Best Buy's warranty and support officially suck

[Ioman]

Well as most of you know, Best buy has had my laptop for over a month now trying to fix the network jack. After spending a day trying to figure out the problem, they told me they will be replacing the whole motherboard and to expect it to take a couple more weeks. They will not refund my money OR give me a new laptop. I only owned this laptop for 4 weeks before taking it in. Nothing like buying somthing brand new and having it ruined by their technicians.

[dang]

Ouch!!

That must really suck. Isn't there something in your warranty about certain repairs, like a MB replacement, allowing you to just get a new laptop or a refund?

I can't believe they wont give you a refund. That sucks.

[Ioman]

Originally posted by dang
Ouch!!

That must really suck. Isn't there something in your warranty about certain repairs, like a MB replacement, allowing you to just get a new laptop or a refund?

I can't believe they wont give you a refund. That sucks.

There is a lemon law in the extended warranty which says that if there are 3 repairs, then it will be replaced. Personally at this point I am going to wait until the replacement system (centrino based) comes out and then claim a 3rd problem. I paid for a new system and I deserve one.

When I first bought it, I had to take it back due to a fault AC adapter.

[geekrock99]

lemon law applies only to three repair of the same problem. not just any unrelated repairs.

geekrock99

[Ioman]

Originally posted by geekrock99
lemon law applies only to three repair of the same problem. not just any unrelated repairs.

geekrock99


Direct quote from the service agreement in front of me:

"If your product requires more than three repairs, Best Buy will provide for a replacement"

Exact words. So it looks like 4 problems have to happen in total.

[Yuniverse]

and if i remember correctly, this is with the psp, right?

If that's the case, what the heck is PSP for? it's worth nada.

[Angus]

The extended service plan only guarantees you the ability to be jerked around by their customer support for an additional 2 years after the 1 year manufacturer's waranty expires. Sure they say it does more, all that crap about lemons, but really it's just a policy that after a year will still entitle you to free service during year 2 and 3.

[Ioman]

They told me "aren't you glad you have the extended warranty? The manufacturers warranty only covers the laptop for 14 days and woudn't cover this fault anyways"

I was like ummm yeah I am glad I was scammed into it and screwed in the rear for it. Now I am paying interest on a $2200 laptop which I have had physically for 3 weeks and which has been in the shop for 5 weeks.

I am just sitting here waiting. I give this laptop a 7/10 BTW. I really like it, but the fact that it is only available at Best Buy hurts the score because you have to deal with their tech support.

[llbbl]

If you would have bought a Dell I bet you would have it fixed by now. They have good customer service and won't jerk you around.

[Ioman]

Originally posted by TecknoGeek
If you would have bought a Dell I bet you would have it fixed by now. They have good customer service and won't jerk you around.

Probably, but their laptops are plain and boring...oh well.

[Yuniverse]

Originally posted by Ioman


Probably, but their laptops are plain and boring...oh well.

I agree with Ioman. Unless their price is drastically lower, I wouldn't buy Dell laptops. Boring and ugly. :eww Sure, they have those colored swatches, but i don't just look at the top, i also look at the thickness and its appearances. It's just too ugly after being used to vpr 180B5. Apple's Powerbook or ibook, on the other hand, looks sweet! Only if their price was right omg:

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by Ioman
They told me "aren't you glad you have the extended warranty? The manufacturers warranty only covers the laptop for 14 days and woudn't cover this fault anyways"

I was like ummm yeah I am glad I was scammed into it and screwed in the rear for it. Now I am paying interest on a $2200 laptop which I have had physically for 3 weeks and which has been in the shop for 5 weeks.

I am just sitting here waiting. I give this laptop a 7/10 BTW. I really like it, but the fact that it is only available at Best Buy hurts the score because you have to deal with their tech support.

LOL. The VPR Matrix manufacturers warranty is 1 year, not 14 days. 2 years if you bought it using an amex credit card. It's one of the best warranties in the business in fact and their turnaround time is 3 business days including shipping time. The PSP is totally worthless... I know 2 people who had their motherboards replaced (1 of them because of the network socket breaking, like you) and they got their laptop back within days of sending to the VPR Matrix service center in Texas. PSP is for suckers, as is best buy's service at local stores...

[ECA]

WHO made the laptop. Contact the MAIN company.
The warrenty, should cover replacement if it takes to long to FIX.

