How much should this install cost?

[tbonephile 10+ year member]

First off this is my first post on CA but I've been reading the forums on here for a long time and just wanted to thank everyone in advance for their help.

I have a 2007 Audi A4 with the factory Nav and no-Bose that I know that you can run RCAs off the factory head by splicing into the wires that go toward the factory rear amp as the signal is already line-level out of the head. I just wanted to install a pair of 6.5 components (most likely A/D/S 346CS or DLS UP6 or MB Quart QSD 216) in the factory locations in the front doors and have a two channel and a sub amp installed on the side of the trunk to go with the JL 10W7 that I already have (Being powered by a Rockford Type RF X5, which for the $150 I paid for it has been everything I could want, a new Audison mono amp would be nice though //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif ).

Unfortunately I live in Fairfield county in CT where every shop I've been to (Other then Circuit City and Best Buy) has quoted me between $80-100 an hour for labor. One shop in Greenwich even said it would take 6 hours to install the front components, and 6 hours to install the two amps on the side of the trunk. They do work on a lot of BMW's Mercedes, Ferrari's and Porsches and solder all their connections and I saw their shop and the work they do is fantastic but I guess you have to pay for it. However even with good work I don't think it should take 12 hours to install a pair of components in factory locations run all new speaker wires to the amps in the trunk especially with no custom amp kit or mounting? Regardless I don't want to pay $1140 (12x$95 an hr) for what I think is a relatively simple install. What is a fair price? In hours and in rate per hour? Or should I just go to Circuit City and have them hack at my car for $200 total?

Thanks again for any suggestions.

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[azbass 5,000+ posts]

id recomend taking your car to a higher end shop to do the work. audi's can be a pain...

 

[jeepintn 10+ year member]

haha, a guy at my local best buy put an alarm in an audi, and the next day it caught fire and burned to the ground

 

[ultimate157 5,000+ posts]

haha, a guy at my local best buy put an alarm in an audi, and the next day it caught fire and burned to the ground

I hear that ... I read about a guy on here got his first system installed by someone at best buy ... they wired the amp's 12v+ through the FUSE BOX under the dash.

Pay the money to have REAL people do the job, not idiots @ CC or BB

 

[nickk678 10+ year member]

Man the CC by my house is like a shop itself. The two installers there have both owned/operated their own shops in the past. They know everything about anything, and even do fiberglass work, at a CC!

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

if you feel comfortable with these two installers then by all means have them do the work.

 

[AJ²06 5,000+ posts]

Man the CC by my house is like a shop itself. The two installers there have both owned/operated their own shops in the past. They know everything about anything, and even do fiberglass work, at a CC!

Thats rare..

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

I wouldn't doubt the cost estimates they've given, or the time estimates. And keep in mind, shops always OVERestimate... to cover their *** as far as time goes.

I know I'd be hating life if an 07 Audi came in for me alone to work on... it's sometimes hard to tackle cars that are new to you... especially something like a BRAND new 07 Audi.

You're going to pay a premium... when we did components and coaxes, 4channel, 4LOC in a 2006 BMW 7series, we charged a lot of custom labor.

Just an //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif from an installers point of view.

nG