Almost a year ago I purchased an AutoPage alarm from the Chronic location on Camelback Road in Phoenix for my Neon. I was EXTREMELY HAPPY with the service and product I received. The man that sold me the alarm was very nice, helpful and truthful. He sold me the alarm and I carried it out that day. We made an appointment for later in the week to get it installed. I dropped my car off that morning at 5:00 and the car was finished that afternoon. When I picked it up the installer walked me to my car and showed me how to use the remote (it is a remote start with an LCD screen and I had never had one like that before). Due to my terrific experience with them I recommended that location to many, many people over the last year (I would say about 20-25 people and I know of at least 8 of them who purchased something from them).
When my husband decided to replace the KARR alarm system we had in our Jeep of course I told him that we should take it to Chronic. They had the same alarm that I have on sale again. We went straight to the location on Camelback Road. This was on 4-26-08. Todd was behind the counter. We brought the advertisement from the New Times in to show him the alarm that we were looking to get. We explained to him that I had gotten the same one last year. He advised us that they had sold out but he could give us a "raincheck". However, unlike a traditional "raincheck" we had to pay in full. We both decided that we were okay with this based on our previous experience with this company. We didn't want to wait because the sale was going to be ending and the alarm was roughly half of its normal price. We advised him that we have a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee. He thought that there might be an extra converter box needed for the door locks so he called someone (we are not sure if it was an installer in the back or someone at a different location). He then told us that the person he spoke with said that it was not needed for our year, only 1999 and newer. That made sense to us because the Grand Cherokee had design changes beginning in 1999. We then spoke about a warranty. We were not going to buy one but he offered to sell us the two year warranty for half price. We agreed since we did not really want to take any chances with the alarm. We also asked for a de-install of the KARR alarm. This was an additional $20, which we agreed was reasonable. We paid the money (partly credit card and partly cash) and he let us know that the alarm should be in within a week or so.
We waited for the alarm for 2 weeks. When it finally came in we had to wait another week for installation, which finally occurred on May 16. We got up and left the house at 4:30 in the morning so we could drop the truck off and I could get my husband to work on time. Later in the day my husband received a voicemail from Todd advising him that the alarm was in but not active because the converter box for the door locks was actually needed after all. At this point the de-install of the KARR alarm was also complete, meaning that the truck had no functioning alarm system. My husband went to pick up the truck (he took the bus at a cost of $2.50) and Todd showed him that he had ordered the part and advised him that we would not be charged for it since it was his fault for telling us that it wasn't needed. He assured him that it would be in within a couple of days and we would have it put in immediately. We then waited another 2 weeks for that part. After 2 more weeks of not receiving the part my husband went back again (after several calls and visits to check on the status of the part) and Todd told him that there was a delay in the shipment from the manufacturer but that it would be in 2 weeks from that day (which was Friday, June 13th). On Friday my husband called and confirmed the part was in the store. Since Todd had advised my husband on his last visit there that he would get him in "as a priority as soon as the part was received" and that it "shouldn't be a problem" and "shouldn't take long" my husband asked him if he could bring the truck in the next morning. This was not an unreasonable request since, at this point, Todd had taken our money for the alarm system almost 2 months prior and we were still without a functioning alarm system. Todd informed my husband that he was short staffed and could not fit us in until Monday. Since this was apparently the next available day my husband felt he had no choice but to agree. Todd advised him that he would get it done on Monday and that it would take most of the day. Since my husband had to drop the truck off and go to work anyway that was fine with him. On Saturday we stopped by the store and dropped off the spare key and the alarm remote for the truck so they would have it on Monday morning and we would not need to leave it in the truck.
