NOTE: I got BANNED in kotseaudioclub.com after posting this. It seems if you tell the TRUTH about an officer of that site, you get banned. I guess only good things should be said about mach2audio else you get banned…

NOTE: VERY LONG POST (with pics)
For those that don't know:
Mach2audio = Car install shop in Pasig Area
Rocky = Owner of Mach2audio

I am writing this so that others may learn from my bad experience with what once I thought was a reputable shop.

To give you a background, I have been with car audio before the year 2000 when car audio was mostly dominated by Winterpine/LRT/etc. I have joined KAC during its early years and I have known some car audio enthusiast as well as car audio installers by going to their EBs.

My first major setup was done on my Ford Escape by dbaudio. (Alpine/ Seas/ Audison/JL/etc). My brother had his car setup by Bluprint a few years after and I had some other small dealings with Mach2audio, Mickeys, etc.

Now I’ll fast forward to recent events. Since dbaudio was busy last year (2013), I decided to have my new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe done by Mach2audio. I already had dealings with Rocky (owner of Mach2audio) way back during my early years but they were only minor (1day simple install, adjustments, minor setup changes, tuning, etc). Everything was good with him during those times which prompted me to have him handle the setup of my Santa Fe August of last year.

I advised him months before the installation that I plan to have him install a setup on my Santa Fe and that all I needed from him was labor. I will design the install, bring him all the equipment and materials then he will provide the installation (labor). We agreed.

Actually, since I am already busy with work and won’t be able to enjoy listening to music that much, I decided to make my car audio install relatively simple compared to my 2004 Ford Escape setup.

Tweeters were placed on the A-pillar, Amps & Processor were placed below the seats and a 1cu sealed sub box in the compartment. The only thing that I want that should not be simple is my sub box. I wanted it to look very very nice since yun lang ang makikita sa setup ko as my amps were hidden. Rocky and I agreed to this. I gave him a copy of what I wanted my box to look like and he said that he could easily copy it but it would cost much more. I agreed to pay the extra cost (double) so as long as it turns out very nice.

Summary of my setup:
Head unit = Pioneer 2Din
Front speakers = Seas 2-way Separates (active)
Rear speakers = Focal (for video)
Processor = Audison Bit 10 D
Amp1 = JL audio HD640/4 (for Seas)
Amp2 = JL audio HD750/1 w/ sub control
Subs = JL 12W6v3
Deadening = Dynamat (2x front doors only)
RCA/Speaker/Power/etc = from my old install
Others = steering wheel remote for head unit / backup rear camera


Cost of labor only:
Head unit = 1,000
Front speakers = 500 x 4 (P2,000)
Rear speakers = 500 x 2 (P1,000)
Processor = 500
Amp1 = 500
Amp2 = 500
Rear camera = 500
Sub box (sealed) = 8,000 (more than double the price as I want it nice)
Deadening = 1,500 (for 2 doors)
A-pillar = 4,000
Tuning = 5,000 (level 3)
Others = 2,000
Total = P 26,500

I asked for a discount and he gave it to me for P26,000. I agreed.

I brought and left my car in his shop last August 13, 2013 and he said it would take less than 5 days to finish everything. I got my car back after 16 days without the sub box faceplate and without the tuning finished. He had me pay the full amount even if hindi pa tapos since halos tapos na naman daw lahat and since I trusted him and known him for more than 8yrs, I paid in full. (stupid me). I left the sub faceplate with him since he said he had to make it super nice and shiny and have it laser etched pa daw. Yeah right.