I don't believe in being vindictive in reviews, but I do believe in being honest, and in assisting fellow consumers. I started an audio upgrade and installation in my 2011 Camaro convertible, after extensive research and prep. I was enjoying the learning experience. I successfully wired my component fronts, my coaxial rears, and subwoofer, had everything labeled and ready to go. When it got to connecting the wiring harness and dash kit into the center console, I decided to let Exotic finish the project and check my work, just to make sure I didn't accidentally damage any of my expensive purchases. There were a few hours of work remaining to be done, especially for a professional, and I didn't mind paying for that in order to ensure my system would function correctly and optimally. I called the shop close to closing, on a Thursday. After explaining my needs, I was told to come in the next morning. So, Friday morning, I came in, was told to come back in an hour, because Tucker was off giving a quote somewhere else. So I killed an hour, then came back. Tucker quoted me 4 hours and $674 to finish my project, said that should be plenty of time. He had an opening for Tuesday morning the next week. I scheduled to start work at 1:30pm that day to accommodate him, after he said the timeframe should be enough. I show up Tues morning, quite excited. I bring my duffel bag and computer bag inside their little office/showroom, and open my laptop. They have 2 little dogs, running around their shop and office. One of them comes inside and pees on my leg, my duffel, and the couch I'm sitting on, marking his scent or something, as soon as I sit down. Absolutely disgusting, but I shrug it off, shoo the dog away. An hour passes, and my car is still parked. Tucker hasn't even pulled it into the shop yet, despite knowing that I have to get to work. I brought it in at 9am. Around 10am, he finally pulls it in. Around 1pm, he isn't even close to finishing, so I get an Uber to work, and have him hide the keys somewhere so I can pick it up after I get off work, since he will be closed by then. I get off work, uber back over, and pick up my car. He left me a note in the car saying to check my voicemail. I listen to the voicemail, and he explains that he hooked everything up, gave power to the amp, and plugged in his phone, then proceeded to blow my rear speakers with too much power, because he failed to check the gain settings on the amplifier and verify they were all the way down before giving the system power. He also says something is up with my right front speaker. This is an ABSOLUTE ROOKIE MISTAKE, and even I knew not to do that. I brought the amplifier in the box unopened, because I'd read about people blowing their speakers by messing with it. The ONLY REASON I brought my project to him to have him finish it in the first place was so that I didn't damage any of my equipment by doing it myself. I call him the next morning, and he tells me to just warranty the speakers he blew, say they were damaged out the box, and get replacements, putting that responsibility on me. I say fine whatever, we can set this right when I come in again, after those replacements come in. He agrees. I replace the speakers myself when they come in, so that it's less work and so I can listen to music in the meantime. My right front speaker is still not working, so I check his wiring work on my amplifier, and he has it wired wrong. I re-wire it myself, and get all of my speakers and the sub to work effectively, and make sure to set the gain super low to not damage anything. By the time I come in again, I've fixed the damage he did, and only need him to tune the amplifier, that's it. He does that, and it takes him almost 2 hours. Ridiculous. I ask Tucker what his technique is, if he uses an oscilloscope (the industry standard for audio tuning and gain setting), and he says oh, no, that's a premium service that takes several hours and you have to pay extra, I just listen for clipping, do it by ear. (For reference, an oscilloscope is a small handheld tool, cheap, and not that hard to use, kind of similar to a multimeter). I figured the least he could do was tune my system properly, after messing it up and inconveniencing me for over a week. But no, he was not having it. Also, he would not hear anything about refunding me for the damage he did, and the inconvenience he caused. He argued with me for nearly 15 minutes, not budging an inch, not even refunding the $74 materials cost he charged, despite me bringing all my own materials. I left feeling angry and soured by the experience, and do not feel the price was warranted, even without the screwups and unprofessional demeanor. I had planned on returning for tint and a few other things, but I will never be back, and I do not recommend anyone ever goes here. Save time and money and look elsewhere for your audio needs. read more

The shop is top-notch the best in Chico. I highly recommend them. They are well versed in auto installation. I don't need to say anything else period. After they install your equipment you will be leaving with such a joyous smile on you face. read more

