Creative Audio — Attraction in Springfield

Customer service is beyond pathetic and very unprofessional. Definitely do not recommend. Take your business elsewhere!

We were referred to Car-Fi by Toyota to get auto start put into our new vehicle. When we came in to check out their products, they had three sales guys at the front. One was helping out a customer and the other two were just standing around. After a couple minutes of awkward standing, a salesperson came to speak to us. We told him we wanted to get our front windows tinted and the auto start. My husband specifically told him we didnt want anything over 20% tint and he acknowledged this. After choosing our desired tint and autostart, he gave us a quote and we worked on getting it scheduled. The first available date was over a week out and we would have to pay the full price to get it scheduled per their policy. We decided that we didn't want to pay full price for service that wouldn't get done until over a week later and that we would keep searching around town. My husband and I left and decided to go to creative audio (regretfully, we should have stayed with them. We've done business with them before and have no complaints); however, they were booked out til the middle-end of Jan. After we had left creative audio, we got a call from Car-Fi letting us know that he can schedule it on Monday (9 days from that day) and that we wouldn't have to make a payment. We decided to go with it.. Well, we had to reschedule it again and they worked with us. Anyway, we took our vehicle in right when they open; we signed some papers and even initialed paperwork that we understood they were applying tint that was over MO legal limits. We got a call a couple hours after the drop off; and we were eager to get our vehicle back, because we had a long drive to Wichita that afternoon. Before we headed into the shop, we checked our vehicle out and lo and behold our tint was not what we had asked for- they applied the legal limit tint. When we walked in, we were approached by a salesperson and told him what was going on. Another salesperson started to argue with us, telling us that it's what we wanted because if they went any darker with the tint it would not look right. I tried to tell him we asked for 20%, and again, he tried to explain that they tried to match it, and 35% was the closer match.. I've had darker tint applied to my previous vehicle.. I'm pretty sure I didn't want 35%..... I was very upset. The salesperson that was helping us got the service guy that did the job. Again, he tried to explain it us, and argue with us that that would look better. Totally disregarding that it was NOT what we asked for a couple weeks ago when we first came in.. So, the service guy tells us that there's nothing they can do about it today because they are backed up and we needed it done before noon to avoid the weather on our drive. So, my husband tells them to take it off because we are not paying for it. We will only pay for the autostart. Service guy looked shocked, and he magically had an opening to take the tint and reapply what we asked for. We left, and came back a couple of hours later. The inconvenience and the timing was just perfect. When we came back, the 20% tint that we had initially asked for applied and did not look darker than the back windows. After leaving we decided to stop to fill both gas tanks up... my gas tank had a button that you push under the steering wheel that will open up the tank door, and it did not work. We called them to let them know and he asked us to bring it in but my husband told him we couldn't, it would have to be on Monday because we had to leave. The guy had the nerve to ask us how are we going to drive if we can't open our gas tank... are you kidding me?! How unprofessional! My husband informed him that we had two separate vehicles and we will be leaving the one they worked on at home, in the garage. Monday comes around and we bring in it. Guy looked at my husband and asked him how was it their fault, they didn't work on it. Finally, service guy checked it out...

Kelby was nothing but incredible. He was personable, educated and informative. He was great to work with from the previously poor experience at the Sunshine location. If you’re reading this review trying to decide between locations, I hope this helps.

