GENERAL FAQ

  • A: CAR•TOYS combines the selection and resources of a large retailer with the accountability of a Texas-owned company led by longtime CAR•TOYS installers and operators.

    Founded in 1987, the brand brings decades of experience in mobile electronics, vehicle accessories, and professional installation. Our stores are designed so you can see, hear, and compare products before making a decision. We offer dedicated enclosed audio demonstration rooms, large climate-controlled installation bays, full woodshops at every location, specialized tools, and the ability to handle projects ranging from basic upgrades to advanced custom fabrication.

    Our size and long-standing relationships with leading manufacturers give us access to a broad product selection, product training, technical support, and competitive pricing. Our teams have worked on a wide range of vehicles, products, and installation challenges, giving us practical experience that is difficult to match.

    We also invest in the people performing the work. Our installers are W-2 employees, and we offer competitive compensation, health benefits, paid time off, and retirement benefits. This helps us attract and retain skilled career technicians who take pride in their work and stand behind the finished installation.

    That combination of experience, facilities, product access, and professional technicians is what makes CAR•TOYS different.

  • A: CAR•TOYS carries products from many leading brands in car audio, infotainment, vehicle safety, security, remote start, radar detection, marine audio, window films, and many other products. Brands we carry include Alpine, AudioControl, Compustar, Escort, Firstech, Focal, Garmin, Hertz, iDatalink, JBL, Jensen, JL Audio, JVC, Kenwood, KICKER, Linkswell, Metra, Morel, Mosconi, Pioneer, SiriusXM, Stinger, VOXX, ZZ2, 3M, Adams Polishes, and many others.

  • A: CAR•TOYS offers installation, upgrade, protection, and appearance services for cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, ATVs, and other vehicles.

    Our services include:

    • Car audio: Speakers, amplifiers, subwoofers, enclosures, digital signal processors, radios, and touchscreen receivers

    • Smartphone integration: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

    • Safety and driver assistance: Dash cameras, backup cameras, parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring systems

    • Security and convenience: Alarms, keyless entry, remote start systems, and GPS tracking

    • Radar and lighting: Radar detectors, light bars, LED lighting, and custom accessory wiring

    • 12-volt accessories: Power inverters and other vehicle electronics

    • Vehicle protection and appearance: Window tint, paint protection film, and vinyl wraps

    • Detailing: Hot-water extraction, paint correction, ceramic coatings, and headlight restoration

    • Fleet, dealer, and commercial services: Fleet tracking, vehicle cameras, security systems, lighting, graphics, shelving, storage solutions, power accessories, and custom vehicle upfitting

    If you want to upgrade, protect, personalize, or add accessories to your vehicle, there is a good chance we can help.

  • A: Absolutely. CAR•TOYS provides vehicle equipment, installation, and upfitting services for dealerships, fleet operators, contractors, and other businesses.

    Our commercial services include fleet tracking, dash and safety cameras, alarms, remote start, lighting, vehicle graphics, storage shelving, power solutions, driver-safety equipment, and other 12-volt accessories.

    We can also develop repeatable installation packages for multiple vehicles, helping your business maintain consistent equipment and installation standards across its fleet.

    Our team will review your vehicles, operating needs, budget, and scheduling requirements to develop a solution that limits vehicle downtime and supports your business.

  • A: Yes. Every CAR•TOYS location has a customer waiting area with seating, restrooms, free Wi-Fi, television, and vending options. Our stores also have restaurants and shopping within short walking distance if you prefer to leave the store while we complete the work. Your salesperson can provide an estimated completion time and let you know what is available near your location.

INSTALLATION FAQ

  • A: We use a standard installation rate based on the time an experienced installer typically needs to complete the work on an average vehicle. However, installation costs can vary because aftermarket equipment must be adapted to vehicles with different designs, features, and levels of complexity.

    Your labor quote may depend on:

    • The difficulty of disassembling and reassembling the vehicle

    • The location where the equipment will be installed

    • The age and condition of the vehicle

    • Any modifications needed to complete the installation

    • Additional parts, wiring, interfaces, or adapters required

    We consider these factors before providing your installation quote so you have an accurate price based on your vehicle and the work being performed.

