For Quality Installs, You Have to Know What You’re Looking For
Car audio shops that feature the latest in speakers, subwoofers, stereo consoles, and more seem to be cropping up everywhere these days. Given the boom in smart technology for our homes, we’re not surprised that there’s been a comparable increase in digital tech for your car.
However, it’s not always easy to tell which of these shops are the real deal. While they all offer financing, “professional installs,” and what they refer to as name-brand equipment, you may have to drill down into what these install shops really mean when they make claims about their businesses. Let’s look at each of these categories and see what separates the best from the rest.
Professional Installs
When a car audio company offers a professional install, what do they mean? Some just add the word “professional” to everything they do, but there’s a key difference between what some dealers call professional work and a truly high-quality car audio installation by an expert technician.
Here’s what we believe professional means:
- The technicians at the shop are familiar with industry-leading brands, including Alpine, JBL, and Kenwood.
- The website clearly communicates what kinds of services the shop offers, and you end up feeling more confident – and with less questions – just from doing research on their website.
Here’s what to avoid:
- The shop’s website is disorganized, and it’s not clear what services are offered. You end up being confused about what the “professionals” will take care of, and whether they’re familiar with the audio installation services you want.
- Industry-leading brands are not mentioned, and it’s not clear if the shop will be able to handle excellent car audio equipment.
Name-Brand Equipment
While “name-brand” or “leading brands” are phrases that get thrown around quite a bit in the car audio industry, there are a few brands that are superior to the others. Your car audio installation shop should be well-trained, and have a wealth of experience on these specific brands, so that no matter what stereo, speakers, or other audio equipment you order from them or have installed, you know they are going to be able to handle it. Technicians who have experience working on the best brands know the subtleties and finer points of working with sophisticated equipment, and this often translates to a high level of skill on nearly any system.
Here’s a sampling of important brands your car audio technicians should know:
- Alpine
- JBL
- Jensen
- Kenwood
- Sony
- Hertz
- Rockford Fosgate
Does your car audio shop have these names on its list of brands it carries and specializes in? Does it list more than these few industry-leading brands? If so, then you’re in great shape, and you can feel confident that your audio dealer has experience working on superior systems.
Financing: What to Look For
Most car audio shops should offer financing opportunities for customers. If a shop doesn’t offer financing, it means that they don’t yet have a financing partnership. This is possibly a red flag, given that any car audio dealership that is doing a higher number of sales can usually find a financing partner easily – and if a car audio dealership is doing a high number of sales, you can assume that there is a reason for their success. It’s likely that customers love their service, and chose them over the several other options in the area.
You’ll know you’re in the right spot for financing if you notice these signs:
- The car audio shop offers flexible financing, so that you can get what you need when you want it, and at a manageable price.
- The shop also offers leasing. This is important because it means that this business trusts its customers with their equipment. Trust is a core value when dealing with any shop that carries expensive equipment.
- The shop you’re researching also offers interest free options for a certain period of time to assist you with the affordability of the equipment.
Better yet, if a car audio installation shop presents more than one possibility for financing, this means they’ve attracted the interest of financing businesses because of their success. It’s also likely that they want the very best for their customers, so they have opted to provide multiple financing solutions.
Do Your Research and Stick with the Best
When you’re in the market for a new stereo, speakers, subwoofer, or any other car audio accessories, you don’t want to end up making a mistake about who you choose to perform the install. Car audio equipment is expensive, and it requires an experienced hand to make sure you’re getting an immersive, high-fidelity audio experience in your car. You don’t want to end up disappointed in the shop, as it can be pricey to undo what’s been done. Follow this guide and do some research on your own, and you’re sure to find the technicians who are just right for you and your car.