hi guys, i had a compustar alarm installed by a local shop (wicked car audio). both installers have been recognized as being top 100 installers. i went in and talked to the owner (Kevin) and both installers (chris and dennis) on for seperate days with each time lasting 20-60 minutes. i reviewed what i wanted and what they do (install wise). they stated that they hid the alarm wiring within the factory loom, hid brain in right under dash (very hard to access) and did an all around stealth install. i am very paranoid about having my car stolen (4 break-ins, a previous car stolen and one broken into). so i decide to go with an install through them given the reputation of the installers, and convidence that they understand what i want and will do it.

so i drop my car off, they install the alarm (i left it all day with them) and go to pick it up after work. i am told that the omni sensor was ordered and will arrive in a week (omni sensor= ultrasound sensor, DEI 509U). so im fine with that. a few days later, i check the install, sure enough, brain is sitting out in open, shock sensor and largo peizo siren easily accessible. wiring looks semi rats nest (they just electrical taped most wiring. i am pissed at the install job. so i go talk to the owner the following day, explain situation and i also show him issues i have. he agrees that install is not done well and will have it fixed when my other sensor shows. so i wait 2 weeks and go back in (no call to tell me sensor came in).

so i drop my car off (i decided to wait for the few hours i would need to until it was done). so, dennis states that omni sensor is not there (install shop at different location) and calls the store. he is on the phone for about 5 minutes, then leaves. he is gone for about an hour (shop is 5 minutes away) and returns. he finishes "install" and then talks to me about the brain. he says that he could not hide the brain where it was supposed to be. i tell him fine, if i dont like it, i will fix it myself. so i get home. today i check to adjust the "omni sensor" and what do i see, what looks like a dual stage proximity sensor (DEI 508D). so what do you guys recommend i do. i have the receipt that specifically says omni sensor. im going to the shop again on tuesday to get this fixed for the last time.

setup is:
compustar alarm
omni sensor
hood pin
back up battery module
peizo siren

 

Well first, what did you pay for install. If it was cheap. It was to good to be true. And you almost shot yourself in the foot in labor by saying you would go and tamper with the install-Fix yourself. Most installers void warranties if you tamper with it. Can you post pics of the senser?

Also a peizo siren is not big

 

$575.00 for everything. i was the one debating between you and this shop a month ago (sent you a few PMs about alarm setup). i would be happy if they took their alarm out (its easy enough that i can remove in a few minutes) and refund me my money. which sensor are you asking about. ebay shows a picture for both the 508D and the 509U. the siren isnt a piezo, he just wrote piezo i beleive. its about the same size as the shock sensor.

 

Well with any business you have 30 days. I doubt you will get labor back. Thats mostly non refundable anywere you go. You were better off doing it yourself. You can look else were for a shop and bite the labor. And try to get the job done right. Or go rasie a big stink about it and hopefuly get your cash back.

 

Modified by wrx-killer-Sti eater at 2:48 AM 5/28/2007

 

I would ask them to remove everything and refund all your $$$, if they will not you will fax Compustar with pix, the BBB and you will tape a sign on your car, stating what crummy work they do, and park in front of their store any chance you get. 94

BTW, Not sure what model of Compustar you have, and what options you have connected but $575 installed seems cheep for a stealth install.

 

its the 2wfm. thanks for the suggestions guys. i would hate to bring it to that level.

 

You were debating between wrx-killer and another shop, and you went with the other shop? Why? They were cheaper?

Top 100 installers? What does that mean? I've never heard that. Sounds like bullshit and apparently it is.

 

100 top installers? Never heard of that. Unless your talking about the placement scores on the mecp.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by wrx-killer-Sti eater &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">100 top installers? Never heard of that. Unless your talking about the placement scores on the mecp. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Which basically means NOTHING...

That unit is expensive. It probably was $200 just for the unit itself. You didn't pay for a sealth install.

