[slipstream]

I had a CD player and speakers installed at Best Buy yesterday and they charged me an extra $49.99 because my Insight is a hybrid. When I questioned this, the tech said they always charge that because "it is like an insurance thing, if someone who doesn't know better cuts the wrong wire..."

Am I wrong to be upset about this? I had already purchased the radio and dropped the car off, so it would have been a huge pain to leave work and pick it back up.

How could a corporation possibly penalize anyone who is trying to do the right thing for the environment and foreign oil independence?

Should I just let this go? $50 won't bankrupt me, but the very principle of it is upsetting.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

LOL :!: :lol:

If they need an "insurance" surcharge because they don't know what wires not to cut that's all the information I would need to RUN (not walk) in the opposite direction as fast as I could go.

IMO don't let them _touch_ you car for any reason. There are _plenty_ of other customization shops that "know" better :!: And don't need the extra insurance.

HTH!

 

[gomarlins3]

Screw them. Go to Circuit City or find someone local that does installs.

 

[jbrasure]

Yeah, I would recommend taking the car elsewhere. If enough hybrid owners do this, then Best Buy will probably stop charging for "insurance". It sounds like a lame excuse to jack up the price.

 

[Fred]

File a written complaint with the Office of the Attorney General there in Florida - and do it now while all the facts are still fresh in your mind.

Send a copy to the local Better Business Bureau as well

If you are a so-called "senior citizen" or a member of what is currently called a "minority" class, make sure you include that fact as well. Government clerks just love that stuff.

Fred

 

[goat961]

plus i dont even think they need to go remotely near any of the bright orange dangerous wires when instaling a stereo. they're crooks and you should ream them for it imo

it's not your fault if they don't know your car... they shouldn't be charging you for it.

 

[Atheos]

the insight radio & speaker install is no more labor intensive, or risk prone than working on a civic. you should raise hell over their surcharge, and lame explaination.

 

[apierpoint]

I had my new CD player installed at Best Buy, and I didn't get charged any different than anyone else. Maybe it's just the Best Buy in your area? :?:

Andrea

 

[slipstream]

The power of this website

I have just emailed their corporate HQ with the following. This web site and your contributions may actually help your fellow hybrid drivers. I'll keep you updated as to what they say. In the meantime, since Best Buy will most likely visit this site, keep posting to tell them what you think.

In the past I have been a big Best Buy fan. Now I am not so sure.

I had a CD deck and speakers installed at your Colonial Dr. location in Orlando on Thursday. I was charged $49.99 for "custom labor" because my car is a hybrid. The explanation for this was unsatisfactory. I have since posted my Best Buy experience on a Honda Insight web forum and no one thinks Best Buy should be charging this since there is no good reason to justify this charge.

You may be interested in reading what people are saying about Best Buy. Here is the link :

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=5133

I would like to get my $49.99 plus tax back ASAP and would like you to evaluate this practice since it seems unfair, not very PC to punish hybrid drivers, and seems to be charged at the installer's discretion.

I will post this correspondence online and will keep my fellow hybrid drivers updated as to your response.

I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your help.

 

[Rick]

First I'd have recommended installing the deck yourself... but that aside screw that. The Insight is particularly easy to work on actually and it sounds like the are just trying to scam you out of some money here. The wireing harness for the radio is the same as a Civic. I would not have paid it.

Heck.... when I went looking for an adapter kit for my electric Saturn conversion I ended up having the whole staff at Audio Express outside looking at my car, I ended up getting a discount because of it. It was funny though because when he shot me the original price I laughed and said I'd go elsewhere and find a cheaper one and the guy said ok you can do that and waste your gas and end up spending more overall. It shut him up when I showed him the car.

 

[VinceDee]

That was a good email to send to them. I'd be pretty pissed if they tried that scam on me. Definitely make a big stink about it.

If they have to charge you extra because they don't know which wires to cut, that should pretty well tell you everything you need to know abou their sad level of competence. I think it's more likely that they were trying to find some excuse to jack you out of $50. Make sure you let the powers that be know what the name of your "technician" was.

When our Insight is finally available the first thing we're planning on doing is having a remote start paging alarm system installed...I guess Best Buy won't be the ones doing it, though, after hearing your story.

Good Luck

 

[bfivelover]

If you don't get any satifaction from Best Buy HQ, the local TV news stations usually have a "On your side" feature. They are always looking for a story. I'm sure they'd love to run one about giant Best Buy trying to rip off little hybrid owners. Even if you just went to Best Buy and threatened to do that, I'm sure you'd get your money back. Good luck.

 

[b1shmu63]

I've removed the radio and replaced it after making a modification to it. There is nothing unusual about the radio or the connections to it. The dash board has a lot of clips and screws, but that has nothing to do with it being a hybrid.

It sounds to me like their tech had a difficult time and used the hybrid issue to mask his difficulty to his employer.

I should think that dealing with them dirrectly you would be able to resolve this issue.

 

[slipstream]

Below you will find their "Customer Care Team's" response.


Thank you for contacting Best Buy about your audio installation. I'm
Jill with Customer Care.

