Where do you all buy Car Stereo Gear ! ??????????????????

AC/DC · 17-01-2006, 10:45 PM

Hi All....

Interested in where you all go to get your Car Audio / Visual gear from in NSW and QLD......

I have dealt with Strathfield / Brisbane Car Sound in the past, , , ,and recently bought from Wow sight and Sound and Autobarn...

Anyone else bought from these , or others, and were they good experiences.

Thanks

Craig

**Mechan1k** · 18-01-2006, 09:02 AM

Jaycar ... CAE ... through forum members.

xr8chick · 18-01-2006, 09:27 AM

hey im in Q.L.D & no better place here for that than AutoBarn!!

XR6Gal · 18-01-2006, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr8chick

hey im in Q.L.D & no better place here for that than AutoBarn!!

I Agree! I get everything from Autobarn

heheheh

EF, What else? · 18-01-2006, 09:55 AM

Ok, this is going to ruffle a few feathers, but I believe it's my duty to protect my fellow forum buddies.

Im not sure if you are after a quality system, or just some cheap gear, but with my experience, avoid Strathfield at all costs. Most of them don't have the first clue regarding car audio and their installs, don't get me started. Autobarn and JB Hi-Fi have some decent quality gear. I used to bag out Autobarn as my local store here in Brisbane had ИИИИ but I have since retracted that since I found out that the Cairns store (where Il be moving to in a few weeks) has Focal and Rockford Fosgate. Might be wise to ask people about quality of work the store you are going to provides. I personaly deal with Northfield, good quality gear and their install in my car was pretty good.

18-01-2006, 10:06 AM

DVD: Firstly, check out Ebay if there are any good deals. If you can sacrifice not having a brand name or minimal warranty, Check out the motorised TFT touch screens on Ebay. Thats if you want DVD or rear parking camera. Just to give you some idea, a indash 7" TFT screen goes for about $200-250

Head unit and speakers: If you want great sounding car audio, check out a specialised car audio shop. It pays to shop around, if in Sydney listen to Edge 96.1, heaps of car audio shops advertise on this station, and tell you when they have their midnight sales. Autobahn is also ok, as is Strathfield, although don;t trust them with their advise of what sounds good, you'll be walking out of the shop with a 10000000w Boss amp that catches fire running 6x9s.... I wouldn't bother with Supercheap, they only have Xplode. Shop around, and you need a budget. By the way I wouldn't bother spending big on rear speakers. $100 max. 6x9s are for ricers.

Amps: Unless you are going all out SPL or SQ, go to Jaycar and pick a few of their amps up. Amp your front speakers and your subs. Run the rear speakers from the head unit.

Installations: I tend to do all installations myself, I can't justify someone being paid $100 to take a dash panel off, cut loom wires, twist the stereo wires on to the loom and electrical tape it up.

AUSGTI · 18-01-2006, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr8chick

hey im in Q.L.D & no better place here for that than AutoBarn!!

Sif Rhiannon!

TheSneakiness · 18-01-2006, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6Gal

I Agree! I get everything from Autobarn

heheheh

You've gotta hook me up Kristy, I'm thinking about replacing my front door speakers...

Anyway, I get most of my stuff from WOW and JB Hi Fi. Ebay is your friend too. Just a small indicator of what I spent on my current system...

HU - JVC KD6105, purchased from JB Hi Fi for $450 with 5 years warranty
Screen - Cheap 7" TFT from Ebay for $140 inc. postage
Door speakers - VDO 6" 2 way speakers got for free with my last HU that went in my EA
Amp - Kenwood 4 channel from WOW for $180
Sub - Kenwood 12" from WOW for $160

Installation - $200 from Strathfield. Now, they did an excellent job, contacted me on more than one occasion when something wasn't right and wanted to know what I wanted.

AUSGTI · 18-01-2006, 10:11 AM

Brisbane Car sound is good, got all the goodies that Autobarn has but for less... Where i got my goodies from and for near on half the price... that autobarn were

EF, What else? · 18-01-2006, 10:28 AM

If your in NSW, check this place out. I have never dealt with them personally, but the good folks on Car Audio Australia rate them highly!

http://www.fhrxstudios.com/

In the FAQ section, they have an area showing you what gear you can look at for regarding how much money you want to spend. But I do admit this is mainly aimed at people wanting to spend 2000+ on quality gear.

It pretty much comes down to what you want from your gear and how much you want to spend? If your looking at spending over $2000 grand on a ripper of a system, a specialist car audio shop would be your best bet. Otherwise, go Autobarn, and WOW and Chermside have some decent gear!

