the Price of Car Stereo Installation

The price quoted above was for the purchase and installation of an in-dash compact disc capable car stereo at a major electronics outlet. The price included the cost of purchasing the radio, which was an in-house brand, the cost of pulling the factory stereo out of the vehicle, and the cost of installing the new stereo into the vehicle. The costs also included an extra wiring harness, which was necessary to connect the new stereo to the existing wiring system.

The service that I received in the installation of the stereo was far worse than the service I received in actually selecting the stereo from the store's inventory. The manager of the car audio department in the store took the time to talk to me about what I was looking for in a stereo for my vehicle, and the manager took the time to show me a couple different models that were in my price range. Once I selected the stereo and opted for the installation to be completed that same day after the purchase was made, the manager of the installation department was a bit upset about having to do another installation that afternoon. He proceeded to make comments about my vehicle throughout the installation, including making note of the fact that I had the factory stereo system in the vehicle yet, and told me that the system I purchased was going to sound awful (though his words were a little bit more profane) with the factory speakers installed. I am happy to say, however, the the system sounds awesome, thanks to the manager who ensured that my factory speakers would in fact support the new receiver.

For anyone looking to have an audio system installed in their vehicle, look at the retailer that you purchase the receiver from as the first option, as they will have the necessary parts to connect that particular system to your vehicle as a requirement of selling the equipment. Secondly, although I had a bit of a bad experience with the personnel doing the installation, not all store installers should be this way, but make sure that the installers are fairly friendly and courteous and are willing to explain the installation process to you so you know what is going on inside your vehicle. Most importantly, shop around and see if a store that offers your desired receiver also offers complementary or low cost installation - it could save you a few bucks on the total cost.