The installers told you what you wanted to hear, and how they probably WOULD install it if they had to the time to do it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by suspendedHatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You were debating between wrx-killer and another shop, and you went with the other shop? Why? They were cheaper? Top 100 installers? What does that mean? I've never heard that. Sounds like bullshit and apparently it is.</TD></TR></TABLE>
some yearly voting thing i guess (had plaques, letter from something audio related by the entrance). something to do with top 100 audio shops in the country (done on yearly basis). wrx-killer and the shop quoted similar prices. only reasons i went with this shop was location and supporting local business that i thought would do a good job. i spoke with both installers and the owner (taking matter seriously). i should have just gone with desmond's shop. i asked the owner (with around 15 years experience) how long they needed my car. i even left my car with them overnight (from 6pm one day to 6pm the following day). my car was the only car listed on their books for that day. time was not a factor. my car was the only one there when i went to pick it up if i remember correctly.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM_Ej &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It probably was $200 just for the unit itself. </TD></TR></TABLE>
unit off ebay lists it at 119.00, pretty cheap to me. hood pin is "complementary" by store. this is in my crx (no power windows, door locks, no autostart). other things added was backup battery, siren for in car, and ultrasound sensor (ended up with dei dual stage proximity sensor installed)

so prices for alarm (off ebay, so wholesale would be even cheaper)
-compustar 2wfm 119.00
-Piezo DEI 513T 6.00
-ultrasound sensor
DEI 509U 35.00 (installed dual proximity sensor DEI 508D 25.00)
-backup battery
DEI 520T 28.00
-hood pin 5.00

total~ 193.00 for alarm parts (cheaper if dealer)
so about 400.00 in labor for an install (which is pretty simple IMO in an old honda)
if they were clear in what they would really do (we even went to my car and talked about alarm component placement, etc) i would not have even bothered. i would not have even thought twice about driving 8 hours to have desmond install an alarm. both installers have around 15 years experience each.

 

get them to do the install the way you agreed upon. its not like u were expecting something unexplained. you both talked and agreed on how the install was to be done. it would suck to take such a big hit on labor. otherwise, im in norcal *nod* haha

 

I would be busting someone azz if I was a customer. And one whole day with your car would get a full stealth install with everything tucked in the factory harness. And this is doing this by myself. Yanking the dash out and such. Also the prices on ebay are cheaper then wholesale most of the time. Thats why I don't price match them. There are reason why they are so cheap. But thats anothor story and thread. How has it gone with them.

 

well, i just got back. waste of time. i talked with the owner, i showed him to name the sensor. he said 508d. i said thats a dual proximity sensor. wheres the "omni" sensor, the ultrasound sensor. the 509U. he said its been replaced by the 508D. i pointed to the receipt showing omni sensor. i also said that he stated that he told me it was just released, and how can it be replaced. i then asked him why wasnt i called? he was like, dude, this is just a crx. i said back and...? he basically didnt answer any questions. i maintained at calm voice the whole time. i stated we talked about a stealth install, what you did was not a stealth install. you didnt even install the brain where you stated you would (right under vin plate in dash). he basically made excuses for the install. saying they would have to take the dash out. i showed the pictures of both and prices of everything. i clearly stated that i am not satisfied with the poor install at all. he was well, its 140 more to take the dash out. he was also, you got the best install by the best installers with 15 years experience. i gave you a good price that cant be beat. i clearly stated i already had a correct stealth install lined up at a shop in san diego, do you think i would have came here if you didnt state you would do what you didnt do? he then basically talked **** about all other shops. he then put his foot in his mouth when i mentioned that the brain was just lying there right next to the fuse box and i had to come in and he agreed that it was done poorly. he then basically took back his other comment and said, you cant get a better install in this city (i could have done a better install myself). basically, i ended with what are you going to do to fix this? i am not happy with the install, either you can refund me my money and have your alarm or refund me the labor and i will take it elsewhere to have it installed correctly. he again repeated that this is the best shop in the city, cant get better price or install. so i stated, well, i, going to have to contact KRCA (a tv station in sacramento that does investigations), BBB, and compustar and notify them of your practices. i mean, if it clearly states in the receipt that i was to get one sensor and another is installed. doesnt that qualify as fraud?

oh well, im going to cool off a day before i get my evidence together for a letter with pictures.
let me know if you want to see pictures of how the brain was first mounted.

wicked audio in modesto,ca

 

Put these a**holes on blast! Post the pics up.

 

If it was truley as bad as you say I would ask for my money back period. Tell them to pull it out and refund your money. If your smart you paid with visa and can dispute the crappy work. Take a lot of pictures up front before even going back in.

With Visa you have to make an effort to resolve the issue if you dont they wont do anything for you. Take it to another authorized dealer and ask them to quote you what it would cost to fix it. This will help your visa dispute along with proving to the company they did crappy work. It will also help when you contact Compustar. If you have a reputable shop backing your claims up it will go a lot further then just a angry customer.

Its one of the reasons I always pay with a major CC. It's also the same reason I do my own work. I'll always give someone 1 chance to make it right the second time I am done and will take my business elsewhere.

One thing you learn as you get older. Put what you are agreeing to in writing upfront. Have the company document all special requests in the reciept. Companies will promise you the world to get your business few actually deliver what they promise.


Modified by nsxxtreme at 4:49 PM 5/29/2007

 

dood.. it's an alarm.. if you have an iq above 70 you should be able to install it. Ug, just rip it all out, and re-do it.

DO YOUR OWN WORK...

 

I agree with what nsxxtreme says, and you are correct about the sensor you ordered and apparently paid for one kind and got something compleatly different and they will have to remove it and refund your money, there is consumer protection for that, is it fraud, in Canada it is, but only if they didn't say oops, remove it and refund your money for at least that, including labour.

I believe you are handling it properly, and as mentioned document everything.

However, if I understand you, "unit off ebay lists it at 119.00, pretty cheap to me" you got the Compustar alarm from a non authorized dealer, is that correct?

Also, is the shop you had had it installed at and authorized Compustar dealer?

Although it should not have an effect on your claim about the shitty install or the wrong sensor, if you got the unit from a non-authorized dealer, I would be willing to bet sending a letter to Compustar will do little and if the shop is not an authorized Compustar dealer, why would they care, it doesn't sound like they do.

Get quotes from at lest two other places, be very specific about what you want and how much it will cost to have it done the way you want it. Get it in writing.

There are different layers of install as you obviously know, at our shop we would charge you....

$100 basic alarm install
$20 2way alarm
$40+$5 kill relay, [starter, ign. or fuel]
$40 extra sensor
$40 backup batt./siren
$20 hood-pin trunk/hatch trigger, pin switches included if needed

$265
$21 shop mat.

Call it $275, that gets you all soldered connection, depinning solder connections where possible, all alarm wiring "harnessed" matching dash harness, [split loom, electric tape, friction tape, plastic tube] alarm brain installed in difficult spot to get to as is off board sensors.
It's an all day install, comes with lifetime install warranty, with no appointment needed if you have a problem, no matter where you got the alarm.
Double that to $550 for a semi stealth install need car for 2 days, everything except dash pulled, no access to alarm or its wiring from under dash without a lot of dis-assembly.
Double that again to $1100 for full on stealth install, it will look like it came stock, full dash and dash harness pull, alarm wire color change to match cars wiring and integrated into dash harness, need car for a week.

Last big job 07 H3, almost $3000 in labour, so stealth the Hummer dealer could not get car running again after replacing ECU and immobilizer, until customer pointed out the car was equipped with an aftermarket alarm/starter and they flat decked it to us and we installed and programed a new CAN-SL H3 bypass module.

That's a stealth install and they are not cheap, but then again you get what you pay for, although for what you paid you did not get what you payed for at all. 94

 

my install was done by a compustar dealer and carries "lifetime warranty". thanks for the huge tip on the visa. i did pay with my visa. it doesnt appear the connections were soldered, but just connectors were used. i will check tomorrow and take more pictures. im not one to bad mouth, but i will post pics and let you guys come to your own opinons (seeing some of you are installers also). i told them nicely, i would like either all my money refunded or labor (because i either have to redo it myself or go elsewhere). short guy with napoleon complex i guess. thanks for the fraud tip fcm, very helpful. just electrical tape and some black plastic tubing were used.

yeah, i know stealth installs are not cheap. only reason i didnt do it myself was because of the lifetime warranty factor.