Car Stereo Install Costs

[hobbesateclavin]

What does a typical head unit cost to install?

How about going to a shop to have an amp installed?

I know I could do these myself on a Saturday but I just don't seem to have the time or inclination to spend a few hours putting it all in.

Anybody with some typical install fees would be helpful

thx!

[PaulD]

uit can vary wildly from location to location .... go to the shop - they usually have a standard price list on the wall

[AirAllen01]

If you buy the unit and get it installed from Mobile 1, it's 1$ to have the unit installed. If you didn't buy the unit there, of course, it's regular price.

[i_a_n112784]

Whatever you do, DON'T go to Best Buy. They really screw you on all these extra things they don't tell you about until they have the car apart. One of my friends did that, and he bent over and took it....

[GSteg]

it takes less than 45 minutes to install a headunit.

if u insist, it'll cost around $35 for headunit install and about $50 for an amp install.

[AciDriveHB]

If you're good and don't care about warrenty, then I say do it yourself. I've been dealing with car stereo's for about 3 years now and can install and uninstall in a matter of hours. But te fact that I take my car to have my system professionally installed is due to the fact of warrenties. Some places will extend warrenties if parts are bought/installed there. The local place around here was licensed through JL, so if they installed any JL hardware (speakers, AMP, woofers, etc) JL would warrenty that part(s) for up to two years from the date of purchase. so there are things like that to look for, it really comes down to the simple fact of "am I sure I can do it, or is there a really sweet deal/warrenty I can get at a shop". Shop around, then decide.

Just a thought...
~AciD

[sideshowrich]

This is fairly easy stuff. The only part I didn't like about installing my amp was ripping off and pulling back interior panels to run the wires. The head unit is cake, especially in a Honda. I also installed my fiance's head unit, 0 problems from either car. My sister took hers to a shop, even after I told her not to, and she got bent over, bad.

My advice, down a few Red Bulls and get to it.

[hobbesateclavin]

Originally Posted by sideshowrich

This is fairly easy stuff. The only part I didn't like about installing my amp was ripping off and pulling back interior panels to run the wires. The head unit is cake, especially in a Honda. I also installed my fiance's head unit, 0 problems from either car. My sister took hers to a shop, even after I told her not to, and she got bent over, bad.

My advice, down a few Red Bulls and get to it.

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Has anyone tried installing a new head unit in a late model Integra (1998-2001). I heard they were a bitch to get the dash, etc off.

And what about running the wires from the battery? Where do I punch through the firewall?

Thanks for the input guys!

[hobbesateclavin]

Originally Posted by i_a_n112784

Whatever you do, DON'T go to Best Buy. They really screw you on all these extra things they don't tell you about until they have the car apart. One of my friends did that, and he bent over and took it....

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What about Circuit City? Anybody have any positive or negative feedback about their road shop?

I was thinking about buying my head unit online and taking it to CC to have it installed for convenience sake.

[sideshowrich]

Originally Posted by hobbesateclavin

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Has anyone tried installing a new head unit in a late model Integra (1998-2001). I heard they were a bitch to get the dash, etc off.

And what about running the wires from the battery? Where do I punch through the firewall?

Thanks for the input guys!

I've never done an integra, but I hear its similar to the 96-00 Civic. I had to remove the panel under the steering column, the glove box, and pull back the center console to get underneath to unscrew the factory radio. Kind of a pain, but I couldn't get the panel underneath the radio off without either bending it way out of shape or breaking something.

As for running wires from the battery, take the battery out and look behind it. There should be a hole already there that goes right inside the car under your glovebox. Just run the wire through this and under the carpet along the passenger side of the car, probably have to remove your door sills. The backseat panel pulls back easy to get the wire under it.

[sideshowrich]

Oh, and don't run the power wire and the RCA wires along the same side of the car. This might be very tempting, but it can cause some noise interference if you do. Hope this all helps.

[AciDriveHB]

Originally Posted by hobbesateclavin

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What about Circuit City? Anybody have any positive or negative feedback about their road shop?

I was thinking about buying my head unit online and taking it to CC to have it installed for convenience sake.

I have a friend who goes there and buys things from Circuit City and has them installed there, has not had a problem (but he drives an old Balzer).

Though you might want to check if they will install stuff that you buy else where and bring in. I know some places can be weird about that because you aren't really buying anything from that story, just using their services. Kind of like going and buying gas from one gas station, but having another put it into your car (I know weak, but I can't think of a good analogy right now).

But something also to watch out for is some places can be sneaky and just not do the best job with hooking up wires (or some people just forget to check all the connections). Make sure after they install it, no matter where you take it back, at least within a week or two, to have them look over the system incase anything goes wrong. Some places do it for free, some places are weird and will make you pay if it's not something you bought there.

Hope that helps...
~AciD

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by sideshowrich

Oh, and don't run the power wire and the RCA wires along the same side of the car. This might be very tempting, but it can cause some noise interference if you do. Hope this all helps.

I see this old myth dies hard

[GSteg]

Originally Posted by PaulD

I see this old myth dies hard

lol.

yup..i still can't believe people still say that when the whole car acts as a big chunk of conductor so not much difference if you ran it seperately. i have had my 2 power wire (4g and 8g) running next to my RCA and i have no problemo!

[TheNotoriousMogg]

Originally Posted by i_a_n112784

Whatever you do, DON'T go to Best Buy. They really screw you on all these extra things they don't tell you about until they have the car apart. One of my friends did that, and he bent over and took it....

ha ha funny thing you mention that, they did my mom the same way...they said like $35 for install and then they added like $40 in extra shit "needed" for the install...fuckin pirates