Pioneer Electronics Major flaw with receiver and terrible customer service Long Beach California

I purchased the VSX-822 audio/video receiver in April 2013 and planned on using it with my outdoor entertainment center. I received the product and had my local AV contractor install it about 2 months later after I purchased everything else I needed. Upon installation of the receiver we knew something was wrong. very quickly. We couldn't get the video input or audio output to work so I called Pioneer customer service.

After being on hold for 15 minutes the two times I called, I was told to take the receiver to a local contracted service center. I was told that I didn't need a return number and that everything that happened from this point on would be tracked by my receiver's serial number.

After a few days at the service center I called to check on the status of the receiver. I was told that the Digital Main board was out and it needed to be replaced but Pioneer didn't have the part and didn't have any anticipated availability date. At this point I called Pioneer customer service again. I was on hold for 15 minutes and as soon as I was connected to a rep, I was disconnected for some reason so I had to call again and wait another 15 minutes to speak to someone.

When I spoke to the rep and gave them my receiver serial number I was told they didn't have any information in their system. I had to go through the entire process of what had happened and that I took it to the service center they provided me. The rep stated that they didn't have the service center I took it to in their system and it would need to be taken to a different location. After a lengthy conversation, the rep finally found the service center address but didn't have any information on my receiver. I had to provide the information again for her to "start a file". After about 20 minutes on the phone I was told that the information would be provided to a case manager and, depending on their case load, they would be in contact with me in 7-10 days.

Upon follow up with the contracted service center I was told that they could not contact Pioneer because the service system was all computerized. The information that the service center had was that a major component was needed and that Pioneer didn't have it in stock and didn't have any date of future availability. The only follow up the service center is allowed to do is resubmit the request for the part every 14 days.

In the mean time, I don't have a receiver, I don't have any idea if anything is being done and have to wait for a "case manager" to call me back at some point in time that no one knows when it will be.

This infuriatingly poor customer service has pushed me to the point of probably never purchasing another pioneer product. Please be aware, if the product works, you'll probably like it but if it doesn't, you're better off cutting your losses and buying something else. instead of trying to get support from Pioneer

...so start out ahead and buy something else in the first place.