I recently had a car radio installed at the Monroeville, PA Circuit City. I was told that this would take about 1 to 1.5 hours. OK, fast forward 4 hours later, I am left waiting on their "audio/visual" room, assured that they would come to get me when it was done. Anyway, after waiting 4 hours, I go back to the bay where they are working, and my car is done. No-one came to tell me it was done, after I was assured they would (mind you, this was a 1.5 job).
I get my car, go to pull out of parking lot, and my XM radio flashes, "antenna", which means, the antenna has been broken or severed (I know this because I had one broken before ($45.00) to replace.
Anyway, I go to inspect the antenna wire in their parking lot, and my front seat will not raise up (the lever was stuck). The installer jammed the antenna wire in the passenger seat mechanism when he went to get into the back seat to find my factory amp in my Saab. He never told me there was a problem, just let me drive away, hoping I wouldn't notice, but I did.
So, I went back, and they replaced the antenna and I just chalked it up to "bad luck" and maybe it was my seat that was faulty (as it is an older car). So, I take the seat to be repaired, and low and behold, the reason it was stuck was because of the XM antenna wire stuck in the mechanism. I never asked for repayment, and just "let it go".
So, here's an error on my judgment. I GO back to have a amplifier installed a few weeks later. I am told that I do not have any of the "kit" that I need to install the amp and that it would cost around $187.00 to have the amp with kit installed. I asked if they would write down what I needed, and I would purchase on my own. They did, I bought it on Ebay for $6.00, and called back to make the appointment to have it installed. I was told on the phone that it would cost $69.00 to be installed. I go in for the appointment, and I am charged $87.72. I thought to myself, "perhaps the guy on the phone just misquoted me".
After waiting for about an hour, I pull out my receipt. There are two charges. One for $69.00 and one for $20.99. I go to the installers and ask what the extra "$20.99" is for. They both say, "that is what Circuit City charges customers who do not buy their amp kit". I then say, "So, because I did not purchase my equipment here, you're charging me an additional $20.99)? They said it was the store policy. I then go to the front and ask for a manager. I am not given one. A customer service person at the front desk tells me that all installations vary in price, and this is a common practice.
HERE'S MY BEEF! How can Circuit City justify charging a customer EXTRA because I didn't buy merchandise THERE? They are already charging me $60.99 to install it. Look, I'm not hard up for twenty bucks! It's the principal! I am all for paying reasonable prices for installation, but this charge is NOT justifiable to me.
So, I call their 1-800 number. I am then transferred to the Store Manager, named "Jeff" whom was just transferred there from the Robinson Town Center, and this was what I was told, "You agreed to the installation price because you paid for it". I explained to Jeff that after I had looked at my receipt in the store after waiting about an hour, I addressed it right away with the installers, and the front end customer service.
He basically told me once again, "You paid for it, that means you agreed to the price". He also told me that I only had 72 hours from the car audio installation (damaged seat) to file a claim with them. He was rude and unprofessional.
Do yourself a favor, do not let these THEIVES work on your car, if you value workmanship, honesty, and integrity.
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