Jo-Di’s Sound Center

Went to Jo-Di’s a few weeks ago to get a navigation system installed in my truck. The staff was very friendly and helpful and didn’t try to sell me anything I did not need or wasn’t looking for. They helped me find the right unit for my needs and installed it quickly! The bad reviews on here must have been when it was being run by a different crew of people because I couldn’t have been more pleased with my experience. I would highly recommend them!

I have always had a great experience going to any of the Jo-Di’s stores, and I have been going to them for years. The Orange store is no exception. I purchased a remote start there last winter, and couldn’t be happier with it. I did have an issue with a bass tube that I bought there about three years ago, but they addressed the issue and made sure I was satisfied with my purchase. I would recommend them to anyone looking for car audio/​alarm/​other accessories.

This place is a small independent shop (a couple local shops), I like that. It’s nice to support the small guys and you sometimes can develop a lasting friendship, someone you can trust, refer your friends to… «I got a guy»! Type situation. That being said this place did not give me that one on one personal friend feel. They can’t compete with the big box stores and the internet on price. In fact be prepared to pay double the price you’ll pay online or at the big box stores (Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon etc) so you’ll get half the quality product for twice the price, not such a good deal really. Installation is also about double. I’d much rather spend my hard earned money on a better stereo, speaker etc what would be the reason to pay double for less?! It’s sad but true there is just no way they can compete, they’ll tell you their worth it because they have 35 years installation experience but while they are telling you that there is a young kid installing your stereo in the back, how much experience can he have? I went in hoping to find a hometown friendly shop that really hooked me up with a great deal that I would brag to all my friends about what I got was speakers installed that cost me $ 200.00 and 3 trips in to sort out instead of going to Best Buy and getting the same speakers installed for a $ 100.00 bucks… To bad really, not what I was hoping for. Now that you know it might save you the same result.

I agree with all of the reviews!
Don’t go to Jodi’s
The main lady «Jodi» is a major bit! h!
The orange store sucks big time!
I had to bring my stereo system back 4 times before the year warranty because it broke! They tried giving me a used, cheaper one!
They wouldn’t give me my money back and they are very unprofessional! They scratched my brand new car inside as we’ll!
Whatever you do, don’t go to this place! The orange store is the worst!

Part 1 of 2:
Do your self a huge favor. .. if you are in the need for any car electronics, spend the few extra bucks and find a Tweeter. This company is a joke!
I purchased a car starter and alarm in the winter of ’07, which the Jo-Di’s in North Haven, CT, installed All together, between the hardware and the install, ran me close to $ 500. I trusted this place even though I purchased a stereo system from Tweeter a few years back and had no problem with it because Jo-Di’s had been in busniess in North Haven for over 25 years!!! Anyway, right from the start, it didn’t work. When I pushed the button to start the car, the engine would start and then immediately turn off. When I brought the car back to have them fix it, I was given a totally bogus reason why it wasn’t working properly. I was told, «It didn’t work because we installed it in a warm garage and it’s too cold outside to keep the car running.» WHAT!!! I took it with a grain of salt and trusted them when they said it was fixed.
I got the car home and the starter worked for a few days, and then stopped again. Now the started didn’t start the car at all. I took the car back for a second time. They made some more adjustments and told me it was fixed. .. again. I drove home happy, again taking their word for it. By this time, winter was turning into spring and I had less of a need for the starter. So, it would only make sense for something else to malfunction as it did.
By April or May, I began to notice that the remote would set the new alarm that Jo-Di’s installed but not lock the doors. What good is an alarm if the doors can sill be opened anyway. I took a deep breath and drove the car back to Jo-Di’s again just to find that the location had gone out of busniess!!! Wonder why?! The 1 – 800 number was on the door as well as the number for the Orange location. I called the first number and explained my situation, as the voice on the other ened attempted to ease my frustration. She told me to go to the Orange location, as it was the closest one and speak to the sales manager. She said he was very good at what he does and I will leave a happy customer.
Now, understand that I live in North Haven. The store in Orange is about 30 mins away from me. I reluctantly drove there and explained my situation again. The manager told me that he would be happy to swap out the system for a brand new one as he «could not tell what the problem was.» He said it would be easier to start fresh. NICE!!! Now we are getting somewhere. Or not. Joking with my girlfriend in the parking lot, I wanted to make sure the new system would work, thinking for sure it would, right? It was barnd new! Of course not. I ran back in pretty upset as the manager realized they must have forgotten to attach a vital plug in the engine bay. He came out, plugged in whatever he had to and I left again.
A few weeks after I had the new system installed, I went to deactivate the alarm so I could get in and drive to my 8:00 am class. When I did this, the factory alarm began to sound. Not only was it going off, I could not turn it off (let’s remember it was 7:30 in the morning). I tried starting the car, and even put it into drive and the alarm was still blairing. I had to disconnect the battery just to get it to stop. So, now I had to go back to Jo-Di’s. .. again. Thing is, when I plugged the battery back in and tried to open the doors, the alarm would sound. I had to drive all the way to Orange with the alarm and blinkers going off as people were moving out of my way as if it were an emergency. With each beep, I got increasingly upset.
I walked into the store at opening and threw the keys at the manager and insisted the system was removed from the car, as it was still beeping outside the front door and the little hoodlums they have working in the garage began to creep out to see what was happening. He had already known about ALL of the problems I had and very quickly accepted to remove it and refund me all of my money. I accepted his offer as well and took a written receipt of what was going to take place as I was told I would be contacted by the corporate office the following day in order to get my information so they could send out a corprorate check.
The next day rolled around and I was contacted. Ironically, the womam who I was speaking to was named Jodi and she was some sort of big wig at the company. Among her first words were, «I’m sorry you were misinformed sir, but you are not getting your money back.» I felt my blood begin to boil. She explained to me that the original Jo-Di’s in North Haven was a privately owned location and not affiliated with the rest of the locations. Yet, it was advertised on the main website, the sign out front had the same name, logo and the 1 – 800 number on the door when they closed led me to the corporate office. Go figure.