[Ioman]

Originally posted by ECA
WHO made the laptop. Contact the MAIN company.
The warrenty, should cover replacement if it takes to long to FIX.

It's too late, Best Buy has it already...I have to just wait.

[ECA]

Originally posted by Ioman


It's too late, Best Buy has it already...I have to just wait.

Tell the maker that you bought it at BB, and they have had it 6 weeks, deciding WHAT to do with it, and decided to change the mobo. BUT, you NEED it NOW. Ask them if there is anyway to expedite the process. AND if the data is wiped that you had on it, WHO will be liable.

[nickmartin]

Originally posted by Unregistered


LOL. The VPR Matrix manufacturers warranty is 1 year, not 14
days. 2 years if you bought it using an amex credit card. It's one
of the best warranties in the business in fact and their
turnaround time is 3 business days including shipping time.
The PSP is totally worthless... I know 2 people who had their
motherboards replaced (1 of them because of the network
socket breaking, like you) and they got their laptop back within
days of sending to the VPR Matrix service center in Texas. PSP
is for suckers, as is best buy's service at local stores...


Is the manufactures warranty 2 years if you buy it with an amex
credit card?? Where can I find solid proof of this?

Thanks!

[sunshine]

Originally posted by nickmartin


Is the manufactures warranty 2 years if you buy it with an amex
credit card?? Where can I find solid proof of this?

Thanks!

The 2nd year warranty comes from the credit card company. After the 1st year you send the laptop in for service but this time you will pay for it. Then with the receipt you make a claim against your CC for a refund.

The extended warranty has many other benefits besides extending the warranty to 3 years. The regular 1 year manufacturer warranty will not cover things like screen breakage, battery replacements... Also the no lemon policy means you get a new laptop replacement when it breaks after 3 times. The laptop is a portable device. Unless you plan on keeping the laptop planted on a desk 100% of the time the extended warranty is advisable. To say it is for suckers is well foolish and immature as different people have different needs.

[TroyG]

So, what I'm hearing is that if you have issues, go directly to vpr Matrix, and not to Best Buy.

Ioman - what metro area are you in? In the Minneapolis area, all Best Buy computer service has been outsourced to Geek Squad (http://www.geeksquad.com) who drives these little B&W VW bugs. They have a great reputation here in the Cities, but I'm not sure how well they are if you go to Best Buy.

As for extended warrenty - I considered the AmEx route as well (note that most Gold and Platinum Visa & MC's have the same benefit). Contact your CC company for details (for instance, not all AmEx's have this bene, such as most Corporate cards).

I went w/ the extended warrenty. What I'm curious about is whether I'll continue to go through vpr Matrix directly since they are basically part of Best Buy.

Troy

[Ioman]

Originally posted by TroyG
So, what I'm hearing is that if you have issues, go directly to vpr Matrix, and not to Best Buy.

Ioman - what metro area are you in? In the Minneapolis area, all Best Buy computer service has been outsourced to Geek Squad (http://www.geeksquad.com) who drives these little B&W VW bugs. They have a great reputation here in the Cities, but I'm not sure how well they are if you go to Best Buy.

As for extended warrenty - I considered the AmEx route as well (note that most Gold and Platinum Visa & MC's have the same benefit). Contact your CC company for details (for instance, not all AmEx's have this bene, such as most

I am in Portland Oregon. They send the laptops up to the Seattle area to be worked on. I have tried calling the store like once a day, no one ever calls me back and noone knows when it will be done. I feel totally taken advantage of, like I am non-important. I just sit here paying the laptop off with my Best Buy card and waiting forever for a laptop I have no idea whats going on with.

They said they are replacing the motherboard....

[Ioman]

Well Best Buy finally called me back. They said the "part" should be in this Friday and that it will be another week until its finished. So that would officially make it 7 weeks guys....SAD.

[fortinaa]

I see everyone here is having a good time bashing the Best Buy service plan. However... I don't see anyone saying that they have bothered to return the plan that is so horrible... You guys did read that after 30 days you can mail the plan and reciept back to the address in your pamphlet for a pro-rated refund didn't you? If you know best buy is going to jerk you around, and you are within the manufacturers warranty, why take it to the store? If it's the motherboard, they have to either send it to vpr or wait for vpr to ship the motherboard to whomever is going to fix it anyhow...

