I’m a huge fan of SirusXM Satellite Radio. I first got my radio in 2005 and I’ve been listening to it daily since then. Whether in my car, or at work I can listen to Howard Stern, Alternative and Grunge from my teen years, or even some great Classic Rock. It has much more than that, but those are the stations I listen to.
About 3 months ago, my radio broke. The face of it started to melt away, and finally the antenna just died on me. Luckily my brother has a newer radio that he wasn’t using because of the new FCC rules that the Sirius FM transmitter was too strong, so his stereo couldn’t pick up the signal clearly thus he received a ton of interference.
He could of had the radio installed, for a $40 part and an installation of $80 he just didn’t think it was worth it. Especially since his commute is 2 miles each way. So I took his radio, I’m in the car a lot and love the radio… $120 or whatever is fine with me.
I picked up his radio and tried to install it myself. Ran the new antenna outside my car, hooked it up inside and turned it on…. Ahhh it works, but I’m getting the same static he was getting, so I determine that I must get the FM Modulator and the professional install. Also after a day or so the antenna goes on the fritz. This is where Circuit City comes in.
One Saturday when I have time I call circuit city and ask them a few questions.
Me: “How much is the install of Satellite radio in a 2005 VW GTI?”
CC: “Depends on the type of install, do you need an FM modulator? Do you need the power to connect directly to the radio? Do you have these parts?”
Me:”I need the FM modulator and I have a thing so I can plug in multiple things. How long does it take and when can I come in?”
CC:”About an hour and a half, and whenever it’s first come first serve. It is empty now.”
Me:”Ok great, I’m on my way over now, I’ll see you soon.”
CC:”Ok thanks.”
I arrive at circuit city about 30 minutes later and find a sales associate. I tell him I need an FM modulator and I need it installed. He leads me over to the Sirius section looks around and says, “We don’t have the FM modulator.” It would have been nice to know this on the phone, I could have still ordered it then. The sales guy says, “We do have this tape that you can use, it works the same.” So I buy the tape deck for $34 and Pay for the install. The install was $39 plus a $4 random shop charge. I pull my car around, I get the car in the garage and speak to the installer.
Me: “Hi I paid for this install, I have the parts in the car, could you look at my antena, I think it’s also bad.”
The guy goes in and looks at my antenna, pulls it out extends it, and says; “You’re right, it’s bad we can get you a new one.”
He leaves to go get a new antenna, only to return minutes later and say; “We haven’t received Sirius or XM parts in over a month.”
Wish I would have known this before I scheduled the install, oh well. So I order the antenna for another $35 and after 45 minutes I am on my way, out $118 and still no Sirius. I do discover that the tape extension works for my iPhone so I can use that for now.
Over a month and a half pass and finally I get a call telling me my order is in. I make time the weekend before Christmas. I fight the traffic, I really want this thing installed. I pull around back so I’m next to the garage and then I walk up front to pick up my part. After looking for it for about 5 minutes they bring a part up, and it is the wrong one. They ordered me the FM modulator. I ask them to get someone from the Car Shop so I can get the right part. I explain to him that the previous guy ordered the wrong part, that I need the antenna. He looks at my receipt says, “That’s not what it says here.” I say, “I know, he ordered the wrong part, I need the antenna.” He goes off, finds the part and comes back.” I decide, ok I’ll pay for the FM modulator as well because it’s better sound etc. So there is another $39.
I go back to the garage tell them I want it installed, he says; “Well it’s lunch time, so two guys are going now, and then the other two will go when they get back and we have these 3 cars here plus 3 more then yours. So it will be a few hours.”
At this point, I’m just sick and tired of waiting for this, they don’t have parts, they don’t have time. I would have to wait as I didn’t arrange a ride. So I decide that after Christmas I’ll bring it back.
Christmas comes and goes, a week or two pass and I decide, it’s time I need my sirius. I drive to Circuit City again, park out back. Walk all the way around front, go into the back and tell the guy I want this installed, how long. He says, well about 2.5 hours. Fine with me, I have a ride, I have things to do, I can drop it off and return later. I give him my receipt and he says; “You have a basic install here, and you want the FM modulator?”
Me: “Yes I say, I bought all this and paid for it already. I don’t need the power hooked up cause I have an extender.”
Guy: “Well if you want the FM modulator, it’s $26 extra because we have to open up the radio to install it.”
Me: “Why wasn’t I told this when I was sold the modulator.”
Guy: “I don’t know, but if we hook the power into the back of the radio, we have to open it up anyhow so we can hook the modulator up as well. This way you have your power adapter open and the radio turns on automatically.”
Me:”How much is that?”
Guy: “Well it would be $40 more than what you already paid. “
Me: “Fine, do it.”
So he rings me up, puts the car in and says he will call when it’s done in 2.5 hours.
Four hours pass, no call. It’s 6pm and I know the roadshop closes soon. So I call, and the guy on the phone says, “About 20 minutes, so you can leave now.”
I start getting ready to go and my phone rings again, it’s the guy who installed it. “The radio is installed. It will be a little extra because we had to use a separate part.”
Me: “I’m not paying extra, you should have called to tell me it needed and extra part. I’ve spent way too much on this already. You order the wrong parts, you take 4 hours instead of 2.5 like you said, you can’t give me a good time, you don’t tell me about parts and installs I need. I’m coming to get my car.” I hang up.
When I get there, the installer is no where to be found, I go to the garage ask for my car. I sign some document, get my key and I’m off… No extra payment.
So two months later, $189 and like 60 miles of driving, I get my Sirius installed. I must say it works great, looks good but that cost that hassle, that horrible customer service, no wonder they are going out of business.
Posted by Matt Groff 
