If I have to buy a head unit, I'll still support Crutchfield. They give the wiring harness adapter for free and the install instructions too.
I used to be like that - it changed for me when I bought the head unit for my STI. Crutchfield had it listed for like $430. On Amazon, I was able to get to the head unit ($350), harness wire adapter thing ($8), and installation face/kit ($12) for $370, ~$60 dollars cheaper. With that, I *still* almost bought it from Crutchfield because that's what I've always done. Until finally I realized I was about to spend ~$60 on literally nothing. Bought from Amazon. That broke the seal for me. Since then, I've always price matched between Crutchfield and Amazon (whereas I used to head straight to Crutchfield and bought it there without even looking anywhere else). Even now, the head unit I bought is listed on Cruthfield for $400. Their free stuff doesn't make up the $30 difference. I feel like they are still living in the catalog days (Crutchfield's heyday, I am sure) and aren't taking places like Amazon seriously as price competition. I started with Crutchfield when they were a catalog and there were no interwebs (thus my long-standing loyalty). However, "kids" these days don't care (they don't even know what ordering from a catalog is like). They just want it cheaper (and who doesn't?). Crutchfield will slowly lose it's loyal catalog fan base and all of a sudden discover people aren't buying from them anymore. All the extra support they offered wasn't available back then, but now there is youtube, blogs, forums, etc. It's not as much of a selling point anymore.
Whatever, rant over. Sorry. Crutchfield makes me mad cause I like them but they just cost too much these days.
