A Tale of Two Tune Shops

"Tom McParland" (tommcparland)
12/11/2013 at 10:30 • Filed to: Customer Service, COTOMER SEVIS, Automatch, Automatchconsulting, Articles, Remote Start

I've been wanting to get a remote starter on my car for some time. I thought about getting one when I first got the Mazda but at the time it was a lease, and I didn't want to make that investment on a car that I wasn't going to keep. Well, I bought the lease out a year ago and it was time. Because the car has a manual transmission that makes putting a remote starter in a little more complicated.

There are a few local tune shops in my area (3 in fact all within 5 miles of each other). One is pretty well known and always has really high end cars that they are working on. This particular shop was my "go-to" for clients that needed upgrades whether it be mechanical, electronic, cosmetic. I had heard that they were running a "Black Friday" special on remote-starters for only $18 (before installation).

So as soon as I hear about the special (about 3 days before Black Friday) I call them up and ask about my car.

"Well, your car has a manual-shift so it doesn't apply"

- "I realize that, but I figured since you were running a big discount for automatic cars maybe we can work something out for my ride. I just told 5 co-workers about your special and they will be there on Black Friday."

"We can't really give you pricing at this time you will have to come in on Black Friday, or call in the morning."

So I call in the morning

"Well, we need to see your key fob so you have to come on down. We can get you a good deal."

I drive down there and the dude plugs away on the computer for like 15 minutes, it feels like an eternity. He goes in the back...he comes back, and says, "The best we can do is $405."

-"What? 400 bucks, that is what you quoted me last year. I thought I was getting a deal?

"No way we quoted you that last year. Normally it should be $595, we are giving you a discount."

- "Yeah I called last year during the same time, and you had a discount on automatic remote starts, and that my unit would be double. Sorry $400 isn't worth it."

And I leave kind of pissed that they wasted my time. Had they told me over the phone earlier in the week what the price would be I wouldn't be angry.

I try another shop not far from this one. It's a place called Autobahn (yeah cool name) I speak to the owner, a nice guy named Reza and I explain what I want.

He shows me a really nice unit that has this super easy integration with the car's computer module, that is $300 installed. I tell him I want something a little less expensive. He says he can integrate the remote start into my key-fob but the range would not be that great and I would have to manually unlock the doors. Or he can give me a really simple one-button unit similar to what my wife has on her minivan. That will be $250 installed. I tell him I will go with that, and ask if he has any availability the next day. There was a lot of customers due to the Black Friday shopping so he would have to call me later. I give him my business card, he asks about what I do and says he will give me a ring.

Around dinner time I get a call. "Hey Tom, I'm really booked up tomorrow but if I get a cancellation I'll call you by 10:30am. Also, I got some bad news. The simple unit your wife has turns out is not compatible with the Mazda. I have a more expensive Python unit that will work it has the lock/unlock functions as well, and because I quoted you $250, I'll put it in for that. So how about we schedule you for next weekend and if I have an opening tomorrow I'll squeeze you in."

Mid-way through the week, I realize that I have a dinner party planned for that Saturday and dropping the car off and picking it up might be a challenge. I tell Reza I might have to reschedule. He tells me if I can get there at 9am he can have one of his guys take me home and I can pick the car up whenever. If it is after hours he will lock the car and I can bring my spare key.

The party wrapped-up late and I got a ride !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to the shop. I open the car and try to activate the unit, doesn't work. I figured I was doing something wrong so I consulted the manual. Reza stepped me through the process when I dropped the car off, but it's not the same. Still doesn't work. I get home and try again. He was nice enough to text me his number if I have any questions. I shoot him a text at 9 p.m. "Sorry to bother you late but I can't get the system to activate. Give me a ring tomorrow sometime."

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Within 10 minutes he texts me back with more details on how to activate the system. Because he had to manually lock my keys in the car the unit got disabled. A couple of texts back and forth and success!

That is how customer service is done. The "other guys" used to be my go-to for clients and friends. Don't get me wrong they still do good work and I don't want to burn bridges that is why I haven't mentioned them by name. But they wasted my time and were way overpriced for what I wanted. Now I will be happy to send folks to Reza at Autobahn.

DISCUSSION (9)

liquid_popcorn > Tom McParland
12/11/2013 at 10:34

Good to know; I'm curious about possibly installing a remote start on my 2013 GTI (also manual) sometime this year, so it's cool hearing about pricing and others' experiences. Thanks for sharing.

Converse > Tom McParland
12/11/2013 at 10:34

Good for you taking the high road!

Also, glad to know I can now get remote start on my manual equipped car. Just because we drive manuals doesn't mean we don't want warm cars too.

quarterlifecrisis > Tom McParland
12/11/2013 at 10:37

That guy...he gets how to do business.

Meatcoma > Tom McParland
12/11/2013 at 12:34

Now I am curious, is there a lockout if it is in gear or something? I asked the guys at my dealership and they offered no additional information other than if I left it in gear and tried to use the starter - you can imagine the damage caused by trying to start a car in gear without the clutch in(only able to do this in older cars, it's kinda fun lol).

Tom McParland > Meatcoma
12/11/2013 at 12:41

Yes there is a safety override if the car is in gear, it will not operate. Actually there is a method to engaging the unit. When you stop the car before you exit, you have to put it in neutral, engage the e-brake, take your foot off the brake then hit the starter button. You will hear 3 clicks you can then turn the key and exit the car. The car will remain running until you lock it with the unit. Then the car will shut off, this will engage the unit for remote start. If you don't do it, it won't work.

Klaus Schmoll > Tom McParland
12/11/2013 at 15:54

Kinja'd!!!

I still don't understand why Americans simply let the engine running at idle instead of installing independent heaters. In Europe they are available as an optional extra for almost every car, or can be retrofitted. Webasto and Eberspächer offer all kinds of kits, so there is something for everybody. These heaters burn fuel from the tank and heat up the coolant which then heats up the cabin. A nice side effect is that the engine gets warmed up as well, so there is zero cold start wear insted of artificially prolonging the cold start period by letting it idle.

Tom McParland > Klaus Schmoll
12/11/2013 at 18:00

You know I have no idea if those products are even available in the US.

Klaus Schmoll > Tom McParland
12/11/2013 at 18:44

That's the thing that surprises me the most. Global economy and all! We can order anything from anywhere with a few touches on some pad these days. Yet, while my roommate is on his third??? leased BMW with such a heater, people in the US seem to have never heard of them.

I am a large advocate of them. Last winter he had a car without an external heater and we had to discuss who could use the garage on a day-to-day basis, based on who had to leave the earliest. Now that he has one again, he is happy to leave the garage to me without any complaints. He leases CPO cars through his company, so the cars come as they were sold by BMW, just slightly used, which you won't notice until you take a peek at the odometer. It's quite easy for him to find a vehicle with heater and all the specs that he wants (engine, sat-nav, HIDs, wagon, sedate colour, etc) on BMWs website.

Tom McParland > Klaus Schmoll
12/11/2013 at 19:12

I don't dispute their benefits...had the shop recommended it I may have gone that route.