2 volt vs. 4 volt

Concerning the Eclipse quality and such...

I have the 8454 model in my car, my 2nd one. The first one had power supply issues, within the first week of having it. I took it back, replaced. The owner had NO trouble dealing with Eclipse on the issues that came up. This new one has had no problems other than the lens foggin because this state is f'ing cold with a lot of moisture. My remote start has since solved that problem.

Though on the I-Eserv thing, that is misleading... Right now it is worthless, it does everything the head unit does in the car. Now given in the future they are planning on expanding it, but for now, that is about worthless. (I called an even asked after I was done what it could do the HU couldn't, nothing.)

Jakesmoke, this is something that most purhasers (especially young males) do not consider. All they look at is the cheapest price and the name. Sure the name can be the same and the product the same but the price different and this is where the "young male" buys his gear from. The other people do a little more research. Most if not all online sites are not authorized dealers for whatever brand of equipment you just purchased from them to save that $100.00. To you $100.00 is a huge savings and the other guys were ripping you off, fact of the matter is you are usually getting burned on the cheaper price.

This is due to the fact that the item may be a refurbished unit and sold as new, it may be a stolen unit, it may be a new unit from a authorized dealer sold through a unauthorized dealer. Lets pick on Eclipse for now as I know their policy on online purchases. You see a cd player advertised in a store for $500.00. A quick search online finds the same one for $380.00. You immediately think to yourself that the stores are scamming you and you tell all of your friends about it and post it all over these forums. (as was done here). So yu buy the unit from the online dealer and then the shipping bill hits you for another chunk of change in some cases. So the unit is working fine for you until all of a sudden one day it won't eject your cd. What do you do. The online store no longer carries the line and sure they can warranty it for you for the one year that they offer vs. the 3 years that the store offers on the same thing. So you send in the cd player to onlinestereooftheweek.com at your expense (more $ out of your pocket) and they can't fix it. Why? because they are not authorized to sell it and Eclipse will not warranty it for them. They will also not go out and spend their money to fix it for you. So they leave you with an option, we can't get that one anymore so how's about this Sony or Driftwood model instead. At this point intime you are pissed as it's been 1 amonth and a half and will take anything so out it comes to you. Is it what you payed for originally, no. Does it do the same things, no. Does it even sound the same, no. Could it be a refurbised item, yes. Could it not be covered by the manufacturers warranty, no.  All to save $120.00 at the outset.

So now you say well if it dies it dies and I can always buy another. Corect you can but when purchasing from the authorized dealer, warranty is never an issue, replacement with a updated version of the same brand is always an option, warrranty length is usually longer and you end up spending less money. With a sub it is even riskier. Look through the forums and see how many people don't recommend this or that brand as the sub bew on them, the forums are full of crap like this. Look a little closer at those who bought online to save a couple of bucks and had to go out and buy a new one as the "warranty" they had from onlinestereooftheweek.com did not cover what happened to the sub. SO you send your sub into the manufacturer (at your cost again) with your sales receipt and it gets sent back unfixed with a note that says "this item was purchased at a unauthorized retailer and we are under no obligation to warrranty it, we recommend you contact your dealer where it was purchsaed". The dealer is no longer in business or can't get the brand any more. Back to the same old issue. What if the box you made was specific to the sub, or the amp you bought had a custom rack made and the amp no longer inproduction, what do you do? You spend even more money again to fix an item that if bought at a manufacturer would have been covered.

When these items you purchased from discounttrailerparktrashaudio.com have issues or problems what do people do with them, they post stuff on the net in forums just like this and ask people like me, legitimate authorized dealers for advice. Once you are burned from an online store you will understand and unfortunately it is only a matter of time. The online stores cater to the "young males" and take full advantage of them and their buying habits. This is business to them and if they have to take advantage of the purchaser to further their goals, so be it. Here today, gone tomorrow - with your money and no warranty. My advice is always buy authorized and say no to Fat Chicks, Sony, Bose and factory audio system.

Read it... And I'm a young male... 

I have to agree with you Rob, Wayland, and Nick.  I am a "young male".  I am not the typical one though.  I have done my research and am still doing my research.  The only thing i have bought online was an amp from Crutchfield.  I have bought everything else from my local shop.  I have bought a head unit 4 subs and an amp from them.  Plus the local shop will give you the warranty that no other place can actually back up.  There are a few bogus shops out there, you have to watch out for them, plus if they look like they don't know what they are doing, they probably don't.  I totally support my local shop and even though I have payed probably $300 more than I would have online, I have not yet had one thing I have bought break on me(all of my stuff has been out of warrant for at least 2 years).

Support Your Local Shop... It will help in the long run!

thanks for the info rob. i too have purchared most of my equipment with crutchfield, but they dont carry boston acoustics speakers so i went shopping around.i assumed all speakers are made at the same place, like china, tiawan, mexico,-just different vendors. when i saw that woofers offered a one year warrenty, and tweeters didnt say anything about a warrenty- not to mention the price difference-apparently i was mislead. im not a "young male"as you put it ,although im fairly new on all the technical and the vast array of difference in todays car audio. ive been putting in my own stereo systems for twenty some years now but lately have been making it a hobby to learn more about it all.in the "old days'  it was a supertuner, good 6x9s and a small amp and you were good to go.those days are gone with all the selection there is today. i appreciate everyones replies and like i said, im still learning. thanks again.