[Ioman]

Originally posted by fortinaa
I see everyone here is having a good time bashing the Best Buy service plan. However... I don't see anyone saying that they have bothered to return the plan that is so horrible... You guys did read that after 30 days you can mail the plan and reciept back to the address in your pamphlet for a pro-rated refund didn't you? If you know best buy is going to jerk you around, and you are within the manufacturers warranty, why take it to the store? If it's the motherboard, they have to either send it to vpr or wait for vpr to ship the motherboard to whomever is going to fix it anyhow...

You have a great point. If I had known I would have had this problem, I would have returned the plan. I turned in the laptop after 3 weeks (21 days) so I was screwed.

[Yuniverse]

Originally posted by fortinaa
I see everyone here is having a good time bashing the Best Buy service plan. However... I don't see anyone saying that they have bothered to return the plan that is so horrible... You guys did read that after 30 days you can mail the plan and reciept back to the address in your pamphlet for a pro-rated refund didn't you? If you know best buy is going to jerk you around, and you are within the manufacturers warranty, why take it to the store? If it's the motherboard, they have to either send it to vpr or wait for vpr to ship the motherboard to whomever is going to fix it anyhow...

:) I did "bother" to have mine returned before the 30th day for a full refund.

[Ioman]

Originally posted by Yuniverse


:) I did "bother" to have mine returned before the 30th day for a full refund.


At least there is one smart guy in the group!

I just hope that 2 years down the road the Extended warranty will come in handy and I will get a new laptop.

[justin04]

Alot of you are complaining about the service plan because your product is gone for 4 or 6 weeks for repairs. Poor ****en Baby! My laptop has been gone for exactly 64 days. They called me 3 days ago to let me know B/C the service plan has the guarantee of repairs taking longer than 60 day I qualify for a replacement. If I didn't have the service you know what I'd be screwed $2600 to waste. Best Buy was wonderful. Even they didn't have my same model anymore because its been almost 2 yrs I got a brand new Lap top with all the same features that I love even more. I've dealt with manufacturers before they give you the complete run around and wont do anything without a cost. Every major purchase I make has service from Best Buy I might not always need it but this Laptop was my 2nd time using it. I got a
PDA 9 months ago the Toshiba E750 I loved it never went anywhere without it!! One day Everything fell apart the AC Adapter stopped working and my screen was blown I guess there was a surge Everything was gone and I wasn't very happy. I went to Best Buy and I didn't have to wait long it was just a couple of days till they contacted me that repairs cost to much so a replacement will have to be issued. I was so Thrilled this little device was everything I've had success with them and I'll always invest in it it is wortth it beleive me.

[ECA]

The problem comes when this is your main system, and you CANT be without.
2 weeks is one thing, 4 weeks is another. BUT 6 weeks is NOT VIABLE.
And 60 days, is NOT in my vocabulary. Thats 2 months.
And if its your MAIN laptop at school, with all your STUFF, on it. what are you going to do.
Im sorry, if it takes them 60 days to figure, "THIS AINT WORKING"... I think they are full of "BULL" , give me 2 days and I can tell you THAT.

[dang]

I completely agree. 60 days, i would have been raising one hell of a storm after 2 weeks.

[neuroking]

BB relies on people that simply don't care about ever getting products back, like this smacktard obviously feels. Seriously, what kind of moron comes to a forum to COMPLIMENT a store where two major purchases have completely fallen apart, taken too long to be replaced, and then not been compensated for the waste of their life that the warranty is supposed to cover. Sweet jebus.

[Ioman]

60 days is way too long IMO. I need my system to be running so I can do work with it. Its not some throw away lawn sprinkler I can do without.

[ECA]

Justin,

Your PDA may not of had ALL your information in it, it may NOT have been esential to your Life, spare time or your job.