  • A: No. Our standard installation rates only cover labor unless your quote states otherwise. Parts, wiring, adapters, interfaces, mounting hardware, and other accessories are priced separately. Because every vehicle and installation is different, we review the project with you before work begins. We will explain:

    • The parts required to complete the installation

    • Any additional labor needed for your vehicle

    • Optional products that may improve performance, appearance, or functionality

    • The total estimated cost

    We will obtain your approval before adding parts or performing work beyond the agreed estimate.

  • A: Absolutely. Custom fabrication has been part of CAR•TOYS for decades. Our locations are equipped with full woodshops, specialized tools, and experienced technicians who can design and build solutions around your vehicle, equipment, and goals. Our fabrication services may include:

    • Custom subwoofer enclosures

    • Amplifier racks and beauty panels

    • Speaker pods and mounting panels

    • Interior modifications

    • Wood and fiberglass fabrication

    • Carpet, vinyl, suede, and plexiglass finishing

    • Custom lighting and equipment displays

    From a clean factory-style installation to a complete custom build, our team can help turn your ideas into a finished design that looks right and performs properly.

  • A: Yes. CAR•TOYS can install many products purchased from another retailer, provided the equipment is compatible with your vehicle and includes the required installation instructions, wiring, hardware, and manufacturer technical support. Before installation, we may inspect the product to confirm that it appears complete and suitable for the intended application. Additional parts or labor may be required. Customer-supplied products are not covered by CAR•TOYS product warranties. If the equipment is defective, incomplete, incompatible, or fails during installation, labor and diagnostic charges may still apply. Our lifetime workmanship warranty covers the work performed by CAR•TOYS, but it does not cover the customer-supplied product itself.

    Q: What happens if customer-supplied equipment is defective or incompatible?

    A: CAR•TOYS will inspect and test our installation to confirm the work was performed correctly. If the customer-supplied equipment is defective, incomplete, or incompatible with the vehicle, our standard hourly labor rate will apply for troubleshooting, removal, replacement, or reinstallation

  • A: CAR•TOYS guarantees the quality of our installation for as long as you own the vehicle. If an issue is caused by our workmanship, we will inspect and repair the affected portion of the installation at no charge.

    ‍Q: What can void the workmanship warranty?

    A: The CAR•TOYS workmanship warranty covers the installation work performed by our technicians. The affected portion of the warranty may no longer apply if the installation is altered, damaged, abused, adjusted, or modified by another party. We will inspect the issue to determine if it relates to our original workmanship or a later change.

  • A: Installing aftermarket equipment does not automatically void your vehicle’s factory warranty. Under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a manufacturer or dealership generally cannot cancel warranty coverage simply because you used aftermarket products or had work performed by an independent installer. However, warranty coverage may be denied for a specific repair if the manufacturer can demonstrate that the aftermarket product or its installation caused or contributed to the failure. Other unrelated parts of your vehicle should remain covered according to the terms of the factory warranty.

    Q: What if an aftermarket product or installation is believed to have caused damage?

    A: CAR•TOYS uses proper installation methods and vehicle-specific integration products to protect your vehicle and its factory systems. If a concern arises, you must give CAR•TOYS a reasonable opportunity to inspect the vehicle, review the claimed damage, and address the issue before repairs are performed by another party. If our installation is shown to have caused the damage, we will take responsibility and work with you to make it right. CAR•TOYS also maintains insurance coverage for covered claims.

  • A: In most cases, yes. CAR•TOYS uses vehicle-specific adapters, wiring harnesses, and other low-impact installation methods whenever possible. This helps preserve the factory wiring and allows the vehicle to be returned to its original configuration later. Some installations may require permanent modifications due to the vehicle design or the equipment being installed. We will explain any required modifications and obtain your approval before proceeding. Reinstallation also depends on the original factory equipment and hardware being available and in usable condition. We recommend keeping all factory parts removed during the installation.