And when it comes to installs, yes its normally better to do it yourself or get a mate to. But if it is a custom job, better off getting it done properly!

xr8chick · 18-01-2006, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by In2Xr8

Brisbane Car sound is good, got all the goodies that Autobarn has but for less... Where i got my goodies from and for near on half the price... that autobarn were

k wat eva u say jason....

**Stav** · 18-01-2006, 04:20 PM

Ive been installing this type of stuff for years.Dont argue guys.Shop around. The best installer is meeeeeeee..Heheh

Just go up to your installer and ask if they know who thiel and Small are.If they dont know get the hecxk out.These guys are authorities on acoustic enclosures and the likes.Chances are you dealing with idiots.

**Mechan1k** · 18-01-2006, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EF, What else?

If your in NSW, check this place out. I have never dealt with them personally, but the good folks on Car Audio Australia rate them highly!

http://www.fhrxstudios.com/

In the FAQ section, they have an area showing you what gear you can look at for regarding how much money you want to spend. But I do admit this is mainly aimed at people wanting to spend 2000+ on quality gear.

It pretty much comes down to what you want from your gear and how much you want to spend? If your looking at spending over $2000 grand on a ripper of a system, a specialist car audio shop would be your best bet. Otherwise, go Autobarn, and WOW and Chermside have some decent gear!

And when it comes to installs, yes its normally better to do it yourself or get a mate to. But if it is a custom job, better off getting it done properly!

Have heard the same as well ... definitely worth going to FHRX and speaking to them ... their installs are show quality as well (depending on what you want to pay)

**Stav** · 18-01-2006, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

their installs are show quality as well (depending on what you want to pay)

Installs should primarily be quality,spray cans and pretty lights help show quality.

GreenMachine · 18-01-2006, 04:45 PM

I usually buy stereo gear in pub carparks... The guy said he'd mail me the warranty papers...

phoon · 18-01-2006, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

I usually buy stereo gear in pub carparks... The guy said he'd mail me the warranty papers...

I was going to mail you the warranty papers GreenMachine but they must have fallen off the back of my truck.

**Mechan1k** · 18-01-2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by useless

Installs should primarily be quality,spray cans and pretty lights help show quality.

What I was meaning was clean neat installs ... custom moulding work is top notch. Attention to details when running cables. Also when it comes to final tuning of the system as well. I have heard and see some awesome systems that were installed there.

RavenLS1 · 18-01-2006, 06:08 PM

jaycar!!!

stiddy · 18-01-2006, 06:33 PM

Autobarn and CAE.. only because i know people there, if i had mates at strathfields i'd go there..
cant beat mates rates lol..

**Mechan1k** · 18-01-2006, 06:35 PM

which CAE ... I have had good dealings with both Penrith and St Marys stores.
Have my stuff in the ute installed at St Marys.

stiddy · 18-01-2006, 06:49 PM

Penrith, i know Jay reasonably well, but I know the owner Dave, hes a mate of mine plus I send alot of people there way, and often they call me in to give customers a demo from my car..
Plus i know most of the install guys from Blacktown..

so either way im getting really good discounts and basically free install if I cant be bothered to do it myself..

MrSparkle · 18-01-2006, 06:59 PM

I prefer Generic-Hong-Kong-Sellers-With-Dirt-Cheap-Prices-Selling-Local-Spec-Gear™

Dav0 · 18-01-2006, 07:28 PM

in my dealings with autobarn (cairns) i have found them to be rip offs compared to most other stores. i bought all my stereo from strathfield cept the headunit which i bought from autobarn of which i paid an extra 50 dollars for on top of the price quoted by strathfield. piece of advice......if you dont have to rush buying stuff for a quick install then just buy when the price suits you. otherwise you will get burnt and you will probably buy overpriced CR@P....one last thing, my mate has just bought some of the previous model stock from Cairns Sun Air and Sound. way cheaper prices eg instead of system costing 3000 dollars now its only costing 1000 dollars. and yes ebay can be your friend but ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT!!!!

Ruger · 18-01-2006, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EF, What else?

avoid Strathfield at all costs. Most of them don't have the first clue regarding car audio and their installs, don't get me started.

funny you say that i knew a bloke who worked at strathfield and was getting all his car audio info from me and he was the one in charge of car audio lol. but there was ALOT of lunch time break drugs going on endorced and encouraged by the manager.

phat_stak_tipa · 19-01-2006, 11:59 AM

Cant go wrong with CAE hey boys great guys and they do stuff heaps cheap and do good installs me and my mates have saved a bucket load of cash......STRATHFIELD lets not get started on that shipwreck........