HOME PAGE

SOUTHERN ELECTRONICS Inc.
REPAIR RETURN INFORMATION
All You Need To Know
For Fast, Easy, Hassle Free 
Speedometer and Instrument Cluster Repair

An Important Message From Our President:

I am very pleased that you are considering sending your equipment to us to repair. Repair is the smart way to save money. See "Why Keep It Factory" for more details.

The process is really very simple....Just pack the unit well, ship it to us and you will get it back in just a few days.

Ahhh, but the details...

The information below will make the process simple and easy.There are no hidden charges or "Gotcha's". If you have any questions just call toll free
1-800-572-2880 Weekdays, 8-5:30 Eastern Time, for friendly expert help from a warm body, with NO automated attendant.

Thousands of people across America have trusted us to repair their equipment.For learn more about us see our credentials

     I Personally Guarantee You Will Be Satisfied With Our Service!
         Eric Sundberg, President & Owner, Southern Electronics.

Click On The Links Below To Get You Directly To That Section:

Pricing Policy: Changes In Estimated Price, Minor Repairs, No Trouble Found
Shipping Information: Preferred Carrier, Ship To Address, Information We Need
How To Pack: Tips On Minimizing Damage, Insurance, Call Tags, PO Boxes
Payment Information: Charge Cards Accepted, Needed Information, Checks, Quotes, COD, International 
Other Details: Turnaround Time, Subletting, Declined Repairs 
Warranty: Limitations, How The Warranty May Be Voided 
Legal Information
Privacy Statement: Customer Information, Email Policy, 
Information About Us
Return Shipping Label In PDF Acrobat form
Return Shipping Label In HTML, As A Web Page
Return Form Information We Need In PDF Acrobat Form
Return Form Information We Need In HTML, As A Web Page

For friendly expert help call: Toll free 1-800-572-2880
Local and International 1-804-423-1100
Hours 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, US Eastern Time, Weekdays
Best time to call 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, US Eastern Time
Email: ECS@InstrumentClusters.com

  1. PRICING INFORMATION
    1. ESTIMATES

      2. Our phone or email estimates are just that, but may vary. Please see the paragraphs just below. Usually the estimate is the correct amount in US dollars for completely remanufacturing your unit. This includes, all parts, labor, freight, handling and a one-year Ironclad, Hassle-Free Warranty. Free freight is for UPS ground shipment within the 48 states. For express return freight, COD Payments or other destinations, please contact us for additional shipping fees and currency conversions. 
      1. THE ESTIMATED PRICE IS TOO LOW

        2. In some cases our estimate may be too low. This may be due to an incorrect description, hidden corrosion, unsuccesfull prior repair attempts, undisclosed fluid intrusion or just an honest mistake. If we made an error and our estimate is too low we will contact you. You have the option to OK the charge or decline the repair. 
        If you decline the repair for this reason we will return your equipment at NO CHARGE to you.
      2. THE ESTIMATED PRICE IS TOO HIGH, MINOR REPAIRS

        3. If your unit just requires a minor adjustment like a display lamp or other part we may be able to repair it, but not overhaul it, for less than the email estimate. In that case we will contact you and give you the option of:
        1. Paying for just the part and partial repair labor. In this case the warranty is limited to just that part and labor for one year. If another problem arises we will apply the amount paid to a complete overhaul. 

          2. OR
        2. Approving a full overhaul at the estimated price with full warranty. 
    2. NO TROUBLE FOUND

      3. If your unit does not show a defect under a quick bench inspection, we will contact you with the following options.
      1. We will return your unit at no charge except for the shipping and handling charge of $12.95 However, after discussing it with you and getting a detailed complaint we may advise you that your complaint a partial or full overhaul and quote you a price.
      2. Complete a full environmental test and inspection for $75 including free return shipping. Tested units are disassembled, inspected, tested for 24 hours, reassembled, heat cycled, vibrated (to simulate the environmental conditions within a car) and re-tested on all functions. 
        1. If your unit still does not fail we will return it for $75.00 including shipping and handling. 

          2. If you get the unit back and a problem occurs within one year, we will pay for a UPS return freight tag and apply your $75 to the full overhaul. 
        2. If your unit does fail we will go ahead and completely overhaul for the FULL Email Estimate.

          3.  

           

          To minimize the chance of sending us a unit without a problem, just email us the make, model and year of car the the type of unit and a complete description of the problem to ecs@carradio.com BEFORE you ship. To save time you can use the same document to send with your repair. 

