beware of karr security!
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Security and Convenience
Forum Discription: Car Alarms, Keyless Entries, Remote Starters, Immobilizer Bypasses, Sensors, Door Locks, Window Modules, Heated Mirrors, Heated Seats, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=19282
Printed Date: May 14, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Topic: beware of karr security!
Posted By: youngblood
Subject: beware of karr security!
Date Posted: September 24, 2003 at 10:29 PM
If anyone out there has purchased or is in the process of purchasing an automobile with a KARR security alarm installed... Please feel free to wonder whether it was put in correctly. I am a former employee of KARR and I could not stand to see the butchering of cars any longer. This company underpays their installers(has not been an increase in pay ever..... since 1996. In fact... they recently cut our pay. Consequenty, they left themselves with a bunch of hacks that are getting paid less and finding themselves slamming alarms in at will without any guarantee of it working correctly without having to redo. I was the poor schmuck that found himself re-doing many installs. I was the last of any installer with integrity and will laugh if I ever see that sticker on a car again. ONCE AGAIN...... BEWARE
Replies:
Posted By: floaterr
Date Posted: September 25, 2003 at 9:03 AM
Industry standard it seems.
I remember they (not Karr)started cutting our pay when the jobs started rolling it! Guess they felt they should be making a bigger profit and the commission we where used to getting would serve us fine with the added work. Freakin Cellular connection (Tx)...
Posted By: CutDog504
Date Posted: September 27, 2003 at 1:56 PM
I worked at a lil whole in the wall shop in westwego, la called m&m audio sounds. They had us literally shoving in alarms as fast as possible, no matter what quality of work. I was scolded several times for making neat connections and taping and zip tying wire harneses. I was "taking too long". He said "just close up the dash and let it ride, thats good enough". They literally had more comebacks each day than they had new customers coming in. My first 2 weeks working there, every alarm except for two, (yes 2!) were all comebacks. I had to fix other installers shoddy work. I ended up qwitting afer a little over two months. They are only worried about selling alarms, and getting the customer out asap. No quality at ALL!! Plus I was only getting 7 bucks an hour. They charged 45$ labor to install a radio. I would do ALL the labor, and get paid not even seven bucks to install a radio. Cuz a radio doesnt even take an hour to install. They were making like 40 off my labor!!! Thats when I decided to quit and become a shadetree installer. I make far more money doing side jobs in my own garage. Plus, I can take my time, do it right, and all money is mine, not some selfish boss. Most people who know about me know that I'll install most radios for only 20$ and thats less than half of what most shops charge. I'd much rather install 3 radios a day in my own garage than slave in a shop fixing butchered cars all day for the same pay as less than 3 hours of work in my own garage. See my point?
Posted By: padawan
Date Posted: September 27, 2003 at 5:38 PM
Oh yeah I see your point CutDog, M&M is terrible, so is House of Sounds and MobileOne, the only shop worth anything that we have in the greater New Orleans area is RD Audio & Security on the Westbank Expressway...They will tell you how long it's gonna take cuz they actually hide alarm parts (brain, siren) and they loom up all the wires and do it right, great shop, nice guys there too, I went to college with the owner that's why I had told you to check em out for a job, the guy is a good guy.
Buddy of mine went to M&M to get his 1 Amp and 1 Sub installed in his 96 Cutlass (such an easy install), I was outta town so I couldn't do it, they botched the heck outta that install, poked something in the firewall trying to drill a hole for the power wire for the amp, had his car out of commission for 2 weeks getting it fixed at the dealer, needless to say I put it in right.
But most shops are all about cranking out alarms and have no interest in customer satisfaction or quality installs, I also do shadetree work at this point, until I can get my shop up and running.
Posted By: c2deez
Date Posted: September 27, 2003 at 10:37 PM
I've been installing alarms for almost 10 years in the Greater N.O and Baton Rouge area, and for the most part am not too impressed with many of the shops in the area. There are MANY really good alarm installers but all feel pressure to get as many installs as possible. For many years I got really screwed working for stereo shops making 6-7 dollars\hour. But eventually I learned to do things my way and F@#% what everyone else thinks. Since then I've turned down job offers from every major shop in the New Orleans area. Now, I only do alarms and stereo work part time and make 50% commission on labor. The key to doing quality work, is to just do quality work and ignore the boss bitching in your ear.
Posted By: Velocity Motors
Date Posted: September 27, 2003 at 10:52 PM
Could not have said it any better myself........ except that I'm the boss that is biatching in your ear to do higher quality jobs  ------------- Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
Posted By: c2deez
Date Posted: September 27, 2003 at 10:59 PM
Well let's put it this way, when your an installer and the boss just lined up 15 alarms for Saturday and you want to go home your pissed. But when YOU become the boss then you'll be the evil S.O.B who seems to never want to go home. It's 2 sides of the same coin, just depends on which side your on. And Velocity is right, any GOOD boss will push (yes the bastard will push) for a happy medium between quantity and quality.
