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Report: #757995

Complaint Review: Zippo's Car Stereo - Belleville New Jersey

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  • Reported By: UNSATISFIED IN NJ — Parsippany New Jersey United States of America
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  • Zippo's Car Stereo 745 Washington Avenue, Belleville, NJ 07109-2838 Belleville, New Jersey United States of America

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Before you purchase anything beware of Zippos Car Stereo!
 
let me tell you about my first time experience with Zippo's Car Stereo in Belleville NJ, before you decide to purchase anything or have anything installed in your vehicle by these
unqualified morons hear me out and try to learn from my horrible experience, i
searched around on the internet for installers in NJ for my top of the line
2-way VIPER car alarm system with all its components for my very rare (200 ever
made) exotic European sports car that i have invested thousands in with very
high performance parts , After looking through a installers list from the Viper
website for authorized dealers and installers the closest place was ZIPPOS CAR
STEREO, i called and spoke with Mike Z the owner over the phone and left my car
overnight by his instructions he asked for my credit card number over the phone
before working on my car (I thought i was working with a professional company,
unfortunately i was WRONG!) after waiting days for my car, I received a call
from Mike Z telling me my car was finished and to come pick it up, when i got
to ZIPPOS CAR STEREO my car was parked in the back,the Hood was open, doors
were unlocked when i opened the door there were wires hanging out exposed in
the door jam, wires hanging from under the dashboard, hood broken, harness
cables were hanging exposed, the fuse panel was hanging off dangerously by cut
and unprotected wires, my brand new trunk release button(i just paid $60 for installed
at the dealer) was destroyed by the installer, wires were clipped and taped
unprofessionally, the alarm didn't work properly, NOTHING worked!! i had
already paid over the phone with my credit card because i was under the
impression that the office was going to be closed when i arrived there, i
immediately expressed my dissatisfaction to MIKE, he tried to just say they
were minor things and hurried me off by tucking the exposed wires back under
the dash, that same day i brought my car immediately to another installer
because my fuse panel was hanging off the firewall and nearly fell off while
driving making very dangerous wires exposed i went right to SOUND WAVES in
Parsippany, NJ which to my satisfaction was a VERY professional company, with
polite, professional and knowledgeable staff Vinny and the owner made an
appointment for me right away and understood my concern they wanted to make
things right for me, they took pictures and showed me all the errors and
damaged that ZIPPOS CAR STEREO caused, they had to UN-INSTALL and then
RE-INSTALL, fix all the wires and re-connect everything, the entire system all
over again, repair my wiring harness and components, I WOULD SUGGEST TO
EVERYONE READING THIS TO AVOID ZIPPOS CAR STEREO! BAD BUSINESS! , after i called
ZIPPOS back and spoke with Mike about a refund he was extremely rude, offensive
and swore at me over the phone he hung up the phone 4 times telling me to get
lost acting like a real jerk, he insisted that i came back and had it
uninstalled right away( i wasnt letting that idiot touch my car after all the
damage they caused my car wiring)   after
i spend money at his store and they broke my car nearly setting it on fire with
all the exposed wires sparking, damaged my fuse panel, wiring harness, trunk
connections, buttons and breaking components i just purchased Mike was RUDE and
began to curse at me, its a good thing that i recorded the conversation and
took pictures right away before i left. ultimately this experience with ZIPPOS
was one of the MOST Horrible i have dealt with any company before
unprofessional, amateurs i wouldnt have them touch ANYTHING! in fact i would
avoid ALL business with them entirely after my experience, i have been in the
Custom and exotic Car business for 17 years and dealt with many companies
throughout the years doing custom stereo and installations, this was by far the
WORST i have ever seen and also Sound Waves, Parsippany has ever seen as well,
they called this one of the worst hack jobs they have EVER seen! - AVOID ZIPPOS
CAR STEREO! DONT PURCHASE ANYTHING FROM THIS CON ARTIST! 

