I'm really torn about The Car Stereo Shop. On the one hand, Anthony, the sales person who I dealt with, is really nice, helpful, knowledgeable, and wants his customers to be happy. On the other hand, there were so many problems with my install, it just seems like things are really disorganized over there and quality control might be a little lacking.
I went to The Car Stereo Shop because my 2005 car didn't even have an aux port, and I wanted one. But Anthony then informed me I could get a video head unit which would allow me to use Android Auto like a new car can, and that sounded awesome, so I decided to do that instead of just getting an aux port (I wouldn't really need the aux port since I'd be able to play music with Bluetooth or USB cord). Also, he suggested a speaker upgrade from factory speakers (without being pushy about it at all), and I realized it would be nice to have non-factory speakers for a change. So I ordered an install of the head unit, speakers, and a new Sirius satellite antenna since the old 2005 one wouldn't work with the head unit.
Then the problems began. For example:
--When I went to pick up the car after the install, the Sirius satellite antenna had never been installed.
--When i went to pick up the car after the Sirius satellite antenna was installed, the microphone (needed for hands-free phone calls & Android auto commands) no longer worked.
--When I went to pick up the car after the microphone was fixed, I found a small chunk of my dash had been ripped out during the latest repair.
--The Sirius radio kept cutting out, and when I asked them about it they said it was just the trees blocking the signal, but finally I was so frustrated I contacted Sirius and they sent me a replacement antenna, and after replacing the antenna the radio didn't cut out at all so it turns out I was right.
--Also, there were numerous times when scheduling was difficult or delayed because they were "short a tech." They always seemed to be "short a tech."
--Also, the billing system was really disorganized. There were times we'd be looking around for a paper receipt to see how much I had paid them, how much they'd quoted me on price, etc., rather than just looking it up on a computer.
So the whole process of the install had a lot of issues. BUT, now that the install is done, I am really happy with my new stereo system. And I'm grateful to Anthony for all his advice. He made me aware of potential stereo improvements I hadn't considered (video screen, Android auto, new speakers), without trying to push stuff on me. Also, the shop did a really nice job crafting custom molds for the Tweeters and installing everything so that it looks natural in the car. And Anthony couldn't have been nicer about all of the issues I was having with the install and making them right. He was genuinely apologetic about everything and worked really hard to get fixes done as soon as possible.
So if you're looking for a new car stereo, I do think it's worth visiting The Car Stereo Shop and talking to Anthony. He's great. Just be aware of the potential issues -- who knows, maybe they've improved things there by now. read more
