Why Repair Not Replace
For those who want a better car audio system, the decision to have the factory unit replaced by a high-end product seems logical. After all, you can enjoy music on a surround sound umpteen-speaker audio system. But the fact of the matter is, there are cons as there are pros to this predicament. Just like buying a hybrid has its own advantages and disadvantages, so is replacing a factory car audio system.
The most obvious is that, it is hard to fit whatever replacement you may have in mind in the dashboard of your car. Factory units are designed to fit in the interface of a certain vehicle’s dashboard. After all, when you buy a car, you’re buying a package. Even that car audio system is part of it and it is designed to enhance the total appeal of the car that you’re buying.
Even if you find a replacement that has similar dimensions to your car’s factory audio unit, it would still look slightly out of place. For it to fit perfectly into the dashboard, you would have to buy a custom installation kit that would cost you about $100.
Another issue that you would have to contend with is the wiring of the audio system. Your new car audio may be more powerful than the factory unit but you are not sure that it will not interfere with other electrical components in your car. It would really be a total waste of money if your car’s electrical system suffers just for better music quality.
Numerous car audio systems are also designed not only to play music but there are other controls incorporated into it. For example, the rheostat may have a knob integrated into your factory car audio unit. Replacing it means that you would have to find a way to retain that switch or the technician at least. This would mean extra charges, of course.
If you are looking to trade off your car after five years or so or whenever you feel the urge to buy a new car, the presence of the replacement audio system would hurt its resale value. Whether you buy a high-end audio system, the fact that the vehicle’s electrical system has already been operated on would make some car buyers to think twice.
While the need/want for better music quality cannot be ignored, the facts stated above are also worth considering. So when buying a car, make sure that you not only gauge the car’s overall performance. For music lovers, give the car audio system a ‘test’ too.
