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Old     (Losmarios)      Join Date: Jul 2011       06-03-2012, 7:33 PM Reply   
My boat was badly in need of a battery upgrade. Did a little research, and decided to go with TX Stereo. I was told to drop off my boat on Thurs May 10th and it would be done Fri Afternoon the 11th. Well, I dropped it off a day early, on Wed the 9th of May. Tom and I talked about the job, and he assured me that I wanted the batteries in the back lockers. I explained that I put huge sacks in the back lockers and didn't want to loose any space. I also expressed the fact that all I do is wakesurf in my boat. Once again assured me that I wanted the batteries in the back lockers. I let him run with his idea.

I contacted him 4 days later Mon the 14th, he explained to my that the brackets for the batteries were built and it was close to being done. I said cool take your time. I didn't hear anything for days, so I called on Sat the 20th of May and once again he explained that the brackets were built and the boat was 2 hours away from being done. I told Tom that I was going out of town on Sun the 21st and if for some reason it wasn't going to be ready that day that i wouldn't be available to pick it up until Fri the 25th when I got back in town. He said not a problem! Well of course I got no call that it was ready so I went out of town and came back on Thur the 24th of May.

I made arrangements to have my dad ride with me out to pick up the boat to help entertain my 18 month old baby girl, since the shop is nearly 40 minutes away from my house and it was the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. We left to pick up the boat the afternoon of Fri the 25th (two weeks after it was scheduled to be completed). I didn't call before I left figuring there was no way he wasn't done, since he said that he was 2 hours away from being done six days before!

I walked up and my boat was outside and the batteries were sitting exactly where I left them in the middle of the boat on the floor just baking in the sun! I am not a battery expert but I don't think the batteries should be stored in direct sun light - it even says so on the batteries! I went inside to find out what's going on. Tom comes out the office and tells me it's not done. I was really mad; so mad I couldn't talk! He told me that the brackets were built and that he was almost finished. So close that he would probably be done late that Fri night and that I could pick it up in the morning on Sat the 26 of May.

I was absolutely shocked that the boat was not done! I told Tom I would be back In the morning to pick up the boat. I left and was just getting more and more upset as I drove away. Finally decided to call Tom and let him know how I felt. I let him have it on the phone! He assured me that the brackets were built and that he was close to being done and that he understood my frustrations. Told him that I would be there for sure the next day and that if he finished late that night I'd even prefer to pick it up in middle of the night.

Guess what? I did not hear from Tom until Wed afternoon when he finally decided to answer his phone. He sent me pics of the port side locker that contained the cranking battery, selector switch, and 3 bank battery charger. He said I could pick it up that Wed by 6. I headed out that way in traffic at 5:00 PM. Get a text from him about 5:30 saying to call him before I head that way. I was already almost out there. Called him back, and he said that the bracket for the starboard side was built wrong and that he was about an hour and a half away from being done. Told him at this point there was no way I was leaving without my boat. He said ok and that he would bust ass to finish. Got there to the shop about 6:00 PM, and he wasn't even there! He showed up about 6:40 and then started building the battery bracket for the starboard side. He wasn't finished until after midnight!! I sat there in his shop to make sure he didn't stop working. Of course he tried to charge me over double what he quoted! Wow, what an experience - three weeks to get a job done that was originally supposed to take a day! After all that I still feel that he took too much room in my lockers! Here are the pics of the job.








