Ahh, the internet. There are countless websites that have discounted car audio equipment (not including eBay, uBid, and other auction sites) where you can search for the product you’ve been eyeing for the best deals. But it can be a love/hate relationship if they don’t offer an electronics warranty.
Sure, you just got a killer deal on the best sound system, but once you get it in the mail…it’s not working properly! There goes your weekend plans to go cruising and show off your system with your friends. Now you have to deal with returning it through the mail just to find out that you bought the last one, and there was no guarantee.
Let me help you avoid this familiar situation. Here are four reasons why you should weigh the benefits and consider getting an electronics warranty for your system:
1. Electronics can fail.
Even the best electronics can let the magic smoke out the first time they are powered up. Electronics are made from hundreds and thousands of tiny components that are stacked, tossed and dropped from all over the world. Handled by humans, robots, robotic humans and humanoid robots in factories. Then loaded onto ships, planes, trains and trucks with forklifts, carts and dollies. I’ve seen the best name brand gear go up in smoke and cheap knockoffs work flawlessly for years. Electronics are unpredictable.
2. Self-installation could void your warranty.
Let’s say you buy something from your local shop and it blows up within 30-90 days. All you have to do is return it and get a new product that same day. But another route is finding that same product online for half the price. Yes, it’s half price, but it blows up day four and now you have to send it back and wait days or weeks for your original purchase. And if you made the install yourself, you may be out a few hundred bucks.
Some car audio manufacturers have a professional installation requirement to get an item swapped on the spot. Otherwise it will have to be shipped for repair—which is fair. Most car electronics aren’t like TVs that you just plug into the wall. Neither the manufacturer nor the seller has control over what happens to it once it leaves the store, so it is always best to let them install it. That way you’re covered if you hit a bump and the lights go out on your new radio.
3. Product replacement plans give you peace-of-mind.
Everybody offers an electronics warranty but nobody buys them. Why not? An extra 30 bucks extends the 30-90 day warranty to 365 or even 730 days. That’s two years for you to beat on your new equipment as hard as you want and get it swapped out for free should something happen to it. You can’t get that kind of service online. This is really great for parents with kids who like to stick coins and French fries into DVD slots and action figures into speaker box ports. Something like that could really ruin that long summer trip.
4. Installation warranties.
Every professional install shop should back up their work with their own warranty for at least a year, and they should offer an extended warranty on top of that. Over time, vibrations can cause connections to work their way loose. Even extreme heat or cold could have an effect on something that wasn’t considered during the install.
Ideally your new install should be completely trouble-free, but you never know what will happen in a car. With a good warranty, you won’t have to worry about that. Your local shop will take care of you and your weekends and road trips will be filled with loud music and fun.
Car audio, video, and other vehicle electronics can be quite an investment, and they should last as long or even longer than your vehicle. When they don’t, it’s good to know there’s another exact or very similar product sitting on the shelf down at the local Emporium of High-Fidelity Electronics & Accessories—and you have the electronics warranty to cover it.
Don’t ruin your weekends and road trips; get the guarantee!