I don't know where to start, what kind of hillbilly gut shop are you running? Hack up my sons car, leave pieces not connected, hmm did you forget a few screws? Ya I noticed! You charge extra labor and can't even do a decent job. I see other reviews from other people and you can tell you don't care! Ever said sorry? Let me help? No you talk down to them! Poor attitude and shotty work. Thanks for having my review taken down you pathetic scam artist! I paid for the components and the install, so this is not a secondary review, it's real. Complaining to Yelp telling them I'm not a customer! Really! My money paid for it in my sons car that I own. No, I have not responded. This is a place for reviews. If I wanted any further assistance from you, which I don't, I would have brought the car back myself. Sorry you have done enough. I do not trust your competence. I have left a review for other consumers. read more

Let me start off by saying Alex does seem like a good dude, and for the most part he is nice to talk with. However, I recently brought my car in to sort out a battery drain issue my car was having. He said no worries, quoted me $350 to investigate and chase down the issue, and if the repair cost more he would let me know. Awesome. Fast forward a week, Alex struggled to inform me about what was going on with my car. He let me know about a light switch after receiving the car and then kinda fell off - communication wise. For the additional week he had the car, getting info from Alex was like pulling teeth. I get it, you get busy and prioritize installs over diagnostics, but at the very least let your customer know what's going on with their car...especially when it's sitting in your lot for 2 weeks. Fast forward to today, I finally get to pick up the car and pay the $350 when the issue was never fixed, in Alex's word he called "uncle". I ask for the components that were replaced (parking light switch, fuse box, etc.) and Alex informs me he threw them away because he thought I didn't want them - but I could pay for the new parking light switch. This is a HUGE red flag for me as every mechanic and audio install I have ever had touch my car always shows me the old parts, and doesn't just throw them away. To me, it seems like Alex just let my car sit for 2 weeks and charged me $350. I could be wrong, but that is really what I am suspicious of. Due to this experience, I would recommend taking your business elsewhere. Alex, my advice is to start looking at the quality of service you are providing and try to treat customers as if they are friends, not just dollar signs. read more

Merry Christmas to me after a very merry Christmas provided by Alex and crew at Exotic Car Audio & Security! This season I treated myself to a brand new Pioneer head unit after having visited a few times in the past for a variety of vehicle upgrades to include remote start, alarm system, fog lights and subwoofer purchase and install. Last Christmas I treated my wife to a remote start system for her 2012 Subaru. Every single time Alex has answered my quote requests promptly and had my vehicle in and out within a very short window, usually by mid day, with excellent results that I am still using to this day. In addition, every single time, Alex has listened carefully to my vision and has suggested optional capabilities that I would not have otherwise thought of without the aid of his expertise and many years of experience in this business. My wife loves her remote start and has used it almost every single day during the winter and cold spring mornings and has evangelized it, and the great work done by Exotic Car Audio & Security, to her friends and family. In cases where I had questions or needed someone to look at something and help me with the use of a new product, Alex repeatedly went out of his way to make sure I was taken care of promptly and as completely as his great service allowed. I absolutely recommend Alex and his team of specialists here if you're lucky enough to live in Chico & surrounding areas. He and his staff provide professional service with a friendly demeanor that makes you feel comfortable in cases where many of us know very little. read more

Exotic Car Audio & Security - Much of the badass-ness of this truck courtesy Exotic Car Audio & Security - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - Chico, California