      3. Please contact us if you have a problem with a unit that we returned and could not find aproblem. That way we can advise about certain checks to be sure the problem is with the unit. We will issue a freight prepaid label so you can return it to us free and apply what you paid to a full overhaul. We will return the unit for $12.95 for freight and handling if a problem still can not be found. 
    To Return To The Top
    To Return To The Home Page Click Here
  2. SHIPPING INFORMATION
    1. PREFERRED CARRIER 

      2. We recommend UPS as they handle units carefully and provide the fastest delivery and best security. 
      1. If there is a problem UPS has the easiest claim process. 
        1. If you receive a unit damaged in shipping, save the box and all the packing, as it will be needed to make your claim.
        2. You must call UPS to intiate the claim, and UPS will come to inspect the box

          3.  

           
           
           

      2. To reduce the risk of theft, do not mark "speedometer" or "valuable" on the box. 
      3. UPS will not ship to a PO Box. Since we are not set up for US Mail package return there is an $20.00 extra charge for shipping to a PO Box. COD payment is not possible to a PO Box
      4. For international shipments be sure to indicate on the shipping document that your unit is in for REPAIR to speed Customs.

        5.  

         
         
         

    2. SHIPPING ADDRESS

      3. You may use your own label or to use the links below
      SOUTHERN ELECTRONICS Inc.
      730-A Research Road
      Richmond, VA 23236
      USA 
      1. Print this Acrobat PDF Shipping Label using the Adobe Acrobat Software(tm) found on most computers. Click the link and it will open automatically. If your computer does not have Acrobat, you can download a free copy from: Adobe.com. 
      2. Print this HTML Web Shipping Label, but the layout may be slightly distorted.

        3.  

         
         
         

    3. RETURN INFORMATION 

      4. You may send a handwritten note or use these links to our forms. Just be sure to include the information listed below and pack with the unit. Use either the Acorbat PDF return Form or the HTML Return Form, but the layout may be slightly distorted. 
      1. Your full name
      2. Your email address. This is usually the easiest way to contact you.
        1. Be sure to double-check the email address for mistakes.
        2. Your email is not shared with third parties, see our Privacy Statement

          3.  

           
           
           

      3. Return Shipping Address: Include: 
        1. Your Name
        2. Company Name (If Applicable)
        3. Apartment or Suite number
        4. Street Address
        5. City
        6. State
        7. Zip Code or Province
        8. Country

          9.  

           
           
           

      4. A detailed description of the problem. The more details the better. For example does the problem occur on AM? FM? Cassette? CD? One or All Speakers? Hot? Cold? Always? etc. 
      5. A weekday, daytime telephone number. Please include your time zone, area code and country code. 
      6. A copy of our email reply estimate, or a statement of our phone estimate. We will repair and return your unit for the estimated maximum or less unless you request a firm quote before we start. See Pricing
      7. Payment Information: credit card information, payment, COD request, or Request For Quote.

        8.  

         
         
         

    To Return To The Top


    To Return To The Home Page Click Here

  3. HOW TO PACK
    1. Pack the equipment well in a sturdy box leaving 3 inches clearance minimum on all sides. Shippers will not pay for damaged units that are poorly packed. Bubble wrap works great. Wrap the unit three or four times than tape and place in a snug box. You may also use Kraft(tm) paper, poly air bags or foam rubber for shock absorption and separation from the box sides. Do not use Styrofoam (tm) peanuts, or other such material as the unit will shift in the box and can be damaged.
    2. On older radios with volume and tone shafts, be sure to provide extra protection like cardboard tubes or spacers, as they are damaged easily and often irreplaceable.
    3. Be sure to insure the unit well, at UPS it's just a $0.35 per hundred dollars of value. The first hundred is free. If you are sending a vintage unit, err on the high side, as they are to replace or value...
    4. To save a trip to UPS, just contact Us and we can send you a prepaid UPS "ARS" tag. After you receive the tag just call your local UPS office to schedule a pickup. They will come to any business location even if the location does not have regular pickups.
    5. We can ship to a P.O. Box or Military address for $20 in addition to the email estimate, but COD payment is not possible.

      6.  

       
       
       

    To Return To The Top

    To Return To The Home Page Click Here

  4. PAYMENT INFORMATION

    5.  

