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Sony Vaio Series Consumer Reviews

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Defective products/poor customer service
By -

My son purchased a computer from Sony Style on line 7/10/09. We received the computer laptop Sony Vaoi VGNNW130 on 7/15/09. He took the computer out of the box and proceeded to connect the battery and plug it in to charge and it would not recognize the battery. He then called Sony support and they were able to get the computer to recognize the battery but it would not charge. He was then told that it was a defective battery and they would priority overnight ship the new battery to him. We left for vacation on 7/18 and the battery had not arrived.

Upon returning from vacation the battery had still not arrived. A second call was made to Sony and he was told the battery was on back order and he should get it in 3-5 days. A third call was made when it did not arrive and he was again told it was on back order it should be 3-5 days. When that did not arrive he called again and a replacement battery was found and it would arrive in 3-5 days. That did not arrive another call was made to Sony and he was told both batteries were on back order.

Once again it should only be 3-5 days for another to arrive. This went on until he left for college. I took over the calls to Sony and got nowhere. I was told on 8/28/09 that a priority service called was placed and someone who could help would call me back within 24 hours. On 9/1/09 I still had not received a call back. On 9/1/09 I spent 5 1/2 hours on the phone, was disconnected 5x and had to start the process over each time to get to the correct person.

During all these calls I was transferred from customer relations to Sony Style, I was told because my son purchased the computer on-line, who proceed to transfer me to Sony Cares. The gentleman who helped me told me there were plenty of batteries available, he actually checked 3x to be sure and asked if I would like to order one.

Of course I told him and then proceeded to tell me it would cost 199.00. Needless to say I exploded. A manager came on the line and told me they were unable to send me the battery without payment. I was then sent back to Customer relations. The manager there told me they had found a replacement battery it was in the warehouse and would be shipped to me within, you guessed it 3-5 days.

On 9/9/09 I called Sony once again to see why we had not received the battery, I was once again told it was on back order. I blew up, they put my call through as a "Tier 2" call and **, from San Diego told me he did have the battery and would priority ship it next day. Well, waiting for a happy ending, you're not going to get it.

The battery arrived just as ** said on 9/10/09, but when my son put it in the computer it did not work. The problem it seems is not a defective battery, but a defective computer. I have already been told that I cannot receive my money back because the 30 day warranty is over, bull I say. Not my fault it took them almost 60 days to send me a replacement part, and they misdiagnosed the problem to begin with. I was on the phone once again 9/10/09, disconnected 3x, 2 1/2 hours later to be told anyone who could help me is gone, I have to call back in the morning. DON'T BUY SONY PRODUCTS!!!!!

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Poor Sony Customer Support - warranty service refused
By -

FLORIDA -- My Sony Vaio laptop is less than a year old. It has always been hard to open. Recently I opened the laptop and the LCD screen cracked. Called Sony support explained the problem, and how it cracked. I was told that my repair should fall under my warranty as it happened during ordinary use and was less than a year old, unless it was determined that it was dropped or had been abused.

To which I stated it was never dropped or abused. So I filled out my repair sheet, even explaining in detail what happened, and posting sticky notes to the places I had my hands on the outside of the laptop and the inside edge of the plastic frame, in the center where you open it, which just so happened to be the same exact place on the screen where the cracks were and Sent to Sony for repair.

All this also happened when my son, who is a computer tech, was standing there and saw it, and told me exactly what he thought, the hinges were too tight and the stress of that on the screen each time it is opened, with the screen that is not reinforced on the inside, caused it, and Sony should handle it under the warranty.

So knowing what he said and what support told me, I felt great, it will be taken care of and I won't have to worry about having to spend money I don't really have right now to get a new one. So I wait to hear from Sony. I then receive a notice a few days later, that it was going to cost $529.99 to fix my screen. Highly upset, I Called and talked to "Alexis" in the repair department and all they could tell me was that my screen was broken.