This has cost me thousands to now repair and im seeking legal counsel presently.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 07/29/2011 04:33 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/zippos-car-stereo/belleville-new-jersey-07109/zippos-car-stereo-zippos-car-stereo-nj-car-stereo-alarm-install-viper-alarms-car-s-757995. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
2Author
8Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#10 Consumer Comment

Happy Zippo's Customer

AUTHOR: xlskulls - (United States of America)

POSTED: Wednesday, May 02, 2012

All I can say is wow!

I was just looking for directions to the Zippos location in East Brunswick and came across this review. I have to say Im more than a little surprised. I have been going to Zippos (as has my family) for over 20 years. Ive met Mike Zippo and he has never been anything but nice and accommodating to me.

I recently had a radar detector installed by Zippos in Belleville, in my brand new BMW 5 series, and when I get the car back, the
installation was nothing short of amazing! I didnt see a single wire, a scratch or even a blemish on my new car.  Nothing has fallen off and it works great. I honestly cannot see how the job could have been done any better.

Im a very satisfied (and real) Zippos customer and I highly recommend Zippos.

I am sure the gentleman who wrote the original review is not a happy customer and as he states, that is his right. There are always two sides to every story and the truth is usually somewhere in the middle, that being said, you just dont stay in business for over 40 years if you as bad as described here, you just dont period. I also hope Mike Zippo sees these reviews and comments. Ive known him for years and there is not a nicer person on the planet (which is what shocked me most about this review), Im sure he would want to make everything right.

I hope it works out for everyone but in the end, I am 100% satisfied with Zippos.

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#9 Consumer Comment

Happy Zippo's Customer

AUTHOR: xlskulls - (United States of America)

POSTED: Wednesday, May 02, 2012

All I can say is wow!

I was just looking for directions to the Zippos location in East Brunswick and came across this review. I have to say Im more than a little surprised. I have been going to Zippos (as has my family) for over 20 years. Ive met Mike Zippo and he has never been anything but nice and accommodating to me.

I recently had a radar detector installed by Zippos in Belleville, in my brand new BMW 5 series, and when I get the car back, the
installation was nothing short of amazing! I didnt see a single wire, a scratch or even a blemish on my new car.  Nothing has fallen off and it works great. I honestly cannot see how the job could have been done any better.

Im a very satisfied (and real) Zippos customer and I highly recommend Zippos.

I am sure the gentleman who wrote the original review is not a happy customer and as he states, that is his right. There are always two sides to every story and the truth is usually somewhere in the middle, that being said, you just dont stay in business for over 40 years if you as bad as described here, you just dont period. I also hope Mike Zippo sees these reviews and comments. Ive known him for years and there is not a nicer person on the planet (which is what shocked me most about this review), Im sure he would want to make everything right.

I hope it works out for everyone but in the end, I am 100% satisfied with Zippos.

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#8 Author of original report

MY POINT PROVEN.... Thank you!

AUTHOR: UNSATISFIED IN NJ - (USA)

POSTED: Thursday, August 04, 2011

I was really hoping Mike Zippo would comment after i made my original complaint with his usual foul mouthed attitude, uneducated horrible business ethic and excuses like he has before and now he has proven himself in black and white for all to see Permanently exactly who he is and what Zippos Car Stereo is all about BAD business, poor attitudes, ruthless ripoffs without concern for customer satisfaction at all, straight out Zippos Car Stereo / Mike Zippo and Company are just looking to make a quick buck any way possible to hustle people dishonorable if necessary like a street thug off canal street in New York selling bad products , to make the quickest sale possible to rip someone off and make a quick buck off some poor uneducated consumer

but NOT anymore, no more will Zippos Car Stereo be able to take advantage of customers anymore without people or business's seeing this experience and making a judgement call!

 the best part about ripoff report is this will be a PERMANENT listing directly under his poor business ethic on the internet, reviews and multiple listings right under his business listings and reviews forever! they will never take this down and the fact that he responds more only makes the listing go up further in the search engines keep writing back with more uneducated responses it only helps my cause!

