need some advice, getting back into insta

I worked as an installer about 12-13 years ago. Stereos,amps,alarms/remote starts etc. Looking to get back into it on a part time basis. I know technology has advanced since then. Can you guys give me any pointers where to read up on the newest technology? Also what about the rates people are charging now? Thanks for the help everyone.

You are correct technology has jumped by leaps and bounds over 10 years ago even over 5 years ago. I started in 2005 so I got a good mix of the old school and new school. I think to understand and diagnose these modern cars you have to know how CAN BUS operates, varying speeds and how manufacturers are integrating everything in cars into the CAN BUS Network. Do you need to know that to install? Of course not. You can follow the pretty pictures and get the job done but you will never comprehend what is going on by just following those guides. The WIKI pages have a lot of good info on CAN BUS and they also have a ton of needless engineering speak. It is worth a quick read at least. Search for articles pertaining to that as well. I am sure they will put it in more plain language. Manufacturers started integrating many things (door locks, alarm, gauges, etc) into the factory radios, so much in fact it is becoming more normal to build audio systems around the stock head unit (blasphemy to us old school audio nuts). As for cost I can only speak for this area, you are looking at $75-$100/ labor hour for audio and roughly $249-$300 for a single button remote start up to $799 for a full featured system (all add ons included).To master and control electricity is perfection. *evil laugh*

Appreciate the response. I moved from car electronics to aviation maintenance, that also has advanced so much in the last ten years. doing some reading around and have some into the idatalink bypasses. Whats your though on these? Seems to make the install alot quicker as your connecting most of the remote start and alarm wires to the bypass, and only a few connections into the actual vehicle wiring. Any cons of using these?

Right now I would say Idatalink is the best brand of interfaces. I would suggest that DBI is still inferior to hardwiring in some cases but WHEN DBI works it is a huge time saver. In my own vehicles I would never use DBI. Doing it professionally i use DBI and always have the wires standing by to convert to hardwire. Again when it works it is great, but when it sticks you with one random function not working it will wiz you off to no end...To master and control electricity is perfection. *evil laugh*