If you consider that 90% of computer USERS(not companies) have 1 computer, with EVERYTHING on it(on a C: drive) and the failure of such a system, thats MAJOR.
Even IF they have more then 1 computer, they are not MIRRORED, or backed up on the reserve system.
In my estimate, less then 10% of ALL those systems even have a Backup, of ANY kind(personal use). And windows (really) dont have a decent backup system included, unless you want a RAW backup, which would take upto 40+gigs and about 58+ CD's...
Backing up WINDOWS without the Programs(and there updates included) and the data would be abit of a waste, but thats the way you NEED to backup, unless you wish 2 backup sets like windows and progs, and then DATA on a second set.
A Computer backup SHOULD be done 1 time every month to 6 month for personal computers(updates, new progs, ...), and business comps DATA needs backup EVERY WEEK(At LEAST).
Incremental backups are GREAT, except, if you store them on the SAME Location as the rest of your programs. most computers sold only have 1 partition(C:) which is NOT the best palce to store a backup. If the Boot block fails of the DIR fails you have lost ALOT(MAJOR). A second, third, forth, partition is VERY much needed, but best solution is to GET IT OFF THE COMPUTER.
The odds say that NO ONE(personal computer/NON GEEK) has ever been backed up. In my dealings, I aint found ONE yet.
As for geeks, IMHO, Less then 1/2 have ever backed up there system, because its such a hassle, time consuming, and a waste of Good CD's and HD space and SOMETIMES it dont work, ANYWAY.

so, with all this info. YOUR PDA was NOT part of your life, all you used it for was to make copies of info you already HAD(someplace else).
If MOST of the persons HERE on this site EVER had a failure, it would be a major thing.
I think, Im one of the FEW here on the site that has more then 1 or 2 partitions on there system(I got c-v useing 3 drives).

[jnormanii]

I'll never purchase anything from Worst Buy again. I bought an HDTV just over three years ago. I just started having problems with the picture squeezing for no reason, but that was after I received an offer from Best Buy to renew the warranty. Problem is I received it two days after the date due to extend the warranty. The postmark date is only a day before the end of the offer. When I explained all of this to them they said "well since we go through AIG for our warranties, there's nothing we can do about it." I said "but I bought it from you. Shouldn't you do all you can to look out for your customers?" Again the douchebag said like a parrot "there's nothing we can do about it." I told him if this isn't resolved, then I'm never purchasing anything from them again. Again he said "there's nothing we can do about it." So that's it. Never buy anything from these jerks. Once it leaves their store they don't care. I'm going to spread the word about them, and so should you. Buy from a store who'll be loyal to their patrons.

[ECA]

J,

CHECk with the Maker of the video.

[jnormanii]

I will, but that's not the point. They sat on a printed warranty extension offer until the day before it was to expire. Then their refusal to accomodate me after all of the money I spent is something I won't take standing still. Thanks though.

[neuroking]

It sucks, I know, but those are so rarely worth getting. The only thing I ever extend warranties on are laptops that offer accidental damage policies. And even then, never longer than 2 years. Chances are that if you bought no extra warranties (at the register and then when they sent it to renew), the price for repair will be less. Hope it works out for you. Might wnt to try posting this over at the Consumerist (http://consumerist.com/). See if this is widespread.

It is almost never worth buying anything over $400 at Worst Buy. For things that can easily be shipped, use a reputable online store like S&H photo or Newegg. For big items, like TVs, go to your local 'good' specialty store like Abt (I freaking LOVE Abt - spent thousands and the parents have spent tens of thousands there), Microcenter, Fry's, etc. Even if you live far away, big ticket items are worth the extra commute to have that peace of mind.

[jtfields]

So when did Ioman ever get his laptop back?

Anyway, I've always said no to extended warranties except with laptops (if they offer accident protection) unless it's a really good deal relative to the item's price. For example, I got five years of coverage including the manufacturer warranty on my 60" Pioneer plasma for less than $200 which seemed silly to pass up when you consider how much the TV itself cost. I've also bought them for display items that have unknown wear when you buy them if I can get the store to work a deal for me (I actually used the warranty twice on a minidisc display unit I purchased with the warranty at Best Buy although the unit then broke a third time literally three days after the warranty ran out.) :brick

Other than that just say "no". I know it's hard to do when the sales pressure is on telling you how fragile the item is and expensive it is to fix. I've actually had salesman unwittingly almost talk me out buying something altogether by trying to scare me into buying the warranty. I just look at them and say "if this thing is that big of a piece of crap then why should I buy it in the first place?".

[Ioman]

omg resurrect this thread from the dead! I need "Notebook Whisperer" to help me figure out what is going on. lol

[PabstBlueRibbon]

Did you ever ge the laptop back? Do you remember how long it took? did you ever have to bring it back in?