Got burned, $450 for bad amp

[LetMyBeatPound]

I have a few questions, first off I got burned on a used Skar SKv2 3500. It came and when I opened it the warrenty stickers were broke like the amp had been opened. It was a little beat up on top of that, but I figured hey if it works it's IDC how it looks. Well ended up need stuff for the install so I ran around getting everythiinstallng I forgot the day before. Got it all hooked up, and nothing. I did PayPal G&S and opened a dispute Soni should be covered, dude says to either send it to Skar or the amp Lab. That he'll pay the repair. I wanna give him the benefit of the doubt. Looking for good amp repair service besides those mentioned. After I got the amp out and inspected it I could see an arc mark on the POS and it smelled burnt a little. What should I expect to pay?

Also good budget 5k amp? 4500? 4k?

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[Lasherž]

I've been bit by used items on Ebay quite a few times. Also "refurbished" usually means customer refurbished unless it's a manufacturer's website. One was a JVC amplifier that was somebody's science experiment before I got it marked "manufacturer refurbished" I ended up opening it a few times for fixes but it served me well for many years. The other bad one was an Extech multimeter with a DC current sensing clamp that was reading about 120% too much current compared to my fluke's pass through current readings. I opened it up and there was unshrunk heatshrink all over it. I recalibrated it using the trim pots but it was never within its own spec.

 

[Squirrel!]

My 1st Enon off eBay was refurbished...meaning dude took it out of his car to put a newer unit in, took the newer units sealed wiring, put it in the box with the used unit, and sold it as "Refurbished". Paypal actually took care of me on that one.

 

[LetMyBeatPound]

Thx for the replys, just an update.
Skar sent me to Amp Medics. The quoted said at absolute worst case scenario parts and labor will be $325+plus shipping both ways. Told seller if he pays the repair, that I would pay shipping. He originally told me it was less than a year old but then stated it was bought used from Skar. So idk. Hopefully I can get it repaired and he holds up to his commitment. Hopefully the repair will be $150-$200, hell pay it and get $225 for his amp while I would have been out $550 plus more time without bass. He seems to be genuine sorry and truthful about helping fix this. But only time and money will tell.
Im starting to think I should have just got 2x taramps smart 3ks.

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

I sent one amp to amp medics years ago because it was going in protection it was a big Rodek 2x300watts .. amp was mint as soon as I got it back after a $100+ repair...I hooked it up and it was like a cannon fuse going through the circuit board .. smoke thinks popping and cracking everywhere... luckily it didn't catch my vehicle on fire .. long story short they played it off like it was hooked up wrong and refused to repair it ...so I never dealt with them again and took my losses...hopefully you'll have better luck ...

 

[Lasherž]

Unfortunately in every electronics repair business you're going to get some flukes, no pun intended.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Amp medics sucks.... won't even get into my experiences with them...

Mark Cannady
Shane Ekstrom


I won't buy used car audio anymore.

 

[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

Amp Medics are hacks, The Amp Lab is who you want working on an amp that size.

You will forever have problems with that amp if Amp Medics does the work plus the turn around time will be many months.

You are better off getting your money back and getting another amp.

Sketchy sellers with sketchy stories are not where you want to be getting high power equipment from.

 

[LetMyBeatPound]

Yea, I'm learning the hard way. I contacted Skar and the said that is whose best to repair it tho. Once I get it back and verifies it works. I'm going to probably sell it and try to get some Taramp smart 3ks or maybe a SQ Q1-4500. Just super disappointed with the whole situation. But if dude pays for it that will be the only upside but I'll still be amost $550 into a twice repaired amp if it cost another $50 to get it home.

Ya live and learn I guess. Thanks guys and
me wishh luck.

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

I guess I'm not the only one who's had bad experiences with them .

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Yea, I'm learning the hard way. I contacted Skar and the said that is whose best to repair it tho. Once I get it back and verifies it works. I'm going to probably sell it and try to get some Taramp smart 3ks or maybe a SQ Q1-4500. Just super disappointed with the whole situation. But if dude pays for it that will be the only upside but I'll still be amost $550 into a twice repaired amp if it cost another $50 to get it home.

Ya live and learn I guess. Thanks guys and
me wishh luck.

It's because that's who Skar pays for their warranty repairs. Amp Medics will say it is user error 99.5% of the time so Skar doesn't have to pay out of their pocket for repairs.

 

[Lasherž]

It's because that's who Skar pays for their warranty repairs. Amp Medics will say it is user error 99.5% of the time so Skar doesn't have to pay out of their pocket for repairs.

It's a pretty big issue in the repair industry. I don't necessarily think that Skar is colluding with them for bad repairs but they obviously have some sort of agreement with them that makes it easier for them to turn around a refurbished product and therefore cheaper for both Amp Medics and Skar. This is speaking from experience with the Apple warranty repair company CSAT Solutions. The repairs that they provide Apple customers with are the worst and often have fundamentally unsafe shortcuts because it's all about throughput at that company. Intermittent issues aren't worth their time to solve as far as they're concerned, but if it happens to work when they pick it up, it'll just get sent back out as a refurbished unit with hardly a second glance. The thought is that real repairs cost more employee hours and most repairs are simplistic, so Apple's getting a lot of resell products that they can give out as a quick turn around for a defective one they received or when there's a surplus they sell them behind the scenes through dummy ebay accounts run by them. Since they centralize all of their repairs to one or two locations it saves them a boatload of money and time on shipping and keeping track of inventory and warranties.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Id get my claim going and not look back...Too much Error and Shaddiness going on here.
#1- Seller - selling a BS /Good working condition amp? Knowingly Garbage.
#2- Seller Using One place to get it repaired?? And will Pay for the repair? When will that take place?
After you send to repair Shop?Not Paid up front/Funds up front of a Min. If Over Credit to account
shown paid by seller and accepted by Repair shop?
#3- Amp Sent, Gets repaired,Seller doesnt pay for the repair.Amp repair shop keeps amp till repair paid
in full and shipping and insurance fees before sending back?
What a Cluster Fk..! Ordeal this is.'
FILE THE CLAIM AS A SCAMMER AND A NON_WORKING UNIT/RIPPED OFF!!.
Buy a Taramp amp and Move on.

 

[LetMyBeatPound]

I started a dispute already. He offered to give me my money back right away and for me to send it back to him or to have it repaired and he would pay my choice. I figured I would give him the benefit of the doubt and try to get it fixed. If he doesn't pay to have it fixed I will have too and I'm sure PayPal with reimburse me. I've only ever had to do 2 claims in all the years I've been using them and they've always made it right. That's why I pay goods & services. Hell if it only cost $200 to fix and I pay 80 for shipping and get reimbursed fully I'll will have got my amp for $160 cheaper lol. On a good note, I think I'm just gonna save a bit of money and get a Salt 4k and I just got a delivery of 100ft 2/0 ofc welding... It's ***** because all I need is an amp to hear my new X18s!!! I've already been without bass almost 3 weeks!

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Good deal on the Claim/Dispute. Hoping for the best upon the Final Outcome. Get your Supply ready for the demand and be ready to slap the amp in when it gets back or ready for a New Comer.