installer refused to install?

[canadave]

Hmmm. I bought an Eonon GE01 double DIN GPS/DVD/etc head unit for my 2004 Vibe. Yes, it's a Chinese brand, but not one of those totally anonymous Chinese ebay specials that don't even have a brand name on them. You can find them on the Internet and English-language manuals are posted.

I asked around here to find a reputable installer who'd do good work, and the consensus local pick on the Internet was to get it installed at Atlantic Car Stereo (large Canadian car installation specialists). They've been featured in newspaper articles dealing with car installation, etc. I can see they're on the ball. So I asked them how much it'd cost to install this unit. To my surprise, the guy said "sorry, we won't install off brand electronics, as they usually don't fit the dash kits correctly or haven't worked."

Is that normal procedure for this industry?? It seemed really, really strange to me. Isn't part of being a car audio installer being able to "make things fit" if they don't fit? I see people who've posted some installation pics of aftermarket units in their cars, and often they have to file down a plastic trim piece, or some other such modification, to make something fit. Isn't that something a pro shop should be able to do?

As for not wanting to install something because (I guess) they're afraid I'll turn around and blame the installer if something breaks on the radio....well.....I guess that's their prerogative, although it still sounds awfully odd to me.

So, is all this pretty much normal response from a pro car audio install shop, or is it weird?

[jayoldschool]

Install it yourself. You'll know it was done correctly, there will be no sketchy wiring, nothing will be broken, and you'll save money.

[canadave]

I would, but I've never done it before and really don't have much skill in the way of car audio anyway. Not my field I'd be more comfortable having someone else install it. A simple radio I might attempt, but not a combo GPS/DVD/etc.

[ColonelPanic]

If I had to guess, perhaps they're trying to avoid a bad reputation if they install a dud that they can't support which the customer supplies and then tries to blame them. I don't know, I've never used an audio installer. I'm sure there are good ones, but the stories about the bad ones destroying people's cars makes this a thing that I do myself or don't do at all.

A basic head unit installation really can't get any easier on these cars if you have the right adapters, trim kits, etc which are readily available. Higher feature units will be more work if you have to mount GPS antennas, cameras, and such. But still shouldn't be as complicated as you would find in a more modern car.

[Raven]

It appears that Liverpool is quite far from a major urban center such as Halifax. If there was a Future Shop or Best Buy around they might risk it...for a price.

I too am no pro at car audio or auto electrics in general. I installed a new head unit in the Vibe with adapters and wiring harness from Crutchfield. There was a bit of solder work to do but nothing too mind boggling. I've also done several in my Subaru SVXs and an Outback or 2.

P.S. Those look like Konig Incedent wheels on your Fusion. We have them for our snows on the 2012 Outback.
Oh ya, we used to have an '04 Fusion actually called Sunburst in Canada..

[lannvouivre]

Can you send us a scan of the wiring diagram for your stereo? It should have one for its own wiring harness. We can then tell you how to wire it to the harness adapter so it plugs in to your car.

[canadave]

Can you send us a scan of the wiring diagram for your stereo? It should have one for its own wiring harness. We can then tell you how to wire it to the harness adapter so it plugs in to your car.

Hi,

I actually have another thread going that has a link to the page for that. I'd created that thread when I was considering doing it myself, then decided against it and decided to go get it installed professionally. That's when I had to create THIS thread when the guy refused to do it, and I'm now returned to the OTHER thread because I'm back to trying to install it myself once it arrives Whew! I know, follow the bouncing ball....

The other thread is the one about Eonon. The page for that radio, which includes photos and explanations of the wires, is here: http://www.eonon.com/Car-GPS/2-Din-Car- ... /GE01.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;