Rep Power: 293

yeah last year not very interested in my car yet i was only 16 didnt know anything about my honda yet. NOw i love the car but I brought it into circuit city to get a new head unit and speakers installed. well first off i payed for all four speakers to be installed to but they said i didnt pay so i was pissed at that than to get the dash off they used screwdrivers which left marks than my dad complained so they installed my speakers but than they said that my front speakers the infinity reference 6.5 would not fit in my front because of some problems with magnet shielding for power windows now i know stuff about my car so i should have went back there and smacked them in there face anyone else have had an experience like that

 
Rep Power: 346

Yeah, one time I had CC install a stereo for me...they hooked up my amps so that the power was always on even if the radio was not. One of the RCAs behind the radio was not connected, and they were all not matched up right...there were a few other problems but I don't remeber all of them...I remeber not getting reception etc...the guy just couldn't fix it so I took it to another CC and they took care of everything. It was obvious that I got a rookie, but the thing that pissed me off was that the main installer was always just sitting their eating ...I didn't want to cause any drama, so I went to another CC. I think they will take anyone off of the street to work there.

 
Rep Power: 469

i would never go to circuit city for anything to be installed cause places like that are rip offs to me!

 
Rep Power: 0

they also charge a lot for their stuff, even tho they say they have the cheapest prices

 
Rep Power: 0

brought my kenwood HU in there for them to check it out, since something was wrong with it. im lookin around the garage and stuff.. suddenly my gf hears some weird sound, and the guy turns and looks and gives off this "hope no one noticed" look, and went back to work... a week after he sort of "repaired" it, the whole thing just broke down and died... brought it to a diff. place and sent the HU out for repair

 
Rep Power: 295

with my old car, i got a HU installed only cause it was free. they did a sh*tty job. it skipped and bounced around. i had to go in and fix it. other then that, ive had no dealings with them.

 
Rep Power: 0

I had a head unit installed there...they did a good job. Just depends on the installer. At least with CC they are a big enough company that you can raise hell and they will take care of things for you.

 
Rep Power: 469

yea the installer plays a big part! Some installer aren't worth **** but others will treat you right!

 
Rep Power: 295

thats true. i was quite a bit younger, so i probably want paying attention...so i probably had a scum bag do it.

 
Rep Power: 0

hello your not suppose to let a16 year old to install systems in cars they havent even drove yet and have to real knowledge about... I have had friends that worked there that have blown new amps and expensive HU.... they dont even get to look at my stuff anymore.... I have old guys that take there time to install.. and after watching them I do all my own installs....

 
Rep Power: 0

i know several people at CC and they hook me up so no complaints here!!

 
Rep Power: 330

you gotta start installing somewhere and sometime, and a civic is am easy platform for beginners. the only thing good about my first ford was that i didn't need a dash kit, otherwise it was a lot of work to put that radio in.

speakers are easy too... with practice. don't be afraid to do more research before starting your work. find diagrams or search for the speakers you will be using. find mounting issues before the door is off. know what tricks are almost always done to make things fit.

CC's discount has gone to crap too. used to be awesome but now it's hardly anything. a lot of good people left when commision stopped, and around here they've gone to a local chain to work.

 
Rep Power: 0

One of the CC here is actually one of the best places to get an install. Two of the guys do a lot of the metroplex's "custom" installs and I would put them up against the best. I asked them why they worked there, and they said the benefits and pay are 10 times better than the mom and pop stores they worked at for years.

 
Rep Power: 339

they seem better than best buy imo.

 
Rep Power: 0

I plan on getting my alpine system there. i will probably install myself. i know i can get it on ebay for half the cost but then you have no warranty and cant take it back. if something goes wrong circuit city is just up the street.

 
Rep Power: 0

went to mickey shorres car audio to see if they could repair my head unit they sold me. basically i paid them $40, they took it out looked at it for a minute, then said they couldn't do anything. i argued with them for about 20 min. and ended up getting half my money back, i went home fixed it myself, and vowed never to go to mickey shorres again......ever

 
Rep Power: 320

I've had great experiences w/ Circuit City, right now they're in the process of getting rid of noise (im assuming from the alternator from wut i've been reading on here) they just ordered me a new amp they said u might want to ask around for tips n stuff but they had it for over a day just trying to figure out the noise problem, they did a nice install and spent lots of time trying to fix it for me and they're still workin on it once the amp comes in im takin it in to have them swap it out and let them know what i've been reading on the forum idea wise to fix it since they said they're out of things to try. anyway i had an install done at bestbuy before, they did a sloppy install, sounded ok, but my first system was 2 Punch Zs, the 90W rms ones, they sold me those subs w/ a 360.2 bridged it to give each sub 180W rms, and sold me a warranty, i constantly blew those subs and got new ones.. you think someone would figure it out and tell me to buy a different amp otherwise my warranty is void, but they're the ones who did all the work. i've had 2 different installs(2 different cars) taken it in about 3 times already w/ my civic for alarm/subs was one and next one was interior speakers i ordered after my first install, and now for the noise i've always been happy w/ circuit city, best buy just seems to care about if it works then its done, circuit city does a good job (i should say, Jason and Steve + others from the Champaign, IL circuit city) anyway, thats my 2 cents :P

 
Rep Power: 0

WHy aren't you suppose to let a 16yo install a syste? Im 15yo and have only got my permit. I have installed a hu, speakers, Sattellite radio and an alarm already by myself with no help. Just caus epeople are young don't make them stupid. So f__k your dumb comment and let the old farts install your systems, I hope they screw it up and some 16yo fixes it for you.

