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Auto-Trend Repairs and Service Information Forums -> 1979-1991 Mercedes-Benz R107 + W126 -> Nightmare on Mercedes Street! Aftermarket Alarm and Stereo Install GONE BAD!
Post Info TOPIC: Nightmare on Mercedes Street! Aftermarket Alarm and Stereo Install GONE BAD!
Do you think most aftermarket installers can be trusted with a Mercedes-Benz? [3 vote(s)]

NO
66.7%
Yes
33.3%
I have gotten lucky in the past
0.0%
I have had bad things happen
0.0%
I think I will learn from this post
0.0%
Administrator


$y$Op

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Nightmare on Mercedes Street! Aftermarket Alarm and Stereo Install GONE BAD!
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Well the owner of our Nomada Clone, the black 1986 420 SEL was warned on many occasions NOT to take his Mercedes-Benz to the many popular aftermarket installation shops in the area.

After deciding not to heed our warnings he selected Mickey Shorr in Canton Michigan to install some aftermarket goodies. While we advised the owner that this was a BAD IDEA he would not listen.

It all started with a visit from the customer whom claimed that a new head unit (Kenwood Excelon), AMP with subwoofer and Alarm system with remote start and remote locks, was going to be installed parts and labor for $600.00

Right away I gasped at the price. Thinking it was way too cheap to be true. I told him it was a bad idea and was almost SURE they would bust up the console and the wood during install. I gave him exact instructions on how to remove the console wood, thinking this could prevent most problems he might have. Boy was I wrong.

I get a call a day later telling me that Mickey Shorr has drilled several holes in the fuel tank trying to mount the AMP on the fuel tank cover. I could not believe it, so I went down to check it out and sure enough, 3 little holes. Since I advised this as a BAD IDEA from the start I refused to get involved outside of looking at it, however this story is FAR from over.

Mickey Shorr then contracts Belle Tire to install a used fuel tank and about 4 days later the car is returned to the owner STINKING like fuel, claiming we had something to do with it. We removed the fuel tank cover in the trunk to find a faulty removal and or install to be the case, as the tank was leaking at the pinch weld where the tank bolts to the body. Back to Mickey Shorr it went, whom then sent it to Belle Tire for warranty.

Few days later I get a call saying that the vehicle is stalling all the time, and still reaks of gasoline. By now Im thinking what else could they have done. Vehicle gets dropped off at our shop for inspection by Mickey Shorr. A day later I take the time to test drive the vehicle. I find that when the radio is turned on there is a back-feed in the system that causes relays behind the dash to click, and then the re-circulation switch starts flashing. When all this happens the vehicle dies. Turn off the stereo and no problems.

Merging onto the highway I noticed that the cruise control likes to activate by itself. To make things worse the entire vehicle absoultly stinks of gasoline.

I really dont want to be involved with this any longer, from a liability standpoint. I will document the entire findings and send it back to Mickey Shorr. To my knowledge there is NO remote start system approved by Mercedes Benz for the W126, and given the fact we warned the person from the start it bugs me to no end.

I must admit that Mickey Shorr has been most willing to own up to the problems and has made efforts to fix it. They seem to be taking it on the chin, however I feel that I have been more than up-front with the owner since the start.

What does everyone else think? If the owner isnt going to listen to me, and cant wait for US to do the work, then has someone else do it, whom screws it all up, then ultimatly brings it back to us because the other place couldnt do it. WTF!? Its starting to piss me off a little, only because I am pretty booked, and this would put me behind on other things. And it REALLY bugs me when I warn someone about something, but they do it anyway.

I guess the circumstances should not hinder the progress, however I dont want to be responsible for this vehicle should anything happen. I think its best for me to note the problems, make no repairs, and send it back to Mickey Shorr. What do you guys think?

-- Edited by Administrator at 15:29, 2008-11-02

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SELLC


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Awhile ago I finished digging out about 10 lbs worth of wires and modules from the 1990 560 SEL that I am putting back on the road.

While it's been awhile, I wanted to mention to everyone how much you can really SCREW these cars up having cheap alarm systems and remote starts installed. While this install must have been done sometime in the early 1990's the end result is always the same.... A big rats nest of wires and modules flopping around under the dash.