I give 1 star only because it gives that option. I mean don't get me wrong my system sounds solid and bumps, but I'll explain my bad experience and why the low rating. So first reason why such a low score is first thing they wrote my phone number down wrong. Second they took an extra hour and half because they wrote down the wrong number. Third my dash kit for my Honda Civic si was fine when I brought in here. They broke it trying to pass the blame off to Best Buy. Best Buy already agreed to fix the damage they caused but there was no damage to the dash kit. I feel exotic audio tried to use information I gave them to pass blame for their own mistake and incompetence, because I had no issues what so ever with dash kit. I pointed out 2 flaws Best Buy did mess up so they were aware that it was like that before install. I know for a fact my previous install that the dash kit wasn't broken and actually installed properly. Exotic audio has no balls to own up to their mistake, sothey tried to pass blame onto someone else when I had no problems whatsoever with my dash kit beforehand. It wasn't loose or broken whatsoever, But after taking it to exotic audio for them to do install on my amp and subs then suddenly it's broken. Another Funny fact I vacuumed my car before going to exotic audio and after picking up my install I find 3 bolts on the carpet. When I come to pick up my car Alex states "the dash kit was broken beforehand and not properly installed." I can tell they didn't put my car back together right and did a Mickey Mouse job. I had him stating his lie on paper. They have No integrity and they didn't even offer any compensation for messing up phone number and damaging my dash kit. I wouldn't trust Alex and his crew for Any future audio work. You can take my $347 but that's ok because I can leave honest reviews which go public. Plus exotic screwed up my digital temp for my radiator too. It was working before, but not after exotic did an install. Like I said before I'd give a lower rating but there's no 0 star option. My advice from a locals perspective. Really do your research before letting some audio place screw up your car. Take before and after pictures. Documenting is key not to get screwed by shady business practices like overpriced and inexperienced exotic audio. Edit: yeah I didn't pick up the phone Alex because Some is work you know! Alex acted real professional and you lost it because I said what a rookie. Grow up. Your business sucks and everything i stated is facts in my review. You screwed up my radiator temp sensor and dash kit. Just keep playing your sales pitch. Hopefully my review saves a person from dealing with same inept customer service and attitude. Ps I usually leave good reviews on companies because they usually provide great service. So why would I fake a positive review with your company? This is my own personal experience with your company and I am entitled to my opinion, which is a negative experience with your store. I stand by my review from a Chico local of 34 years. You can save your con artist talk for next customer you pull in with your fake promises. You say I have too much time? But respond immediately when allegedly running a professional establishment and just because I posted a few reviews today doesn't make it fake. Those businesses I've done business with and had no problems. read more

Exotic Car Audio & Security - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - Chico, California

Wasted my precious time ! Went into the office to have my amplifier wires Check understandably the young guy said he was busy therefore I asked if I could make me an appointment..the appointment was made for 9/15/2022 @9AM Three days before my appointment i certainly Called and he whom I spoke to in person confirmed for 9/15/2022 Fast forward to 9/15/2022 @ 8:58 showed up a few minutes early once inside his attitude was off from the beginning, didn't greet me, didn't say good morning, this guy responded to me while holding his phone " thought I canceled mind you he was still looking down at his phone. I spoke and reassure him the appointment was made for 9/15/2022 @9 fast forward he wasn't willing to acknowledge a mistake was made, and or miscommunication on his behalf I was never notified by anyone saying the appointment was canceled that being said he continued to be arrogant, not having the decency to act like he cared really boiled my blood. having wasted my time I kindly excused myself. very unprofessional and this shop is a HARD NO!! Personally I will never return and advise everyone to do the same" PLEASE SAVE YOURSELVES THE HASSLE!! Would not recommend. Decided to drive further out to Vacaville California and they got me right @AUDIO TO GO read more

Called this shop to get the stereo re-done on my boat and they were able to fit me in the next day. They were also able to fix the wiring for my fish finder and radio. They did quality work and it was done in a fast, timely manner. My only complaint is that the clean up job afterward was not done - at all - there were fiber glass shavings in the center console of the boat, the plastic scraps were left lying around, and the wiring was tangled and not tidy. read more

What a great experience. Contacted Alex via yelp and in less then a week car tinted all the way around. Car looks great and they even blacked out my window trim with little notice. High quality, professional and prompt service. I wish more businesses were like Exotic. Can't recommend these guys enough. read more

This is an amazing family owned business that takes great pride in workmanship and the products they offer. They also have great communication skills from start to finish. They have me as a long time customer for sure! read more

Outstanding customer service and work. I had the floor of my Jeep sprayed with the Berliner. First, the price was much cheaper than I expected. Tucker knew that I needed to be out of town in the morning, so he stayed late to finish it. Great service read more

