Introduction

I paid the owner, Luis, of “Pro Auto Sound of Miami”, nearly $2,728.34 (including tax) to enhance the sound quality of my vehicle’s existing 16 speaker, 1050 watts sound system. Prior to trusting the business, Pro Auto Sound of Miami, with my new vehicle, I spent several days researching custom car audio businesses and the business, Pro Auto Sound of Miami, appeared to have the most reviews with the highest ratings. Please note that I was convinced that I needed a reputable business to enhance the existing sound system on my vehicle. I was prepared to pay more money for this enhancement because my vehicle already had a default premium sound system. Again, I trusted Luis with my vehicle based on the reviews that I observed on the internet and the social media presence of “Pro Auto Sound of Miami”.

The result of paying his business, “Pro Auto Sound of Miami”, to enhance my vehicle’s existing sound system was the following:

Luis pocketed $2,728.34 of my hard-earned money by degrading my existing sound system that he was supposed to enhance
The enhancement solution that Luis sold me lacks the mid bass of my original factory system
The factory 6 ½ speakers underneath the two front seats are no longer functioning
There exists significant signal noise in the vehicle when the volume is set between zero to 25% of total volume. A video of this issue can be found at: https://youtu.be/_2_S-pVHFgE
The original factory speakers were never returned to me after the service
I repeatedly brought my vehicle back to Luis to correct the degradation in sound quality that resulted from his service

Car audio installer reactions to my modified sound system can be observed from the following links:

Research

After researching car audio businesses, and being convinced that Luis’s business, Pro Auto Sound of Miami, was a reputable business, I drove to their location and discussed the work that I needed done. Luis told me that his shop wouldn’t be available to examine my vehicle for the install for another week, due to the number of customers that they already queued for servicing. Again, I was convinced that this shop was reputable if their business had to put me on a waiting list just to examine my vehicle. Luis then showed me his garage and demoed a sound system of one of the cars that his shop had recently installed a sound system for. The sound system sounded amazing. I scheduled a drop-off of my vehicle for a week later.

First Contact (12/2)

I visited Luis’ shop on 12/2/2021. I discussed with him the details of the sound quality enhancement that I needed. He convinced me that the service would be complicated due to my vehicle’s preexisting infotainment system and surround sound layout. He also stated that his shop focuses on craftsmanship and that they would require more time to enhance the sound quality for my vehicle. I was instructed to drop-off my vehicle the following Tuesday for them to enhance the sound quality of it.

Emailed Requirements (12/3)

On 12/3/2021, I emailed Luis the following requirements for the enhancement of my vehicle’s sound system:

Drop-off (12/7)

On 12/7/21, I revised my installation requirements before dropping off my vehicle.

The following is the email of my revised installation requirements:

I then dropped off my vehicle on 12/7/2021 for the sound quality enhancement. Luis called me later that day and advised me that my vehicle was unique and that all aftermarket door speaker options would require custom mounting. He then quoted me nearly $2,700 (including tax) over the phone for the effort he would require for enhancing the sound quality on my new vehicle. (Note, that I had already researched door speakers for my vehicle and wasn’t even able to find the speaker sizes for my vehicle. I even went to the car dealership to retrieve the car audio specification for my vehicle and the dealership couldn’t provide me one.)

Business Quote

During the call that I had with Luis, I requested that he email me a detailed quote so that I can examine the expenses of the work he described. He sighed and said that he could provide a detailed description of the work, but that his workers were waiting to begin work on my vehicle and that he would be losing money if I did not provide him an answer immediately. I told him that I needed to see a detailed quote in writing before I could give him my business. He later text messaged me a grainy photo of a laptop with what appeared to be a business quote on the screen that was pixelated and difficult to decipher. I told him that I received his quote but was unable to read the details due to the pixelated image. He again, voiced his concern about needing an answer from me, regardless of the grainy image that he sent, because he would be losing a large amount of money per hour due to his workers waiting to work on my vehicle. (Please note that I had reviewed Luis’s shop and was convinced that Luis was the most reputable car audio business in Miami. Hence, I spent several days researching car audio businesses in Miami, and Luis appeared to have the most reviews with the highest ratings). I was sympathetic to incurring cost to Luis’s business if I continued to “haggle” him for details. After all, according to the reviews I observed on the internet, Luis’s shop was the best in Miami. In summary, Luis charged me $1,500 for labor, $480 for wiring supplies, $250 for an 8-channel line output converter, and $320 for aftermarket door speakers for the front and rear doors of my vehicle.

Luis sent me the following business quote post my request for a written quote. Note, the quote is a photo of his laptop:

Components Provided by Me

I provided Luis with premium car audio components for the installation. Luis received two Kicker L7 Q series 12” subwoofers, a 2500-watt Kicker mono block amplifier, a 1100-watt 5-channel Polk Audio amplifier, and two Alpine 6-channel amplifiers, for his shop to choose from for the installation. I relied on Luis to provide me options for door speakers that would harmonize with the power of my high-performance subwoofers and amplifiers.

I told Luis to choose from the amplifiers that I provided him for their installation service. His technicians selected the 2,500 Kicker amplifier and only one of the Alpine amplifiers. They then told me that I could return the other Alpine amplifier back to its retailer for a refund.

