What About This?!?!?

[JLCivic 10+ year member]

If they are a good shop, I would still go there for the install (over-priced or not). The install is very important. The shop should also be willing to install all the same gear even if you buy it from another store. I would suggest looking online.
I would also suggest avoiding JL stuff but if you want to get JL stuff... try this site (and there are even better like ebay)

the JL 250/1 amp - http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=11723

2 guage amp kit - http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13336 (I bought a 4 guage kit off millionbuy.com for like $25)

RCA's (I bought mine at walmart for $20)

JL 300/4 - http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=11726

that there could save you a couple hundred dollars.... for some of the same gear. JL gear is over priced even on some sites. Ebay will have it cheap.

But that is good gear that you are getting. The subs are the lowest line but still good and especially for what you need. Don't get talked out of buying that stuff but shop around. I just did a quick 2 min. search that showed you could save some money.

I see no reason for him to avoid JL stuff(it is very good stuff, reliable, and it will be fully authorized/warranteed which won't be the case if he orders it online). Also, many shops may not want to install stuff purchased elsewhere. If it fries, it can be a pain to determine who is at fault(if it is the equipment, why should they uninstall it for free to be shipped out, for example...it just gets into some gray area). However, paying $200 for rcas is insanity(especially when if he used cheaper RCAs, the $$$ saved could boost him from a 250/1 to a 500/1, for example).

I think that shop might feel that they have a guy who is just willing to pay whatever they charge. To the original poster: I would go back in and say that while you would love for them to do the install, you were hoping for a better deal. See if they will drop the price some. They might or might not. If you have money in your hand, they might be more likely to cut you a deal.

 

[JLCivic 10+ year member]

You make valid points. But to pay retail on anything is the reason why people rather go online. I buy authorized and I dont pay retail. I suggest he shop around for more forgiving dealers or negotiate some. If any dealer is willing to give up a sale like that, rather than to accomodate some- he's not worth doing business with. As a positive sale will bring that customer back someday.
BTW a T4.100 also does 300+x 2 underated when bridged, making it a 600-700 rms capable amplifier. Thats actually priced decently IMO. Close to 10 years ago Kicker ZR amps were selling at about $1 per watt too, and although a solid amplifier nothing special to the 1kw a/b I have now that I payed for near half that price of my ZR1000. But that regulated Jl does just that 250rms, nothing more nothing less- i find $00 too much when he could be driving at least 400rms from a high end amp maker to his subs for the same $$.

I buy authorized, and I haven't paid anywhere near retail/map in many years. THAT has come from being a good customer of the shop for many years, however. I have also become very good friends with the guys there. Insane deals are earned over years of business in most cases. Many customers don't realize that. They want the best deal in the world from a shop, and that person has never spent a cent there. I see guys come into the shop doing that all the time.

Working with a shop over a period of years can get you a great relationship/deals as time goes on. I am at the point that I don't work from retail/map price down. I work from dealer cost UP.

 

[air_odie 10+ year member]

Well what I plan on doing is taking and printing this thread and links to whatever else I find and seeing if either I can get the discount down to a reasonable level or maybe they better shop where I am to get better prices.

When I was there today they had 3 cars in for systems and two for alarms, they really are well known and do really good CLEAN install work. They also back there work up and don't cut any corners.

I could install everything myself if I wanted to but something about cutting holes in doors and doing a system this good just doesn't seem not worth paying some PRO to do it and having all the warranty's and joy of getting a tuned system without the hassle of crying because I screwed up one setting or didn't bi-amp the right parts of the system.

I know very lil' about amps so thats what brushes me away the most. I also don't have the proper cutting tools as well so I am just in a burn about that.

Keep it coming guys more to show the shop, evidence is a nice thing to have (hehehe)

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

Dear Mr. Shop Owner

you are ripping this gentlemen off. why are you charging $20 for a dash kit that cost no more then $10 at walmart? why are you charging so much for an amp kit, when you can get the same wire at a welding supply shop? don't give this poor soul BS about how one wire is better then the other. it is not true. evything you are selling him can be bought much cheaper elsewhere. are you seriously going to charge $400 for a 250 watt amp? why are you charging to install subs? is it that hard to screw in a subwoofer? does any of this include sound deadening? do you know what sound deadening is? everything you listed is at msrp cost. why can you not give this guy a deal?