Beware BEWARE! Once you say yes, your money is no longer yours. There is no money back guarantee what so ever. You bought it no refunds on anything. I was sold an expensive unit that does not perform as the owner stated. I wish I had gone elsewhere. BUYERS BEWARE FOR SURE. I returned to Exotic after my installation because I was locked out of the rear of my SUV. If looks could kill I would be dead. The owner had a very angry look on his face and I probably should have left but I needed access to the rear of my vehicle for an upcoming trip. So much for Mr. Nice guy. He stated he would take a look at my car but had no idea how long it would take. When he finished my car I told him I was very dissatisfied with the quality of the unit I was sold and with its intermittent performance. I also told him I felt I was ripped off after being charged $1,750 for a unit that sells for $400. For that amount of money I expected quality performance and I certainly did not have that. Never once did he ask me what he could do to make me a satisfied customer! GO ELSEWHERE, you will be very glad you did! read more

As I've stated I'm doing what I can to move on but with Alex's comments today regarding my terrible experience in July I guess now I have to update everyone: So far Alex has contacted me thankfully just once since my review, via voicemail, to tell me that I was misconstruing things -in an oddly patronizing way. Not one word of apology was in the voicemail. Just that I misconstrued things, but "not on purpose" (probably because I'm stupid which is what his words and tone honestly seemed to imply) and that he wants to "make it right", even though I made it clear in my review I didn't want him within 20 feet of my car after the slough of original issues and failure to fix most of them on a return visit. It isn't like I went there once and never came back. I came back and tried to have him address the issues, which in turn were really not addressed as far as the bubbly tint is concerned, and decided at that point I didn't care to have him do anything at all further to my car at risk of even more issues arising. Also It was only after that second visit I noticed the dirty headliner, and then all of the glue residue in the rear compartment under the windows. I don't have time or desire to address all of his comments but him commenting that the leaks wouldn't be caused by "poorly installed and misaligned door panels and damaged vapor barriers/seals" (as the dealer stated) I guess really demonstrates Alex's considerable lack of understanding of how cars' -especially BMW group, which Mini is part of- seals and vapor barriers in the doors are CRUCIAL to keeping water from coming into the cabin. They are not remotely just "cosmetic" as he's trying to claim for some reason. With my knowledge of cars, which is clearly far greater than Alex thinks it is, I find it slightly alarming for him to claim otherwise. Heck, a 2-second Google search of "car vapor barrier leak" might help, but that's just my opinion. I guess it just must have all just been a strange coincidence that there was never a single drop of water inside the car at all last winter when I purchased the car- but only AFTER going to Exotic. Weird. read more

I'm not easily impressed & after both the service & quality I received at Line-X Chico, I was compelled to write a review. Alex & his crew are top notch when it comes to "detail orientated." He is also a man of his word. I called in late 2019 regarding some info & a "rough quote". He answered all my questions & was very attentive to listening, which is something I don't see a lot of anymore. He laid to rest my fears about the new-to-me coating & gave me an exact quote which didn't differ from late 2019 to the current date of installation; 3/09/2020. He gave me a time frame estimate to pick up my truck & when I arrived almost an hour & a half early, it was nearly done. I inspected every inch of the bed looking for flaws, expecting, like normal, to be disappointed in some aspect but prepared to pay the bill & be thankful my bed was now lined which would provide better protection even if was done unsatisfactorily. Not even close to the case here. My truck looks complete now. Every single removable piece & part from the bed & tailgate was removed prior to it being coated. Even the dampener was removed. They gently lifted the rails to ensure the product got underneath but did so in a way that the clips didn't break. There is not a speck of over spray anywhere. Again, I'm not easily impressed because the attention to detail in most cases is simply non existent. At Line-X Chico, attention to detail is their #1 priority & it absolutely shows. They take great pride in their work & I'm very grateful for their efforts. They definitely made me not only happy but actually excited to get a product I actually look forward to seeing & showing to others. If you're on the fence about this product, DO YOUR RESEARCH! The product in & of itself is top notch compared to the others but the application is just as important as the product. Alex & his crew know exactly what they're doing & their final product shows just that. Thank you Alex & crew for taking time to do a truly wonderful job that I can be proud to show off. Say hello to Jinx for me! read more

