, because you don't.