On Monday, June 16th we again got up at 4:30 in the morning so we could drop the truck off. We got there and dropped the truck at 5:15. There were no other cars in the parking lot. My husband parked the truck in the spot next to the handicapped parking spot. I took him to work and we both went about our day. When my husband got out of work at 1:45 he checked his voicemail box. There was a message with a time stamp of 1:13 from Todd advising my husband that he would not be able to get the installation of the converter part done that day. Again, my husband took the bus to the Camelback location (another $2.50 bus ticket). At this point he was EXTREMELY UNHAPPY and called the location on Glendale Avenue to find out if they would be able to put the part in for us. He told TJ about the situation and about how unhappy he was. He advised my husband that he could install the part for us but that he could not get us in until Friday. My husband agreed since at that point it seemed that the Camelback location would never get it installed for us. He called Todd to tell him that he was coming over to pick up the truck and the part. TJ then called him back to tell him that he had the part there so he didn't need to pick up the part itself, just bring the truck in on Friday morning. My husband finally reached the Camelback location and Todd gave him the keys and apologized for not being able to have it installed that day. Unfortunately, that was too little too late.
Today (June 20) my husband took the truck to the Glendale location. He dropped it off and took the bus home (another $2.50). At that point he had my car to drive for the remainder of the day. He spoke with TJ when dropping the truck, who shook his hand and advised him that he would have it done today. My husband stopped by to check on the progress around 3:00 and TJ advised him that the part was not working correctly so they needed to get a replacement from the warehouse but that it would be done around 6:00. At 5:45 we reached the Glendale location and walked in. Another man was behind the counter. My husband waited in line and when he got to the front he told this man that he was here for the Jeep (it was parked in the alleyway when we got there). He told him it was finished and handed him the keys. We went out to get in and I asked him to try the remote start. It set off the horn (which we were confused about because this is not a horn-based alarm system). My husband clicked the unlock button and it shut off. The remote start failed so we tried again and it worked. We were then able to unlock the doors. He got in and drove to the gas station. There were no issues at that point. When he returned home around 6:30 he locked the truck with the alarm remote. Approximately 30 seconds after locking the doors the alarm started to go off. He hit the unlock and then the lock button and it turned off (this is the same way we have been turning my alarm off when it is activated for the last year). He locked it again and 30 seconds later it went off again. He did the same thing to turn it off and looked down at the remote. It was showing that one of the doors is open. He checked all of the doors and they were closed. This alarm is supposed to beep several times if you try to lock it when one of the doors is open, not activate and cycle through each alarm sound. He tried several times to lock the doors and it would not stay locked. The remote had shown this same icon prior to today, supposedly because the converter part for the locks was not installed. However, it is now installed. He went back outside and tried opening and shutting the doors and then locking it again. At that point the alarm went off and would not shut off. It said "SECOND" on the top of the screen. It took us from 7:00 to 7:35 to get it to shut off. We had to remove the battery from the alarm remote and then reinstall it in order for the unlock button to work properly. Of course, the Glendale location closed as soon as we left so we had nobody to call to assist us.
As of this moment, we have a truck sitting in our driveway that we cannot arm. We cannot lock it with the alarm either. The remote still shows that the door is open. Apparently the alarm's functions were not checked before the keys were given back to us and we were sent on our way. At this point we want the alarm fixed. We are also requesting a full refund for the extreme amount of hassle and stress we have endured over the last two months, not to mention the extra money that had to be spent on bus tickets and the extra gas that had to be used to get my husband to work and for me to drive home again on two mornings (which is not an insignificant amount of money since we live at 59th Avenue & Camelback and my husband works at Sky Harbor Airport). Numerous promises were made to us and then broken. I was going to bring my car back in to get new speakers throughout and we were also planning to do the same with the truck. However, this will never happen because we are already planning to take our business elsewhere (most specifically, Ultimate Electronics). I expect to receive a response ASAP. I do not care which of the two stores rectifies this issue and issues our refund, I just want it done. We will be taking the Jeep back to the Glendale store prior to its opening time tomorrow and I am hoping that this is rectified at that point, however, I am not waiting to inform you of the situation. The consumer voice is very powerful and I am sharing this situation with a very widespread audience.
I have posted this letter on usacomplaints.com and www.yelp.com.in addition, as you will see above, I have cc'd two television stations with consumer assistance departments, AZ Family (3 On Your Side) and ABC 15 (ABC 15 Investigators). I will request further assistance from them, as well as NBC 12 if my complaints are not acknowledged and rectified. If my complaints are rectified to the satisfaction of both myself and my husband I will be more than happy to post an update on both of the websites above and pursue no further action beyond that. I expect a response from you both immediately by phone and also in writing by email.
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