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I was reading in the latest Mobile Electronics magazine. I came across an article.....reading about the business. Car Tunes. What struck me as....well odd. In the picture of the store, on their reader board was this. Remote Starts Installed 99.00 :o): HOW is this possible? What are they selling, how are they selling it. Do they charge for butt taps, t-connectors, and solder?

ANYONE........

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its funny you mention that. around where i live in wash DC there are alot of these shops advertising alarms installed for $99. i wonder the same thing, i think i might call and ask what it is there installing for so cheap.

My guess is that it's a loss-leader. Meaning they aren't making money from selling and installing that item and may in fact be losing money if they do, but it drives traffic into their stores and gives them a chance to up-sell or to create a repeat customer.

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the12volt • Support the12volt.com

at the shop i work for we advertise "basic" alarms and starters for 99 bucks.

so what this consists of is:

the unit ( command start 395i ) pretty basic

BASIC Installation ( Main ignition wires, tach, hoodpin, and parklights)

now what that doesnt include: any options such as:

doorlocks ( we charge 50$)

Bypass ( unit dependant price)

Installation on the bypass ( 39.99$)

Trunk Release (50$)

Rear Defrost (50$)

Starterkill/antigrind (50$)

so a 99.99 $ system can turn into a 300$ system very fast.

Thats usually how it works for most places.

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Matthew Robertson
Senior Installer
Best Buy Deerfoot Meadows
Calgary, AB, Canada

Thats what I figured it would be. Just basic basic options. It's pretty smart to advertise that way, but in my area, we have a lot of customers that would accuse us of false advertisement. Even after we explain that we could put it in for that price, it won't work after that. But if it works in that area. Its sort of like Free install on radios $99 and up, but still have to pay for every part.

"Parts are extra" has always been a part of the selling aproach. Particularly in the deck install arena. It all depends on the character and the ability of the sales person. And the majority of the customers DO understand this..... BUT, gawd...sell a remote start for 99.00 that you CANNOT install and use, without a bypass module. Then sell them the part, AND charge them to install it.... This is just wrong. I'm sure these peolpe that use this approach, sleep just fine, dreaming about all the money they have "taken" from the misinformed, uneducated consumer. My sign would read "Don't be fooled by the 99.00 installed remote start"

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I have never been a big fan of this sales aproach. At my shop, a remote start is going to cost $250 installed, but that includes keyless, and factory security bypass as long as no extra parts are needed to do it. That price doesn't include transponders, trunk releases, or any other extras. There are shops that sell them cheaper, but it isn't hard to show a customer the value of a lifetime warranty and quality installation. I have an ever growing collection of 99 dollar starters I have had to remove that I keep in a box by my tools, so I can show skeptical customers how far 99 dollars gets them.

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Northstart.....or start it your damn self.

Thats how they do it up here too, basic install and everything elses is extra. I flat rate all of ours all funcions of the remote [or fcns on he factory remote] will work with your new one. I hate the 99$ approach and so do most customers. And like the other post mentioned, 99$ starers and lots of bad install pictures will quickly change a customers mind in a heartbeat. Don't get me wrong, most of the shops that do that around here just use the 99.00 lead in to get people in the door, and then sell them a good quality product and install, but there are a few that well, lead them in and totlly take advantage of the customer especially if the customer doesn't know any better...

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Tire Proz Stillwater Mn
High End Restyling and Comlete Repair

We have a big sign that says "WE FIX FREE INSTALLS!"

the biggest problem i have is i get customers calling and asking how much for a remote start installed, my avg. cost is around $200-300 depending on the car, they see the sign for $99 and dont want to hear anything else from me...

Well thats sorta like competing against large companies. You would have to sell them on your customer service and warranty plans. If they go to a 99 dollar store they are purchasing a 99 dollar remote start. or alarm. So be it. There putting something cheap like that into their 50k escalade? i dont think so. get them on their value of thier personal vehicle. and sell them something that would be all around better,

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"dont ground out!"

that does work with some people, but some dont know any better and dont care. they see something cheaper and go for it.

Well thats our industry. Just have to deal with it or improvise. Use your skills to trap a customer your best tool is to educate the customer. They don't know anything about remote starters or alarms. Education is your key to a sell. Be excited when you talk with a customer. If they see how much you appreciate your own product then they will have confidence. Don't ever dog the competition thats a negitive. It's all about the positve man.

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"dont ground out!"

We charge $399.00 for remote start with keyless. We include ALL parts, solder and give the customer a lifetime warranty. Anybody who is shopping price and cannot appreciate the difference between a $99.00 product and a $399.00 product is not my customer.

csorb] wrote:

e charge $399.00 for remote start with keyless. We include ALL parts, solder and give the customer a lifetime warranty. Anybody who is shopping price and cannot appreciate the difference between a $99.00 product and a $399.00 product is not my customer.

AMEN...brother !!!

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csorb] wrote:

e charge $399.00 for remote start with keyless. We include ALL parts, solder and give the customer a lifetime warranty. Anybody who is shopping price and cannot appreciate the difference between a $99.00 product and a $399.00 product is not my customer.

Right on, cheap mustards are just a pain in the azz. We break down our prices so people know what they are getting, our competitors do not. If they can't appreciate that and a quality part, let em walk.