Do it yourself...why not?

[01IntegraGSR]

Obviously some of you do your own audio additions, while others take your car to places to get it done.
I used to work at an audio place doing install. Mind you, some of the people knew their shit. While others, though fast, broke shit or did it half ass and the customers always came back with issues.

My question is, why dont you just do the work yourself? Could it be laziness or possibly no time? The internet is full of self training info. And installation of an in dash unit, for example, is not hard. Even wiring and saudering is a piece of cake.
Do you guys always put 110% trust in an audio place just because it is main stream?

In my experience, I think I will only trust the work I have done on my own. ;)

[TBSpyder]

I'm the only one who touches my car.

But I think most people that take their cars to the shop have the money and would rather just have the work done by a so called "professional"...have it done right and not have to worry about it. Probably the same reason you go to the dentist instead of trying to drill your own teeth or why you pay to go out to eat at a nice restraunt instead of making dinner at home. It's just easier.

[01IntegraGSR]

Originally posted by TBSpyder
I'm the only one who touches my car.

But I think most people that take their cars to the shop have the money and would rather just have the work done by a so called "professional"...have it done right and not have to worry about it. Probably the same reason you go to the dentist instead of trying to drill your own teeth or why you pay to go out to eat at a nice restraunt instead of making dinner at home. It's just easier.

Yes, i completely agree with you on that one. I like how you wrote "so called professional." Because that is exactly my point. Is it worth it to pay up for an installation and then have to go back because of some issue? Sometimes it might be nice to know peoples' creditionals.

To me, the hastle of doing it myself is more rewarding.

[MDIFYTD]

I do my work mainly because I don't want to pay someone to do it and I don't trust the guy the hired off the street for 9-10/hr. But I think most people go to a shop because they don't have the confidence to DIY.

[Kirk]

I installed everything on my own on my system. I don't work with wood, dont even have the necessary tools.. so thats when you rely on the 9-10/hr employees :p

wiring is almost always straight forward an all the information to get it done is right there before your eyes... its all common sense once you know what you are doing.

[Joker]

Only time I let anyone touch one of my cars is when I did a huge system in it. And even then after a few weeks I went back through and made suttle changes in wiring and the way the deck and digital eq were mounted so I would be the onyl one that would truely know how to get it in and out.

[TBSpyder]

Originally posted by 01IntegraGSR
Yes, i completely agree with you on that one. I like how you wrote "so called professional." Because that is exactly my point. Is it worth it to pay up for an installation and then have to go back because of some issue? Sometimes it might be nice to know peoples' creditionals.

To me, the hastle of doing it myself is more rewarding.

Yeah, it's ashame all audio shops don't require MECP certification or some sort of assurance that the person pulling your car apart is more than qualified for the job. Guess that's what seperates the good shops from the bad, and I'm sure pricing reflects this as well.


BTW, you're the first girl I've ever heard of actually installing car audio (or even interested for that matter). Most girls I meet couldn't even tell you what a subwoofer is. I'm impressed.;)

[93ex]

i do most of my stuff except for alarms.. I got no idea what im doing there... UNles sIM just lazy or something I'll do itmyself in the garage.. not that i dont trust peopel to installa cd player.. but nothign in my vehicle is a job that I woudl want ot pay for ya know..

[01IntegraGSR]

So overall, the consenus(sp?) seems to be that so far everyone prefers to do the work themselves. Nice! It's totally understandable that sometimes you cant do every little thing...but given the proper tools, I bet you all would. ;)

[93ex]

Shit.. I have the tools

Giventhe money Id do more :)

I just am afraid of alarm installs.. last thign I want is NOTHIGN working right because I fucked up the wrong wire.. them I hav eot pay to have it fixed if shit goes wrong...someone else canbe held responsable for that thanks.

All the glasswork, all teh box building, all the wiring.. not a problem. I cant justify paying someone else to tie my shoes ya know?

[aaron1017]

Originally posted by TBSpyder
Yeah, it's ashame all audio shops don't require MECP certification or some sort of assurance that the person pulling your car apart is more than qualified for the job. Guess that's what seperates the good shops from the bad, and I'm sure pricing reflects this as well.


