tips on buying used head unit?
 

hey i'm considering purchasing a head unit from a private seller off the internet. . . what questions should i ask? i know very little about car audio. . .. thanks in advance

I've purchased all of my head units from ebay.... 80% of them were great and the other 20% were average to below average. All of them were Alpine.

What model are you looking at and for how much??

Model is the key here. I only bought Alpine decks because I knew they were solid, and even though they were used, they were still gonna work and keep their value. I was able to sell some of those decks later on for the same price, and in a few cases, a little bit more than what I paid. So defnitely make sure you're buying something that has a good reputation.

As for price, check ebay. ebay is an excellent source to see what market value is. Also check online sites to see what the deck goes for brand new. Is it really worth buying it used to save $50. If it can be bought Brand New for say a $100 more, then get a new one....

Lastly, get pics so you know exactly what you'll be getting. In addition, I always ask the standard, "Is everything included like: trim ring, faceplate carrying case, mounting cage, wire harness, remote (if applicable), manual, box."

This should do it...:thumbup:

im considering a pioneer 6400,

it's a few months old, excellent condition. its the 2002 model and comes with everything in original box plus an integra harness i dont need

i checked ebay and all the used ones were above his asking price. . . have i stumbled upon a good deal?!?! :eek: :D :)

Pics are the best, and only real reassurance you have that its ok. If its all beat up, scratched and what-not... thats the first sign it wasnt taken care of, and if it works, its probably a lot older than they say, and possibly stolen.

A unit that was well taken care of will, in most cases, last you longer and give you better performance.

If its an eBay seller, check their feedback... see if they've sold other car audio equipment and see what the buyer had to say about them. If you want to get really into it, email the buyers and see what their total experience was with the seller.

I know what its like to get shafted with audio equipment from the internet... I bought an amp off someone for $200 (old rockford punch 800) and I got it and it didnt even work!! I ended up getting my $$ back in that case though, luckily!

Who's the seller??? Someone you know??? Does he have references??? Make sure or else you could get screwed....