Best Place to buy a new h/u online

[jeffsredt/a]

Whats up everyone, I want to put a new h/u in my ws6 and I wanted to know where everyone bought theirs.

[White Rascal]

Since your typical HU has moving parts like motorized faceplates and the CD handling mechanism I like to buy my HU's from an authorized dealer. Of course this means paying more than you would at a typical online discount dealer but I would rather have the peace of mind knowing that I have a legit warranty to fall back on in case the HU fails prematurely. This is why in most cases I'll buy the HU from Crutchfield. Not only are they authorized to sell the brands they carry, they also provide you with a wiring harness, antenna adapter and vehicle specific installation instructions at no extra charge. And their customer support is top notch. You can save money by buying the rest of your setup thru online discount dealers.

[rotwiler]

Bought a new 2006 Kenwood KDC-X790 on ebay for $209 shipped, tried to buy the same one local and was over $400. I figured was worth the savings to get it online.

[jsnone1]

Bought a new 2006 Kenwood KDC-X790 on ebay for $209 shipped, tried to buy the same one local and was over $400. I figured was worth the savings to get it online.

hey rot, I pm'd u

[ScrapMaker]

I wouldn't buy a headunit off the internet, no matter what... because the motorized flaps, cd mechanisms, etc... always break...

in fact, I pretty much need a 4-year plan from Best Buy... because in the four years I had the plan, I had to replace my headunit 4 times, each time with the newest, best headunit available... for no cost to me...

I don't abuse my radios, and I'm very knowledgeable when it comes to installations and electronics in general... basically, the headunits just don't last... maybe a high-end eclipse unit would last longer, but I'm not gonna drop $1000 on a headunit just yet.

so you may think now, that getting it for $100 cheaper off ebay seems great... but wait until the $300 stereo you bought turns out to be your new favorite paperweight.

[rotwiler]

I am one of those that replaces my Hu every 2 years or so, so I could buy 2 of them for the same price as local. In the 23 years I have been driving and messing with car stereo's the only hu I ever had break was a cheapo generic and wasn't even motorized. Maybe luck, I dunno..but I would rather try my luck again and pay $209 than pay over $400 with tax and then have to add on the amount for a extended warranty. My current Kenwood mp922 is a mechanical nightmare since it has the stealth face and it works perfect, only reason I am trying a new one is for better mp3 compatability. Now, if I was buying a high end Alpine, Eclipse, or others with navigation etc then it would be better to buy local and pay for a good warranty.

[ScrapMaker]

my mp922 started skipping on mp3s, and randomly turning off while driving... it had some bad solder points on the motherboard, but I just upgraded to the Pioneer DEH-P8600MP... no comparison...

then that one had RCA ground fuse problems, and the faceplate needed the grease re-packed cuz it was sticking sometimes... my 4 year warranty was almost up, so I somehow convinced them just to give me back my money, cuz they couldn't get me another 8600, and not a single deck they carry now is even comparable..

Jensen MP3510 > Sony MPXMP30 > Kenwood KDC-MP922 > Pioneer DEH-P8600MP

If I didn't have that $39.99 4-year plan, I would have paid... EXACTLY $1427.70 to have all those headunits....

instead, I paid a total of $530.40, and every year, I was able to keep up with the leading technology... as far as Best Buy goes, that is.

so I saved $897.30... and if I was dealing with SatNav units, like the AVIC... I'd have saved like $5,000 at least... so yeah, big stores are where it's at with big-store warranties...

but if you have amazing luck, then go for it... just remember... all it takes is ONE headunit going sour on you, and you'll be in the hole... cuz you'll be out the entire cost of the unit...