Is this install quote insane? $635 to run wires, $600 for box, $400 amp rack, $2,500

basic installation:nuts:

nothing too wild

$635 to run power. ground, D-blocks, fuses etc.

$2300 for very mild door and A pillar work to fit an 8" in a 6x8 location and 1" tweeters in A pillar

$400 for amp rack

$600 for basic acoustic suspension sub enclosure

on top of all MSRP for both amps except JL subs with $100 off MSRP each sub
Focal fronts/amps, integration, DSP, are MSRP



i thought if you pay MSRP via shop, labor was almost included or a lot less, like if you bring in your own hardware, some shops charge you more. not both MSRP and high labor?



i know covid is hurting everyone, but these prices seem crazy:doh:
i am not mentioning the shop name yet

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JimAbena

basic installation:nuts:

nothing too wild

$635 to run power. ground, D-blocks, fuses etc.

$2300 for very mild door and A pillar work to fit an 8" in a 6x8 location and 1" tweeters in A pillar

$400 for amp rack

$600 for basic acoustic suspension sub enclosure

on top of all MSRP for both amps except JL subs with $100 off MSRP each sub
Focal fronts/amps, integration, DSP, are MSRP



i thought if you pay MSRP via shop, labor was almost included or a lot less, like if you bring in your own hardware, some shops charge you more. not both MSRP and high labor?



i know covid is hurting everyone, but these prices seem crazy:doh:
i am not mentioning the shop name yet

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It all depends on the vehicle, quality of work and the type of install. I had a head unit installed once and it was $400 for install, I had a similar unit put into another vehicle and it was $180...kits, connectivity, etc...varies dramatically. Some vehicles are more involved than others. (I'm preaching to the choir....) The best judge to me is hours spent and finished product. First head unit installed took the proficient installer 6-1/2 hours(head unit dimming with gauges, multiple steering wheel functions, rear camera, OBD connectivity for gauges, connection to factory system with sub...). Second time it took 2 hours (just head unit running factory speakers) the connectivity was unique to the cars.

Door panels and A pillars are hours of labor (some take days) and a DSP makes your install and wiring scheme a bit more intense.

The prices you quoted are not cheap, but don't seem to be a ripoff to me...

I tend to do things in stages, and I'm sure it costs me in the long run, but it works when I'm working with my budget. i think my estimate for A pillars for my car was $1500, covered in matching material.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by agm

It all depends on the vehicle, quality of work and the type of install.

The prices you quoted are not cheap, but don't seem to be a ripoff to me...

I tend to do things in stages, and I'm sure it costs me in the long run, but it works when I'm working with my budget. i think my estimate for A pillars for my car was $1500, covered in matching material.

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but isn't or wasn't it common to give a break on MSRP or labor and not charge premium for both sides?
we all know mark-ups are massive. some in the 100's of %. i get the fact the whole process of design, marketing and such plays a factor

What vehicle?

2018 Yukon

Even though it's projected at basic installation, there is so many variables that it's near impossible to say if it's reasonable or not without additional info.

Take for instance "$600 for basic acoustic suspension sub enclosure". Now that would probably be a steep price for a square box for a couple of 6,5" with no bracing, carpeting etc. But a large enclousre for a pair of 12/15s, internally braced, double baffled, one or more angled sides, carpeted/upholdstered would be a great deal at that price. This one is probably somewhere in between, but where? Both are basic acoustic suspension enclosures.

Also, only things with a massive markup (anymore in car audio) would be cables, connectors, terminals etc, not the expensive stuff like amps and speakers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JimAbena

basic installation:nuts:

nothing too wild

$635 to run power. ground, D-blocks, fuses etc.

$2300 for very mild door and A pillar work to fit an 8" in a 6x8 location and 1" tweeters in A pillar

$400 for amp rack

$600 for basic acoustic suspension sub enclosure

on top of all MSRP for both amps except JL subs with $100 off MSRP each sub
Focal fronts/amps, integration, DSP, are MSRP



i thought if you pay MSRP via shop, labor was almost included or a lot less, like if you bring in your own hardware, some shops charge you more. not both MSRP and high labor?



i know covid is hurting everyone, but these prices seem crazy:doh:
i am not mentioning the shop name yet

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This is too vague to tell if the prices are high or not. Is it $635 to run the wire or is it $635 for the wire, D-blocks, fuses, etc. and the labor to run it?

If you think the labor is too high, get a quote from another shop. As far as you being priced MSRP, most of the shops I know price at MAP these days. (For instance, on a Rockford Fosgate price sheet, there are only 2 columns, Dealer Cost and MAP. On other manufacturers price sheets, there are 3 columns, Dealer Cost, MSRP, and MAP. In some cases, MSRP and MAP are the same prices, in other cases the difference between MSRP and MAP is not as large as you'd think.)

Shops have to make money on product and labor.
Andy Wehmeyer talks about this on an Sqology podcast. Part 2 of his interview at about the 38 minute mark.

EDIT: Posted in wrong thread. :-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Euphonic

This is too vague to tell if the prices are high or not. Is it $635 to run the wire or is it $635 for the wire, D-blocks, fuses, etc. and the labor to run it?

If you think the labor is too high, get a quote from another shop.

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Agreed and Agreed. But I wanted to add a bit.

I managed a shop for a few years in the '00s, a well-funded startup that wanted to come in with a bang and dominate.
And nearly 20 years before that, I had a huge interest in car audio, but my minimum wage high school and college jobs meant I wasn't paying for installation. I didn't come from a silver spoon family.

I learned how to DIY long before the internet and YouTube, just by being careful and thinking one step ahead of my next move - not brute-forcing anything, and thinking things through three or four times before doing anything that I can't undo. In your case, learning to DIY would save you thousands of dollars, even if you need to spend over a grand on tools and materials.

...and that's my first point. Any time I get a quote from any professional - whether it's home, car, career - I always consider THIS the determinant on whether I'm getting ripped off [or if you prefer - on whether I'm willing to pay that much]:
For the amount they quoted me - could I not only buy all the materials, but also all the tools I would need as though I were a career professional, and the education?
(Granted - this is 2021 and that "educating" part can be free, with the internet)
That was always my upper ceiling.

You pay a professional for their knowledge and specialized tools. If they are charging you SO much that you could become a well-equipped professional yourself for less - well, as Bill Engvall used to say "there's yer sign".

When I was managing a shop, I kept that in mind also. There is no one "install". There's always both cheaper and more expensive ways to do something.
It's important to know your customer... and, it's not really that hard.

I always have a soft spot for DIY enthusiasts - we even once hosted Scott Buwalda for a great SQ seminar, opened it up to the public. But it's not my job as manager of a shop to force people into it. It was my job to create customers, not competitors. Nor to drive them to competitors. Competition is real!

Egos are the death of many shops. I don't feel bad for those who think they can't shift into another gear. Good shops can do installs for 911s and 7-series when it's called for - and can also do cheaper installs for cheaper cars for enthusiasts on tighter budgets.

So I definitely advocate finding a shop that is professional - capable of scaling. Get another quote. :wink:

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JimAbena

but isn't or wasn't it common to give a break on MSRP or labor and not charge premium for both sides?
we all know mark-ups are massive. some in the 100's of %. i get the fact the whole process of design, marketing and such plays a factor

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mark ups are not 100%, or massive. Its hard to comment on the quote without knowing the quality of work being performed. It sounds high to me, especially if the work is not good.