 
Rep Power: 0

Just because you have installed all of those things by yourself doesnt mean it was a great job. No offence, but when you are 15 years old, you dont know nothin about nothin in this world. I dont want to start an arguement over this, but i used to work at a Circuit City and i probably wouldnt even let some of the 18 year old kids touch my stuff. When you want your stuff done right, you find someone with more experiance.

Oh and just a little tip for you guys when going into a circuit city roadshop, always know a little about the product you are going in to look at. That way you will really know about the product and you'll know the sales person isnt just throwin the **** at ya. Sometimes sales people from other departments will walk back there and then get a customer askin questions and they will try to answer them, not good. And if at all possible, work directly with the manager back there, they will have the most experiance out of anyone.

 
Rep Power: 513

I had my HU, subs, and amp all installed at CC. I've had absolutely no problems so far. I agree that it has to do with the installers...some of them are great but others have no experience.

 
Rep Power: 320

all the installers that did mine were mid to late 20s, no one working there appeared to be any younger than 20 all of them proved to me they know what they're talking about and the manager of the car audio department did a lot of work on my car, plus another one of the installers let me sit in his car and listen to his system and i saw what a nice job he did with his and they did just as nice of a job with mine. but I agree it's all about who the installers are, there is a guy working the local best buy that was in my computer class, i think he's probably very knowledgable about car audio, but i still would rather the guys at circuit city do work on mine since i know they do a good job and they have proven themselves better than best buy, at lest the local circuit city vs. local best buy.

 
Rep Power: 0

Flashback to the past .....

 
Rep Power: 0

CC suck they always and will mess up ur **** someway or another, i have exp on them install my HU and system wires, screw, all of them was mess up, and my dash was all tore up it had screw driver mark, the worst thing is that they blame it on me!!! but i have gotten everthing taken care, just call them up or talk to the head manager.

 
Rep Power: 0

CC didn't screw up my alarm install... because I worked there and had the guy that knew what he was doing installing my stuff. Before that when I had a radio put in my old Grand Am, I had to go back a few times to finally get the install right. Just get the kit from Crotchfield and DIY!

 
Rep Power: 0

circuit city has some GREAT installers and some crappy installers. just depends which circuit city. Custom2k1 off this site is an exceptional installer and works at circuit city.

you have to remember, corporate america hooks you up so much better than a privately owned shop. you think your local around the block shop gives you health benefits? stock options? chance for moving up? automatic raises? circuit city and best buy do. If i ever went back to installing, id rather work at circuit city or best buy rather than a small shop for those reasons.

to end my rant, my point is that maybe your circuit city has bad installers, but some dont. dont get me wrong, ive heard some horrendous stories from circuit city, but ive also seen some decent work. dont bring down your view of an entire corporation because of one experience.

 
Rep Power: 0

Ludlam has a great point. There are many other much more valid and consistent reasons to hate Circuit City and Best Buy.

 
Rep Power: 0

Recently went and had CC install my head unit. Took them a half hour, plus they installed my amp for free. Nice guys + clean install = happy customer

 
Rep Power: 320

AGREED.

 
Rep Power: 0

That is the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard. I started installing at around 15, and now 10 years later, working in the industry for a shop that is one of the best on the East Coast! Do I look back and say "WTF was I thinking?" Of course, experience is everything. So you installed your alarm. wow, but is it really an alarm or will it just do nothing when someone cuts your battery cables. Is the XM antenna hiddden so noone knows there is aftermarket gear in the car? You can do a headunit, but can you do a headunit in a car with no dash kit made for it and a factory amp that is also the crossover network for the car? When you installed the speakers were you able to properly baffle them to eliminate the backwave cancellation? Age is nothing, I'm only 25 myself, but experience is everything! Every shop varies, you could pay $95/ hour at my shop for a 4 hr amp install, or $45 at the Best Buy down the street. CC and BB constantly send us business for cars they are not willing to touch. They know their limitations, its those who don't know their limitations to stay away from!

 
Rep Power: 0

Good post ludlam. He pretty much sums it up completely in his little rant. This same thing happens all the time in other types of business. You have to be careful when getting audio installed in your car. Even reputable shops that have put out hundreds of high quality systems still are likely to have a novice working there learning the ropes....everyone has to start somewhere. The experts with experience are ususally working on larger "custom" jobs while the n00b is more likely to be the one installing HU's and hooking up front speakers, this is what scares me about all of those "small" projects, that's why i'd prefer to do it myself, atleast then i can know how it's all hooked up. I had a friend in college who came across a large sum of money, had a $9,000 stereo installed, and every time something as simple as a fuse blew or a speaker rattled he had to bring it back to the shop to get it fixed, and pay them a fee ususally to get it done.....if he had installed it himself he'd have a general knowledge of what was wrong and how to fix it.


I was about to start a rant of my own on the certification of installers but decided against it.