Exotic Car Audio & Security - Attention to detail! They removed every single removable part before applying the coating. - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - Chico, California

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I had many electrical issues with my 2002 Dodge Ram door lock,headlights, no power to stereo. I almost thought this issue would never get figured out. I was impressed they had no problem figuring it out and for a far price. I highly recommend Alex and his team at Exotic car audio for any electrical issues and stereo work. I also had him replace my old amplifier and tune up my old system and WOW...what a difference! read more

Very pleased with the work done by Alex and Exotic. Fair estimates, very responsive and on time with promised delivery. Nice showroom with lots of high end equipment. Had bought a used car with the CD Changer malfunctioning. He diagnosed the problem, estimated the repair costs and finished job in promised time. Very fair and knowledgable. read more

I had to get some work done on my car's old and uncommon alarm system, and it was done very quickly! I wasn't even there for 10 minutes. And the work was done for less than I expected. The gentleman was also able to program my new car door-clicker-thingy no problem. Inside the shop there are many car accessories and upgrades avaible, from stereo items to lighting to window tinting. And it was clean inside, so many car places are always grimy, but this place didn't make me feel worried to sit on the couch lol. I do recommend this place! I shall be back soon to check out window tinting :) read more

I know of what I speak as I've owned a chain of Car Stereo Audio / Video stores in the Bay Area years ago... High praise for Alex who is an intelligent, honest and efficient owner / operator of this establishment... I'll be back...! read more

I searched online for someone who could help me with the wiring of my car stereo that was installed by a well meaning family member. I found several local on Yelp but Exotic Car Audio had the best reviews. They answered the phone immediately, set up an appointment that worked for me and got my stereo working in a timely manner. The owner is very polite and extremely helpful with my novice stereo questions. The shop is clean, and organized. Easy to find, great signage on The Esplanade. read more

Horrible service. Didn't honor quoted price. Wanted 80% more.after refusing the service, he charged me a 50$ cancellation fee.

Man was very knowledgeable in application design and how it will vary based up the budget you have in mind. Paint him a picture of what you want for your vehicle, and will provide you an array of choices to consider prior to making the selection. read more

I have been to plenty of car audio places for my vehicle but Exotic is the best. I was very happy after I went to see the window tint install on my 2019 Silverado. Exotic took care of my truck as if it were their own. And I always appreciate good service! I feel that service today has lost most of its drive and has been felt by us as consumers but not at Exotic. They treat you like family and make sure the job they do is to your satisfaction! I will be recommending Exotic to my family and friends! Love my window tint! read more

You never really know the level of service or the measure of someone's character until the chips are down. I had a unique experience with this shop. During installation my window was accidently broken. Alex and his team took complete responsibility for the damage. They arranged and paid for the repair. Alex was a consummate gentleman during the whole transaction. They do great work and they will take care of their clients even in difficult situations. Character defined! I highly recommend this shop. read more

Amazing service!!! I recently purchased an older car and wanted to update the stereo system. After checking several other places in Chico and Paradise, no one could do the job with out waiting days for parts. I called on a Saturday afternoon and boom got it installed the same day. It was quick and looked and sounded great. Thanks a million guys. read more

I called at 1000 to get a radio installed in my ski boat. It was done by 1. Awesome. The customer service was off the hook!! The cost and installation was fully explain to me. The staff removed their shoe before getting into my boat the job was done right!! I'm returning next turn for big awesome speakers. read more

Trusted Alex and his team to add a subwoofer sytem & alarm system to my 2014 Odyssey Touring Elite. They did an amazing job with top brand products. Alex communicated with me as it progressed making sure everything was installed where I wanted it and done to my satisfaction. Not only did he accomplish this but fined tuned a few details I didn't even realize were critical making the installation perfect. It is the best stereo and alarm system I have ever owned. I had to come back in briefly to have him adjust the programing on my alarm to make it behave how I wanted and decided to let him tint my windows, I am leery of window tinting as I have seen many botched jobs but Alex did a perfect install. Thanks Alex! read more

I've had 2 of my cars done by Alex and his crew from Window Tint to Stereo's, good work and good prices.

