how do you guys get so fast?

I've never installed a car stereo let alone an amplifier in my life, tho i have pretty ok electronic skills. I've been on the net very often now reading everything i can about installing car stereos and amplifiers and wiring etc. And now i'm just waiting for all my components to arrive and for me to finish my exams at the end of the month. I've already been planning at night in my head and i've pretty much got a rough sketch of how my system will look like and i'm pretty confident i can pull this off as i pretty much understand everything that has to be done. are there any dos and donts b4 i continue?

Don't worry about being fast, be concerned with being good.

I think repetition has gotten me faster over time. ~The Rookie~

Rookie of the year that is...

Don't let the smoke out of your equiptment..it doesn't go back in.

Saleengt, I wouldn’t worry too much about speed. It will come naturally with experiences and practices. Concentrate on doing the job well. It will cost you more if the customers has to come back to get it done right the second time. As for suggestions to improve your speed and accuracy I have a few which may or may not work for you, but again nothing can beat experience, being organize, well prepare and most importantly teamwork.   When you work in a car that you have never work on before, spend some extra time and try to remember what you did that work well. The next time around you will know exactly what to do. If you are organized on the job it is a lot easier. I lay all my tools out at the same spot and expect everyone at the shop to put it back after they finish using them. If you have some down time prepare most of your common wiring ahead of time. Most of our harnesses are butt connected and ready to go. Installation kits are cut and ready. Believe me, if these things are done ahead of time you shave off at least ten minutes of the work time.   At my shop, head unit for most Chrysler, GM and Honda are install between 9-12 minutes, amplifiers and a head unit are about 45 minutes with adjustment, paperwork completed and out the door. If you work in an environment where teamwork is praise upon you can really see how efficient the jobs gets done. It used to be about an hour to install a typical head unit before we devise ways to do things more efficiently. This all depends on the environment you work in and how well you get along with other people in the shop. At my shop everyone pretty much naturally develop their own role.   What we end up doing now is that we would do thing we were most efficient at and at same time enjoy doing it. We are very lucky that it happens that one of us enjoy taking things apart and one enjoys wiring up things and one doing the paper work and showing the customer how to push all the button when the install is done. It gets boring after awhile, but to keep things interesting we would switch our roles on a not so busy day. The average install that takes 10 minutes to do would turn to 30 minutes. Finally, work with someone who’s got fifteens years of experience at least once. You won’t regret it. It’s quite a show.        Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.

Caffiene?Certified Security Specialist

Always check info with a digital multimeter.

I promise to be good.

Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

auex wrote: Caffiene?

Ah, one of the basic food groups.

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One trick that I have learned for remote starts is to print off the techsoft of any new vehicle and as I am working on the car I make notes to myself as to where the best place to find wires are, how they test if it test funny... things like that.  Then I three hole punch it and put it in a binder.  The first time I work on a car it takes me a little longer, but the next time I can reference my sheet and it makes the install much quicker.  Works for me, because I have a hard time remembering all the tricks I have devised for the more rare vehicles.

lol, the caffiene makes one have to brace there arm while using a soldering gun so you do not burn every wire under the dash :) or am i the only one who gets jittery after drinking the 1 liter of coke in the morning?Tim-May!

1 liter of coke? Try 2 energy drinks, monster, a double shot espresso, and a 2 liter of mountain dew and that is before lunch. JK most of the time it is just 2 monsters.Certified Security Specialist

Always check info with a digital multimeter.

I promise to be good.

Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

Everyday i have a bagle, toasted, plain cream cheese, 1L of chocolate milk all before my fist install, , then im ready , , ,after that i sip on a 2L bottle of pop that is perfectly measured to last me 6 work days hehe2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.