One way to make your car feel more “high-end” is by modifying it.
There are many non-destructive ways that one can modify their vehicle. For example, social media is filled with stories of people adding new infotainment systems to their old cars. These will allow old stereos to hook up via Bluetooth and even use Apple CarPlay.
However, some modifications can be more trouble than they’re worth. Plus, if they’re performed incorrectly, they can mess up the car.
TikTok user Kay (@kbrodzz) recently learned this after attempting to get a new car part installed at Best Buy. Now, she’s issuing a warning about the company.
What Went Wrong With This Woman’s Car Installation at Best Buy?
In her video, which currently has over 397,000 views, Kay recalls how Best Buy broke her car to the point where it required over $1,000 in repairs.
According to Kay, her remote start broke on her Mazda. She decided to buy a new one from Best Buy, which she says came with new features and a free installation.
“My appointment’s at 10:45 in the morning. My boyfriend has to be home by 2 for work. We thought that was plenty of time because the guy said it’s only gonna take two hours. Perfect,” she recalls.
However, after dropping her car off, things quickly went awry. By 1:30, she still did not have the car back, and when she asked the technician about it, she got some bad news.
“He calls my phone. It went to voicemail,” Kay recounts. “The voicemail says, ‘Something happened in your car.’”
According to Kay, the technician, Brandon, explained that he had trouble removing the car battery’s negative terminal, so he disconnected the positive one instead. This caused the car to stop starting entirely.
This Best Buy Car Installation Gets Worse
Kay was then told that only a Mazda dealership could fix her issue—and that she would need to pay for a tow to the closest one. When she got there, she was told that her car was in a worse state than she thought.
“This man chopped up the wires underneath,” she states. “There’s no issue with the push to start connecting. He chopped up the wires and never put them back together.”
The total that she was quoted for the repair was $1,070 after tax.
What came next was a series of phone calls between Kay and Best Buy in order to resolve the payment issue. Eventually, she managed to learn that she would need to print out a statement from the repair center and physically bring it to the Best Buy location. Only after she did that would Best Buy’s insurer, Sedgwick, make her whole.
Thus, she brought the paperwork to Best Buy and was told she would hear back within a day. She did not hear back—and so, she emailed the CEO of Best Buy. While he did not respond, someone else on the executive team did. She was given her Sedgwick case number, which was filed later than she was told, and instructed to wait.
She Gets Her Refund From Best Buy
In a follow-up video, Kay says that, after more email arguments and a phone call, she was able to get reimbursed for the repairs.
While she tried to also get reimbursed for the gas she used to solve this issue, and the work she lost owing to having to deal with this, she was told that such payments were not possible.
Although Kay says she’s happy to have the problem partially solved, she says she’s still disappointed with the way Best Buy handled things. She also notes that they’ve seen her videos, as the company is responding to other people’s comments, but she says they won’t take accountability for what they did to her car.
“They’ve literally been the worst people to work with or contact,” she summarizes.
@kbrodzz part 1: thanks for destroying my car and not caring @Best Buy @Mazda USA #bestbuy #fyp #car #coriebarry ♬ original sound – kay
Commenters Have Questions
In the comments section, some users questioned why she would get her car serviced at Best Buy in the first place.
“‘My remote start wasn’t working, so I went the cheapest route possible. Now I have problems.’ You don’t say,” joked a user.
“Going to best but for car stuff, is like going to Burger King for office supplies,” declared another.
However, others countered that going to Best Buy for car products was common. Furthermore, many noted their support for Kay throughout this saga, with a few even sharing their own Best Buy car horror stories.
“Best Buy blew the airbags in a coworkers Tahoe, causing his insurance to total it. It happened in 2022 and the lawsuit is still going,” alleged a user.
“They drilled a hole through my sisters gas tank years ago,” claimed a second.
The Mary Sue reached out to Best Buy via email and Kay via Instagram and TikTok direct message.
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