Check-in (12/8)

On 12/8/2021, I stopped by Luis’ shop to review the progress of the sound quality enhancement on my vehicle. I listened to the system and noticed that the mid bass was missing in the music that they were playing for me. I also noticed that the highs were not enhanced and appeared to be lacking. I reported my observation to the technician. Luis then brought me back into his shop’s lobby from the garage and requested that I pay him a deposit. I asked Luis how much of a deposit he wanted. Luis responded that he wanted $2,000 so that he can pay his technicians for the work that they already did on my vehicle. I decided to be flexible and avoid confrontation with Luis and paid him $2000 for work that he had not completed yet. Luis produced a receipt, and I went home without my vehicle minus $2000.

Service Alleged Completed (12/9)

I received a phone call on 12/9/21 in the afternoon. Luis stated that the speakers that his business recently installed were “clipping”. He then stated that his employee responded to my request for the door speakers to have “extra” bass. However, fulfilling that request was causing sound quality issues. I responded that I didn’t ask for “extra” bass from the door speakers. I simply stated that the door speakers were lacking mid bass altogether. Hence, the door speakers were only exhibiting vocal and high frequency sounds. But no mid base.

I then received a call after 5pm that same day in which Luis told me that my vehicle was ready for pickup.

Pickup (12/10)

I brought my family to Luis’ shop in the evening to pick up my vehicle on 12/10/21. The invoice was originally $2,696.24 when Luis requested me to pay him a $2000 deposit before the sound quality enhancement was completed. Luis then told me that he forgot to bill me for some additional materials that his technicians used and charged me an additional $30 dollars. I paid the remaining balance that he claimed I owed him (according to his updated invoice of $2,728.34). Luis then pressured me to give him additional money as a tip for his service. I reluctantly declined to pay him any more money than what I was obligated to pay. He then instructed me to let the new sound system break-in for at least 8 hours before I can fully enjoy my enhanced sound system. I then drove my vehicle home with low volume due to my 18-month-old son being asleep in the vehicle.

Problems (12/12)

The following day Saturday, I did not drive or examine the quality of my new sound system. However, on Sunday, 12/12/21, I went for a drive to listen to it. I observed that I had signal noise when the volume was set to zero and no mid bass when I increased the volume. I also noticed that when I disconnected my subwoofer enclosure, I had no bass in the entire vehicle. I emailed Luis my disappointment with the sound quality of their installation and was advised to call back on Tuesday to schedule an appointment.

I emailed Luis the following description of issues that his business had caused to my new vehicle:

Email Response (12/13)

I received the following email response from Luis:

Problems (12/14)

Instead of calling Luis to schedule an appointment on Tuesday, I returned to his shop that day on 12/14/21. I reported to Luis the sound quality issues from his service (such as signal noise from zero to low volume, missing mid bass with connected enclosure, zero bass from factories door speakers when enclosure is disconnected, and the speakers underneath the two front seats no longer function properly). I then stated that my original factory door speakers were never returned to me and that I needed my factory speakers in case I decide to have them reinstalled in the future.

Luis asked me why I wanted my old speakers. I stated that the factory speakers were from my vehicle’s premium factory audio system and that the factory speakers are still my property. He responded that the speakers were destroyed due to them installing the aftermarket speakers that I purchased from him.

Luis advised me to come back tomorrow morning to pickup the vehicle because they would need a day to troubleshoot and resolve the issues.

Pickup (12/15)

I returned to Luis’ shop on 12/15/21. I got in the vehicle to examine the sound quality and observed that mid bass was slightly improved but required significant adjustments using an equalizer which then depended on the type of songs being played.

I attempted to drive the vehicle home and noticed within 10 minutes of driving, signal noise when the volume was set between zero and 25% of total volume.

I attempted to return my vehicle immediately but was told to bring it back on 12/17 so that they could install a kill switch which would terminate the signal noise whenever I decide to use it.

Return (12/17)

I returned my vehicle again on 12/17/21. Their technician drilled a hole under my front seat and installed a toggle switch for powering off the amplifier that was causing signal noise.

I then sat with the technician inside my vehicle and tested their resolution. The toggle switch not only powered off the amplifier that they claimed was the source of the signal noise, but it also turned off some of the speakers in the vehicle. Toggling the switch to power the amplifier resulted in more signal noise than what I had originally observed. I also noticed that the speakers under the seats were still not functioning. The technician acknowledged the issue, shrugged his shoulders, and then left me to resume work on another vehicle. I then invited Luis to sit in my vehicle to observe the issues listed and he claimed that he was partially deaf and could barely notice it. He explained to me that his business lacked experienced with the model vehicle that I had hired them to enhance. He then offered to sell me higher quality 6 ½ door speakers as a replacement for the initial speakers that he recommended and sold to me. Luis said that he would charge me the difference of the last speakers that he sold to me if I come back in January. I was then dismissed from his shop soon after.

Conclusion

The result of paying Luis’ business, “Pro Auto Sound of Miami”, to enhance my vehicle’s existing sound system was the following:

Luis pocketed $2,728.34 of my hard-earned money by degrading my existing sound system that he was supposed to enhance
The enhancement solution that Luis sold me lacks the mid bass of my original factory system
The factory 6 ½ speakers underneath the two front seats are no longer functioning
There exists significant signal noise in the vehicle when the volume is set between zero to 25% of total volume. A video of this issue can be found at: https://youtu.be/_2_S-pVHFgE
The original factory speakers were never returned to me after the service
I repeatedly brought my vehicle back to Luis to correct the degradation in sound quality that resulted from his service

Car audio installer reactions to my modified sound system can be observed from the following links: