Why best buy sucks?

[quest51210 10+ year member]

some of our guys topped out at $26/hr...that is just under $50k a year. i started at $14 as a regular installer with a few years under my belt at CC. then i moved up rather quickly after a restructure and topped out at $22=$42k/year.

when i made it into a custom shop sometime last year i could make $50k/year, but i was there all the time and sometimes had to sleep at the shop to continue a project. when i would break down my salary by the amount of time i was there i was looking at around $15/hr. thats why i work for city council now, its easier, pays more, and looks better on a resume.

i understand that no, not ALL Best buy installers are complete morons, some may be the best around. but as stated, most that are worth a **** know that they aren't getting paid near enough for their expertise and craft. so yes, i firmly believe most (all in my personal experience) were f-ing retarded and prolly know more about the "dishwasher" than they do about car audio.
Bottom line is if you want overpriced sony jvc and pioneer with a history of poor installation, best buy is your Best Bet.....

 

[sexiewasd 10+ year member]

How's this for a shady install shop:
At one of the flea market's down here they have a little car audio store (mostly cheap knockoff brands) and the sign reads:

$60 to install

$90 if you watch

$120 if you help

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

That is not really shady (not saying the shop isn't). It's a joke that has been in the car repair business for quite a long time now. It's basically a joke about those people who know almost nothing about cars but insist that they do and will stand over your shoulder and pester you the entire time you work.

At the shop I work at if we know the person (a repeat customer) we will often times let them stay in the repair bays and chat with them as we work, see how things are going. It can take longer sometimes, but it keeps them coming back and keeps us busy when other shops are standing around drinking coffee. But their will always be those people that we prefer stay in the waiting room because they are always standing over you asking random *** questions about their cars and all you wanna say is WELL ******* , how about you don't go 10k between oil changes, then run it at redline for 25 miles before you bring it in and watch me burn ma hands off changing it!

 

[Worlddre 5,000+ posts]

i understand that no, not ALL Best buy installers are complete morons, some may be the best around. but as stated, most that are worth a **** know that they aren't getting paid near enough for their expertise and craft. so yes, i firmly believe most (all in my personal experience) were f-ing retarded and prolly know more about the "dishwasher" than they do about car audio.
Bottom line is if you want overpriced sony jvc and pioneer with a history of poor installation, best buy is your Best Bet.....

$25hr at BB here

 

[quest51210 10+ year member]

i guess bigfegaudiofanatic doesnt get paid that much

 

[funkyab 10+ year member]

I took my 2005 saab 93 linear turbo to BB just for sh!its and giggles to see what they would say about putting a head unit in the car.

install bay "manager" looked in it really quickly and said sure,, no problem.. just leave it.

when i mentioned to him that there is no dash kit for the car made by any company he said "we can figure something out. i asked him what he meant since the only way to have a proper install is to either fabricate a dash kit or use a special saab plate that is used on some models available only in europe for saabs that dont come standard with cd player. And that i knew for a fact that there are only 9 of these plates in the usa and have to be ordered from GM. He just looked at me.

Then i asked him how he planned to do the bypass/loopback of the optical mosnet system which run through all of the components of the audio system and through many vehicle systems as well. I also asked him how he planned on connecting the speakers to the headunit since the factory amp is also on this optical system as well as the sound amplifier for all system sounds such as turn signals and such. Again he really didnt say much but stutter.

Hopefully he would have been smart enough to stop as soon as he started but theoritically he could have done thousands of dollars to this car by simply rooting around to even attempt an install without tons of special parts and special tech literature specific to the saab 93 and mostnet system.

 

[Proximity 10+ year member]

A while ago (I'm much more educated now) I had then install an HU, amp and speakers for me. It was all hysterically overpriced, but they did do a good job.

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

There are good and bad people everywhere.

It's just that best buy is more likely to hire new teenagers to install than other places, which isn't necessarily a bad thing because you have to start somewhere... but it could be a bad thing. They may also have MECP certified people too, on the good side, it just depends.

nG

 

[moorezy 10+ year member]

I work at Futureshop ( only in Canada ) and Best Buy owns us. I work in the mobile audio selling decks, starters, etc. While i can say our products are not on the level of most people on the forums because the practibility or demographics of people coming into our store, i can say that all of our installers have a ton of experience/certification for installation. Mind you we are different in best buy in that we do get paid commission/per install. So there is a higher demand for qualifications in that the pay does reflect the quality and longevity of the work. As far as the comments go about price. Yes there are products at our store that are cheaper online, however the products online are not authorized dealers and can only provide warranty through that online website ie. sonicelectronix, onlinecarstereo. This also means you pay restocking fees, shipping in some cases etc. Also for me living in canada i do buy most my products via ebay or these onlinecarstereo/sonicelectronix websites but i know what i'm getting myself into ahead of time. That being said after you pay the taxes or duties ( if doing legally ) and exchange sometimes it is around the same price. Ie. we were selling a dbl din pioneer 4000vd for 359.99 and off sonicelectronix is was only 20 dollars cheaper. So in the end i do defend my store in particular to these accusations of installers being underqualifyed and prices being overpriced. Thats my 2cents.

