Question 1

Why not buy a cheap CarPlay radio off Amazon?

Accepted Answer

A no-name Amazon CarPlay or Android Auto radio is not a safe buy. If it isn’t Pioneer, Sony, Kenwood, or Alpine, you’ll likely buy another radio soon — dead spots on the screen, it won’t pair, the camera won’t integrate, and the steering-wheel controls fail. We sell and install those name brands; we’ll still install a Boss or a generic unit from Crutchfield, but we can’t service the Amazon units — it’s the part, not the install. Call first for a real game plan — a payment plan is available, so you spend once, not twice.

Question 2

Why hire a pro for a bass amplifier install?

Accepted Answer

On paper a bass amp is simple — power, ground, remote, and an RCA signal, and you have bass. In the car it is not: power through the firewall, fused, with the right terminals; panels off; cable routed to the amp, sometimes with the seats out; the signal and phase right; and a real ground. When it is finished it should look like it belongs there — no extra wire, nothing twisted. DIY jobs burn amps and equipment, and have put cars on fire; one mistake can kill the amp. Hiring a pro does not cost a lot next to that headache, and when the bass quits later you have someone to call.

Question 3

Is oxygen-free copper wire worth it, or is a cheap CCA amp kit fine?

Accepted Answer

CCA is the basic amp kit, about $50. An oxygen-free copper kit is about $200, and it is worth it when the job needs it. One sub at a few hundred watts can run on CCA; two 12s around 2,000 watts will heat CCA until it melts, takes the fuse, and causes problems. OFC does not get hot, does not melt, does not corrode, and the system sounds better — people here play for hours, three or four a day, some all night, so if you are serious about audio, use OFC.

Question 4

Why add a GPS tracker that notifies you?

Accepted Answer

In LA you leave the car for hours or all day — Vegas, the outlets, hotels, movie theaters. A GPS tracker with phone alerts (Viper SmartStart, Drone XC, DroneMobile) tells you if someone hits the car, opens a door, or tampers with it. A screaming alarm does not get the police called. This is peace of mind for the investment — people who leave expensive tools or equipment in the vehicle, and high-theft cars like Kia, Hyundai, Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler. If it does get taken, you know where it is so you can get it back.

Question 5

Compustar vs Viper — which alarm?

Accepted Answer

Compustar and Viper both make car alarms. They are competitors, they work differently, and we use both — we pick by the car. Compustar kills the ignition when you walk away, so the car will not start without your fob; that is what we want on Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, and some newer cars where someone can copy the arm/disarm code and steal it. Viper has an electronic ignition kill you turn on — the right call on GMC, Ford, and fleet vehicles — but on those copy-code cars, unlocking with a copied code can disarm the Viper. Dodge gets Compustar. A diesel Ford gets Viper. Both are top quality. Come in or call and we will point you to the right one.

Question 6

What stays working after a car stereo installation?

Accepted Answer

A stereo install has to keep the factory functions that already work: backup sensors, steering wheel controls, backup camera, and on some cars OnStar, the front or scene camera, the mirror camera, blind-spot assist, and the warning chimes. Maestro or iDataLink is what lets the new stereo show climate, doors, and tire pressures.

Question 7

What is ceramic window tint?

Accepted Answer

Ceramic film is still polyester. The “ceramic” name means nanoparticles in the film that block heat, so you don’t feel the burn on your skin and a lot of the sun’s heat and UV stay out. We hand-cut a micro-edge on a glass board in the Carson shop. Every car takes two to three hours. Solar $249 and Solar Ceramic $329 are the four-door sedan door special — not the windshield.

Question 8

How much is a basic car alarm?

Accepted Answer

Viper 3108V is $269 installed. Compustar 9910 is $499 installed on most cars. Smart-key cars use a DB3 module so the factory fob and keyless go stay. Dash cameras sit with that work on LA Car Alarm.

Question 9

Do you build Harley bagger audio?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Road Glide, Street Glide, Road King, and Softail. In-house since 2003. Glides get the fairing amp. Road King and Softail have no fairing — windshield bikes, so the pods do the talking. AMS pods start at $649 a pair, chrome or gloss. The method is on AMS Pods.

Question 10

Hertz Neo or DS18 on a bagger?

Accepted Answer

DS18 is the cheap one. Huge magnet, hard and sharp, loud — not an acoustic speaker. Fine if you only want it to scream. Hertz Neo is the motorcycle speaker. Weatherproof, small magnet so it fits a bag and an AMS pod, and it stays clear when it is loud. It costs more. You hear the music, not just noise. That is what we put in the pods.

Question 11

Hertz Neo or Cicada on a bagger?

Accepted Answer

Cicada is a serious motorcycle brand. People speak well of it. It also costs more than Hertz, and the magnet is huge — it eats most of the space in the lid. We ran them side by side. Hertz was louder and cleaner. Better performance in the bag. Hertz Neo is weatherproof, small neo magnet, so you keep the space. That is the one we recommend.

Question 12

Do you do mobile installs?

Accepted Answer

No — everything is done in our own bay at 22025 S Avalon Blvd Ste A, Carson. Cutting tint on the vehicle scratches glass and risks defroster lines, so every piece is hand-cut on a glass board in the shop.

Question 13

Do I need an appointment?

Accepted Answer

Walk-ins welcome Monday through Saturday, 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM. Come in before 4pm and most jobs go home the same day.

Question 14

How long does window tint take?

Accepted Answer

Most cars are 2 to 3 hours.

Question 15

Is your tint legal in California?

Accepted Answer

Yes — California requires front side windows at 70% VLT and we install to that spec. Door shades we run: 70, 50, 35, 25, 15, and 5. Windshields are 70, 50, or 35. The $249 / $329 special is four-door sedan doors, not the windshield.

Shop car stereo in Carson

In stock · pickup in Carson

Pioneer MVH-S322BT

Pioneer DEH-S4220BT

Pioneer DMH-1800NEX

Kicker 46CSC654

Kicker 46CSC6934

Kicker 46CSC464

Kicker 44CVX122

Kicker 51CWQ122

Kicker 46CXA800.1T

Kicker 46CXA1800.1T

Viper 3108V

Viper 3308V

Kicker 48DCWR122

Kicker 48DCVR122

Stinger SK4641

car stereo, window tint, and car alarm at Audio MotorSports

Five sites. One Carson bay.

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LA Car Alarm

AMS Pods

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