     
     
     

    1. PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARD IS PREFERRED.

      2. THIS IS THE FASTEST WAY
      On credit cards, no charges are made until the work is ready to ship. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. If you feel more secure you may call in ahead with the information or request for us to call you after we get the unit, but this will slow things down. Please include:
      1. The type of card 
      2. The credit card number 
      3. The expiration date 
      4. The exact spelling of the name on the card 
      5. The address where bills for the credit card are received. 
    2. PRE-PAYMENT BY CHECK

      3. , WILL ADD SEVERAL DAYS TO THE PROCESS
      NOTE: Unless you tell us not to, we will deposit your check when we get your unit, to speed up the process. For personal checks, company checks, and money orders just send in the amount of the estimate. We will work on your unit right away, but we will wait 14 days for the check to clear before we ship your unit back. For security, we will send refunds by US mail for overpayments for Minor Repairs or No Trouble Found.
    3. FOR PAYMENT AFTER YOU SEND THE UNIT YOU MAY REQUEST A FREE QUOTE, 

      4. BUT THIS IS THE SLOWEST WAY
      You may just send the unit in with the above information and we will send you a free quote.
      1. Be sure to send payment promptly. If we do not receive payment within 90 days we will presume you declined the repair we will dispose of the unit. See Declined Repairs and our Legal Notice.

        2.  

         
         
         

    4. COD PAYMENTS. (Cash On Delivery)

      5. THIS IS AS FAST THE CHARGE CARD METHOD, BUT ADDS $15.00 (the UPS fee), AND MUST PAID IN CERTIFIED FUNDS
      COD is a available for Cash or Certified Funds only and return shipments must be to a physical address within the USA. There is an additional $15.00 fee that UPS charges for this service. 
      1. The shipping carrier will return CODs to us that are not accepted and paid for after 3 attempts. If you do not arrange payment within 90 days we will dispose of your unit. See our Legal Notice. 
    5. INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS

      6. For international shipments prepaid cash or wiring of funds is preferred. Payment by credit card requires a $25.00 verification fee.
    To Return To The Top

    To Return To The Home Page Click Here
  5. OTHER DETAILS

    6.  

     
     
     

    1. TURN AROUND TIME

      2. Repairs usually take a one to four days, unless we need to order a part which occurs rarely. If that is the case we will notify you.
      1. VINTAGE UNITS

        2. Vintage units take one to four weeks or more to repair, as some parts are hand made and very time consuming. 
    2. SUBLET REPAIR

      3. On rare occasions we may need to send your unit or a sub assembly to a special factory center, which may add several weeks or more. We will notify you if this occurs.
       
       
    3. DECLINED REPAIRS

      4. If you send the unit in for a free estimate and decline the repair, there is a $12.95 fee for return shipping and handling. 
      1. If you declined the repair because our estimate was too low, there will be no return charge for freight and handling. See Estimates Priced Too Low for details.
      2. If you do not contact us to pay the return fee within 90 days we will presume you have given us the unit to dispose of.
    To Return To The Top

    To Return To The Home Page Click Here
  6. IRONCLAD HASSLE-FREE ONE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY*

    7. Although we have to detail warranty limitations to "keep it legal", I stand behind every repair we do and will see to it that we make it right.
    I Personally Guarantee You Will Be Satisfied With Our Service!
    Eric Sundberg, President & Owner, Southern Electronics.
    1. ENTIRE UNIT WARRANTED

      2. Our warranty covers all parts, labor and shipping on the ENTIRE UNIT not just the parts we replace, unless the unit is abused. This is a "limited" warranty, but we will do what it takes to get your unit fixed for no additional money. On older units or special circumstances we may limit the warranty further. 
      1. If we repair a unit for a reduced charge the warranty is reduced also. See Minor Repairs or No Trouble Found sections above, on how we handle these. 
      2. *WARRANTY LIMITATIONS. The Fine Print Our Lawyers Require:
        1. WARRANTY PERIOD

          2. The one-year warranty period is started from the day the unit is shipped back to you. 
        2. WARRANTY EXTENSIONS: 

          3. No additional warranty periods are extended unless additional charges are made.
        3. LIMITATION OF OUR LIABILITY

          4. Our liability for this repair, whether in contract, tort or any other legal theory, is limited to, and will not exceed the replacement cost of the unit or $1500, whichever is less. In no event will we be liable for any special, incidental or consequential damages, whether based on breach of contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise. 
        4. LEGAL VENUE & APPLICABLE LAW

          5. Our repairs may be received from all 50 states and around the world. Each of these places has a different set of laws making it impossible to keep track of all of these laws and their requirements. Therefore you agree that our repair contract will be governed by:
          1. The laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, unless pre-empted by Federal law.
          2. In addition, you agree and consent that if there is ever any legal action taken against us, it will be in the Courts of Chesterfield, Virginia, or in Federal Court in the Eastern District of Virginia. These Courts will have exclusive jurisdiction and be the exclusive venue for any such legal actions. 