Just had a remote start/security system installed in my truck. Alex and his guys did a great job. When I picked up my truck everything was perfect and his price was great. I'm planning on taking my other vehicle to him to get the same system installed in it. Thanks Alex! read more

I had the most unpleasant experience with the owner of this business, Alex. Took my car in to get a sub put in, at the end of the day when we tested it out, it sounded so bad he told us to come back the next day to get it fixed. The next day when they had my car at the shop all day he said that it needed an extra adapter which would cost an extra $130 on top of the $600 that he was already charging me. After he had installed it, he told me he was unable to remove it since I wasn't interested in paying the extra money especially after it took an extra day to be worked on, and an extra day of not having my car. He was very rude to me over the phone when I told him I was no longer interested, telling me that he's had a bad day already and they spent so much extra time putting this sub in my car, that he didn't really want to take it out now. Overall horrible experience with this business owner, would absolutely never recommend anyone to go to him. read more

Read through the bad reviews, they are correct! Not the place I would go too for anything car related. Charges way too much and doesn't stand behind their work. And in one of their reviews on google owner tries to slam a firefighter? I mean who does that? Take your vehicle anyplace else! read more

Brought my hyudia sannata there to get sub and my amped hooked up they hooked it up wrong .he chared me 350$ it never worked.it destroyed 2 batteries before i had to take the amp and speakers out my self.this placeshould give me a refund insted of burning ppl read more

Great Job and good to their word -- Alex took care of us. We purchased a new Ford Cmax Energi and took it to him first thing, after reading the good reviews on Yelp -- true to the other positive reviews Alex was good to his word and fixed everything we complained about. He completely redid the front shield, because the window on the Cmax is huge and the material was not enough to cover. Alex cae up with the idea to add a darker tint strip along the top of the shield, order new material and redo the whole thing. It came out beautiful -- thank you Alex read more

Great service and products. Alex and his team have been at this for a long time and are one of the few mobile audio shops to last outside of the early 2000's. I've had work done by his shop in the past so I came back again, didn't really consider anyone else actually because my past experience with some other shops was that working on their own vehicles and friends' cars was more important. I needed a replacement for the subpar head unit and slop-job install that came with my new (used) SUV. Alex didn't try to sell me the most expensive top of the line equipment he had, he showed me the features of each unit that would fit my needs, then asked me which I would prefer. The install was quick and clean, and all of my factory controls work with the new head unit. read more

Had an auxiliary input added to an older car stereo system. They were very nice, very quick, shop was clean and professional, offers a warranty on the work. Very happy I decided to go there! read more

Owner Alex knows his stuff. Drop your car, truck, boat, police vehicle, atv, golf cart, rv or anything off and tell Alex to wire it up. There is no price that can be put on doing it right the first time by a pro. read more

After doing a little research online I found these guys to be the best of the best when it came to reviews. Now I know why! Their attention to detail on every aspect of my experience with them is second to none. If you're in the Chico Area, look no further! Alex and his crew are top notch! read more

I had to get the tint off my front windows removed & came here based on the reviews on yelp! They were very professional and accommodating, I was able to get an appointment the next day! Extremely knowledgable on tint & explain things in "easy to understand lingo!" I will definitely be back for any other car needs I have!!! Thank you exotic car & audio! read more

I've been taking my rides to Alex at Exotic for the last decade. So far he's done complete stereo systems on my Silverado, Hummer, Range Rover, Houseboat, Rhino Side x Side, and my Boat. Couldn't be happier with the level of service and quality systems I've received. Definitely look these guys up if you're in the market for an awesome stereo. read more

They squeezed me in without an appointment! Asked if it would be done by 4 and they said probably. Was done by 3:50!! And my radio sounds great read more

I was very impressed with the level of service I got with the owner. He personally installed the new CD player and explained how to link my cell phone to the deck. He was friendly and very informed about the product. I can't ask for more! read more