Circuit City, City Advantage, City Assure, The Assurant Group,Damaging my expensive HP Laptop, failing to repair such laptop, and not following through with original offer for full replacement cost. Coral Springs, Florida

First off, my HP Pavillion Laptop, in perfect condition, was sent in for repair due to screen being black when turned on and not starting up. After many attempts, it would power up, but with colored bars/bands, and icons appeared to be in safe mode. It was sent in, repaired, and sent back.

I received the computer with scratches along the battery on the bottom, the top cover, and with the casing not put together properly, as in an area in a corner the bottom portion of the case was sticking out from the top portion. The computer worked fine for maybe a week.

The computer then developed the same problem as before, and was sent again for service, and again to the service site in California. The computer was again repaired and sent back. This time, upon receipt, an indicator light on the mousepad was inoperable, the memory card slot did not read my SD cards as it had before.

Soon, within a few days, the computer then developed the same start up problem that was the original problem. I spoke with a tech who stated that upon them receiving the computer, if it is found that this is again the same problem, and it does it again after repair, that the third time will make available their lemon policy and the computer would be replaced with a comparable computer.

I asked if a gift card would be available, as I purchased this computer for the features it had, and thought it only fair to have a list from which to choose. The tech at that time advised that a gift card in the full original cost could be offerd, with that price being $1100. The computer was sent back in for repair, supposedly replaced, and received back again in worse condition.

Upon receipt this time, the computer had a sticky substance all over the LCD screen, additional scratches near the mouse pad and keyboard, and a CD would not go into the CD drive. Upon closer inspection of the CD drive, a LOOSE screw was found lying on/in the area of the laser eye on the drive tray. A LOOSE SCREW !!! It is unknown if this is a leftover part, or one from their imcompetent repair personnel's workbench.

I called back to speak to a tech who seemed to not care much about the poor service, and more so about getting me another computer. Fine, but I wished to complain about the poor service, and was advised there is not a complaint department.

Within a day of receipt of the computer this time, the same original problem developed. I sent the computer back this third time, and it was received this time without additional damage, though the memory card slot still does not work, and now my scroller mouse on the mouse pad does not scroll as it is supposed to. The computer worked fine for a day or so, then the same, original problem occured again.

It has been a few months now, and I have been awaiting call back from anyone, who is supposed to had provided me a list of at least a few computers of which to choose. This becasue I gave up on obtaining the full replacement cost, which now I am told by two other techs that the one who told me I would be eligible to receive full replacement cost did not know what she was talking about, and that they can not do that or find record of that conversation or will honor that conversation or promise of service.

So, after waiting all this time, I called back today and spoke with a tech who stated that I turned down the previous offer and that I was called back for another offer.

Well, to that I say I was never contacted or had received any voicemail or other notification of another offer, and that is why I am calling/called today. Also, they now tell me that I can not probably have a list of multiple computers from which to choose. I think that is completely sorry.

I purchased this computer from many other optional computers, and it is only right that we are offered a computer from one of several to choose features that we are partial to. They are now supposed to contact me within a few days. I will wait and see.

This entire experience has been the absolute worse ordeal with any company that I can ever remember having, or have known anyone to have had to deal with. The customer service people are usually extremely uneducated sounding on the phone, and those that are I had refused to speak with. The service center in California must be totally and completely uneducated to the functions, repairs, of the computers that they are supposed to be fixing. The computer always came back in worse condition than it was when it was sent in.

The promise made of a gift card for the full purchase price was not given as promised. Each tech I speak with has disagreed with what I tell them that a previous tech has told me.

I think that this company, the associates of City Assure, Circuit City, and the repair center in California, and all their affiliates should all be sent to remedial computer repair schools, and some sort of business ethics class to teach them fair business practices. If I could, I would sue them all.

E.
Burnet, Texas
U.S.A.

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