the Price of Car Stereo Installation

The service that was performed for $99.00 was the installation of a car stereo head unit. This service was provided by a large national retail chain in Madison Alabama. The new unit (not purchased at the same store) was installed into my 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer. The installation included removal of my factory head unit, wiring the new radio harness, installation as well as testing the system. This price also included a lifetime warranty on the installation (service only, not parts). In addition to the warranty they also offer a lifetime replacement guarantee which ensures that they will replace my original equipment back into the vehicle if I choose to sell it.

The service that I received was very good. The staff was knowledgeable with my specific vehicle and the stereo equipment that I had chosen even though it was not from their location. They were also able to bring my car in that same day to perform the installation so I would not need to drive home and back another day. The start to finish time from when I drove my vehicle around to the back of their shop was about an hour and a half. During the installation was able to view my car at all times however most of the time I was happily wondering around their store. When I was paged to pick up my vehicle the installer showed me how to use my new head unit. She then programmed my clock and set some of my favorite radio stations for me. The install was neat and clean, it looked just like a factory job. There was no trash left in my vehicle and my original equipment was in the new box sitting on my passenger floorboard.

I would advise that people be ready to spend some extra money when they go to have car audio equipment installed in their vehicles. To make the job look neat and professional there are a number of parts that may need to be purchased along with the installation price. Wire harnesses, antenna adaptors, dash kits, etc. can all add up to a hefty sum and are vehicle specific. A quality install shop will NEVER cut your factory harness, beware of shops that say they can do it "cheaper" without a harness. By cutting your factory harness you are not able to replace your original equipment if you decide to sell the vehicle.