Old    kx250frider617            06-03-2012, 11:14 PM Reply   
The first time you went there, I would have hooked up the boat and towed it home without even telling the guy. It amazes me how in this economy, some people can twiddle their fingers on someone else's dime.
Old     (sippi)      Join Date: Dec 2007       06-04-2012, 5:29 AM Reply   
Man that sucks, honestly i would have taken it somewhere else from the start when the guy started telling you it'd be better in the locker. I mean if you want big bags back there, you just got robbed of valuable space. but that's just me. it might be better back there, but i'd be affraid of things getting wet, and the space. and yes i would have grabbed my boat the first time like jordan said.
Old     (Houstonshark)      Join Date: Jan 2011       06-04-2012, 6:17 AM Reply   
This is not the first negative experience I've heard about Texas Stereo. They did a buddy's new boat recently and for some reason made their own LED rings for his Rev10's instead of using the Wet Sounds rings. They look awful, like he just cut them out with a jigsaw. They don't fit the speaker and they overlap into where it looks like the surround of the driver may hit it. The worst part is that on one of the speakers where they screwed the plex ring in, they used screws that were too long and actually screwed through the enclosure. It looks like they backed the screw out, ground it down and then put it back in so it wouldn't be so noticeable.
Old     (lakesurfer)      Join Date: Jul 2009       06-04-2012, 6:55 AM Reply   
Why the heck would he suggest you put batteries in the back locker? Do you not have enough room in your observers/ski locker for 3 batteries and a charger? I would be very nervous I would get those wet. They would get wet on my Enzo.
Old     (Losmarios)      Join Date: Jul 2011       06-04-2012, 8:16 AM Reply   
I have huge amounts of room in my passenger locker. This is where I requested the batteries be installed. Tom express concern over the weight of all the batteries in observer locker. I am super freaked that these batteries will get wet! I even asked if he could build a battery box and put it in the walkway like a step up, like he's done in the past. Tom said if the batteries were in the best place!
I am not a satisfied customer! Sucks, because I wanted to get this done so that I didn't have to worry about getting the batteries wet.
Old     (22vdrive)      Join Date: Apr 2010       06-04-2012, 8:42 AM Reply   
Thanks for the post I was thinking of using them for installing some stereo equipment. Well not anymore think I'll use lakeside audio.
Old     (williamburell)      Join Date: Sep 2011       06-04-2012, 11:23 AM Reply   
Dude I would have never let them put the batteries there and if they argued with what the customer wanted I would have yanked my boat out of there in a heartbeat. I stopped putting up with this crap from vendors/etc. Like someone said..............in this economy if they don't want my money I'll give it to someone who does.
Old     (sippi)      Join Date: Dec 2007       06-04-2012, 11:38 AM Reply   
I agree, if its what the customer wants, do it. if i wanted battery boxes in the middle of the floor, they should do it! what are you paying them for otherwise! Unless its dangerous or just will not work (which in this case i see it being more dangerous in the back especially if you are going to have sacks back there). Its YOUR boat to customize how YOU want, not theirs!
Old     (Losmarios)      Join Date: Jul 2011       06-04-2012, 12:17 PM Reply   
Talked to Tom and let him know my concerns. Just don't feel safe with the work done. He asked that I bring it back out to the shop. Still owe about %60 of the money for the work. Don't know what to do. Don't really what to deal with this **** anymore, nor do I feel like driving the boat 45 miles away for someone else's mistakes. Feel like taking the money I owe him and going to get the job done right!
Old     (bendow)      Join Date: Sep 2005       06-04-2012, 12:21 PM Reply   
This is why I DIY on everything I'm capable of. There's not much you can't DIY these days thanks to the internet, but I know some people just don't have the time.
Old    kx250frider617            06-04-2012, 12:22 PM Reply   
Are you mechanically inclined? You can just go get some battery boxes and some wire and do the job yourself, save the money and put it in the fuel tank. Its basically red to red black to black. Tie all the negatives together and run the positives through the switch.
Old     (sippi)      Join Date: Dec 2007       06-04-2012, 12:35 PM Reply   
If you are going to pay him eitherway, i'd take my boat back and make him redo it how you want to do it, and put that all under the original cost. don't pay for a 2nd job through him, but that's my opinion
Old     (murphy_smith)      Join Date: Dec 2005       06-04-2012, 12:40 PM Reply   
It just baffles me, how can he do such good job on factorykitted's boat and then do a poor job on this simple install of batteries. Go Figure.

There is no doubt that the guy does great qork but I think that his time management and ability to set expectations and deliver on them could use some work. In reality, it is the prime boating season and right around Memorial Day that this took place. There were far bigger systems with far bigger price tags that he probably felt he needed to get out before this smaller battery job.

It sucks that it happens this way but unfortuantely that is how it happens in the busy summer months.
Old     (Losmarios)      Join Date: Jul 2011       06-04-2012, 12:49 PM Reply   
To even try to justify why this happen is retarded! I dropped it off on the 9th of May, far the **** away from the holiday weekend! What sucks is while I was sitting in his shop I asked him to go with the same battery box set-up on the Malibu you're taking about! Nope!
Old     (factorykitted)      Join Date: Jul 2009       06-04-2012, 1:25 PM Reply   
well it's obvious you can't please everyone. im not saying anyone is right or wrong here. tom has done my stereo installs since 2007 and his custom work is on another level in opinion. i agree its no excuse to put a lesser job on the back burner that is what most likely happened right before the memorial day weekend crunch.

