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What brand should i carry?

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=49633
Printed Date: March 29, 2024 at 12:52 AM


Topic: What brand should i carry?

Posted By: mkaudio17
Subject: What brand should i carry?
Date Posted: February 08, 2005 at 10:23 AM

Well the car stereo shop in town is starting to do remote starts, alarms, etc. I have been given the opportunity to select what product we would like to carry, After talking to vendors i have narrowed it down to DEI, Compustar, and Audiovox/Code-alarm. I am leaning towards the Audiovox, Code because its a higher profit margin yet aren't sure if i would want to go there because circuit city carries them. Compustar is no where around but is pricey, i havent had personal experiance with them either. I will probally go with trilogix bypasses because of the price, or with DEI pieces if we take viper. I have had experiance with both DEI and Audiovox/Code and Code is probally the easiest to install. I love DEI but would rather have a larger brain with built in relays, then a ribbon cable to a satelite relay pack. Whats your input??

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Professionalism.



Replies:

Posted By: misterjimbo
Date Posted: February 08, 2005 at 12:14 PM
dei... good stuff, but pricey. in my opinion they do make the best bypasses and modules, but i love audiovox product. good pricing and reliable product. in my area i could not sell a compustar if i wanted too. in this gaem name recognition is important

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Posted By: mkaudio17
Date Posted: February 08, 2005 at 12:36 PM
I haven't had bad experiance with DEI at all the only problem is that when you are workin on vehicles with limited space you can bust out more vehicles without having to mount a separate component. If i did go with dei i would probally cut the ribbon cable short and tie the relays and the brain together. I do like the code that it has on board trunk and dome light, easy features that wont cost extra relays but could charge labor for it.

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Professionalism.




Posted By: Velocity Motors
Date Posted: February 08, 2005 at 12:58 PM
I've promoted Copustar through and through in these forums for obvious reasons or reliability & for me the profit margin is definitely there for the entry level remote starter's. The All-in-pne 2 way systems are pricey but I usually don't have trouble selling these to customer's after showing them what it's capable of. The DEI brand is a great system too, but I don't like having to wire in the satellite relay pack and having to find room under the dash for them ( times consuming ). In the end though, all 3 companies have great products and good reputations, just go with the one that your most familiar with as well as profitable for your business.

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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA




Posted By: KarTuneMan
Date Posted: February 08, 2005 at 1:12 PM

Dont get caught up in DEI's little one man world.....They will contract you to buy ALL of their line (like everybody else)

BE different, have something to offer that you cannot get across the darn street or at radio shack...

I know you cant get DEI at radio shack......but allmost, they are proffit whores. If another shop comes to town AFTER you get the liine, thell just sell it to them too  You have No territory protection

They believe in the power of ONE........THEM

Give astroflex a call........



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Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: February 08, 2005 at 3:37 PM

wow.... propaganda brain washing does work.......... did Astro give you cassette tapes to play while you sleep??  

things must be different down there because up here DEI does protect their dealers in a certain territory... of course, you have to buy enough product to qualify as a DEI dealer.... or maybe that's what he was ranting about....



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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979




Posted By: thepencil
Date Posted: February 08, 2005 at 3:51 PM
Autostart, every stone throw away shop near me has it. Easy to install, no relay pack, everything is inside. You get new unit replace right away if they don't work. Not too many has fail on me, just the antenna. The sticky tape on the antenna needs a bit of work. It has to be replace with a better two sided tape after it has seen the first winter season.   

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Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.posted_image




Posted By: KarTuneMan
Date Posted: February 08, 2005 at 6:11 PM
kgerry wrote:

wow.... propaganda brain washing does work.......... did Astro give you cassette tapes to play while you sleep??  

things must be different down there because up here DEI does protect their dealers in a certain territory... of course, you have to buy enough product to qualify as a DEI dealer.... or maybe that's what he was ranting about....

NO tape....Im just old school....I dont think ANYONE should be allowed to tell you what you MUST purchase to be a dealer.  Dei does what pioneer and premier does...same crap different name  (you know)

Viper, Hornet, Sidewinder.....etc. etc. etc..............




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Posted By: mkaudio17
Date Posted: February 09, 2005 at 3:05 PM
i agree bobk, i am goin to be competing with best buy and circuit city, our shop will stay open and get it done. cc carries code, best buy dei. I might go with dei becasue i know i wont have any problems at all, the other toss up is audiovox becasue of their quality, on board relays and they are dirt cheap.

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Professionalism.




Posted By: KarTuneMan
Date Posted: February 10, 2005 at 1:21 AM
So what your sayin is, we'll be seein more posts from you and your guys with problems that we have seen posts on for the past year?   Business is a risk......what are you risking by bein like everyone else?

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Posted By: KarTuneMan
Date Posted: February 10, 2005 at 1:27 AM

You CAN"T compete with best boy and circumsicion city, You need to be different.

You can't buy as "cheap" as they do.....and your bank account is NOT as deep.

Im just being real. I live in Wash State, home of CarToys, the most profitable independant joint in the country.

I make money by offering something they CANNOT.... better product and service. If I sold the same stuff they did.....I would be screwed...



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Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: February 10, 2005 at 9:13 AM

everyone has a different situation and a different approach to dealing with it..... i'm a small independent shop with a couple of employees and i compete toe to toe with Best Buy, Visions, Future Shop, etc on our DEI product... sure they sell some models for less than i do.... but i explain to my customers why it pays to have the work done properly by a small local shop rather than by some 18-20 year old kid at the big box store..... do i lose some sales from people who only shop on price? sure i do, but really... are those the kind of people you want or need as customers? the kind who only come to you because you're cheap?  not me..... i say let them go to whoever is cheapest, they deserve the quality of install they get.....

the bottom line is, there are a lot of good products available... you just have to find the one you feel most confident installing and that isnt being whored out by the competition....

BTW, KarTuneMan... we are a small market here and there are already at least 3 or 4 Astro dealers here now, but every year their rep shows up here wanting me to take on the line..... so dont think for a minute that only DEI is out there trying to spread their product around...          and i was only ribbing you about the subliminal message tapes...when you see a guy that's as gung hu about a product as you are you cant help but take a fun pot shot...... keep in mind... most of us on this forum are in the same boat you are... we just don't have Astroflex embroidered on our life jackets.... ha ha



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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979




Posted By: gus1
Date Posted: February 10, 2005 at 10:38 AM
I'll agree with Kevin here. We do DEI, more DEI, and only DEI. I have no say as to other brands, or even a second line. DEI supports us well, no questions asked (Hell, they built me a 611t that would run for 5min instead of 100 sec. and had it to my door in 3 days). Yeah, their products are a little bit trickier to install (hide the stuff), maybe they are a little lagging in the bypass department.... minor stuff. I've done Autostart, Ultrastart, CommandStart, Astroflex.... even the odd Compustar. You know what? There is no perfect remote start system. If there was.... for the right price... well, draw your own conclusions.

We've got Visions doing Arctic/Compustar, Autostart, and DEI. We have the smaller shop doing NuStart(whatever that is). We have a local mechanic doing Astroflex and Command Start. In another month... we have a Future Shop opening.... they also sell DEI. Am I worried??? Not really. In a town of almost 40,000, we managed to do over 200 units Nov. 1 through Feb 1. More than enough to keep me rather busy over this season. Even though on average, yes, DEI stuff is more expensive. And, on average, it is more reliable. I had 3 product related comebacks..... that's it. It's solid, it works.

I dunno, the choice is yours. It basically boils down to service and reliability. The only time you want to see a customer back is for a new starter in their new vehicle, or when they send down a buddy for the same unit they have because they are so happy with it.

Gus


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Wherever I go, that is where I end up......




Posted By: thepencil
Date Posted: February 10, 2005 at 11:18 AM
Gus1 got a good point here. "There is no perfect remote start system." and I agree.

My opionion among all the suggestion above is that you want to carry a product that will back you up if their product fail within the warrenty period. Price is a given and is among the top priorities. But above all that the service has to impeccable meaning when you get on the phone with that company you will get this. "Don't worry, we'll take care of it right way.". "Should get there later today, lastest tomorrow morning."