We had gone to the location on sunshine and had such a poor experience working with Juan, after receiving misinformation from Chad the day prior. We came in for a seemingly simple sub replacement and were met and left with nothing but discouragement. The day prior we had brought the vehicle in to the Sunshine location to confirm work to be done and that all the equipment would work accordingly and be informed on what equipment we would need. We requested the JL subs be installed with the amp currently in. We confirmed with Chad that day the amp would in fact work with the subs desired. We paid the deposit and set the appointment for the following morning. Come this morning, we had dropped the vehicle off and 30 minutes later we get a call just to be told the amp won’t work with the picked out subs and they are installing Alpine subs instead, we requested they stop the work until we were able to come back to the vehicle to discuss what the complications were since these subs were not what was discussed or desired. We specifically came for JL subs and didn’t want others, especially after being told they would work the day before. I was able to call the location on glenstone and spoke with Kelby. He listened to everything going on and was happy to jump in and help offering solutions immediately. He called over to the other sunshine store to ask questions so it wouldn’t be relayed information store-client-store. Once arriving back at the sunshine location, Juan was unhelpful explaining why the amp wouldn’t work other than pointing at numbers on his phone, informing why the subs didn’t match for amp usage and we needed to get a different amp or different subs, or why there was such a discrepancy in work being done. However, he was proficient in arguing when asking clarifying questions, being smug in explaining “Chad didn’t tell you that” , and leaving quite the weisenheimer impression on a customer. We were given our vehicle and went to the Glenstone store where we were greeted as soon as we entered, had friendly opening conversation, and provided pre considered solutions before even seeing what they were working with. Kelby looked at the subs we had, looked over the current amp installed, grabbed the JLs we wanted and went to work. He researched for confirmation, collaborated with other employees and educated us in the process. Confirmed everything would work and he was going to be able to do everything as originally planned. The vehicle is a Lamborghini Gallardo, it doesnt drive like your typical automatic; he was open to suggestion and comfortable. I can’t say enough good things about this experience. It took longer for us to get back to the car than it did for him to install the subs. Kelby sat in the vehicle shows the subs and made sure everything was in order before we left. He was informative about the system and helped with a previous modification added. Undoubtedly educated and informed, hearing the knowledge alone from working with him explained why he is here and doing what he does. His knowledge and education solved our problem seamlessly and mended a less than ideal situation. Not to mention the other staff around, all friendly, positive and also informative. Everyone there was well educated on their equipment and the what works best together for the results wanted.

It’s incredible the different experience you’ll get at the same company, just at a...

On March 5th 2019 I had a car stereo installed in my Ford F-350. This stereo was supposed to maintain a GPS while adding Apple Car Play.

Day one ended up with the planned stereo not fitting and a quick alternative selected. The alternative cost me real time GPS. I accepted.

Two weeks later, beCause of COVID-19, the Government locked the state down.

During this time, my installed stereo would not allow me to use hands free calling, as the person I would call could not hear or understand me.

After the 30 day state lock down, I was able to waste another day sitting at Car-Fi while they replaced the stereo with a similar one, switched out the microphone, all while allowing me the privilege of sitting i. 40° temps under a pop up tent outside in the rain for 5-6 hours...due to COVID.

No refund apparently is the Policy, even though I was told I would have 30 days to be happy with the install. Apparently, the clock on the 30 days counted during the COVID lock down.

On my third visit, this time in late May, I was told the continued problem was due to not following a certain start up sequence. I should connect my phone to Bluetooth, then connect to Apple car play with a direct plug in. As you know, this is not immediate and has me sitting in my truck for a minute going through the process each time before I drive. Forget running errands.

On the 4th all day visit (I live one hour one way away), the stereo was pulled and I was told some connections had come loose in the back. I’d make a few phone calls and everything sounded great for 24 hours, then back to frustrating efforts to unplug the phone from Apple car play, disconnect the blue tooth and drive with the phone stuck to my ear in order to talk.

The stereo continued to be defective. CarFi personnel continued to cost me a day long visit and very friendly and equally frustrated staff attempted to help. Nothing ever worked.

On my fifth half day of sitting in a waiting room, this time in November, I was told the problem is clearly the worn out Apple phone charging cord, and I needed to avoid Bluetooth entirely. As usual, a couple phone calls sounded great, but within 24 hours, whoever I called couldn’t hear me.

I spent $1350 to lose five days of my life sitting at carfi, to lose GPS and hands free calling, to almost wreck 100 times fighting to free my phone from the cables and Bluetooth connections (safer to text and drive, or read a book while driving than to go through this process) and continue to receive CarFis No Refund policy.

CarFi’s lousy policy is the problem. The employees really seem to know what they are doing, but are at the mercy of lousy equipment and a poor customer service policy.

I recommend d avoiding the company entirely. Use another car radio installer, Billy Bob’s back yard garage, or the high school kid who watched the YouTube video before entrapping yourself in CarFis lousy policy trap.

I’m seriously considering trading my vehicle in to overcome my decision to use a company with such non...