Car stereo installation Auckland?

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paulspain

417 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#106589 26-Jul-2012 23:29

As some of you may have figured if you listen to the NZ Tech Podcast - part of what I do is to try out new gadgets of many kinds. At the moment I don't generally get to try car stereos because of the installation cost involved. I'm particularly interested in car stereo's that link to smartphones (bluetooth, etc) and can run apps.

Just wondering if anyone can point me at a good individual installer who does quality work but is also reasonably enough priced and happy to install equipment that they have not supplied (since I may have been loaned a head unit to review or I may have sourced it offshore for testing). I realise there are downsides with not going to one company who will supply and install together.

Paul Spain
Founder: Gorilla Technology, NZ Tech Podcast

burtz

168 posts

Master Geek

#663907 30-Jul-2012 11:32

I would recommend Rapid Radio on Abbey St, Auckland. I took them a head unit ipod connector I had bought overseas and they installed it with no problems a few weeks back.

wmoore

510 posts

Ultimate Geek

#663908 30-Jul-2012 11:38

burtz: I would recommend Rapid Radio on Abbey St, Auckland. I took them a head unit ipod connector I had bought overseas and they installed it with no problems a few weeks back.

I second the Rapid radio recommendation.

"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." -
-- Abraham lincoln

dickytim

2514 posts

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#663924 30-Jul-2012 12:28

Hotwire for sure, I have heard stories about the work from Rapid both good and bad, but have personal experience with Hotwire, speak to Andrew, this dude knows his stuff.

stevenz

2802 posts

Uber Geek

#664052 30-Jul-2012 15:38

There's pretty much 2 types of installs. The one where you have to take half the dashboard apart to get at the assembly holding the head unit and/or mounting cage in place. And the ones where there's a little bit of plastic housing to pop off to get at the bolts.

The former can be a massive PITA if you don't know what you're doing and it's absolutely worth paying the professional to do it.

The latter is usually a piece of cake as long as you can track down the wiring equivalency for the loom and is usually pretty fun to just do by yourself.

From what I've found, the higher-end Panasonic head units seem to have some of the better bluetooth support, BUT they do require the purchase of a (expensive) external bluetooth module, they don't seem to support AVRCP 1.3 though. The bluetooth support in the Sony units isn't bad, but not sure how many of the "good" ones are available in NZ. I've not looked into the double-DIN units.

I've not dealt with them personally, but as per above, I've heard good things about Rapid Radio.

@KnightNZ

LesF

176 posts

Master Geek

#664568 31-Jul-2012 13:25

dickytim: Hotwire for sure, I have heard stories about the work from Rapid both good and bad, but have personal experience with Hotwire, speak to Andrew, this dude knows his stuff.

So do Hotwire still leave globs of glue around the outside of your head unit? Ugliest fitting I ever had.

dickytim

2514 posts

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Inactive user

#664578 31-Jul-2012 13:37

LesF:
dickytim: Hotwire for sure, I have heard stories about the work from Rapid both good and bad, but have personal experience with Hotwire, speak to Andrew, this dude knows his stuff.

So do Hotwire still leave globs of glue around the outside of your head unit? Ugliest fitting I ever had.

No, I am surprised that they would have to use glue at all for an install.

LesF

176 posts

Master Geek

#664751 31-Jul-2012 16:50

dickytim:
LesF:
dickytim: Hotwire for sure, I have heard stories about the work from Rapid both good and bad, but have personal experience with Hotwire, speak to Andrew, this dude knows his stuff.

So do Hotwire still leave globs of glue around the outside of your head unit? Ugliest fitting I ever had.

No, I am surprised that they would have to use glue at all for an install.

It was a facing trim from the dashboard. The sales person I took it back to was surprised too.
That was all some time ago tho, I am sure that sort of thing is in the past.

I could almost go back to them if they had any decent amount of opening hours on the weekend out west. By the time I get out of bed on a Saturday they have all gone home.

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SATTV

1646 posts

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#664773 31-Jul-2012 17:08

I know a fantastic installer.

Auto Soundz and Security

Grant Nel

M 021 020 48134

Grant@autosoundzandsecurity.co.nz

He is mobile and comes to you. I got him to do my van alarm and saw on his car he did stereos as well, I shot out to JB and got a JVC with bluetooth and he installed it, he made a custom lomb and did a much better job than I would with a lot less swear words.

He has also done a couple of friends cars as well and they are very happy.

Cheers
John

I know enough to be dangerous