We appreciate your concern about being charged $49.99 for installation
because your car is a hybrid. For the most thorough explanation of this
charge, we encourage you to contact or simply visit your local store and
speak to the store management, as the store management is in the best
position to provide such information or to credit this charge.

Thank you for sharing your comments with Best Buy. Please do not
hesitate to contact us with additional
questions or concerns.


Best Wishes from Best Buy,
Jill and the Customer Care Team


This was my reply to them:

Jill,

Thank you for taking the time to read my email. However, you did not take the time to consider it. Instead of sending me back to the manager for a refund, what I am asking for is a reevaluation of this rediculous policy. This can not be done by the manager of my local store. This needs to be addressed by the people that make the policies on a corporate level.

I am NOT looking for an explanation of the policy. I already know that I was charged an extra $50 for the same work that would be done on any Honda Civic.

Again, many hybrid owners at insightcentral.net are following this correspondence with great interest. We want to believe that Best Buy is a customer service driven, environmentally aware company. I have not seen any evidence of this recently.

Some of my fellow hybrid owners have suggested calling the local investigative news teams, better business bureau, as well as the Florida Attorney General; all good ideas. Since I believe your company is run by reasonable individuals, I would rather not take the time to do this yet.

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[Lee]

This may sound a bit strange but if/when you decide you are sufficiently fed up with Beast Buy, please add Honda to your list of people to inform about this situation. The appropriate contact office is:

American Honda Motor Co,
Automobile Customer Service
Mail stop 500-2N-7A
1919 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, Ca 90501

Tel (800) 999-1009

This is the same number that appears in the owners’ manual. The rep may seam a little confused (if you call) but inform them that you realize Honda can not do anything directly but you want them to be aware of the situation. There being aware of this situation may help others in the future. Some times if you can get a bigger dog to bark it has more effect.

 

[DongTran]

what a load of crap

they should already have an insurance policy that covers this

 

[ScottH]

Personally, I wouldn't have Best Buy install a tape deck in a Gremlin. They butchered one car I had putting in a car stereo. They aren't known for having spectacular customer service either.

The last time I had talked with them, they wouldn't touch my car. Neither would Fry's. Circuit City would, but I ended up having it done at Hi Fi Buys. They seemed to be a little shrewder than the others.

I've pulled it out a few times to install Xm receivers. It isn't hard to get to.

 

[VinceDee]

Personally, I wouldn't have Best Buy install a tape deck in a Gremlin. They butchered one car I had putting in a car stereo. They aren't known for having spectacular customer service either.

Not that I'm inclined to defend Best Buy, but I had a remote-start alarm system installed in my Subaru Impreza at Best Buy, and they did a pretty good job of it. The only fly in the ointment was that they took FOREVER to do it, and I ended up spending like 8 hours there until it was done. Fortunately, there were other stores in the area and a movie theater, so I was okay. But, I was NOT happy that they took so long after telling me it would only be 3-4 hours.

I also had Frys install a remote-start paging alarm into my Toyota Tacoma. They did it in about 4 hours and I was satisfied with the quality of their work.

 

[LoNOx 1]

cs reply

I also emailed customer care to ask them about your ridiculous charge on July 14th. I received a reply today. They must have robots :roll: that work in customer care that all give the same generic reply.
Here is the response:

Thank you for contacting Best Buy about installations. I'm Katie with
Customer Care.

We appreciate your interest in car audio installation charges. For the
most thorough assistance with installation fees, we encourage you to
contact or simply visit your local store, as the store employees are in
the best position to provide such information. To find the store closest
to you, visit our store locator at http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp ... CarFi=null.

Thank you for sharing your comments with Best Buy. Please do not
hesitate to contact us with additional questions or concerns.


Best Wishes from Best Buy,
Katie and the Customer Care Team

 

[boogetyboogety]

How badly do you want to burn them?

Call them at Corporate:

7601 Penn Ave. South
Richfield, MN 55423
Phone: 612-291-1000
Fax: 612-292-4001
Toll Free: 888-237-8289

Emails are robotically answered. Get a live person and ask for the legal department and even though you will get a secretary, get his or her name and (nicely and politely) demand a call back from one of their attorneys by close of business today regarding an urgent matter. Divulge facts only on request and keep saying "I much prefer to speak to someone in legal to explain the situation in detail, this is very sensitive information that I must discuss in confidence." :shock:

When they call back... and they will... put the fear of God on their legal eagles.

Explain the situation, again, very politely and nicely, and reveal that many Insight owners and indeed, other interested parties have become aware of your rip-off story, and before someone gets the bright idea that a class-action suit might be considered to see how many Best Buy customers have been overcharged nationwide in installation fees for whatever hokey reason over the past millenium, you want the matter to go away by reporting you have (a) cheerfully, immediately, and courteously received your overcharge for installation money and tax back and (2) an apology from the store manager in writing for the overcharge. :lol:

In Texas, a conversation can be legally taped without notification of all parties if only one person involved in the conversation (e.g., you) is aware of the taping (an employer cannot tape two employees talking without their knowledge, for instance). Your state's requirements may vary, but if you can, tape the conversation, without revealing this fact until the call is nearly complete. This is only to increase their pucker factor, but it works exceedingly well as a capper to the conversation.

Best of luck (no pun intended) and get them sweating, they deserve it... :evil: