[MattO]

I see this exact thing all the time in car stereo. Guys will call or come in, take tons of your time and when you quote them a price on parts, "onlinecarstuff.com has it for $xxx" and it drives me absolutely insane.

Yes, you can buy your parts online or elsewhere for less, but you will NOT receive the level of customer service you will eventually need because there is also no warranty on anything you'll buy online. Also, most of those places will not have the knowledge base required, especially if it is in a custom application.

That's why I never really search too hard to find a lower price. Instead I look for a business model and level of service that I like and go with that company/business/parts. I often talk to the salesman about my project and a couple have been kind enough to send me a small discount or some other cool free stuff like memorabilia. in return, I will remember to tell everyone who will listen about my experience.

A perfect example is my tuner, Motor Machine Super Shop in Carmichael, CA. Don and Bob worked their butts off for nearly 3 weeks on my truck, chasing gremlins and problems that were caused by an incompetent shop. Eventually, they got everything squared away and I couldn't be happier. They spent ALOT of time on that truck but knew I flip burgers for a living so they we were able to work something out and I can't begin to thank them enough. The shop's logo is now a welcome addition to my back window and they are the only place I will ever tell people to go.


Service, reputation, and value for the $ will overcome most any hardship. At least I think so.