Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

I've finally decided on my system! So, I was on a bunch of different websites looking around today looking for some good prices.

I found the amp I want on http://www.buyloud.com for almost $100 cheaper than another quote I got from a retailer. I also found the headunit I want on http://www.1cache.com for $100 cheaper than another quote I got from a retailer.

I can't decide whether I should buy it from the website, or go through the authorized retailer so I can get the warranty.

What are your opinions on this?

-Nick

Whitemax

Well, buying without the factory warrantee is a gamble. You could come out fine, or it could fry. If the dealer you're buying from will replace it then it can be worth the savings, but I like having that extra peice of mind myself....

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

I just went to both of the sites and read their policies and both site stated that their products come with a warranty.

Now I'm happy because I found some pretty good prices!

Can't wait to get my system!

-Nick

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

JL Audio does not sell to .com companies to sell their products over the internet unless they have a retail store.

Maximadave

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

JL Audio does not sell to .com companies to sell their products over the internet, therefore you get no warranty what so ever. The warranty that buyloud.com is their warranty...you have to read the fine print.

Maximadave

Whitemax

Ya, technically in order to buy JL products and get a warrantee, you must go to the store and buy it there onsite.

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

looks like I have to come up with the extra $100 for the amp then.

How about this Kenwood Headunit I'm looking at? It sells on Crutchfield for $499.95 but I found it at http://www.1cache.com for $379.95. Should I buy it through 1Cache? Maximadave said he doesn't carry it at Tweeter.

Thanks,
-Nick

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

I think I'm going to buy the amp from BuyLoud.com. Even though they aren't an authorized JL Audio dealer, they still offer a pretty nice warranty. Here's some information directly from their website:

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They also offer a 150% Price Protection Guarantee. Here's more information on that:

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I understand what you guys are saying about them not being authorized JL Audio retailers. However, after reading all of their warranty information, this sounds like a nice company to deal with. They offer a warranty even though they aren't authorized to and they are selling the amp I want for $100 less than my local retailer.

-Nick

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

Nick:
If buyloud.com says there warranty is 1 year, why is JL Audio's warranty on their amps are 2 years? If the amp goes bad you have to shell out $$$$$ to ship it and insure it to buyloud.com and who knows when you'll get it back. Call up JL Audio at 954-443-1100 and they will explain it to you.

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

Nick:
If buyloud.com says there warranty is 1 year, why is JL Audio's warranty on their amps are 2 years? If the amp goes bad you have to shell out $$$$$ to ship it and insure it to buyloud.com and who knows when you'll get it back. Call up JL Audio at 954-443-1100 and they will explain it to you.

mitch33x

iTrader: (5)

I'm pretty sure JL will give you a longer warrenty if it installed by an authorized dealer...

OgreDave

iTrader: (1)

The better question is whether or not BuyLoud will actually *GIVE* you the warranty.

Lots of stupid internet dealers say they will honor warranties, and price match, and blah blah blah. When you try to return it, or RMA it, you'll find a big wall..

I'm guilty of being cheap as well, but on some things, i'd rather spend a lil extra to buy from a trusted source.

I've never heard of BuyLoud, btw www.thezeb.com, www.ampmanaudio.com [you wont find kenwood tho], www.sounddomain.com, www.matrixcaraudio.com .. I'm sure there are others, but those are the ones that i am positive you can trust.

Sounddomain has the price guarentee thing vs "authorized dealers" (sounds like BuyLoud) .. but SoundDomain actually IS an authorized dealer of all their products.

All products at ampmanaudio.com carry a 30day satisfaction guarenteed policy.. ask CanuckAmp for more info.

MatrixCarAudio, if you're local, will deliver *SAME DAY* via car.. i was totally shocked they offered & delivered to my doorstep, literally.

TheZeb is just some place tons of ppl have bought and have had pretty good experience.

MaximaDave of course is giving pretty good deals on authorized & warrantied products.. i bought my HU from him.

One other pretty good source, scala1 on ebay.com..

Good luck.

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

www.sounddomain.com: Found the US Acoustics amp I wanted for my speakers for a little bit cheaper than Crutchfield.

www.ampmanaudio.com: No luck finding anything here.

www.thezeb.com: Found the JL Audio amp I want for $412.95, but they flat out state on their website that they don't offer JL Audio's warranty. They offer their own 1-year warranty though.

www.matrixcaraudio.com: Found the JL Audio amp I want for $395!! Again, they flat out said on the site that they don't offer JL Audio's warranty because they aren't authorized. They offer a 1-year warranty.

************************************************** *********
Maximadave has been helping me a lot on this (and I appreciate it very much! ). He gave me great prices on JL Audio subs and Eclipse speakers (which I am going to buy from him). He quoted me $499 for the JL Audio amp I want, but it's $100 cheaper at Matrixcaraudio.com though. Since Maximadave is a retailer, I would get the JL Audio warranty on the subs, and the amp if I buy it from him.

What do you think I should do? According to OgreDave, I can trust Matrixcaraudio.com.

-Nick

OgreDave

iTrader: (1)

You can, but I'm not sure what would happen after 1yr. I think JL's warranty is 2 or 3yr? I dont remember. If its just 1yr.. id take the "risk" with MatrixCarAudio. BTW, if you're really worried, they can be found on AIM under MatrixAudioSales .. sometimes on, sometimes not.

As for the other places.. AmpManAudio sells good products, theyre just not the commonly found/used ones. SoundDomain, if you can find that USAcoustics amp anywhere else.. you can ask them for a pricematch, to further lower your price. TheZeb, same deal as Matrix. Lots of people have had good luck with them. (I personally havent bought from them) ..

If you are worried for any reason about the amp, contact JL about it. Theres always this bullspit clause in the warranty about somethin like 1-3yr warranty *IF* installed by auth'd dealer. Otherwise, you get like 30-90 days. (pure crap) .. On the other hand.. if you buy from Zeb/matrix, you just get a straight 1yr warranty, as long as u didnt screw up on the install. Some stuff you should consider before you buy..

Anyways, hope i made sense.

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

A friend of mine is going to be installing my stereo system for me anyway. He used to work at Brynmawr Stereo and Video which is now Tweeter, so he knows his stuff.

In order to get the warranty, I have to have it INSTALLED by a retailer? Or just buy it through them? Maximadave?

-Nick

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

To get a 2yr warranty on your JL amp, the amp has to be installed by an authorized JL dealer, like your buddy that works at Bryn Mawr (Tweeter)

Maximadave

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

Well, he *used* to work there, but he doesn't anymore. So, does that mean I wouldn't get the warranty if he installed it.

Thanks,
-Nick

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

If you have a problem with your amp, JL requires a receipt from an authorized dealer with the model number of the amp on the receipt and labor as well. Now, if you have just a labor ticket from an authorized dealer your 2yr warranty applies only if the purchase originated from a different authorized dealer. Hope that made sense

Maximadave

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

But I'm not going to have it installed by an authorized dealer. My friend that used to work at Tweeter is gonna do it. He used to have a Maxima with BOSE and he put a system in it, so he knows his stuff. So, if I were to buy it through a retailer, I wouldn't get a warranty anyway...right?

-Nick

JeepRage

iTrader: (1)

i did buy from Buyloud.com. my kenwood head unit in fact. they didnt ship the day they said they would, and overnighted it to me when i complained. they price matched and everything, i would recommend them again based on this experience. nice guy on the phone too

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

Well, the amp that I want is $409 on BuyLoud.com, but in searching further, I found it cheaper at MatrixCarAudio.com. It is $395 there.

I wasn't going to go through the website because I wanted to get the JL Audio warranty. It costs $499 through the retailer, which is who I'd have to have it installed by in order to get the warranty. Since my friend is going to install it, I'm not going to get the warranty anyway, so I might just go through the website.

-Nick

OgreDave

iTrader: (1)

Yah.. if you're gonna have a one year warranty either way, go with Matrix or Zeb.. i just recommended Matrix cuz i bought from them w/o problems, as have many others. If you're worried, i posted their AIM sn on my last reply.

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

Matrix and Zeb are NOT authorized dealers for JL Audio. So you get NO warranty from JL (which is important). Hey JeepRage, what about your Kenwood warranty? If you buy a JL amp from an authorized JL dealer and you install it on your own you get a 1 year warranty. Better than the .com dealers out there

Maximadave

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

So if I buy the amp from you, but DON'T get it installed by Tweeter, I still get a 1 year warranty?

-Nick

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

YES!
Now, the other internet sites say that they have a 1 year warranty on the JL amps, right? Well, JL services their own amplifiers, so if you have a problem with your amp you take it to your nearest JL dealer for service. With the .com dealers you have to fork out money to ship it plus insurance to the .com dealers and who know when you'll get your amp back. Under warranty means you pay NOTHING, but here you have to pay s/h and insurance to ship it back to them and probably s/h to ship it back to you. Which sounds better to you?

Maximadave

OgreDave

iTrader: (1)

Dave, most quality pieces dont break down within one year. They either work, or are DOA. After that, as long as you know how to set them up, you shouldnt have any problems. Thats why the 1yr period is so trivial to me.

Note that i did buy a nice 3yr warranty for my Kenwood deck from you

MaineMax

For what its worth .....
My son and I have purchased several things from sounddomain.com and have received good service. They are reliable, and would get our business again.

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

Being in the business for over 18 years you see mid to high end merchandise break down. Sometimes within a week sometimes within 6 months you never know. Nobody has a crystal ball in front of them to tell you if and when your amp will fail on you. Nick, do what you want. Obviously, you are going to do what you want regardless what I say about buyloud.com. Hopefully you amp will last a lifetime of enjoyment. Just to let you know, I emailed buyloud.com 4 days ago and still have not heard from them.

Maximadave

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

Thanks for all your help Dave!

I think I'm going to buy it from you so I can at least get the 1-year warranty. I e-mailed JL Audio and they sent an e-mail back to me. In the e-mail, they said the same things you said. I might as well fork out the extra $100 the first time around, rather than paying for it later.

Thanks again for all your help Dave, and everyone else who contributed to this thread.

-Nick

maximadave

iTrader: (10)

Nick:
Is there any way you can email me that reply you got at JL?

maximadave@hotmail.com

Thanks

99niner99

I've bought stuff from sounddomain before and they're a great company and none of the products have gone bad or anything but...bottom line....

If you want a warranty go with the authorized dealer...Please don't trust the internet sites...If the company ever finds out about an internet sale that isn't associated with the company....the factory warranty is void!

Keep this in mind. Just tryin to help you out man...Good luck!

JeepRage

iTrader: (1)

sorry about the delay in response... i have a 2 year warrante on my kenwood deck because its eXcelon... i just mailed in the card or did it online when i received my deck in the mail. im assuming im all set on it, another reason why i bought the higher end kenwood over the regular line (the 1 year extra thing ) but the JL situation is different, im wondering what to do when i buy my subs too. maybe go with another brand. how are the infiniti perfects??

Hall

mitch33x

iTrader: (5)

JLW3 subs are the absolute best subs for the money, in my opinion...If you get them installed by an authorized dealer they have a 2 year warentee...