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Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.posted_image




Posted By: mkaudio17
Date Posted: February 10, 2005 at 1:00 PM
I definitly think im goin with DEI. There tech is awesome, and when i dealt with them before at another shop they were always willing to help with products. I wanted to have something different then best buy but i can manage without it. THe quality is well worth haveing to hide more of the brain. They are cutting edge and i dont think i can go wrong with them. Thanks alot everyone.

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Professionalism.




Posted By: TekNut
Date Posted: February 10, 2005 at 2:43 PM
KarTuneMan wrote:

You CAN"T compete with best boy and circumsicion city, You need to be different.

You can't buy as "cheap" as they do.....and your bank account is NOT as deep.

Im just being real. I live in Wash State, home of CarToys, the most profitable independant joint in the country.

I make money by offering something they CANNOT.... better product and service. If I sold the same stuff they did.....I would be screwed...


I agree. You should learn to add on SERVICES that BB and CC do not provide. E.G. I want a non-ignition-controlled door lock (see post https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=49809&PN=1). The default from DEI and Audiovox is ignition controlled. You learn that trick and you can ADVERTISE that you do what the "others' do not. Instal heated seats if you're in the North. They're cheap and EZ! And everybody loves 'em once they have 'em!.

Good luck.

P.S. After extensive research, I think Audiovox and DEI (Viper) offer the same features. I went with Audiovox because my friend has one and I think its great. Compustar has had quality issues but then again, I hear they're all over Canada. Cool remotes, tho.

-TekNut





Posted By: jimd2p
Date Posted: February 11, 2005 at 1:40 AM
I have to agree with KarTuneMan on this one. Though, none of them are probably junk, per se, I have had terrible luck with DEI. I have used several systems, and have to say Astroflex is top notch in quality, installation and features.

Being different and marketing yourself effectively is what gets you business. Not just the product you carry. Only you can determine how well you will succeed, but starting with a quality product and good marketing will lead you in the right direction.

Read through this forum as I have, and see where most of the help requests come from. IMO that will tell you a lot about the quality of their product and their tech support. If their tech support is so good, why is there so many people on here asking for help with that product. We all know what opinions are worth. Proper research of each company and getting to know their product should be what you base your decision on, not just the opinions of people on this forum (though they do count for something).





Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: February 11, 2005 at 9:12 AM

you bring up an interesting subject here.... all the people on this forum asking for help with their installs.... but you know what?  DEI, Autostart, and other brands are not to be sold over the counter to the general public... they supply no warranty if not installed by an authorized installer and this goes for tech support as well.....you'll never find one of my customers looking for help hooking up a Clifford or Avital or Autostart or Compustar product because we only sell them installed....

these products ( Astro included ) were never meant to be installed by some homeowner/newbie in their driveway in the rain.....both DEI and Astro are great products, with respectable tech support... but this tech support was never meant to be available to the retail consumer.... it is there for authorized installers who are having a problem... and it's newbies who constantly call in asking " how do i hook up my doorlocks ?" that pollute the support system for the guys who really need it.....

maybe things are different there in the States, but up here we are told by the manufactures that we are not to sell product over the counter... for those dealers that do, they have to make sure that their customers realize this means no warranty and no tech support.....



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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979




Posted By: gus1
Date Posted: February 11, 2005 at 9:41 AM
First thing you see when you open a Viper owner's manual is "Warranty valid only when installed by a DEI dealer".

We won't sell any Viper OTC to the consumer for self install. And, if we do (maybe 1 piece in the past year), we make the customer fully understand that they have zero warranty..... and that we are not install tech support if they run into issues. Kind of not so nice way of doing it, but you know what? We don't get very many warranty issues.
That being said.... God bless places like EBay for selling pretty much anything to anyone. Probably half of the DEI problems on here are from DIY backyard guys that picked one up cheap online.

Gus


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Wherever I go, that is where I end up......




Posted By: Bmnicolosi
Date Posted: February 13, 2005 at 9:57 PM
i work at cc and can tell you GO WITH DEI.  so many more people want dei than the audiovox code alarm.  i like dei so much better as an installer and as a customer {i havce 791 xv in my camaro}.  More sales will make more money in the long run.





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