ABL Electronic Service, Inc. ABL ELectronics, ABLSERV.com Price Inflation, Rip Off, Poor Customer Service, Overpricing, Unprofessional, Highway Robbery Madison Heights, Michigan

I dropped my Pioneer CDJ800 mk1 off at ABL Electronics in Madison Heights, Michigan www.ablserv.com on Friday August 21, 2009 with a customer service rep I believe was named Nick who stated that there was a $95.00 deposit fee that would be put towards the service charge. I stated to Nick that I knew the unit needed 2 rollers replaced (they're 2 small plastic black wheel like bearings that assist the jog wheel spin) and that the sheet switch sensor needed replaced as well. I knew this because I had the sheet switch sensor replaced on this same unit 3 years prior at ABL Electronics. 

I asked Nick, knowing what needed to be done, about how much I could expect to pay for these repairs and he stated that it shouldn't be much more than the $95 deposit plus parts. I also at this time asked Nick how long before I could expect a call on how much exactly the repairs would cost me and he stated that it takes about 3-5 days for a technician to look at it and call with the price.

10 Days later I still had not heard from anyone from ABL so I took it upon myself to call them on Monday August 31, 2009 and spoke with a Tamara who told me the unit still had not been assigned to a technician. I stated to her that I had told Nick that I needed this unit back as soon as possible and he told me it would take only 3-5 days to know what it would cost and what the issue was. Tamara stated that she would inform a manager and have such manager assign a tech as soon as possible.

The next day Tuesday September 1, 2009 I received a phone call from an Al from ABL and he stated that the cost of repair would be $359.26 for labor of 2 and hours at $95.00 an hour and 3 parts at a total of $114.00 that consisted of 1 sheet switch and 2 rollers/plastic wheel bearings. I told AL that I thought this price was ridiculous as I know the labor would not come close to 2 and hours as it only takes appx. 2 minutes to remove the units cover, a minute to snap in the 2 rollers, and 20-30 minutes to remove and replace the sheet switch sensor. I asked Al if this was the best they could do on the price and he said he would talk to the technician and see if they could cut any corners.

Al called me back about 20 minutes later and stated that they could drop the labor rate from 2 and hours to 2 hours. I, obviously still not pleased, stated that this was not acceptable and asked Al if I could just buy the parts off of them for the stated $114.00 and do the service myself as the unit is no longer under warranty and I'm familiar with service that needed to be done. Al stated that they do not sell parts at their establishment that they only do service and gave me a number to Tri-Tronics parts which I called and all they could find in their system was a manual for sale. I called Al back and he told me that he knew they probably wouldn't be able to get those parts and that he had no other source for me, which I found irritating as they obviously have a means of getting the parts. So I asked him again if I could just get them from him and he stated no again. I then told Al, keep in mind I was completely polite this whole time, that I would be by to pick the unit up and asked him when did they close. Al stated that it would have to be the next day for me to pick the unit up because it was at their Troy, MI. location, needed to be re-essembled and shipped back to the Madison Heights location and that they would call me when I could come pick it up.

I picked my unit up the next day. I then contacted Pioneer directly about the parts and was told that the rollers are $2.50 each and the Sheet Switch is $37.95 a total of $42.95 for all three parts, a very big difference than the $114.00 that ABL was going to charge me for. I also purchased a service manual for the CDJ800 and after doing my homework, realized that the repair job would take me less than an hour to do myself, again a far cry from the 2 and hours that ABL was going to charge me for.

In short, for me to do the job myself $42.95 + an hour of my time. For ABL Electronics to do the job for me $359.26. I'd say thats a extremely unfair difference and I can only imagine how many other customers ABL electronics has scammed on their pricing. I would not recommend anyone be taken advantage of by this company's shady business tactics.