Best Buy Sucks! Car Audio Install won't use my amp kit.

[ChefJoe]

Why, well, I wanted to take my old subwoofer from my old car to my new car (97 Jetta). I thought I might work up the courage to do the work myself and ordered an RF Dual amp kit with 2 RCA wires ($115 from thezeb.com). I later decided that using a speaker level input on my amp at the rear of the car might not be as good as having a line out converter installed on the back of the stock HU and had no good idea (at the time) on how to get a remote lead back to the trunk mounted amp without removing the HU.... so I figured Best Buy would help me out. They have a big assed sign that says their rates and even "nomatter where you buy, we'll install it for you". Well, the Tuttle Crossing store in Columbus, OH refuses (they cite "because of our warranty") to use my RF dual amp kit and they'd have to use their own RF dual amp kit ($134 + tax + cost of RCA wires) and I would be SOL (I'd opened the amp kit I bought from thezeb). They had no problem installing the amp itself, they just needed me to buy the wires from them.

So, my BB purchase of $55 + materials install idea was about to cost me $200+ and I'd have an extra amp kit sitting in front of me to try to sell to somewone. Well, on my old car they'd installed the RCAs and power cord on the same side of the car, that pissed me off enough once I learned how wrong that is... this topped it off. I left, decided to read up at VWVortex and caraudio.com's forums, I've so far got the fuse mounted near battery, power wire through the firewall and halfway down the cable tray... I'm taking a break before mounting the distro blocks. Yeah, it's a lot of work, but I'm learning a lot about how this car is put together...

Worst Buy can go fvck themselves (yeah, it's not the install guy's fault, just following corporate's instructions, but a smart employee would have offered to work something out (buy one out front, we'll use your kit if you leave it in the trunk, return the purchased kit in a few days)).

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: ChefJoe
but a smart employee would have offered to work something out (buy one out front, we'll use your kit if you leave it in the trunk, return the purchased kit in a few days)).

Why the hell would he do that? So that someone could find out and get him fired?

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: ChefJoe
Worst Buy can go fvck themselves (yeah, it's not the install guy's fault, just following corporate's instructions, but a smart employee would have offered to work something out (buy one out front, we'll use your kit if you leave it in the trunk, return the purchased kit in a few days)).

i feel your pain, but you're asking for a lot of trouble. Asking them to partake in fraud isn't good...if you were in Michigan, i'd be more than happy to help you do it. I installed all of my own stuff...from my Alpine TV unit, to the CD HU, to the subs and amps. It's all a piece of cake as long as you have patience

-=bmacd=-

edit: put yourself in my position: i could lose my job over selling a $20 (mature rated) music CD or some alcohol to some 17 year old kid who wants me to bend the rules. Is your idea of losing $30k a year your idea of being a "smart" employee?

 

[minendo]

The guy you dealt with was a moron. Talk to the manager. If that doesn't work, call corporate.

 

[compudog]

That s*cks. It says that they will do it, they should do it.

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: compudog
That s*cks. It says that they will do it, they should do it.

BB has no problem installing it for him...he's upset they won't use his wiring that he just paid $120 for. Instead, he has to buy their kit for ~$130ish.

-=bmacd=-

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: bmacd
BB has no problem installing it for him...he's upset they won't use his wiring that he just paid $120 for. Instead, he has to buy their kit for ~$130ish.

-=bmacd=-

The employee is just throwing out some BS in order to get their accessories sales up for the day. Employee cost on those Rockford Fosgate Dual Amp Install Kits is about $30-$40.

 

[ChefJoe]

Originally posted by: bmacd

Originally posted by: compudog
That s*cks. It says that they will do it, they should do it.

BB has no problem installing it for him...he's upset they won't use his wiring that he just paid $120 for. Instead, he has to buy their kit for ~$130ish.

-=bmacd=-

Yeah, I have RF kit with RCAs ($115), they have the $134 kit without RCAs... same kit innards. It's not warranty issues at that point (provided I haven't got fake sealed RF kits), just that they have to sell me a wiring kit or else they can't guarantee my wires won't flame up like a roman candle. I'm more pissed about the fact that I read multiple places in their install bay, in the pamphlets, etc ... buy your stuff anywhere, we'll install it for you. No mention of wires anywhere. I would have bought their kit if I'd known (sure, I like to ferengi too, but I can give in once in a while), but I'm not going to eat $115.

 

[nater]

BB installed the cd player I got for Christmas....it was a bit pricey for all the extra parts ($60) but other than that, they did ok.

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: ChefJoe

Originally posted by: bmacd

Originally posted by: compudog
That s*cks. It says that they will do it, they should do it.

BB has no problem installing it for him...he's upset they won't use his wiring that he just paid $120 for. Instead, he has to buy their kit for ~$130ish.

-=bmacd=-

Yeah, I have RF kit with RCAs ($115), they have the $134 kit without RCAs... same kit innards. It's not warranty issues at that point (provided I haven't got fake sealed RF kits), just that they have to sell me a wiring kit or else they can't guarantee my wires won't flame up like a roman candle. I'm more pissed about the fact that I read multiple places in their install bay, in the pamphlets, etc ... buy your stuff anywhere, we'll install it for you. No mention of wires anywhere. I would have bought their kit if I'd known (sure, I like to ferengi too, but I can give in once in a while), but I'm not going to eat $115.

I'd imagine if may have something to do with insurance liabilities...they don't know the quality of your cable (despite the fact that it's brand new). I don't think the company is in a position to risk blowing up your car or injuring you over $130, therefore, it's in their only interest to sell you the kit.

**If you can wait, get a job there doing something for thirty days, at which point you can get your employee discount and maybe convince the car-shop guys to use your cable.

-=bmacd=-

 

[Adul]

worst buy can install stuff for crap. :|

I had to redo thing a few times for friends. Better off doing it yourself

 

[minendo]

To my knowledge and experience (worked in the install bay a few times) Best Buy does not have a policy regarding installation cables. The guy was simply making up bs trying to get you to spend more and make their department look good.

 

[ChefJoe]

Why would they be able to install an amp I'd purchased elsewhere but not the wires? That makes no sense to me. Why would my amp not be enough to void the warranty?

He told me this with two other guys working in the install bay behind him to. They backed him up on it. That'd be a really shady sales move.

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: ChefJoe
Why would they be able to install an amp I'd purchased elsewhere but not the wires? That makes no sense to me. Why would my amp not be enough to void the warranty?

if this bothers you so much, ask to speak to a manager beit over the phone or in person. See if they budge...then they'll relay the message to the car shop. But if you piss them off too much, you're going to regret asking for their help.

-=bmacd=-

 

[ChefJoe]

Eh, it feels good to rant. I've got a lot of the install done myself at this point (yes, it's taken most of the day, I won't finish today either). I may go to a different car audio place to get the work done on the HU, but I'll put my amp in myself, I know how to get the cables in now. My pride would never allow me to go back to that best buy install bay, no place that keeps secret policies from me or caused me to waste that much money would get my business... and quality after said "instructions from management" might be a pretty big deterrant for me as well.