What many do not realize is that some of these units have well over 30-50 connections that intrude on factory wiring. Removing them requires a significant amount of time to do properly, and in some cases it takes awhile to track down all of the splices.

I can not stress enough how bad these aftermarket installers screw up your vehicle. Improper panel removals, mounting things on panels that should never have seen a screw. It's just insane! I have NEVER seen any installation shop EVER do a quality install on aftermarket alarms, remote starts or even stereo's for that matter.

To give you an example I spent 72 hours installing the stereo system on my Smoke Silver 560. Much time and effort was taken to use shielded wires, routing them properly and ensuring a quality sound. While I understand some folks want to have modern creature features such as remote start, iPhone Alarm, Monitors and Subwoofers many fail to realize that the install is the MOST IMPORTANT PART. Where the butchers at your in and out stereo shop decide to splice wires, how they splice them, and the overall wiring in general should be PARAMOUNT in ANY install.

Making the modules easy to access, with sufficiant wire routing can eleminate the "Rats Nests" I have found when looking at many installs. Quality connections and being as LEAST intrusive to factory harness is also VERY important. Take for instance the conections that need to be made in order to install a remote start, things such as positive and negative are pretty simple, yet time and again I see idiots drilling holes thru the firewall for simple 12V module power rather than tapping the access points. Time and again I see people drilling holes and attaching eyelets with self taping screws! (As if there arent enough grounds to go around on our cars). About the worst is when they start tapping in for ignition controls, many times they will just go off the bulk head of the ignition switch rather than patching in somewhere more accessable. What this does is makes for a poor/loose connection and also destroys the harness after time. Worse yet it can cause back-feeds that knock out computer functions and energize grounds, causing all sorts of problems. The WORSE CASE could be a possible fire! I mean after all were talking about people trying to tap these wires in tight confines with little to no room to do a good job! Why they do it is beyond me given the fact these wires can be accessed in a much easier location by using just a slightly longer wire. They can also be removed with a simple philips head screw driver, without damage to the harnesses protective sheething/insulation.

What I am trying to tell you guys is this.... You could have the BEST equipment money can buy, but if it's butched into the vehicle it's going to be worthless soon enough and you will be paying someone big money to remove it.

Thats my rant. I only mention it because apparently when I removed the rats nest from the 560 they must have patched into the drivers side door lock sensor, and for the past few weeks I have had to use my trunk or passengers door to activate or disengauge my factory alarm. Sometimes in my late night ramblings I will try to unlock the door from the drivers side and wake the entire neighborhood up with the alarm, while I franticly run over to the other side to shut it off.

While I have found the culprate it appears the idiot install shop decided to tap this wire inside the door panel, rather than under the dash. Now I get to remove the door panel. I am just glad everything is about back to normal, I am NOT happy with the craftsmanship of the work done by the PO's install shop.



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SELLC


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To give you guys an idea of how much crap goes along with an aftermarket remote start and alarm system I have taken a photo of the "Rats Nest"

Keep in mind this is only ONE system. A code alarm and remote start. Thats it.

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SELLC


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I myself am a big fan of equipment that is least intrusive to the factory wires.

I like the Kenwood line of recivers that allow iPod or iPhone connectivity. In the days of old people would butcher the center consoles with them gaudy TV/Monitor pop outs. These things are not only bulky, but they really displace some heat. With an iPod/iPhone connection you have everything you need wired into your car with one connector. Save for 4 sets of RCA's and a main power line to the trunk serious sound system installs can be very clean and un-obtrusive of the factory wiring.

Remote starts and alarms, well that is another story. Splicing into the factory system is manditory to use many of the features, so before you run off and have one installed make sure the people doing it know what they are doing, and have a reputation for PROFESSIONAL installs rather than quick wham-bam-thank you mam service. Trust me.

You can read more about the Excelon install here-
http://autotrend.activeboard.com/index.spark?aBID=91042&p=3&topicID=33184149

-- Edited by SELLC on Sunday 11th of July 2010 10:55:23 PM

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Auto-Trend Repairs and Service Information Forums -> 1979-1991 Mercedes-Benz R107 + W126 -> Nightmare on Mercedes Street! Aftermarket Alarm and Stereo Install GONE BAD!


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