 

[Alpineinstaller 10+ year member]

Their price is based on what they pay for the merch, if a vendor finds out you sold something under MAP they'll drop you like that. I'm not by any means saying that it isn't over priced, because it is. The amp kit and RCA's are over priced, there's no doubt about that. The dash kit and harness not overpriced like everyone says. Walmart kits aren't bad, but its the fact that they look like sh!t because one kit is made for every dam car in the U.S.. The kits that a shop carries are made for that application, sometimes it does more than one application but not many if it does. As for the amps I wouldn't pay more than a dollar a watt. The labor is a little high, I figure thats because they are making up for the lost labor on the HU. I think they could bring the price down some more, lord knows they need to come down.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

Dear Mr. Shop Owner

How can you justify charging $80 for speaker wire? (2 separated charges $30, $50)

Why not offer the customer a better sized Amp kit 1/0 like the Metra Raptor kit (includes 1/0g power wire and ground, 4ga pos/neg, distro block, fuse holder, battery terminals..) that instead retails for $100 rather than the not need JL brand wire?

Why charge the poor kid $30 to drill a handfull of screws into an enclosure? Part of installing an amplifier should include making the speaker connections from it..

 

[nametaken 10+ year member]

You make valid points. But to pay retail on anything is the reason why people rather go online. I buy authorized and I dont pay retail. I suggest he shop around for more forgiving dealers or negotiate some. If any dealer is willing to give up a sale like that, rather than to accomodate some- he's not worth doing business with. As a positive sale will bring that customer back someday.
BTW a T4.100 also does 300+x 2 underated when bridged, making it a 600-700 rms capable amplifier. Thats actually priced decently IMO. Close to 10 years ago Kicker ZR amps were selling at about $1 per watt too, and although a solid amplifier nothing special to the 1kw a/b I have now that I payed for near half that price of my ZR1000. But that regulated Jl does just that 250rms, nothing more nothing less- i find $00 too much when he could be driving at least 400rms from a high end amp maker to his subs for the same $$.

Oh no i agree, he shouldnt pay retail, expecially after getting a whole system installed by the shop.

But Even the slash series amps are a bit underrated, the RIPS system doesnt have a compete choke hold on output, it does a good job of being stable throughout but still exceeds the ratings. Im sure you can find some vailid tests floating around, a few done by ca&e's mag. And i know some TRU amps are decently priced(imo and yours), which is why i picked the ones i put up, just some examples.

 

[Bake 10+ year member]

I doubt taking printed forum threads and Ebay prices into the store is going to do you very much good at all. You would do more good for yourself by going to other shops in your area to compare equipment and get quotes. When you go back you will be more informed and able to negotiate a deal that works for you and the dealer. If you intend to bring internet prices into the negotiation you must use authorized sellers as examples. Any other quoted prices will not help in the least.

 

[air_odie 10+ year member]

I am not expecting a price match just a more realistic price as to the ones I have currently. In my worke and most everyone Else's knowledge is power. I have already called two local shops to see what they can offer and plan on stooping in two more on sat afternoon. I really want a good amount of stuff to be like well I could go here but since I like you guys and have previous business with you I thought about this....

I guess I will know in about 1 week when I say good bye to $$ and hello to sound

by the way I took a better look at my box and it looks like from top of lip to bottom of box is 5" so my 10" woofer can be 5" plus or minus a marginal amount.

I know the 6 blown speakers I got now are sounding great HA!!

 

[Bake 10+ year member]

If you have done business with them before they should hook you up with a better deal for sure. Arm yourself with all the info you can and go back and negotiate a better deal for yourself. good luck.

 

[Spr0ket 10+ year member]

I got my 300/4 installed by a JL dealer for less than $400. My 500/1 was only $450 installed. That was this year. Prices include wirekit, distro block, inline fuse, and RCAs. I'm sure you can find better.

 

[mikescanlon 10+ year member]

i could fly to MI, install all that stuff, stay a week at a hotel there at your expense, and fly back to florida for that price.

 

[air_odie 10+ year member]

i could fly to MI, install all that stuff, stay a week at a hotel there at your expense, and fly back to florida for that price.

I think I'd rather come to FLA well 10 months and I move to Ft. Lauderdale.....

gonna be nice to be back in FL, did my u grad at FLA TECH in Melbourne FL

Miss the ocean and the year round bike weather...will be weird having a motor vehicle other then a motorcycle there though....

I agree with you though

 

[DIPayton 10+ year member]

man, you shou;ld really consider millionbuy.com

They just updated their stuff and have a sale on JL slash gear. the 250/1 amp for $289

Actually they have a sale on all of their JL gear right now. I think it is all new to their site... I don't think they used to sell JL stuff.... and I think that was just put on their site because I checked it like 3 days ago and they didnt have this stuff... Might be a good deal for you. I have bought from millionbuy.com before and its good.

 

[bri487 5,000+ posts]

actually, if they are a JL dealer, that isnt too bad of a price. from what i saw, they are slightly under MSRP. it is still more than you would find on the internet, but if you want it from a certified dealer, that is your choice. i like to buy my stuff from a dealer for warrenty purposes, but that is just me.