I have already proven my point about Zippos Ripoff Car Stereo, BAD BUSINESS, BAD ETHICS , POOR FOUL MOUTHED CON ARTISTS you can see for yourself what i had to put up with, so anyone reading this that wants to do business with a complete fool like that just deserves whats heading there direction!

Now you can see the mentality, foul character and nefarious attitude concerning Zippos Car Stereo and singularly the owner Mike Zippo, those are actual entries from the OWNER of Zippos Car Stereo (Mike Zippo) along with his Staff instigating and prodding further repercussions against the already pending fraud installations by unqualified, unfortified employees. 

Someone asked me in an earlier posting about other unsatisfied customers lists , just search Zippos Car Stereo Reviews you will see dozens of different reports and internet listings, complaints and unsatisfied customers that have provided there email address for contact about these matters with the search engine companies all i needed to do was to inquire about contacting them for legal matters and was provided there email address and contact information the customers were more then happy and willing to help and hear my experience and voice there concerns also this could even gear itself up for a class action lawsuit.

Recently,  I was reading a review about a Unsuspecting customer that had another Shoddy, incorrect, fraud install from these unqualified monkey employees at Zippos Car Stereo and they were referred by the Mazda Dealership (Not Anymore mind you they have already been contacted and shown my experiences with them along with the other unsatisfied customers) they had issues with Mike Zippo as well with his Horrible attitude and foul mouth as usual.

Here are the FACTS , if you choose to still continue to do business with Zippos Crook Stereo's then that's your Constitutional rights as an American Citizen, but its also my Constitutional rights to tell you the FACTS and voice them about MY first time experience with this nefarious company Zippos Car Stereo and in my opinion they are not worth a second look, pass them by with your wallet held tightly and closed and go somewhere else to spend your money with quality, honest and fair business practices, you will find better prices and installations at best buy at least they honor a warranty and provide a quality reputable service




     

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#7 General Comment

Hey you!

AUTHOR: Adolph - (USA)

POSTED: Thursday, August 04, 2011
Ok, Johnny,
.
I fully realize Im just satisfying your interest in what you consider attention, but I feel compelled to critique your last entry.
.
I also realize that acerbic, incogitable, truly ignorant rant is your best insult given your obvious double digit I.Q. and apparent total lack of any formal education.
.
Actually, I find it somewhat humorous in a disgusting, pathetic sort of way. You have inarguably proven you lack the mental capacity and vocabulary to even deliver a viable insult to others.
Id be inclined to label it ghetto lingo except the denizens of the ghetto at least  have the capability to get a cognizant insult across.
.
Youre absolutely pathetic. Your demonstarted mental capacity would indicate no need for meals or food, just an occasional watering.
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#6 General Comment

ok crybaby

AUTHOR: johnny glades - (USA)

POSTED: Wednesday, August 03, 2011

1 more time you paid without checking you entered into agreement and you left without at least trying to let them get a installer to fix it . ok i used a period is that proper or should i show you my english credentials? ok boy wonder this is the last time im gonna post cause it seems you are just waiting for responses from people (no one cares) you made your point go to the courts and ill see you there .it seems all you have to do all day is cry about mistakes well to be truthfull your mom made a mistake and it was you now we all have to hear you cry piss and moan with your moms brest milk dripping from your mouth that you got screwed , your werent the only one your mom got screwed too last night . yes you know what i mean and refer to me as daddy you little cry baby. so see ya j-off enjoy crying to people about you so called bad install and move on and stop using other posters  jokes like mine breast milk boy. oh yeah that sixth grade level comment really gay like you, hey where you touched as a child? well se ya lolser i left some words on here mispelled simon go find them







it must have killed you all day that i did not respond mr spell check unlike you i have a job a life  and a lunch  date with your mom yup nooner.

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#5 General Comment

Tell 'ya what, Johnny.........