Posted By: padawan
Date Posted: September 28, 2003 at 6:54 AM
c2deez, which shops in the New Orleans area have you worked at?
Posted By: LAUR
Date Posted: September 28, 2003 at 10:26 PM
I've been installing alarms for almost 6 years in Romania and I was a former employee of a lot of companies here but they all want me to teach the other employees how to install . All of them are thesame . They want to install with rookies because they are paid less . So I start working for myself .
Posted By: c2deez
Date Posted: September 28, 2003 at 11:07 PM
The ONLY shop I will do installs for is Before or After( a tiny little tint shop on Franklin Ave). In Baton Rouge I worked at "LA Home and Mobile Audio", "Creative Audio", "David's Car Stereo"--(worked for 1 day, was promised 45% labor by the owner and the first day I arrived at work was told I would make $5\hr for 1st 2 weeks)  , "Mobile Sound & Security"--(great shop), and "Kirk's Automotive". I QUIT every job (except Mobile Sounds) b\c of bullsh#t behind pay. . .people will promise you the world but few will live up to what they say. I love to install and just stuck with it thru all the headaches. When I finally moved back to N.O., it was the same song. Shops refuse to pay for expertise and experience. . .until a month or so passes and they actually read my resume and realized what I had to offer. By then I just had enough and found a small shop in need of someone, who would let me do what I wanted(make everyone involved a ton of money). I swear, in 1 week I turned down positions at: 2 Circuit City stores, 2 Mobile 1 shops, 2 Best Buy stores, Van Village, Prestige Autosound, and House of Sound. Now I'm happy and I make money. I guess the morale is this. . .If you love to install keep doing it regardless of pressure from others. In time people will respest you as much for your skill level as your integrity as an installer, and then you can just name your price
Posted By: camry0099
Date Posted: September 29, 2003 at 6:29 PM
It's not only mobile electronics, it's everywhere. Quantity over quality is the name of the game!!
Posted By: youngblood
Date Posted: September 30, 2003 at 10:30 PM
I'm pleased with the response of this topic. I'm glad I'm not the only one frustrated. My wife is doing well as an RN, so I think I'm going to take a three month hiatus and finish up my degree and teach math to kids. I know you can still make money doing Quality over Quantity.... I know it in my heart. And I refuse to give less. "Damn you all to hell"..... immortal words by Chuck Heston
Posted By: lalur
Date Posted: September 30, 2003 at 11:17 PM
hey youngblood what office did u work for when u worked for southwest
Posted By: youngblood
Date Posted: October 01, 2003 at 10:20 PM
well..... it was southwest then it kind of branced off into Northern California Dealer Services. I work up north in the Bay area and Sacramento Region. I did attend a Christmas party with the crew down south on the Queen Mary in 1998 but after that I've had virtually no contact with anyone down South. My crappy ass ex-employers main office is in Antioch.
Posted By: lalur
Date Posted: October 02, 2003 at 7:49 PM
there is alot of crooked guys in that companynote to everyone be carefull the pays is cool but watch out for a lot of b.s
Posted By: youngblood
Date Posted: October 02, 2003 at 9:48 PM
Crooked?! I can handle crooked.... It's the veritable plethora of butchers and hacks that I couldn't deal. These $0.39 hamburger stand installers were chucking modules under the carpet and seeing how big of a spaghetti mess they could squeeze under the dash of some poor unsuspecting schmuck who thought they were buying a new car with factory influenced security. WRONGO!! What they did buy was a time bomb waiting for a limp wristed crimp to fail and render customers unable to disarm their vehicle. I, proudly, was the exception and found myself working... this is no joke.... fourteen hours a day... not including commute (three hours both ways) to do the same production as the other flunkies... but I had virtually zero comebacks. I quit a couple of weeks ago... and I'm making them sweat over their inventory and company car. For all the times they wouldn't take care of me.... I'm returning the favor.... I hate to resort to tit for tat.... but expecting slam bam thank you mam alarm installs out of me is out of the question.... I have to sleep at night..... Thank goodness my wife makes bank as an RN.... R & R at last.... SCREW KARR SECURITY...... I feel better now.... thanks for the bitch session.
