A big THANK YOU to La Jolla Audio!!
 

I finally have XM radio working in my car after an eight month ordeal!!

I'll keep this short, so more people will read it. Some may remember that I purchased a Pioneer XM radio unit from Best Buy in January. They completely bungled the installation and the customer service was beyond ridiculous.

I also purchased the hard-wire kit from La Jolla Audio so I could enjoy XM radio in CD quality sound, instead of just really good FM reception.

Cleeve and team at La Jolla stepped up to the plate and helped me out way above and beyond the call of duty.

They:
1. re-tested the Pioneer unit I bought from Best Buy... at their time and expense. After determining it to be faulty they sent it to the manufacturer, got a new one, tested that unit, then sent it to me.

2. later also tested my head unit.... at their time and expense

3. made themselves available to me and the "yahoo" installation guy at Best Buy to talk him through what should have been a no-brainer installation

4. always conducted themselves in a professional manner, selling a quality product and backing it up with superior service

La Jolla Audio can count on me as a life-long customer and I will most definately be recommending them to others for quality products and service!!

Here is their website, which is up and running again:

Click here for La Jolla Audio

Yea, yea, yea... tell us something we DON'T KNOW! :)

Cleeve and Scott rock!

So, how do you like XM?

As much as I love to bring my cars there for any audio stuff, but I am over 2000 miles away. Oh well. Thank for Scott's suggestion to make my Alpine Navigation works. No doubt I would go to them even if I lived in Los Angeles. La Jolla is a nice place to visit anyway.

XM is great!! I'm still finding stations to add to my list of favorites.

So far it's been Cinemagic, Musiclab, Jazz (traditional and latin), FOX News, and a couple classical.

We at La Jolla Audio thank all the members of shopforum for their appreciation for what we do. We care about quality and we deliver! I am sorry I haven't been able to spend the time I used to helping you guys out. I have been really busy, working at least 15 hrs a day......... I am blessed to have Cleeve with all his experience in this industry running our service department. Thanks again!

Scott

Heres a very big thank you to Donald at La Jolla Audio!
 

I want to say a very special thank you to Donald at La Jolla Audio. He has patiently answered all my questions and come up with excellent ideas for the best stereo upgrades for my 1999 C43. He has given me different options and carefully explained the pros/cons of each. I plan very soon to take the almost 500 mile drive to La Jolla Audio to have the work done there.Im sure that it will be done correctly and will sound great and definitely worth the drive. Donald thanks again for taking the time to answer all of my many questions and for giving me accurate pricing ahead of time.
Phillip
1999 C43

Scott,

GORGIOUS car! I don't keep up with all the old models. Can you tell me what that is?

Re: Heres a very big thank you to Donald at La Jolla Audio!
 

Very true ... Donald is very patient, listens well, and guides you to a decision that works for YOU.

La Jolla Audio installed an Alpine Head Unit and CD Changer (both MP3) about 8 months ago ... into my 500 ... sounds great!

Phillip ... if and when you drive down from "Oaktown into Oakland South", give us a yell ... many M-Shop guys down here.

BTW, my SD Charger Fan co-workers just love me ... a true blue (black) Oakland Raider Fanatic. San Diego, California ... Oakland South when the Raiders come into town!

Just Win Baby!

It is a 280 se convertiable with original paint. We did @ $5k worth of work to this one, It is totally stealth.

Scott

I also had an excellent experience (ultimately) with La Jolla Audio. The OEM CD changer on my 93 525i was fried, and BMW, in its infinite willingness to gouge customers, had a proprietary interface for the Alpine-made changer - no luck in getting a modern replacement for $150 at Circuit City or Crutchfield. The dealers want $650 for a new OEM unit when you can find them. La Jolla Audio carries remanufactured units with a one year warranty for around $300. I dropped by on a trip to SoCal and they installed one for me. CD again!

After a few weeks, it started skipping. After a quick call, I packed the changer and sent it down to San Diego. About 10 days later I got the unit back (I think it was the same - still had my CD's in it!) and it works perfectly. The paperwork noted that the one year warranty now extends from the date of receipt of the new unit. None of this is that extraordinary, I guess - it's what you expect from any shop with good service. It's so rare these days to get it, though, that good service qualifies as an unusual event. Thanks, guys.:)

I like the idea of a 'stealth' system. I've installed something like that in my '60 Finnie 220S. I've seen the destruction caused when thieves target exposed 'state of the art' audio gear! I wish there was a quality car audio shop in the DC area!