AUTHOR: Adolph - (USA)

POSTED: Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Your fractured English entry is written as if you just got off "mother's breast milk"
within the last week.
.
That's the longest sentence I've ever seen. Get some help, or better yet have someone
who made it to 6th. grade compose your next entry.
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#4 Consumer Comment

I don't think so

AUTHOR: coast - (USA)

POSTED: Tuesday, August 02, 2011

"i have lists of unsatisfied angry customers on the internet and from The Better Business Bureau and other Organizations"

The BBB does not supply that information. What are the other organizations?

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#3 General Comment

get help

AUTHOR: johnny glades - (USA)

POSTED: Tuesday, August 02, 2011

so you say you took 58 pictures and you dont think they are doctered well i disagree what i mean by doctored is that you pulled wiring from all over the car took pictures and said look a sloppy install, am i right so far because you said when you piucked it up you took many snapshots. a video would have been more sufficent now am i correct you pompus idiot. now number 2 you say that you went to sound waves and had vinny and his boss agree with you typical just to get buisness, but why do i believe you have messed the car up and are not just trying to get a free install , ok brainiac here we go you drop your car off at zippos tell them to install you system you agree to a price job is done you pay by credit card over the phone, yet let me add that you did not come to the store where you got this installed and had them do a 360 of your vehicle so really who is at fault . so now you go to sound waves and let them install your system as i said in other posts they told you what you wanted to hear and see, where are the before and after shots of your car if it's that cherry lets see it, sothen you claim they did damage to your car other than the pictures you show here i do not  believe that the switch was new. moving on so now you call mike back and tape the conversation without his knowledge which is illegal  and you say he was cursing at you well post it here stop talking and start proving i think only half of what your saying is true im sure you called prior to taping cursing and threating. so you also say you been in the biz 17 years and you cant do it yourself genius? so now your gonna run around telling everyone of your bad  trip to zippo's your fault loser. you paid before you checked the work you singed into  agreement and paid without checking your work . now thatv tells me you have a iq just 1 point above retarded, and by the way please tell me when the court date is i will come bring those pictures of your very rare car im sure it is special like you brainiac.   







seems someone was on breastmilk too long.

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#2 Author of original report

Ripoff Artist reply from Zippos as expected

AUTHOR: UNSATISFIED IN NJ - (USA)

POSTED: Tuesday, August 02, 2011

the only people who looks like an liars are Zippos Car Stereo and Mike Zippo for ripping people off this is the age of "Power to the people through the internet"

business's need to take responsibility for there bad work, Bad Craftsmanship and damage that they caused and not using excuses or hiding.

people will no longer deal with bad business anymore with this Company Zippos Car Stereo!

they will no longer do business with Zippos Car stereo companies because they continue to do bad business!!!! 

many other customers have been unsatisfied besides myself with the horrible service at Zippos Car Stereo's i have lists of unsatisfied angry customers on the internet and from The Better Business Bureau and other Organizations that stand up for consumers that have dealt with this legally and they have been contacted also through many of the other bad reviews and after my experience i believe i will dedicate my entire time legally, morally and ethically letting people know NOT to do business with Zippos car stereo ever again

they do not hire qualified people to work on peoples vehicles i would like to see references and qualifications including ASE certifications for vehicle electrical systems for the technical staff and installers including "Rich B" who destroyed my vehicles wiring, left wires hanging, and ran home because it was a Saturday afternoon and he didn't feel like working that day so he hazardously slopped together my Alarm system damaged my vehicles wiring and rushed through the entire job that i paid top dollar$$$$  for! 

take a look here also at the reviews from other customers if you think its just me?

http://businessfinder.nj.com/142659/Zippos-Car-Stereo-Belleville-NJ

these unsatisfied customers were contacted and will be more then willing to go testify in court on behalf of anyone that has had to deal with Zippos Car Stereo's Bad business ethic and went through similar problems.

Zippos Car Stereo Damaged my Vehicle and finally after going through this horrible experience Mike Zippo the owner acted like a Pompous Jerk to first time customers, i don't care if he has been in business for 40 years bad business is BAD BUSINESS, maybe this has made him feel to cocky that he can rip customers off and use that as an excuse with his unsatisfied customers and not take responsibility for his bad business practices and actions for the unqualified installers and shoddy dangerously rigged craftsmanship and not to mention rude behavior , he should learn how to treat unsatisfied customers, Hire qualified staff to install products and NOT damaged peoples vehicles, PERIOD!