 

[05fronty 5,000+ posts]

There are good and bad people everywhere.
It's just that best buy is more likely to hire new teenagers to install than other places, which isn't necessarily a bad thing because you have to start somewhere... but it could be a bad thing. They may also have MECP certified people too, on the good side, it just depends.

nG

i think they all have to be mecp cert to work there now

 

[Worlddre 5,000+ posts]

i will say this that in my particular area...ive seen installs from the surrounding stores that were atrocious from alarm installs to radios. A couple of which were to the point where i had to call and speaker to the installer that did the work because it was that bad. But at my store nothing but gorgeous work leaves as it must all be approved by me. All of my installers are on kind of a probation to where unless it is an easy car it cannot be done with out me in the bay. All this to say there are good and bad best buys sadly its hit or miss. I would like to believe that there are others like mine as im sure there are but i think it would behoove any of you considering them for anything to read up on it first and call and ask some serious questions to the person in charge to see if the know anything

 

[x2o 10+ year member]

i think they all have to be mecp cert to work there now

I work at a Best Buy here in south FL, our store does not require MECP certification be an installer.

(I work as a sales associate in the PCHO department, wasn't interested in installing)

 

[MisterE 10+ year member]

I took my 2005 saab 93 linear turbo to BB just for sh!its and giggles to see what they would say about putting a head unit in the car.
install bay "manager" looked in it really quickly and said sure,, no problem.. just leave it.

when i mentioned to him that there is no dash kit for the car made by any company he said "we can figure something out. i asked him what he meant since the only way to have a proper install is to either fabricate a dash kit or use a special saab plate that is used on some models available only in europe for saabs that dont come standard with cd player. And that i knew for a fact that there are only 9 of these plates in the usa and have to be ordered from GM. He just looked at me.

Then i asked him how he planned to do the bypass/loopback of the optical mosnet system which run through all of the components of the audio system and through many vehicle systems as well. I also asked him how he planned on connecting the speakers to the headunit since the factory amp is also on this optical system as well as the sound amplifier for all system sounds such as turn signals and such. Again he really didnt say much but stutter.

Hopefully he would have been smart enough to stop as soon as he started but theoritically he could have done thousands of dollars to this car by simply rooting around to even attempt an install without tons of special parts and special tech literature specific to the saab 93 and mostnet system.

unfortunately thats called just being a know-it-all douche //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif good work, you sure showed him!

 

[Saint211 10+ year member]

^ Yeah, and whats worse, the system in the car is pretty stupid. Who wants a bunch of unnecessary crap ran throug the components of their audip system.

Some of the stuff in new cars = FTL

You're acting like fabbing a dash kit is impossible. Its not impossible, just not worth it if theres already a dash kit availble.

 

[bigaudiofanatic 10+ year member]

I took my 2005 saab 93 linear turbo to BB just for sh!its and giggles to see what they would say about putting a head unit in the car.
install bay "manager" looked in it really quickly and said sure,, no problem.. just leave it.

when i mentioned to him that there is no dash kit for the car made by any company he said "we can figure something out. i asked him what he meant since the only way to have a proper install is to either fabricate a dash kit or use a special saab plate that is used on some models available only in europe for saabs that dont come standard with cd player. And that i knew for a fact that there are only 9 of these plates in the usa and have to be ordered from GM. He just looked at me.

Then i asked him how he planned to do the bypass/loopback of the optical mosnet system which run through all of the components of the audio system and through many vehicle systems as well. I also asked him how he planned on connecting the speakers to the headunit since the factory amp is also on this optical system as well as the sound amplifier for all system sounds such as turn signals and such. Again he really didnt say much but stutter.

Hopefully he would have been smart enough to stop as soon as he started but theoritically he could have done thousands of dollars to this car by simply rooting around to even attempt an install without tons of special parts and special tech literature specific to the saab 93 and mostnet system.

LMAO ya I installed a system in my friends 1997 saab 900se turbo. It took me 4 days to custom build a dash kit for the head unit. I took a cubby hole from a 1999 honda civic and used that as "fill" as the top piece and the bottom was the head unit after shaving cutting and filling it looked GREAT!!! LMAO sadly he seized the engine 4 months ago so i had to take it out.

 

[standbackimapro 10+ year member]

I worked at circuit city, a Few times ive had people come in saying " i had my remote start put in at best buy" and its not working, ive looked under the dash to find, the problem, and ive seen the biggest mess of remote start wires, they were everywhere, and the worst part is they were all T taped.

now circuit citys policy is, to solder every connection made

we didnt have any checklists to use.

People make mistakes, for instance, this kid was drilling through a firewall to run a power cable, and he drilled from the inside out, and drilled a hole right in the brake booster, i myself have accidently burned a headliner with my solder gun while i was doing an overhead..

but yes ive seen best buy do some crappy stuff like running power cables through the fenders through the door jams, ive seen them wire nuts on head units, ive seen em run the power for those illuminated boxes to the sub terminals ( big no no)