Warentee Hell

OK, before, I alluded to a problem that I was having with my TV.

When I purchased my big screen HD TV, I did so a t a major box store (rhymes with WEST BUY) I was encouraged to get the extra warrantee. Usually I an NOT in favor of purchasing these things as in general I think they are a rip off but the 17 year old kid went on to tell me:

The projection model I purchased had a light bulb and the factory one was “junk” a replacement would be needed in 3 years, and the warrantee is $200 the bulb is near $500 so it’s a no brainer.

So I went for it, and he was right. 2 ½ years later my TV went blank.

So being a “large Screen” I had in home service, but since I did not know for sure it was just the bulb. I called Best… well the store, and I made a warrantee claim. The asked me to call a local repair shop, they gave me a number, and that is how it started.

What happened next was a 48 day odyssey of trials and tribulations that nobody should ever have to go through. Barb was kind enough to meet the “technician” they sent out. Here is a clue: if work with the public, I.E. interact with people face to face and or go into their homes, learn some basic hygiene skills. When, well we will just call say his name rhymes with Crusty, showed up he was rude, dirty, smelly and made the mechanic from the move U-Turn seem rather reputable. Apparently, in home service in this case meant he came to pick it up so he could take it back for diagnosis. When I called to complain, I found, he was the only technician and would be the one fixing my TV. Lovely.

Somehow, once they realized it was under warrantee, and I was not going to fall for any of there “we don’t know if it will call be covered” bullshit… my case got lost. The parts had to be ordered, re ordered, approved by the warrantee before they were ordered well you get it. I was given miss-information, and basically given the run around for a month and ½. Although I will fault the shop for 85% of the problem, the warrantee people lost my claim once in the whole process (“ I’m sorry sir, I just don’t see you made a claim for this.” Really you have already sent the paperwork the freaking shop how does that work!!) . The worst part: not once did someone call me, I had to make near a dozen calls, in the end it was my regular Tuesday phone call, my morning hassle if you will.

When all was said and done, after spending most of the college football season w/o my TV, here is the topper. When I finally called and found it was done (yes again they did not bother to tell me it was ready) the same guy meet me at my home, to drop it off. I asked him to just, help me place it on the floor near the stand, I would do the “set up” later. OK but the bulb “counter” had to be re-set, and you have to do it with the remote, which he did not have. He was going to write the instructions down but I said… oh no, you are here you do it. I plugged it in and to my astonishment the pillar of professionalism could not do it. Why? I had no “PIP” button, I had to have a “pip” button. I pointed out I had a “slit screen” button but no that would not work. Finally he left, w/o completing the task promising to “fax” me the instructions by the next day. I did get the fax, I did compete the sequence to reset the meter (it used the “split screen” button for my model) . So what is the moral? Know ahead who you will be dealing with, find out first who is reputable (later my neighbor told me a similar experience with this shop) then call the warrantee in and don’t except anyone but the shop you like. Be prepared to play some games, and in the end be patient.

Its just so said that a shop like this can exist, take someone for a ride and survive to see another day.