Best Buy Installs

TongMan

I want a better sound from my base Z sound system, but I have no experience or knowledge of working and installing speakers, tweeters, subwoofers, and head units. If I go and pick up a head unit and some speakers at Best Buy, do you think their installers are gonna do a good job with the install? I've heard that Best Buy installs are not so great. I just want mp3/wma playback, Bluetooth, and DVD playback. I don't care about navigation as I am happy with my Garmin.

90 ST

i know out here they are a joke...i would look for a real shop.

kenchan

it really depends on the tech they use... some of them are acceptable, some are teens that dont have much prior experience. they're running against time and cost so they will be pretty aggressive with drilling and just making(forcing) things to fit. you get wat you pay for.

Red__Zed

Ask to talk to the guy who will be doing the install. You can usually tell from talking to them.

I know out here, most of the guys that do installs do pretty solid work if you make a point to talk to them beforehand. I personally don't use BB for anything though.

Lemers

Best bet is word of mouth on stereo install shops. Anywhere you go will be someone working for an hourly paycheck with mostly trial and error experience.

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2010 Black Cherry Touring/Sport/Nav Now - 2012 Travese LTZ until I leave for Turkey

bigaudiofanat

STAY AWAY from best buy shops. They can promis you the work "as can shops can do" but as soon as you drop the car orr they cut corners have races to see who can get their panel off first and so on. How do I know? I worked a week there and had to quit.

If you are up for paying for my travels I would be interested in heading down for the install.

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Astrosfan

Id rather let me 5yr old nephew install my speakers. Seriously, dont use them! I would go with another shop.

XwChriswX

LoL I actually did go to bestbuy to pick up a head unit (just something better than stock, not the final unit I can't afford yet ) And since I was being lazy I decided hell just let them install it. So I took it in, and had already ordered the Metra kit for our car myself. I had read all the DIY's on here about how to do it so I was 90% sure I could have done it myself. I just dont have a soldiering gun and that stuff, and I wanted at least the conversion harness done right so I let him do that bit.

Now whenever my car's being worked on, it's never out of my sight. And for good reason. When removing the cars interior panels, he did take his time and took them out properly. Not trying to pry them off when there are screws attached. He made sure to separate and organize all the screws so not to lose any/mix them up. That part made me feel better. But when it came to actually assembling the metra kit, and attaching it to the new head unit, that's where I saw his knowlege was lacking. After reading the DIY a hundred times I had learned how to set it up myself, but I didn't want to be the asshole customer telling the tech how to do his job lol. So I let him be and just watched as he tried setting it up about 15 different ways... After about a half hour of this I kindly suggested he do this and use these pieces and set it up like it should be. (Still being behind the "Authorized Persons Only" line)

Seeing that he still doesn't quite get what I'm saying, I kindly walked over and assisted in the assembly and mounting of the Metra kit to the head unit. (Basically, I came over, used his tools, and put it together myself...) He asks what the extra pieces for (For when you have a Double Din unit, since mine is a Single Din for now) I politely just said I dunno, and let that be that. He moved everything aside as if to make a 'throw away' pile, so I just took those pieces, put them back in the bag, and put them safely in the car. lol

Once we got it in the car, the Metra kit was a breeze. The only confusing part for him was trying to reinstall the A/C controller that sticks out from the back in the slot. This took about 5 minutes and the whole thing was installed in about 10 minutes with all the wiring being complete.

So in his technical prowess, I'd give him good marks, but not in the assembly department. I'm guessing since either it was a new car or not your standard late 90's-mid 2000's Ford/Chevy... He didn't really know the install kit. So no harm no foul. All screws were replaced and panels installed properly. Kit works like a champ.

Although, when I do switch to a Double Din Video HU, I will do it myself this time.

**Before leaving I asked him about the 'certification' they need to have to work there, and he explained that the school has 3 tiers, Basic, Advanced, And whatever comes after that, I didn't really care to rememeber cause at this point I just wanted to get home... But that he'd only been to the Basic school. I felt I had more knowlege of stereo installs just from teaching myself things and researching what I'm doing before I do it. Maybe I should apply as a part time thing.

Take from it what you will, that's just 1 installer at 1 store, but that's my

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R.I.P. Abby 3/29/10 - 3/30/14

kenchan

^^ good job coaching!