I continued to explain, no kidding, that the support department knew this before it was sent out. They refused to allow me to speak to the tech and would only give me his code # **, who was obviously not so smart to only be able to figure out what I already knew. Giving me every excuse why I could not speak to the person who actually was working on my laptop. They also insisted it was from physical damage, but could not tell me what, they had no proof of how it happened.

So they argue with me that I abused it. I also told them of my sons obviously smarter diagnosis, I insisted on speaking to all supervisors, they told me I would get a call back in 24-48 hours, still would not give me names other than her supervisor ** # ** and the techs supervisor # **. Told they are not allowed to give names. So highly upset that they refuse to honor the warranty, I wait...

More than 72 hours later, I get a call from supervisor ** # **. Who tells me nothing new, only again insisting that I must have shut a pen in it or something, I insisted again, no and repeated everything again, then he said oh yeah I put my hand on it just like you said in notes and that didn't do it because that is not where the cracks are, so you must have had pressure by something on it. Wrong again, the pressure was from opening it, and the weak screen, which I again stated was not my doing, and obviously he is lying because if he put his hands where I said, the cracks are right there.

That falls under workmanship and ordinary use. Still refused to honor my warranty. But offered a discount of $400 to fix it. I stated that how could they try and charge me for what my warranty clearly states should be covered. Not to mention that this exact problem has happened before to other customers. And is why they have a bad customer service rating.

And that since my son the tech knows what the screen costs and how it is done that charge is way too high. That I and all my family have been Sony customers for years, but never again... never, will any of us buy anything Sony ever again. So I was told they would send my computer back. We will see if it arrives in the condition it left.

When I received it back yesterday, as it was suggested by my tech son, I took it to a local Computer Retail Store, that is currently receiving high reviews for their techs, to have them look at it. I explained to them how the crack occurred when I opened it and showed them exactly how I opened it. Their Tech Department, stated that they have had the same laptops come in with the same problems, and have heard the same Sony repair warranty refusal complaints.

The techs confirmed that the hinges are too tight and because the screen is not supported, since it only has a thin foil lining between the screen and the outside plastic top, it is Sony's cheap workmanship on this model that is causing the problems. As Just opening it normally puts pressure on the screen, that's why you can see it bend when you open it because the lack of interior support. Unlike the model # vgn-n250e, that has the same exact lcd screen installed, but it is supported by a steel plate between the screen and the top, so it does not bend when the screen is opened or adjusted.

They told us it is an easy repair that should take any computer tech repair shop, no more than about 30 minutes to complete, but it should be covered under the warranty, as it is very obvious by exterior inspection that there was no physical abuse to the laptop. It is also very obvious by looking at the external area around the screen that Sony's tech, never took it apart to confirm that there was no damage from abuse, they merely opened the laptop and said yes the screen is cracked and expected us to fall into the rip off scam they are running. Disgusted... A former Sony customer.

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Ongoing Nightmare
By -

Having spent around £2000 on a Sony Vaio VGN-S3XP plus a further £200 when I allowed myself to be talked into an 'onsite corporate plus warranty' as I travel continuously and need the computer up and going all the time...

After 6 months or so, the hard-drive began to play up and then crashed on me.... so I dipped into my warranty to be assured over the phone by Sony that the problem was definitely a software problem and the warranty does not cover software! So, I got it to our company senior IT engineer who recovered the data and got it up and going again... so despite my misgivings and my engineers misgivings about it being software, I began to use it a more and back up more often as the noises were still there.

Then nearly 3 weeks ago, 4 months after the last crash, the hard-drive totally gave up the ghost! Now the fun began... Now bear in mind I had paid for an onsite 'corporate plus warranty' which I had been told would keep me 'on the road' and that if they could not repair it within 3 days or so, they would send a replacement for me to use... BUT, here is what really happened... and bear in mind that every working day I have been calling Sony and G-tronics in Brussels (as Sony don't have a warranty agent in the UK for me to call)at least 5 times every day in order to push things along and to get answers!

Day 1 - I contact Sony who agree that the hardrive needs changing and am given a case ref number and referred to the Sony warranty engineers (G-tronics)... I am also assured that somebody will call me to arrange the call within one day or max of 2 days.

