[Computerpro3]

I'm kind of pissed right now and not sure what to do. I'd love to hear your take on this.

There is a real high end audio shop in my area, does really nice custom work on cars ranging from low end up to Ferrari Enzo's and Aston Martins. They have a VERY good reputation, online and locally.

As some of you know, my Focal K2P's were hitting my stock door panel in my 2006 Ford Escape. I went in to talk to them and described what I wanted quite well. I told them to cut out the door grill which is a weird shape, fill it in with fiberglass wrapped in black leather, and cut out a spot in the middle for the stock Focal speaker grill. They quoted me $300. I agreed.

Today, I go to pick up my car and it's not quite what I expected. They didn't use fiberglass at all, or leather (which I was specifically told they would). They said they "didn't have to use it". Instead, they took a peice of MDF, cut it out in the weird shape of the stock grill, bolted to the OUTSIDE of my door panel (so it's not flush), and cut a circular shape hole through both the mdf and the stock grill. They then covered that in black grill cloth. They did use the stock focal grill but it's recessed into the MDF and you can't even see it through the grill cloth.

It doesn't look bad, but it's not what I paid for! I was stupid to not get a written quote, but I had talked to him three or four times before and purchased tweeter mounts so I felt comfortable.

I realize I didn't have a picture to show him of what I wanted, but with custom work you shouldn't need one as no one has done this before!

They did offer me a discount as they didn't have to use fiberglass. They charged me $260 in the end, but still, $260 for something I EASILY could have done myself in a half hour. I paid before I realized what they did.


What would you do in my situation?

 

[GlendaleViper]

Sneak in at night and let the air out of the tires of an upscale client? If they want that kind of reputation, nothing will help it along like some bigshot coming in to pick up his Enzo as it sits on rims.

 

[Computerpro3]

I'm seriously thinking about it. I don't understand though because they went through some extra effort to remount my speakers with a nice MDF baffle, but then they went totally half-ass on the door panel?

 

[GlendaleViper]

Sounds to me like they got busy and had to focus on their "more important" clientele. It's a shame when a company takes an approach like that. It's hard to find people who won't turn coats for a dollar.

 

[Computerpro3]

I agree. They had a $200,000 Dinan BMW M3 in there that they were hard at work on when I walked in. I googled them and found all the car forums they post on. Little do they know I love posting on forums.

If they don't fix it they will never get another customer from ANY of those forums ever again.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Good. Way more legal than my suggestion anyway, and besides, it would burn an innocent customer, which isn't really fair.

Fun though, no?

 

[Thelonious Monk]

if you've never lit up a bag of dog doo, now is the time.

 

[kramer5150]

Post this to some of the car audio forums... see what the enthusiasts have to say. The majority here are anti-car audio... hence the few replies you have thus far.

A high end business would have provided you with an itemized work order estimate, with labor rates and material cost. The fact that they didn't makes me question how "high end" they really are. Just because there are $$$ cars in the install bay, doesn't make them skilled installers. I have a friend who owns a highly modified Audi A4, its featured in tuner mags and the likes. He has been offered $$$ by car audio shops to park his car in the install bay... just to look good and attract customers.

How did you pay? Perhaps your credit card company has some kind of consumer protection program.

 

[meat01]

Quote:

t doesn't look bad, but it's not what I paid for!

Do they have a satisfaction guarantee? It sounds like you did not get what you paid for and should be refunded or they should redo it the way you asked them to do it. Did you talk to them and let them know of your dissatisfaction?

 

[GlendaleViper]

Yea, something isn't right at all... how is is ok to knock a few bucks off the price like that? You still didn't get what you asked for...

 

[slick]

Do you have pictures of the work that they performed?

In all honesty, from what I am reading, it sounds like they gave you a low quote, and when it got down to it, they did what they believed was $300 worth of work.

I would get more money back or something along those lines. I wouldn't trust them to redo it, I bet they would just half ass it to get it done.

$300 for cutting door panels, making fiberglass speaker pods, and covering them in leather, even my shop wouldn't do it for that, and they never touch high end cars.

 

[uzziah]

uh, i'd say don't be a ***** and let them walk all over you; what do you want us to say? don't take ****; car audio shops are pretty lowdown most of the time

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Post your bad experience online, consider it a leason learned. In future:

1. $300?? What were you expecting? That shouldn't even cover labour.

2. Always make a written work order

3. Double check the goods before you pay for anything.

 

[braillediver]

You're kind of vague as to whether you’ve talked to them about your problem? Did you talk to the guy you originally talked to? Have you asked them to correct what they did?

In a sense it seems you didn’t clearly define what you wanted done, you didn’t get a proper quote and now you’re pissed but haven’t given them the chance to correct it and it’s unclear if they even know they didn’t do what you asked.


Mitch

 

[bhd812]

Some shops around here will not give money back but will try to fix the issue.

if you paid on credit card then have the phone number to try and reject it just in case.

Go back to the shop and speak to the head guy..the owner. be nice and tell them its not only what you did not want, was not quoted for, but after you got home you decided you don't want to live with it.

tell them your past experience and how good it was when you bought other stuff from them.

not sure if they will try to redo it or give you money back, in fact i am sure neither will happen. if they refuse both then call up your credit card company and do what you can do to get it reversed..if that's possible.

w/e you do don't threaten them! don't cuss! if you do either consider your chances of fixing the issue YOU have is out the door. be professional and polite but still be firm. make sure you explain your story to the owner from start to finish, and don't say "well i paid then i went to look at the car". if anything say you trusted them cause of the great service you had before enough that you had confidence in their job...
saying something like that will not only increase your chances but might shine a light to the owner of how much trust people have in his shop and you were let down...may help..may