Posted By: Notorious
Date Posted: November 13, 2003 at 12:55 PM
Obviously Young Blood has no idea what he is talking about when it comes to KARR Security. We are the largest 12v electronics installation company in the country. Please name any other 12v electronic company based in California that pays for the employees entire immediate family health and dental plan. Name a company that matches employees 401k programs up to the max allowable by law. Name a company that has a 401k program in our industry. Name a company that provides 85% of its employees with company cars and gas cards. Name a company that uses the honor system for technicians rather employ middle management to stand over the technicians shoulders. Name a company that employs 3 full time people that do nothing but technical support and training. Name a company in our industry where technicians average salary is well above 40k/yr., plus the above mentioned benefits and lets not ignore the fact that many technicians are now in the 60-90k yr. salary. Name a company in our industry that did not lay employees off , after Sept. 11 or during the following recession?/.... How many companies do on the job training without any kind of investment on the employees part?? Electronics schools cost up to 4,000 US ... Normally I would never answer a post like this, mainly because it lends credability to this persons ignorance, but in this case< I think it would be good for anyone reading this to know what kind of a company we really are. Good luck newbie,,its a tough industry and it looks like you burned a bridge with one of the leaders. ------------- Notorious
Posted By: Notorious
Date Posted: November 13, 2003 at 1:28 PM
One Last Update on crooked Youngblood..... who is crooked ??? Youngblood was rumored to have had a deadly weapon at some point,,,and we had to apparently re-po our company car and product..... again I am lending credability to ignorance, but those replying on this topic, need to know who is crooked....... ------------- Notorious
Posted By: misterjimbo
Date Posted: November 13, 2003 at 6:00 PM
i am working at a dealer and heva tons of problems. They have me working under a guy who makes 4 times as much as me and want me to produce as much as he does. i did it for about four months, and saw no raise in pay. I harness everything and take pride in my work, but it is not good enough. they force me to work with code alarm products that always come back because of product failures and often are replaced with audiovox products to make them happy... of course i do not get paid to swap them out. anybody have any job openings in michigan? ps i love audiovox but hate code alarm and yes i know they re now owned by audiovox
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Posted By: youngblood
Date Posted: November 13, 2003 at 6:33 PM
My goodness... It would appear that I may have struck a chord. Let me make myself extraordinarily clear mr. "notorious". I never mentioned anyone at the company being crooked. Not a lot of proof reading will explain that. And I should state that the privelege of using a company vehicle was appreciated, as was my Kaiser benefits and cough cough worthless dental benefits.... I never saw a 401k anywhere... but if you say it's there... I suppose I can believe you. My sole beef with Karr Security was their absolute disgraceful quality control. Disgraceful might not describe it adequately.... non-existent would be more appropriate. I could count the installers from within Karr Security with one hand after I have chopped off three fingers that I would let in my car to install anything, including air freshener. Hacks and butchers. I had to work twice as hard and as long to keep up with Karr's 39 cent hamburger stand installers. I would absolutely love to see their expenditures for compensating the dealerships on all their repairs. I buried THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS of dollars in repairs. On the other side of the coin, you could pay for my repairs in the years that I worked there with two quarters in your pocket and have change left to make a phone call. As far as any rumoured "deadly weapons"... I have not a clue what you're talking about. I do own a gun. I've had a pistol for about nine years.... It's at home, stays at home, and leaves home with my wife and I to target shoot up in the mountains when we go camping. Then ig goes back home and camps out in my closet. It's kept spotless and I treat it with kid gloves and has never met the view of anyones face..... yet. Perhaps you may be pertaining to one of your installers in the Sacramento area.... You know the one, for who I'll not mention, the guy with the gun that was confiscated by the police. Ya.. the one that was next to the dead body that was killed by it. Maybe you were referring to that "deadly weapon". So among your crew of hacks and butchers.... you can add a murderer amongst yor employee aquisitions to be proud of. I don't need to defend myself to a company that I purposely burned a bridge with.... and I would burn it again... and again. and I'd be hesitent to call someone picking up the company car parked on my street for you to pick up a "re-po". I'd call it.... picking up the car you let me use because I didn't want to commute to the bay area to return it. Too funny. If anyone has any questions.... feel free to talk to any mechanic that has seen work done by Karr Security.... go to ANY dealership and ask a mechanic. I bet they answer with a wince on their face. I got tired of bailing out the other butchers time and time again. I'll do the Pepsi challenge with any one of your installers any time..... anywhere. It doesn't take a lot of invetigating to figure out that my installs were phenomenal.... and it's not like it's hard to do good work... pride in workmanship..... Karr Security is VOID of it. I've got a nice library of digital pictures if anyone is interested. My opinion of Karr Security is just that. My opinion. The equipment is phenomenal. I was very pleased with it.... no doubts there. But I doubt you'll be able to find that equipment to be installed is only as good as the guy installing it. I can't tell you the embarrassment I felt going to peoples homes to fix their stranded vehicles and trying to come up with excuses for the hacks that work for Karr. I'm glad that's over. I shudder to think about all those cars done by your "crew"..... yikes.... it must be hard for you to sleep "notorious" I sleep like a baby.  youngblood If anyone wants some pictures of Karr Securities finest work....lol...I've got plenty
Posted By: youngblood
Date Posted: November 13, 2003 at 6:35 PM
and the forum thanks you for your only two posts to this forum..... Have a good day, I know I will
Posted By: Csr
Date Posted: November 13, 2003 at 6:59 PM
may i have pics
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Imitation is the best form of praise.
Posted By: Csr
Date Posted: November 13, 2003 at 7:05 PM
as a current employee i can confirm youngbloods claims which are TRUE and ask any mecanic they will also confirm But Ive meet some good installers as well ------------- Imitation is the best form of praise.
Posted By: Csr
Date Posted: November 13, 2003 at 7:07 PM
But as Ice Cube the poet once said fu** KARR Alarms
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Imitation is the best form of praise.
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