Best Buy Warranty Ripoff Virginia Beach Virginia

I purchased a Compaq 1800T notebook computer from Best Buy in Virginia Beach, VA in May 2001

Things were fine until June 2003. I began to experience system crashes, ie: Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your hardware. I would notice these crashes while doing something processor intensive such as defrag or virus scans.

I thought I sure am glad I bought the PSP plan from Best Buy, they will get my computer fixed right up! I called the Best Buy help desk on 6/30/2003 and spoke to Dave (case #C1737754). We troubleshot the problem over the phone. We found that the PC was unable to do a Windows XP restore and would crash at various times. He correctly concluded there was a hardware problem (probably the motherboard) with the computer, and directed me to the Best Buy store to send it for service.

The PC tech at Best Buy named Clay looked at the computer and wanted to try a restore from the recovery CD that came with the computer and was unsuccessful. I tried to get him to call up the case# that I had opened with the Best Buy help desk but he insisted it was a CD or hard drive problem. I also pointed out that the touch pad button was not working correctly. He opened case #734168643 but did not put the complete information I provided him in the paperwork going to the service center. He assured me they always run complete PC diagnostic checks and repair those kinds of things without writing it down.

After 3-1/2 weeks I finally got my computer back. The service center had replaced the CD drive (this takes about 3 minutes) and done NOTHING else. The touch pad button was still not working. They informed me that they had not done a restore since I did not provide the recovery CD. (The recovery CD was for the Windows ME OS and would not have worked anyway since I had upgraded to XP long ago). They could have tried to do a recovery from the hard drive but for reasons unknown to me, they never did.

Upon receiving my computer back, I attempted a restore from the hard drive. It still was unsuccessful. I formatted the hard drive and attempted to reload Windows XP numerous times from the disk and continued to receive the same Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your hardware, the original problem I had been having.

I once again called Best Buy help desk on 7/30/2003 and spoke to Alfred Sheppard (case #C1786058). After a few minutes, he incorrectly concluded that the problem I am having is due to software. I informed his that could not be the case, as the errors are occurring while trying to load Windows XP. I became skeptical of his subject knowledge I asked to speak to a supervisor. He refused and said it was against policy! I asked to speak to another helpdesk person and got the same answer! He quite cheerfully gave me the number to customer relations and said that I could speak to them if I was unhappy. (I have never heard of such a thing, wouldn't it be better to solve the problem at the lowest level? I felt he was daring me to complain to customer relations).

I called the customer relations and spoke to Omar @ X6311 (case 4796596). I explained the problem I was having and even though he admitted to not being a PC expert, it did indeed sound like a hardware problem to him, probably the motherboard.

Omar advised me to return to the store and ask for a manager or MOD duty, and that he would send an email to let them know that I was coming in. When I arrived at the store on 7/30/03 and asked to see the manager, the people at the door pointed to the customer service line and said I would have to wait in line.

When I got up to the front of the line, I spoke with the MOD, Jeremy Austin and explained the whole story yet again. He said he had no knowledge of any email from customer relations. I would describe his behavior as cocky and combative, certainly not what I would have expected from a store manager. After explaining the problem, he directed me to the computer repair counter, where again a waited in line. After getting to the front of the line, and managing to get his attention (he rarely looked up from other things he was doing while I spoke) I spoke to Glen. Instead of the manager coming over to explain the situation, I had to do it myself yet AGAIN. I am not sure what the point of speaking to the Manager was, unless it was just to elevate my blood pressure.

I believe I was able to successfully convey the problem to Glen, and eventually he seemed to listen / understand what I was trying to explain and agreed that it probably is a hardware problem. He did a better job of writing up the service ticket (I hope).
The computer was sent in again for repair. This time they replaced the modem. I picked the computer back up and found the original problem was still there. I again brought the computer back and the tech at the store wrote up another service order.

When I received it back weeks later, they had replaced the hard drive, but not fixed the problem. After 3 attempted repairs, I am supposed to get a "no lemon" replacement of the computer. I called Best Buy and they told me to go into the store for a determination. In the store, the service manager told me he has no power to do a no lemon authorization and that it needed to be sent in again. The computer was shipped on 4 September. On 20 September, after talking to numerous employees, I was told that a "no lemon" was not requested in the paperwork sent to the service center. This in spite of me specifically requesting it at the store and every time I called the help desk.

This service "night mare" has been going on for nearly 3 months. Calling the Best Buy service center does no good as I get different answers depending on who takes the call. The people in the store are of no help, and claim to have no authority to do anything.

I am at wits end with these people. I truly believe Best Buy wears people down with these tactics.

I am considering small claims court, but that will not help the hundreds of people that will have the same problem in the next month or so. Best Buy should be punished if they can't or won't honor the extended warranties they push down people's throats.

Thanks for listening,

Scott
Virginia Beach, Virginia
U.S.A.

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