Last edited by factorykitted; 06-04-2012 at 1:31 PM.
Old     (hatepain)      Join Date: Aug 2006       06-04-2012, 1:26 PM Reply   
That's very frustrating to be lied to like that time and time again. I'm surprised he's still trying to get full price let alone charge more.
Old     (mark197)      Join Date: Dec 2009       06-04-2012, 1:30 PM Reply   
I'm sure the cost of the job factored in big time. Brian's systems are not cheap where moving a couple batteries probably doesn't rank as high on the priority sheet. Not saying you don't deserve a job well done and him straight lying to you is BS just thoughts on what probably happened.
Old     (vette74)      Join Date: Jun 2008       06-04-2012, 1:32 PM Reply   
I would just roll with what you have I have my batteries in the same place as yours in my Sanger V210 for the last 3 years that I have owned it and who knows how long before that and have never had a problem the batteries are going to weigh more than the sacks anyway (the area that they take up)
Old     (williamburell)      Join Date: Sep 2011       06-04-2012, 1:53 PM Reply   
Same here. I'd just deal with it and be done with the situation. I don't further my business with people who have violated trust. Just move them in the offseason up front. Nothing hard about it.
Old     (logan)      Join Date: Dec 2011       06-05-2012, 7:34 AM Reply   
Report to better business bureau?
Old     (factorykitted)      Join Date: Jul 2009       06-05-2012, 8:11 AM Reply   
the batteries in my stock 2000 Malibu LSV came in this exact same location....just sayin
Old     (bcrider)      Join Date: Apr 2006       06-05-2012, 9:46 AM Reply   
Logan. Better business bureau is a farce and means nothing. What's that gonna do?
Old     (Losmarios)      Join Date: Jul 2011       06-05-2012, 10:38 AM Reply   
Stock is the key word Brian. Plus it's 10 years later. How many of you were putting 1500lbs in the back locker in 2000? Come on man!
Old     (factorykitted)      Join Date: Jul 2009       06-05-2012, 10:45 AM Reply   
so your telling me stock/OEM location isnt safe? I dont anyone who is putting 1500lbs in one locker but yes I was putting 550's in my lockers back in 2000. Ive seen your Sanger and theres no way in hell your fitting 1500lbs in one of those tiny lockers...
Old     (Losmarios)      Join Date: Jul 2011       06-05-2012, 10:55 AM Reply   
Actually the lockers on my Sanger are pretty big, but you are right. I'm not putting 1500lbs. I was putting 1100 pound sacs back there, and they fit no prob.
Old     (Losmarios)      Join Date: Jul 2011       06-05-2012, 11:06 AM Reply   
Im soaking wet filling sacs over the batteries all open like that, No that does not seem safe. It's not even where I ask Tom to install them! He pushed his opinion on me even after I questioned his work.
Old    LR3w8kbrdr            06-05-2012, 11:17 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Losmarios View Post
Im soaking wet filling sacs over the batteries all open like that, No that does not seem safe. It's not even where I ask Tom to install them! He pushed his opinion on me even after I questioned his work.
Get ur damn boat & leave, cut ur losses and move onto a shop that will do what u ask and not lie or do a half a** job. Seems like u need to pay him for his work he didnt do or messed up with. Id think a stereo shop would value cutting their losses out of that small money vs someone putting a bad name out for their company and scaring off potential big clients.
Old     (corerider)      Join Date: May 2008       06-05-2012, 11:30 AM Reply   
Seems like the answer is simple to me... Take the boat back to them and get it done the way you wanted it in the first place. Unfortunately this may cost you extra since you said earlier you just let him run with his idea. If you wanted it done a certain way you should have stuck to your guns or taken it somewhere else that would do it your way.

Overall from your pics the installation looks clean and the batteries are fairly easy the access. I'm not familiar with those boats, but it looks to me like they raised the batteries up in a custom made box of sorts. Is that right? Seems to me it would have been much easier, cost effective, and less labor on their part to just buy some battery boxes from NOCO or the like. The only real complaint I have on the install from your pics is there are no covers over the batteries. I've seen may installs done like that and I just don't like having battery terminals unprotected in a compartment like that. They could easily have something short out across the terminals causing you much bigger issues than loss of storage!

Just my $0.02.
Old     (matt75)      Join Date: Nov 2010       06-11-2012, 9:04 PM Reply   
Been through the lack of callbacks from them. Was ready to buy tower setup (Rev's) and ended up going through Scream Marine in Dallas. Sorry- a week and half of calls with no answer is unacceptable.
Old    mojo            06-11-2012, 9:43 PM Reply   
Personally I'd tell him to fix it an he's only getting paid for parts. Or I'd tell him to f himself and not pay and not go there against and not recommend him to anyone. As for puttin u in the back burner; ur paying the same as anyone else for labor and parts. Maybe not as high as custom glass work, but it's all te same. No excuses. I hate when owners/operators try to manage their businesses. Screws it up for everyone.
Old     (UNvisible)      Join Date: May 2010       06-12-2012, 7:23 AM Reply   
My batteries are located in my rear lockers on my 210, never an issue. I have also seen your boat and i doubt that you will have any issues.

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