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Interesting turn this has taken.
First off, the quote I asked this client to be given was for three hours reinstalling the stock gear and pulling the Stereo harness from under the carpet, and 5 hours installing the new system, at our standard hourly rate. The install amount is consistent with the amount we list on our website when you buy a system installed, or not installed.
Some of you guys have said you think our standard hourly rate is too high. We maintain an installation facility equipped to do world-class fabrication. My partner has been ranked as one of the top 12 installers in the country, twice. We insure our facility, and everyone working in it, sufficiently to cover multiple premium vehicles. The level of capability and experience we bring is consistent with our hourly rate.
Kai is claiming that he could install this system, which I'm pretty sure he hasn't installed for anyone before, in two hours. Kai, I don't think you could. His system will involve prying the woofers out, running harnesses under the carpet back to the trunk, on top of the standard speaker swap process in the front doors, and the amp installation.
Three hours of removal and five hours of installation isn't irrational or unfair. It might be more than someone wants to pay, and I understand. Some installers aren't worth what we are.
So if there's a misunderstanding about 2 hours for removal versus 3 hours, I'm not going to quibble over an hour. Fine. We will remove the system for 2 hours worth of time, no problem.
But we're not going to install it into the new car for free. We're going to charge what it takes to do. We tell pro shops who haven't done this before to estimate it as one hour a door, one hour a seat, and two hours in the trunk, which is 6 hours, and we charge for 5 hours. I guess I don't understand why that's an issue.
However, I will say this. This customer originally didn't even pay retail for the Level Two system. He paid less than retail in a terrible judgment I made to give him a discount in exchange for an objective review on the system. Well, this thread starts with that review. We can call that fulfilled. There's no more discounting, though. As I explained to him in the first place, we're not for everyone, and that's OK. We've helped a good number of local BMW owners, and we've helped some who went elsewhere, had their wiring hacked and their plastic panels broken. I'm not going to compete with those jokers on price until they can compete with us on quality.
If you'd like your system removed for two hours of labor, we will take care of that for you. If you'l like it installed, that's five hours.
Regards,
Ken
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