SEARS Service Warranty using sub standard AFT parts HOFFMAN ESTATES Illinois

We bought a 52" Panasonic Projection TV pn # PT-52LCX65 from Sears back in August 2005 along with a Sears 3 year Service/Parts Warranty. Shortly before the warranty expired in August 2008 the Lamp failed. We contacted Sears to make a claim for a new lamp. Sears then sent a new lamp and housing. We received an entire lamp with the housing. The new lamp then prematurely failed. We then contacted Panasonic to find out what the warranty was on the lamp/housing since our warranty for the TV had expired. Low and behold we discovered that Sears had actually sent us a Phillips Lamp/housing. Panasonic does not recommended this aftermarket part for this TV. We then attempted to call Sears several times to make a claim that they had sent us a sub standard part. After escalating the issue from one service rep to another we then had been directed to the Service Manager. The manager at this point claimed they had no record of sending us this part and that they can not replace this part at there cost. The Managers solution was to send a technician out at our cost of $150.00 and replace the lamp at our cost of $350.00 giving us a total cost of $500.00. This is just absolutely poor customer sevice and a Rip off to boot. This falls under the laws of the old bait and switch. To add to this we then called Panasonic to report that Sears is servcing there TV's with Sub standard parts which can potential shorten the life of the TV. We then asked them to investigate this. They claimed they could not help us. Does any one have a solution for our $2500 Panasonic mantel piece.

Karen
Merrimac, Massachusetts
U.S.A.