Bad Local Car Audio Fitting (Apology - not a magician)??

[stringvest]

After lengthy phone consultation about system and thought this person was capable as they assured us they was. Gave expensive (?500) car radio head unit together with Nav tv (to make existing amp work, cost another ?500) man to fit 2 hours 120 pounds. Came with all parts and instructions, as quite complex system in expensive car . Been left with car that won't start for a month, the battery drains, man was very helpful, said pop round and he would fix - did this 3 times, whilst in between giving time for the battery to drain to see if his fixes work. None of them have.

Loads of phone calls, in between, being told the man had done his job, hubby had various electric bits off the car to see if it was any of those draining the battery.

Last visit, 2 mins, said plug wasn't in properly and to go away again and see if cured. Man had multi-meter that was in bits. In the meantime had to spend on new battery, decent jump leads, (another ?120) cab fares, else can't even get to man.

NOT CURED AT ALL - WORSE,

Taken to another proper auto-electric place, said badly wired, exposed wires, not proper connections used and electric tape used sparingly, leaving exposed wires and fire hazard, stretched wires, said ?500 head unit no good - burning smell due to being badly wired and cut wires. Also said I had been very lucky it hadn't caught FIRE. Very lucky electrical short hadn't damaged car electric system (cambus, ecu and whatever else etc..

Going to proper auto electrician to have NEW head unit connected in properly.

Been left with gaping hole where radio should be and still got to pay proper electrician to fit new one.

The man should have said either he wasn't capable, or he didn't fit other peoples stuff, or that he wasn't equipped having half a roll of tape and a broken multimeter !!

We can't even visit and ask for our money back as we are TOO LIVID !!!

Thank you - I felt the need to rant.

[Sue]

Is this the place in Bellenden Road?

[Jeremy]

I didn't even know cars still came with slots for aftermarket stereos!

[stringvest]

Edited because NOT REALLY FAIR .... the SAGA CONTINUES ......

[stringvest]

OH took car to be mended by auto electrician in Eltham. Random bloke in BMW got chatting. OH said had trouble with radio fitted by bloke in Peckham. BMW man said, "not Bellenden Rd" and described the radio man. "Oh dear, he's rubbish" he said. !!! Infamous it would seem .....

[tibby]

I been to the shop in bellenden road

Loads of times always had a good service

Highly recommend them

[stringvest]

Just curious, but why would you go loads of times? Unless you change your car, or stereo or both every six months? We only went loads of times, because nothing the man did worked. Dead car, fire hazard. Still LIVID.

[tibby]

I have a car sales business

That's why

[stringvest]

HELLO TIBBY and anyone else. We have finally got to the bottom of this problem. I WISH TO APOLOGISE.

Nothing the first man did would ever cure the fault, unless he knew very rare obscure stuff, maybe he could do with a new meter, and some proper connectors.

Its a stereo, not the Hadron Collider !!

I think the Eltham people wasn't very good either, telling us to replace unit. Original unit not at fault, but after they said it smelled funny, i didn't trust it anymore.

I was told by people in Eltham what they thought the first man did wrong - but then they could say anything to be honest, that's what workmen tend to do, blame the other workmen. Been to Eltham twice with replacement unit cost ?500, plus 2x 2 hour visits = ?240 fitting. Wanted a clean installation, didn't get one they wired into the feed the first man used (even though they were so critical of it ???). CAR STILL DRAINS. The unit thinks it should be on, even when you take the key out, it thinks it is part of a "live/standby" system? Been on phone to people who made replacement unit in Liverpool - very helpful. Been on phone to "specialists" in Welwyn. Been on phone to another in Shoreham. Both say to start again, with replacement unit (third !!), new amp, speakers etc ... (thousands !!) Been on forums all over the world. Been losing the will to live !!

Liverpool people say, very complex car system, with multiple CAMBUS systems .... causing conflict, cambus in new unit, cambus in car etc ... and to do away with one.

WE HAVE ourseleves, CUT WIRE TO STEREO CAMBUS ... RADIO WORKS, no battery drain so CAR STARTS, (Open the champagne.) CONTROLS ON STEERING WHEEL DON'T WORK, as controlled by this cambus that we have cut out of the system.

This should never have been such a saga !! Thanks.

[tibby]

Stringvest good on you for saying that

Cheers tibby