Viper Car alarms has also been contacted they are very upset, and frankly quite angry that i went through this experience at Zippos Car Stereo's after i paid top dollar for a TOP of the LINE VIPER Alarm system.

Directed Electronics Inc. have been sent a file with 58 pictures in detail of this horrible work and they even commented on this

Viper Car Alarm Systems/ Directed Electronics Management said:

"After several technicians have reviewed your pictures we fully understand your concerns. This is not the correct procedure for installation of our Viper Alarm Systems, we recommend that you have another installer that is qualified from our listing below install your new Viper Alarm System, We thank you for your business,  we have received several complaints about Zippos Car Stereo in the future we would recommend another installer, we apologize for your trouble and as a courtesy we have returned your new system ******************** , please understand that Zippos Car Stereo is in no way affiliated with or recommended any longer by Directed Electronics Inc. /Viper Alarm Systems Zippos Car Stereo has been removed from our listings for authorized Viper installers due to the large number of complaints we have received"


 they immediately removed Zippos Car Stereo's from the Authorized dealers list and have taken off there recommendations for installer referral, other business's will be contacted due to this bad business and they will know about this experience with myself and other customers, I explained that i have been in the Automotive business for years and know many people in the business that will back me up.

If you feel this is just a singular opinion maybe Mike Zippo should explain himself in front of a Judge while 10 unsatisfied customers give there stories?

maybe you can testify on his behalf with your expertise as you say that these pictures seem doctored? which is a LIE,  you must be an Expert in Photograph forensics because that would be the ONLY way you can accuse someone of doctoring a picture which i highly doubt you are with your horrible grammar and similar rudeness to Mike Zippo the owner in fact i would even suspect that it is in fact Mike Zippo that made the response.

So now you know the facts, these pictures were taken the SAME DAY AS I PICKED MY CAR UP DATED AND TIME STAMPED , i have 58 more pictures detailing this event and its entirety along with expert opinions from 4 other business's that have given me written and visual confirmation from Expert Automotive ASE certified and Automotive electrical master technicians , time stamped and dated, i have pictures from the DAY i picked my vehicle on Zippos Car stereo parking lot in Belleville, i have eye witness's that saw the wires hanging out from under the dash dangerously, the door jam wires hanging out and fuse panel hanging off dangerously these people are eye witness's as well so everyone else is a liar? come on now stop with the excuses for this BAD BUSINESS! 

Now he will have to explain this bad business behavior, Damage and irresponsibility on a larger scale.

If he would have just been a nicer person, more customer friendly and had someone qualified to install products this wouldn't have escalated as much as it is going. but continue i encourage you to continue this escapade of lies on behalf of this bad business, every dog has there day and some have to explain themselves in a court of law.

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#1 General Comment

grow up

AUTHOR: johnny glades - (United States of America)

POSTED: Monday, August 01, 2011

ok so here we go with somebody bashing a true fine family buisness who have been around for 40 years . first of all let me say these pictures do you no justice they seem doctored ,and if you do not know what i mean im saying you are a most likely a liar, i know these people personally and never had a problem. the pictures you show only show some of the vehicle you speak of you say it's exotic rare and only 200 made well i say you should pick your lies a little better seems vinny and sound waves in nj are a buch of phonie lying creeps who pray on fools like you, you show no inside outside or face shots of your vehicle all i see are wires relays and a idiot from sound waves with a wort on his finger can we say (bad hygene). so in closing all i can say is you can bash anybody you want but vinny and his half a** boss only told you want you wanted to hear they show you only want you wanted to see, please if your gonna bash a company  show some better pictures these do no justice your cause seems vinny and sound waves are a bunch of bulls***ter$. p s get a shrink loser you sound like you dated your sister too long

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