car audio centre - don't use them they're cr*p!

ninja · Post by **ninja** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:48 am

sorry guy's just a bit of a rant!

Terrible customer service
Rude staff who have no idea what the products do
blatantly have no intention of giving refunds even when the goods are returned

I ordered a new head unit and a lead to connect this to my ipod - I explained exactly what I wanted this for over the phone and was advised which products to get. The goods turned up within a week and the ipod lead simply did not do what I wanted - it wouldn't even connect to the head unit or ipod for that matter. I called up to complain and was told to send the lead back and was also asked why Iâ€™d bought that lead! I explained I was advised to do so, to connect the head unit to my ipod at which point I was told that the headunit would not support an ipod anyway!

I returned the goods by recorded delivery and waited for my refund. Which didn't turn up! I called to complain and simply got some muppet on the other end of the phone saying they had 28 days to give a refund! I asked why and he just kept repeating 28days, 28days, 28days, 28days, 28days, 28days, 28days, 28days, 28days, 28days!! wtf

I called a supervisor (adrian) and complained about both the lack of refund and the customer services guy! I was advised that the goods had been received and the refund would be pushed through!

Two weeks later I talked to yet another supervisor - this one called Blane who advised that they never received the goods! I asked to talk to his boss and was told that I couldn't - I could either talk to him or hang up! Nice attitude mate!!

So anyway - car audio centre have basically stolen my money! Theyâ€™ve no intention at all of refunding it! I have proof they received the returned goods and yet I still can't get my money back - surely this is illegal??

Do yourself a favour and avoid these guy's they're rude, they don't know much about their products and they've no intention of looking after their customers - send them money at your own risk!!

incidentally i managed to solder a couple of headphone leads and a CD cable together and for £5 have now connected my head unit (which you're remember is not compatable with the ipod) to an ipod at either side of the car and it works great!

ninja

Post by **Shug** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 10:30 am

Citizens Advice Bureau.

Get legal on their ass now! It's not for a lot of cash (if I read right, that it's only the lead you've returned) but they are simply swinging the lead and shouldn't be allowed to get away with it.

ninja · Post by **ninja** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 10:34 am

yeah it's only £50 but they're just arrogant b*stards!

ninja

Post by **Shug** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 10:38 am

£50 for a cable? FFS....

Chase it up - too many people in this countly let things slide - it's why they think they can get away with it!

ninja · Post by **ninja** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 10:48 am

well basically the royal mail have proven that they delivered it and who signed for it etc and car audio centre have simply said no one of that name works here, so they didn't get it!

they won't let me talk to their manager

my emails get ignored

paid by switch so i can't get my money back through the bank

unless i want to take them to the small claims court i'm stuffed and they've actually asked if i really want to take them to court over £50!!

cheeky b*stards

ninja

Post by **Shug** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 11:30 am

ninja wrote: unless i want to take them to the small claims court i'm stuffed and they've actually asked if i really want to take them to court over £50!!

ninja

Answer 'yes' and draft a lawyers letter, then send it off to them. Fcukers like these make my piss boil, and I've sometimes been tempted to travel to their head office to see how cheeky they feel to my face....

I agree it would probably be a waste of cash to take them to court over it, but it's amazing what a lawyer threatening to do so can do. Also, get the press (ICE magazines, etc. - basically anyone who their customer base would read) in on it - rants to letters pages can work a treat! Do the legal thing *first* though, as it could fubar any legal position if you publicise the facts first...

Can you tell this sorta thing is a pet hate?

tenkfeet · Post by **tenkfeet** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:04 pm

In the past I have used http://www.soundmasterscotland.com/ which is in Barrhead. It does all ICE stuff at good prices.I ordered a lead to connect my MP3 player to my Kenwood Head unit , £15 . Bargain, I was reluctantly expecting to pay £40 plus. My head unit was in for repair , no quibble and when I got it back I got a jack plug lead free for the inconvenience.

Stereo's etc are piled high in the place and its a bit of a mess but hey its cheap.

jj · Post by jj » Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:34 pm

Yup, as I said in anopther post on here, I went to soundmaster and he sorted me out with iPod compatible alpine for under a ton.

But it is a mess in his shop!

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 11:17 am

Burn them down! I hate companies like that - you'd win hands down too even if u did take them to a small claims court, I believe if you win you can also reclaim the fees from them.