BTW, you're the first girl I've ever heard of actually installing car audio (or even interested for that matter). Most girls I meet couldn't even tell you what a subwoofer is. I'm impressed.;)



My sister is decent with car stereo and knows the basics and a little more.. I try to teacher her.... but it dosnr happen really fast.

[slammedciv96]

personally i dont think being MECP certified means much.. all it is now is a written test that you can take a cram session for and pass it. its really a joke. personally i do my own installations except when i start doing really custom work then i have a particular installer that i go to. but i wouldnt trust the "chain" stores as they just hire ppl of the street pretty much

[TBSpyder]

Originally posted by slammedciv96
personally i dont think being MECP certified means much.. all it is now is a written test that you can take a cram session for and pass it. its really a joke. personally i do my own installations except when i start doing really custom work then i have a particular installer that i go to. but i wouldnt trust the "chain" stores as they just hire ppl of the street pretty much

MECP certification might not guarantee anything...but it's still better than nothing at all. If you had two people that you've never met before, one MECP certified and one not, which would you rather be paying to disassemble your vehicle and install the equipment you just spend hundreds of dollars on?

And the chain stores could care less about being certified...they're main objective is to install the largest amount of stuff in the shortest amount of time, it's all about making money with them.

[Derek]

Originally posted by slammedciv96
personally i dont think being MECP certified means much.. all it is now is a written test that you can take a cram session for and pass it. its really a joke. personally i do my own installations except when i start doing really custom work then i have a particular installer that i go to. but i wouldnt trust the "chain" stores as they just hire ppl of the street pretty much

Not really, maybe on the sales floor they hire people off the street. But the installers know what there doing. At CC citrus park at least.

[Whaazup17]

how about installing a flip up tv? I watched them install my fathers and it seemed to be full of wires hooking the unit to the brains and everything


-garrett

[Jordan Y.]

I try to do everything on my car even if I don't know how to do it. I figure that by the end, if I'm successful then hey- I'll know how to do it. I'm hoping this theory will hold true even through the engine rebuild and tranny rebuild and rewiring... basically some of the most complicated jobs you could do and I'm going to go into them with practically no knowledge. Worked on the clutch job, though. :)

Stereo stuff is pretty easy. The only thing I have problems with is the intellectual side, planning out the wiring and designing a box and picking the right equipment. Oh, and glassing, I still haven't done any of that and it looks like something that I'll eventually learn, but only at the expense of spending hours messing up and learning the hard way.

[suprapimpa]

Fear of the unknown, I cannot buy cosmetics and I'm not afraid to admit it. As a man I would be target for getting ripped off, If I became a woman I would start research before I started purchasing.

[93ex]

Originally posted by Jordan Y.
Stereo stuff is pretty easy. The only thing I have problems with is the intellectual side, planning out the wiring and designing a box and picking the right equipment. Oh, and glassing, I still haven't done any of that and it looks like something that I'll eventually learn, but only at the expense of spending hours messing up and learning the hard way.

It all depends on the teacher

[Whaazup17]

Originally posted by Jordan Y.
I try to do everything on my car even if I don't know how to do it. I figure that by the end, if I'm successful then hey- I'll know how to do it. I'm hoping this theory will hold true even through the engine rebuild and tranny rebuild and rewiring... basically some of the most complicated jobs you could do and I'm going to go into them with practically no knowledge. Worked on the clutch job, though. :)

Stereo stuff is pretty easy. The only thing I have problems with is the intellectual side, planning out the wiring and designing a box and picking the right equipment. Oh, and glassing, I still haven't done any of that and it looks like something that I'll eventually learn, but only at the expense of spending hours messing up and learning the hard way.

good luck on that tranny rebuild that could be a son of a bitch

and make sure you remember your torque settings on the rebuild of the engine


you should be alright
-garrett

[kpr10is]

The one time I had any major work done by a shop (AVE Audio) they built a box for my 2 W1 15's and dynomated the whole trunk. At the time, I had the money, and had just built a box for 2 12's for a friend and for 4 12's for my previous car. I was feeling lazy and didnt feel like ripping apart all the panels in my trunk. There was really nothing they could screw up about the work they did which is why I let them do it. But yeah normally, nobody touches my car except me. I cant stand not knowing where the wires are and how they are hooked up and every detail about everything.....yep im anal about my car but im sure im not the only one on here who is lol