I have used Crutchfield for many many years. They recently lost me as a customer because they jerked me around for weeks (actually months) regarding the dash adapter for my '05 Aerio. They kept telling me that it didn't exist and they couldn't order it, even though I had the part number from the manufacturer, and the manufacturer insisted that it was available. I finally said screw them, and ordered it from another source. It looks like they finallly got it though, good for them. I still go to their site to get information and browse the decks, but I won't purchase from them again unless they are just giving something away. So far, I don't see anything I like more than the deck I have. Anyway, on to your questions...
Crutchfield is overall quite good, don't let my experience taint you. Up until last year, they had never given me any trouble and were very nice to deal with. I personally find their technical advisors could be more knowledgeable, but I'm one of those nightmare customers that knows more than almost any salesperson, and I'm a real stickler for details. They ship fast, don't charge an arm and a leg for it, and if there are any problems, returns/exchanges could hardly be easier (they even pay return shipping). As for installation of the deck, it's easy once you figure it out. The tricky part is getting the two vertical trim pieces off on either side of the radio. The first time you take them out they are very stubborn, and there's a chance of breaking them if you don't use some finesse. Basically you grab them at the bottom and start pulling. It will be tough, and you might want to use a protected butter knife or similar to help. It's important, as much as possible, to make sure you aren't bending them as you are pulling, try to pull them straight out. They get easier to remove once they have been off a couple times, but even mine, which have been off three or four times, are still a bit stubborn. Once you get those off, it will all become clear. You remove four screws and the whole center plastic section will lift out. Then everything, including the radio, vents, and climate control, unscrew and unplug from the back, easy peasy. Then you will just insert your aftermarket dash adapter, put your new radio sleeve in, put your dash back together, and slide the new radio in. Most retail stores don't charge more than about $50 for a head unit installation, and they will guarantee their work, so any damage they do is on them, not you. Also, many stores sometimes offer free installation on decks above a certain price, usually $100 or $150.
Crutchfield provides detailed instructions and diagrams, if you decide you want to do it yourself. So which deck are you looking at?
Last edited by Aaron Gilbert : 06-13-2006 at 03:29 PM.
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