• Free Car Stereo Installation At Best Buy Warehouse
• Best Buy Auto Radio Installation
• Free Car Stereo Installation Best Buy
• Best Buy Radio Install

Whether you want to upgrade or your current car stereo isn’t working, installing a new one can be done, and as you probably know, the market is flooded with many options.

How much does car stereo installation cost?

The cost of installing a car stereo will depend on the type of stereo, the complexity of the installation job and which professional/company you choose. On average, car stereo installation, without the car stereo, is going to range anywhere from $0 if you purchase directly from a company during a promotion to as much as $300 for an advanced receiver that may require more wiring than usual. Most basic installs, however, will be about $40 to $80.

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For instance, Best Buy’s Geek Squad charges $65 for a car deck installation and another $65 if you need standards speakers installed. This won’t include the hardware.

Frys Electronics, at the time of this writing, had a free basic installation promotion going on, but when this promotion isn’t going on, the costs are similar to Best Buy.

Car stereo installation overview

Free Car Stereo Installation At Best Buy Warehouse

Standard car stereo installation jobs will include removing the old stereo; connecting the wiring harness and antenna adapter; and installing a mounting kit, allowing the stereo to blend in with the car’s dashboard. If a Bluetooth microphone is needed near the visor, this will be installed at the time as well.

Most reputable installers will back their work with a limited warranty that may last up to a lifetime. With this warranty, as long as the unit hasn’t been modified, the installer will be able to fix any issue for free.

What are the extra costs?

If necessary, a separate wiring harness may need to be purchased in order to connect the new stereo to the factory wiring. An antenna adapter may need to be purchased as well, depending on the setup. Oftentimes, the stereo will need a special dashboard kit in order to create a natural look. This will often be a separate charge. All of these parts combined, if needed, should be about $40 to $60 more.

Companies may charge a small $5 to $10 materials charge.

Some people often install new speakers with their car stereo. To install car speakers, the costs can be in the $70 to $180 range for the installation job only, but sometimes, the company may cut you a deal if you have the job done all at once. Adding an amplifier can add another $100 to $175 to the job, depending on the setup and the number of channels.

Installing a Bluetooth microphone near the visor is often done with players that have this functionality. The parts will often be sold separately and the installation price may go up.

How can I save money?

Larger companies, such as Best Buy, often offer a low cost or even free stereo installation if you purchase the stereo directly from them. It doesn’t hurt to ask the retailer if there are any promotions going on when you make your purchase.

Purchasing from reputable online retailers like Crutchfield make it easy to do the installation on your own since they provide all of the necessary installation equipment and step-by-step instructions.

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How much did you spend?

You've seen the ads. 'All head units installed FREE!'. 'Security systems $99 installed.'. Typically you'll see these specials advertised by the large chains but now specialty shops are starting to get in on the 'free install' bandwagon. Sounds good right? After all most shops want $40 to install your new head unit. So what's wrong with free installations? Read on.

In and Out Rush Jobs

Free installs bring in a lot of business all at once and often the store doesn't have enough installers to handle the sudden surge. This puts the installers under pressure to start cranking out installations faster to keep customers happy. And what happens when people are rushing? Mistakes get made, corners get cut and vehicles get damaged. The installer might not even notice that anything was damaged but you'll know and you'll have to prove it. A good installer will do a check of the vehicle for damage both before and after the installation but when the pressure's on the checklist is often the first thing to go. Now it's up to you to convince the manager that the two inch scratch in your dash was not there when you brought it in.

Twist and Tape

Best Buy Auto Radio Installation

Another casualty of the free installation pressure is proper wiring connections. I always insist on using solder and heat shrink for my installations. Crimp connectors (properly used) are another acceptable option. But both of these connections take time and money. The solution of the harried installer is the 'twist and tape'. Basically it involves stripping the two wires to be connected, twisting their bare wire together and taping over the twist with electrical tape. The only thing holding the connection together is friction and a little bit of adhesive. In the always moving, always bumpy automotive environment this is not acceptable. This is especially critical in security system installations where the safety of the vehicle could be compromised by poor connections. Some installers don't know any other way so make sure you specify that you want either solder and heat shrink (not electrical tape) or crimp connectors.

What Do I Need an Adapter For?

Unless you have a factory DIN sized head unit you're probably going to need a dash kit. These are the plastic assemblies that allow the installer to fit a standard DIN size head unit into your non-standard factory opening. These will run $10 and up and will almost never be included in the 'free installation'.

What Happened to My Factory Connector?

Another adapter you're going to want is a factory wiring harness adapter. This allows the installer to connect your aftermarket head unit to your factory wiring harness without cutting the factory connector off. Unless you plan on keeping your current vehicle forever you'll probably want to re-install the factory radio when you sell it. This will be next to impossible without the factory wiring harness plug intact. These adapters are in the $10-20 range and are often not part of the 'free installation'.

Free Car Stereo Installation Best Buy

Best Buy Radio Install

Free installations are not always a bad thing. It really depends on the installer whether corners will be cut but even the best make mistakes when they're rushing. Just be aware of the possibilities and that free doesn't always mean no cost.