Happy Motoring, Mark

Thank you all
 

Thank you sfloriII for the glowing report. I would like everyone to know that we at both La Jolla Audio and La Jolla Audio Repair find that our internet customers are just as important as the walk-in ones and deserve no less attention than anyone else would expect. I went out of my way because you deserved that much and as with other companies it wasn't the money that we were striving for. More over it was the satisfaction that I know you would have and deserved to have. When other companies fall short I hope others will remember your plight and know that with our company there is hope. Thank you again for being a valued customer.

Cleeve Morrison
www.lajollaaudiorepair.com

La Jolla Audio Repair

Which is more possible to do?

1. Find a way to put a Command unit in the W140 coupe. Meaning replacing all the buttons and what's not on the center dash or console.

2. Replace all the system with an Alpine CVA display and hook up a nav as my old 560SEL and hook up a Nokia phone to work with it. Integrate everything together.

#2 use the IVA-D900

Scott@lajollaaudio

Thanks Scott,

I am tempted to drive over 2000 miles to your shop to have you work on my car if my wife lets me go. :D Guess I will have to do some nice talking with her.

.

If it's La Jolla Audio you're talking about regardng the install, I don't think you have anything to worry about. They were up front and honest with me throughout my problems with Best Buy and helped me out greatly. They even checked the unit out and replaced a couple parts free of charge. I'd talk to them and see what's up...

.

I don't know what you are talking about. I have not had a call to cancel your appointment so therefore if you did call who did you talk to? I am more than happy to refund your deposit and will do so tues am as soon as I get to work ( I will need your complete credit card #). I am sorry that after you agreed to doing the job and signed and authorized the work you changed your mind. I do these installs every day some take 4 hrs and some take up to 8 hrs and my philosiphy is to do it right, not cheap. You can say I am expensive and I can deal with that but I guarantee you cannot find anyone to do it for any less and do it the same or better. You even said that you have been to many shops in so cal. and no one was familiar with the mercedes fiber optic system. I don't know any shop out there that is capable of doing a direct audio connection / tap for satelite radio in a 210 car with fiber optics. I am sorry that you feel the way you do but I am not in business to be the same as best buy or circuit city.

Scott@lajollaaudio

Pretty much like you get for what you paid for. I beleive Scott and Cleeve are very professional and would do a great job on my car if I live in CA, I would let them take care of my coupe. Scott has answer my e-mail but I think he is so busy so, a few days is acceptable to me.

Errors and misunderstandings.
 

Sorry we couldn't do business.

Thanks for crediting my CC.

The gentlemen at LJ Audio are the best. They have helped me with problems and questions several times anywhere from a repair on a Becker from an older Mercedes, to wiring problems on a vintage Mustang, to removing a poorly installed alarm system that was causing a current drain in my 87 Carrera. I'm fortunate to live within a few miles of the shop and would not let anyone else work on my cars. They have my highest recommendation. Thanks LJ Audio. Chuck Weber...

Scott is the real deal.
 

I have yet to have any work performed by Scott. I live across the country in Boston. I've been assembling my system piece by piece and Scott has been willing to talk to me about speaker options- even knowing that getting my car to him will be difficult.

I have a 1994 E500 and was considering Dynaudio speakers- and Scott told me of the Rainbows 120Sl's and also some Diamond Audio speakers.

I think if anyone has any concerns with work being done properly they should not even consider anyone else other than Scott if they are within 500 miles of him. I am considering having my car shipped there for a major install. Why worry about having your car scratched by a careless Circuit city part time High school kid when you can have a MERCEDES owner work on your car?

I would find it extremely difficult not to sing praises of a guy who goes out of his way to take the time to make things right.

Thanks Scott.

Scott helped me out with an XM radio installation I did for a friend, he told me what I needed to know, and it worked out great.

Scott and LJAudio are great!

Alon

Thanks you guys, I always find it a pleasure to help everyone out when I am not too busy. I know that most of you are far enough away to make it impracticle for me to work on your car and are without real professional local help. I am sorry for the ones I have tried to help and have not had the time to assist, especially lately with the fire situation, as I live right in the path of it and my house was spared but some of my closest friends lost their homes. It is the passion we all share for the mark as we help each other. Merry Christmas to all!

Scott and all of us from La Jolla Audio

So what is the best way to install the XM antenna? I am facing this question with my 240D.

At first blush it seems routing the cable through the trunk is the best way. Is it possible to run the cable in from the front of the Car?


T