horrible Best Buy experience!!!

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

First you test and identify your wires, then you disconnect the battery and make your connections. I'm not saying that's the way every installer does it. I will say it's not unreasonable for the battery to be disconnected during a remote start installation.
I always test for every wire before I make any connections in the vehicle, if only because I need to plan out component placement and set up my bench wiring to run the right wires to the right locations.

you dont need to disconect the batt. as long as you test with a meter and NOT a test light you are good. (unless you know how to use a test light)

 

[KaeZoo 10+ year member]

you dont need to disconect the batt. as long as you test with a meter and NOT a test light you are good. (unless you know how to use a test light)

I didn't say you need to disconnect the battery. I said it's not unreasonable to expect it to be disconnected. I don't usually disconnect it, but when I'm tapping constant power wires at the ignition cylinder I don't want to take the chance of blowing a maxi fuse or a fusible link. Sometimes it's tight and there's lots of metal structure around. I'm also not a big fan of the sting you get when your hands are sweaty and you brush the metal in the dash while in contact with 12v. Other installers may be more cautious than me as well.

Also, don't expect every independent shop to be better at alarm installs than chain stores. There are plenty of shops that will hack out an alarm/RS in a couple hours and just throw everything in with a bunch of t-taps. You can find bad installers ANYWHERE.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

not blowing somthing up ftw.

 

[AphexTwin 10+ year member]

Is that $300 including the price of the alarm or just for the install?

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

What make/model/year vehicle was this?

nG

 

[bumpinne0n 10+ year member]

This thread reminds me of what happened to my car. There's a local shop here that's been here for as long as I can remember. I took my car in to get my alarm installed, they told me I would need another key for the bypass module. I went and had a key made, $83. Left the car, went back to get it, found my extra key and the module I had given them in the box. They charged me $49 for a different module. So that's about $100 I wasted on the universal bypass module and the key I had made.

So I get home and decide to test it out. The ****ing thing doesn't work. You can open the door from the inside and it doesn't go off until you slam the door, hard. I open my hood and guess what, no hood pin either. Try to open the trunk, nothing. I took it back the next day to get the alarm part fixed, at least. They fixed it and I was just so glad it was fixed I didn't care about the hood pin or the trunk release.

A few weeks later I'm doing something to my car, I don't remember what. I looked under the steering wheel and there's wires everywhere. Not one wire-tie or anything. It looks like complete shit.

Now, half the time when you arm the "alarm" the doors don't lock. I have to move the wire that runs under my carpet to the dash to make it work and some times that doesn't even work. The install came with a lifetime warranty but I don't think I want them ****ing with my car again, so I'll just correct their mistake some other time I guess. What would happen if someone broke into my car because the doors weren't locked? Would the shop that did the install be responsible for it? It hasn't done it in a few days but that doesn't mean it won't start again. Needless to say I won't be going back to that shop ever again.

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

Since when have you needed a relay for a merc switch or hoodpin?

I was wondering the same thing . Pin switches are a pretty simple thing . What's the relay for ? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[MiSeRy 10+ year member]

What make/model/year vehicle was this?
nG

it is an 02 honda accord ex coupe v6. the only reason i took it to best buy was bc the audio shop where i live told me that they would not install it bc i did not purchase it from them.

supposedly the relay is so that i can open the trunk with the alarm remote.

in the 4 hours an 20 minutes that i was there, i saw the installer doing a whole lot of standing around up front nowhere near my car laffing and talking. this was another reason it was pissing me off.

everything is back to working and seems to be ok so i guess the end result is ok except for the fact that i havent looked under the dash at the wiring yet and i wasnt told where the valet switch is. so i have some searching to do. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif