Stereo installation pricing?

[Nine9six]

OMG! I thought my head was going to peel back when getting quoted for a stereo install.

I have the components, and was looking to have them installed.
Stereo, two door speakers w/x-overs and tweeters, and amp to be installed.

Is it me, or does $700 sound high?
8hrs labor @ $75 per hr, plus any needed wires, plus sound padding for ea. door @ $30 ea...

I can see paying $75 hr for one of the talented Mobile Works West men, but to a stereo installer???

Who's high here; the price or me?

[1973911s]

That is crazy!

[wcc]

This a joke thread right? If not that's INSANE! If you have the components and the the parts ect then just do it yourself. It's actually VERY easy to do! Try it and you'll thank yourself later....

[cantdrv55]

Contact Rod Birch at CarAudioInnovations for an estimate. Kinda far from you but his pricing is fair and does great work.

Work: (916) 780-9450
Fax: (916) 780-9452
E-Mail: rodb@caraudioinnovations.com

Address:
212-D Harding Blvd
Roseville, CA 95678

[zumwoll]

Best Buy quoted me two houirs labor for my 74. WHat kind of kick ass system do you have?

[Nine9six]

Just so the rest of you guys know...
The quote came from Sound Innovations in Hayward, CA. I was referred by Jeff at Parts Heaven. He said they did Al's C2, and they were reasonable.

Interesting follow on - I compared the price of the part I had purchased from Parts Heaven to the price on Pelican. Parts Heaven charged 42% more than Pelican. Luckily it was an inexpensive piece.

[Jetjockey]

I just had a 4 channel amp (Audison), component door speakers with crossover (Boston Acoustics) , and new head unit (Premier) installed in an '88 Carrera for about $350. This included labor, some expensive RCA cables and 25 feet of speaker wire. I provided the hardware and amp install kit.
With a quote of $700 I would suggest holding on to your wallet and running out of the store.

[Brian 162]

Go back with your Accord and get a price for the same set up. I paid around $400 for Boston Acoustics with crossover installed.

[scottb]

Originally posted by Nine9six
JI compared the price of the part I had purchased from Parts Heaven to the price on Pelican. Parts Heaven charged 42% more than Pelican. Luckily it was an inexpensive piece.

Does PH sell new parts also? I thought they only sold used.

[ruf-porsche]

Originally posted by Nine9six
OMG! I thought my head was going to peel back when getting quoted for a stereo install.

I have the components, and was looking to have them installed.
Stereo, two door speakers w/x-overs and tweeters, and amp to be installed.

Is it me, or does $700 sound high?
8hrs labor @ $75 per hr, plus any needed wires, plus sound padding for ea. door @ $30 ea...

I can see paying $75 hr for one of the talented Mobile Works West men, but to a stereo installer???

Who's high here; the price or me?

It's not the hourly cost that is high it the fact that you own a PORSCHE and could afford to pay the price.

When my wife and I was house hunting when we drove up in my parents Chevy Nova, most sales people didn't offer any help, but when we went house hunting and drove up in the PORSCHE we couldn't get 10 feet into the sale office without a couple of sales people coming up to us.

[bell]

a radio/amp/component door spkrs/dynamat in the doors should cost about 200-300 w/dynamat total labor....

[Nine9six]

Originally posted by scottb
Does PH sell new parts also? I thought they only sold used.

Yes Scott, they do.
I would have to say, before buying any new part from Parts Heaven, it would be wise to price the item first.

They seem to be a; we'll schtang you if we can, kinda business. Therefore, you cant just walk in and expect a decent price on anything you buy there. They have proven that several times to me.

Despite what some of you may be thinking, not all businesses are like this. Parts Heaven is somewhat of a double edged sword. You want to become a regular customer, but even after establishing a raport, knowing everyone by their first name, and bringing in beer to the boys, you still have to do your homework, or run the risk of getting worked.

P.S. Their referrals mean absolutely nothing in the terms of decent pricing, as you can tell from this original post.

[Nine9six]

Originally posted by ruf-porsche
It's not the hourly cost that is high it the fact that you own a PORSCHE and could afford to pay the price.

