Car Toys

Reviews 3

WE

Weslee Chew

Short version DO NOT go to Car Toys. They will make a mistake installing your purchase then refuse to fix it in a timely manner while being argumentative and disrespectful. Long version On 2/14/15 I went to Car Toys at 12815 Aurora Ave, Seattle WA and purchased the Directed Electronics Clifford 5906X Color OLED 2-way security + remote start system for my girlfriend’s birthday (see her review above). I left her car there for 10 hours to allow adequate time for installation. Upon driving the car home, we discovered that her dashboard backlight no longer illuminated. After owning the car for over 7 years, we are familiar with the backlight settings and attempted to trouble shoot this problem ourselves (the lights functioned properly the night before). Clearly the electronic connection was disrupted as the adjustment dials no longer worked in any capacity and the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) switch no longer worked either. We returned as soon as Car Toys opened the very next day to report this. The manager Ryan McLeod simply stated that he would not be able to look at this installation issue in a timely fashion. He did NOT apologize and even stated that nothing was wrong with our car WITHOUT even looking at it. I understand that the remote start has to be wired into the ignition as well as a power source in order to function properly and the dashboard backlight and ESC switch are both in the operative area of installation. Presently, neither of these functions work in our car. After spending $1124.50 and bringing the car back immediately, I am disappointed that they were not able to fit us in for repair in a timely fashion. Furthermore, this mistake in installation has now made the car unsafe to drive at night as we are unable to see the speedometer or any of the other gauges. To make matters worse, she is driving out of town today and even after expressing this to Ryan, we did not obtain any sympathy or help (not only fixing their mistake but calling other stores to see if they could get us in, etc). I believe that he fully understood the situation and, given that Car Toys is clearly at fault, consciously chose to do nothing about it. While we were patient and understanding but still expressed our need for a fully functioning car, Ryan was curt, disrespectful, apathetic, and unprofessional. I will take this car to a different Car Toys and verify that there is an installation error. I will then proceed to return this system given their extremely poor customer service (I understand that mistakes happen but what I cannot forgive is the refusal to fix these mistakes). I will report them to the Better Business Burea for making our car unsafe to drive. I will take my business elsewhere from now on. And I will also encourage every person I interact with from now on to boycott Car Toys and take their money elsewhere (I am fortunate to have a job where I interact with a lot of potential customers and it is my hope that I can save them from this same ridiculous experience). Here is a list of some of their competitors so that you may also avoid the worst workmanship and customer service in Seattle: Best Buy, Radioshack, Ballard Custom Audio, Foss Audio & Tint, Stereo Centro, ICON audio technologies, Mobile Music Unlimited, Audiolab, Audio Visionz LLC, Platinum Mobile Electronics, Benchmark Motors, Audio Northwest, Stereo Warehouse, Stereotomy, Car Stereo Plus, Systems Unlimited, Sounds on Wheels, Sound Advice, Speakerlab, All about Customs, CTR, Sound Werks, Evolution Audio, Advanced Sound and Tint, Advanced Auto Design, Discount Car Stereo, Accessory Options, C&C Stereos, CNC Autodesign LLC, NBA Car Stereos, Omni Auto and stereo, Audio Express, Pep Boys.

MI

Miles Adams

Normally when I go to Car Toys, its to buy a stereo. I normally expect to pay about 10-20% over list after the install, because thats just how they work. And thats fine. Ive always had a good experience buying stereos at Car Toys. However, when I bought a new stereo for my new car, I decided to get a security system as well. I walked into the store knowing nothing about security systems, except that I knew I wanted a proximity alarm. Keenan, the salesman (who was very cool and easy to worm with), sold me on the cheapest system that had a 2-way key fob and proximity alarm (which should have been the Clifford 3305, retail $299). Because I was buying a $1400 stereo system, they told me theyd give me a really good deal on the alarm, and I ended up paying $307 after the install. I bought the system on 02/04/14, and was going to have it installed on 02/08/14. In the week leading up to the install, I decided I wanted Remote Start as well as the proximity alarm. So when I brought the car in on Saturday (the 8th), I asked the salesmen (TD? I never caught his name) what it would cost to UPGRADE to a system that INCLUDED Remote Start. I ended up paying another $146, for a grade total of $454, for a system that I was told would have Proximity Alert, Remote Start and a Two-Way Key Fob. The only system that Car Toys sells that does this is the Clifford 5806, which lists for $499. When I picked up my car, Doug had done a great job on the install. But there was no Proximity Alert and no Two-Way Key Fob. Because they had installed the Clifford 4606, which has no alarm, no proximity alert, and is only a remote start/keyless entry system (and since my Jeep doesnt have power locks, keyless entry is useless to me). More importantly, this system provides my car with exactly ZERO security. Pretty useless for a security system. So on the following Monday, I brought my Jeep in and asked them to install the proximity alert they had sold me. They agreed to honor that, and told me the install would take two or three hours. NINE hours later I get my car back and Doug has installed the perfect proximity alert. Except it has no 2 way key fob. And they took the Remote Start out. Its a Clifford 3105, it retails for $249, and I spent $454 at Car Toys to have it installed. They did a perfect job installing it, and I have no problem with that at all. What I have a problem with is the gross incompetence of the management, the duplicity of the sales staff, and the fraudulent bait and switch, uninvoiced theft and rip-off they engaged in. You better believe Ill be reporting them to the Better Business Bureau. These guys are straight up CON ARTISTS.

GA

Galen Ward

Hidden charges, incompetence and bad service all in one place The short version: You will encounter slimy sales people, be overcharged and, best of all, theyll probably screw something up. The long version: I bought a Groupon to get my car detailed. Hooray! Im selling my car! I bring it in and they say "If you want us to clean the seats, its an extra, say, $40 a row. Ill do the trunk for free if you do two rows." I assumed that an interior detailing included cleaning the seats, but fine, Ill pay the upcharge. They seemed to make up the price of the cleaning - the guy at the desk had to ask what it was. Then I come back to pick up my car. The dome light is on - they had left it on - so now the car wont start. They said "no problem, well jump it." Eventually the employee tries to use his own car to jump mine. His doesnt have enough juice. After 20 minutes, I tell him Im going home - Ill pick it up tomorrow. I call back "yep - your battery is all charged. You can come get it anytime." I paused, waiting for the apology. Part of being a place that constantly screws things up and overcharges means you never apologize - you always blame something else. "Are you going to do something to make up for the screw up and the lost hour of my and my wifes life? Like wash the exterior since I already paid a bunch extra to get the interior actually cleaned and not just vacuumed?" (my wife drove me there to pick it up) "Sir, we have batteries die all the time when were working on cars. Interior lights are on, it happens." (youd think theyd check this if it happened regularly, right?) Me: "The dome light was on when I got there. You left it on." Them: "Hold on. (long pause). Okay, they will wash the exterior for $20. Normally its $40. But they wont do it for free." (Im not sure who this they is - its a single store). Me: "On second thought, dont touch my car. Ill come and get it later." The fault is mine: I should never have gone there. My mother and father in law got a GPS installed from there two years ago. They messed up the electrical system - the headlights would randomly go off - and treated them horribly when they pointed out the error. On the 8th return visit they fixed it. I just assumed you couldnt screw up cleaning a car - or screw me once I had a price locked in from Groupon.