            3.  

             
             
             

        5. WARRANTY VOIDED BY DAMAGE

          6. Our warranty is voided if the unit is damaged by misuse or abuse. Some examples are listed below. Since we don't believe anyone does these things on purpose, we will attempt to repair the unit if possible at a discounted cost, considering you are still our customer. If repair is not possible we will offer a replacement at a reduced price from retail. Since some damage may be invisible, we hold the final determination of warranty coverage. Possible causes of damage that will void our warranty: 
          1. Physical damage. For example, you drop the unit.
          2. Abuse. For example you pry a CD magazine out

            3. with a screw driver damaging the mechanism. 
          3. Improperly jump starting the vehicle
          4. Charging a battery while still connected to the vehicle
          5. Over fusing the unit power wires
          6. Reverse polarity
          7. Shorting the speaker wires to each other or to the car body
          8. Fluid intrusion
          9. Theft or Vandalism
          10. Fire, flood or acts of God.

            11.  

             
             
             

    2. LEGAL INFORMATION
      1. LOCATION. Southern Electronics' Inc. storefront location is at 730-A Research Rd. Richmond, VA, 23236 USA.
      2. Southern Electronics is the trade name for Navtronix LLC, a Virginia Corporation. Our corporate administrative address in Richmond, VA. and our registered agent is Wayne Hartke Esq., Hartke & Hartke, 7367 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22043, USA

        3.  

         
         
         

    To Return To The Top

    To Return To The Home Page Click Here

  7. PRIVACY STATEMENT
      8.  
    1. CUSTOMER INFORMATION

      2. All customer information will only be used by Southern Electronics and not disclosed to any third party except unless required by a court of law with competent jurisdiction
    2. CONTACTING CUSTOMERS BY EMAIL

      3. Customers may be contacted by email to expedite the repair and to follow up on warranty or recalls.
    3. CREDIT CARD INFORMATION

      4. Credit card information is not kept in a computerized database. Information is recorded on paper and filed securely as required by the charge companies to document charges and disputes
       
    To Return To The Top

    To Return To The Home Page Click Here

  8. ABOUT SOUTHERN ELECTRONICS:

    9.  

     
     
     

    1. Southern is trusted by car dealers and other service shops nationwide to repair their

      2. customer's audio systems, speedometers and instrument clusters. 
    2. Our installers and technicians are factory trained and certified with an average of 15 years 

      3. experience. They know car electronics. 
    3. Our customer service people are knowledgeable automotive professionals, not order takers. 
    4. We are a member of the Richmond, VA Better Business Bureau
    5. Southern Electronics is owned by Eric Sundberg, who's credentials include: 
      1. 30 years of hands on car audio and speedometer repair experience. 
      2. Recipient of Ford Motor Company's Q1 award 
      3. Former member of the GM, Ford and Chrysler (President) Radio Distributor Councils. 
      4. Wrote the Vehicle Radio Diagnostic Manual for Ford Motor Company and developed

        5. test equipment for Ford that is still used at car dealers today. 
      5. USA, FCC First Class Radiotelephone Engineering License, w/Radar 
      6. USA, Amateur Extra Class License Holder, KA4T 
      7. Certified Master Electronics Technician, CET 
      8. Has supervised the repair of over 500,000 (really!)radios, cd and cassette players and speedometers over the past 30 years.
    To Return To The Top
    To Return To The Home Page Click Here
    1. Basic Troubleshooting Guide:
      1. THIS INFORMATION IS COMING SOON

        2. In the mean time for troubleshooting assistance please call:
        Toll free 1-866-263-5263
        Local and International 1-804-423-1100
        Hours 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, US Eastern Time, Weekdays
        Best time to call 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, US Eastern Time
        Or email: ECS@CarRadio.com
    To Return To The Top
    To Return To The Home Page Click Here

    Copyright 2000 - 2004 Eric Sundberg, All rights reserved.
    No Part May Be Copied Or Reproduced In Any Form Without Written Permission.