When my wife and I was house hunting when we drove up in my parents Chevy Nova, most sales people didn't offer any help, but when we went house hunting and drove up in the PORSCHE we couldn't get 10 feet into the sale office without a couple of sales people coming up to us.

I understand what you're saying, but my car is an 87, and we all know there are many new cars that are more expensive. So its certainly not like I am driving up in an 06 997 turbo RS

And YES! It is the hourly rate that is high. And no, I cant afford to pay the price

Businesses or people that gage others based on the car they drive, are short sighted, and miss out on alot of potential business, and life long customers. All of which who have friends and relatives...

[ruf-porsche]

Originally posted by Nine9six
I understand what you're saying, but my car is an 87, and we all know there are many new cars that are more expensive. So its certainly not like I am driving up in an 06 997 turbo RS

Most non enthusiasts couldn't tell if it was a 74 PORSCHE or a 2000 PORSCHE, all they see is a PORSCHE. But look at it this way, even though it is an 87 PORSCHE it is probably worth more than a 2000 Ford or Chevy.

[JeffO]

way high!!!!!! I supplied a cdr220 porsche cd player, got new tweeters and midrange speakers with crossovers in the front doors. New 5 x 7 3 ways in the rear deck. I also got a bad amplifier under my front passenger seat replaced with a 300 watt amp.Since everthing was already wired it all was a direct swap. The door panels did come off for the crossover to be put in. The passenger seat had to come out for the amp.

amp....................... $ 300
front speakers.........$ 80
rear speakers..........$ 100
wire harness............$ 20
labor for the radio and above parts was about 3 1/2 hours for $ 300.

[ruf-porsche]

Originally posted by JeffO
way high!!!!!! I supplied a cdr220 porsche cd player, got new tweeters and midrange speakers with crossovers in the front doors. New 5 x 7 3 ways in the rear deck. I also got a bad amplifier under my front passenger seat replaced with a 300 watt amp.Since everthing was already wired it all was a direct swap. The door panels did come off for the crossover to be put in. The passenger seat had to come out for the amp.

amp....................... $ 300
front speakers.........$ 80
rear speakers..........$ 100
wire harness............$ 20
labor for the radio and above parts was about 3 1/2 hours for $ 300.

If you look at your labor rate 300 dollar divide that by 3.5 hours you get a labor rate that is a little over $85.00 an hour.

[cygtoad]

If there weren't people dumb enough out there to actually fall for this kind of scam, then they woudn't have tried it on you.

On the flip side, there are people out there with enough $$$ that they don't really care about the cost, as long as the stereo gets installed.

Installing a stereo requires about the same amount of time and skill as changing the oil and filters, and topping off the fluids. Would you spend three or four hundred on an oil change?

To have them do it, you might as well take your wallet down to the zoo and throw it into the chimp cage. Then let them loose on your 911.

[ruf-porsche]

Originally posted by cygtoad

To have them do it, you might as well take your wallet down to the zoo and throw it into the chimp cage. Then let them loose on your 911.

Two words

TRUNK MONKEY

[Eric-325I]

I have bought and installed stereo equipment for almost all of our cars over the years. Usually buy the equipment from www.crutchfield.com as they include the little extras that really help. Installations are relatively easy and can be fun as well. I will be replacing the old unit and door speakers in my SC sooner or later and it looks to be the easiest one yet.

Do it yourself and save.

Eric

[JeffO]

Do not knock stereo installers. Some of these guys are artists with the way they run wire and create harnesses. Go to a auto stereo show sometime, you would see some great craftmanship. In my carrera I had a serious problem with my sound that took some time to diagnose. That is how I found out that some speakers were dead ( eighteen year o/e) and I had an amp that was intermittant on the back channel. Also the harness at the back of radio had to spliced in, something I have no problem paying someone to do. So the price of labor covered dianostic work plus installation.
This guy took off my door panels and the seat with no fear from myself about the job he would do. You know why? As an owner/installer who came highly reccomended I trusted him. I do not trust guys who "change oil". What is their motivation for a job well done? My gratitude? I change my own oil. Pay a porsche mechanic to change your oil and it is $85 an hour.