Day 2 - nothing. Day 3 - you guessed it... nothing. Day 4 - yes... nothing again. Day 5 - having been chasing up both Sony and G-tronics for 5 days, today I am told that the spare part has arrived in the UK from Brussels and therefore somebody will be in touch within one day to arrange to come straight over and repair the computer. Day 6 - nothing. Day 7 - nothing again. Day 8 - nothing again. Day 9 - nothing yet again
Day 10 - nothing yet again. Day 11 - somebody calls me from G-tronics to say that they had just been told to sort out my case! They will be picking up the spare part tomorrow and somebody will be over tomorrow to fix the computer.

Day 12 - guess what? I get a call to be told that the part had been lost! Day 13 - nothing yet again
Day 14 - nothing again. Day 15 - I am told that the part has been re-ordered! Day 16 - (this is today) I am told that the person at G-tronics who ordered the part has been asked to cancel the order and the call out as "other arrangements have been made for the customer"!!!

Don't ask me what these 'other arrangements' are, as nobody consulted me... Then a few hours ago a mid-day, I get a call from a company of engineers in London who want to talk about my needs for a repair as they have just been told to follow up on my repairs and want to know all about it BEFORE they order the parts!!! So friends... day 16 today and nothing but nothing positive has happened and I still am no closer to having my repairs...

Meanwhile, as every day I have been told that 'something' is happening every day for the last 16 days, I have been unable to leave for business trips as I tend to be away overseas for a week each time and I wanted to get the computer fixed... then I also finally (on day 14) had to also postpone a trip through Europe... So... Sony could not care less about looking after customers and do not honor their warranty and will not even send a replacement machine meanwhile so that I can get on with my travels!

If you have any suggestions for me or contacts at very senior level in Sony who might care slightly about customers, or if you know my legal position, then I would be interested in hearing from you at **. Hopefully, something will happen over the next week or so!! So much for warranty!!

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Sony Vaio poor service
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

LAREDO, TEXAS -- I have had the worst service with Sony trying to get my computer repaired. I have had my Vaio 2 years this March 2012. We noticed it getting very hot on the bottom not long after purchasing the laptop and eventually at the DC Jack port. We got 3 or 4 notices about the overheating, but my laptop was not on the list. I started noticing my dc jack getting very hot to touch, got so bad that you couldn't even touch it without using a cloth to take it out and that it started becoming very loose.

I took my laptop back to Nebraska Furniture Mart to see what the problem was, where I had also purchased a 3 year extended warranty, spending another 257.00. They sent it to Assurant Solutions to be diagnosed. I was told that the DC jack inside had been damaged and they would not fix it without paying for the repair. I had explained how hot it would get at the jack. I was told that this is one of Sony's biggest problems with putting a CHEAP piece of equipment in to a good product. I was told I might want to call Sony and see if they couldn't take care of the problem.

I called Sony and found out there had been a recall on the overheating of my laptop but was never informed. If I had received that recall I could have sent it in and they would have fixed it even if it was past the warranty date. I explained how hot the DC Jack would get and the bottom of the laptop. They would pass me around from person to person, two of them telling me there was no recall!! I was told by one person that it should be covered due to getting so hot due to the recall.

It could have possible caused it to break off the connector inside due to the overheating those pieces are so small I'm sure in my mind this is what has happened. Its like holding fire under a small piece of metal! Eventually its going to break from the heat!! I was hung up on for asking for managers because I couldn't understand the person speaking to me. When I would get transferred I would have to repeat over and over again what my problem was. In the end I called Customer Relations trying to make a complaint but all I got was the same thing I had already been through over and over again. They refuse to believe that this could happen.

I didn't even get to leave a complaint! I have 2 other laptops not made by Sony and are much older and never had this kind of problem not only with laptops every thing in your home anymore has a DC Jack and I haven't had one break yet. My 6 year old granddaughter has a laptop and we've not had a problem with hers having a broken DC Jack!! I am very disappointed in the service I received by all the people I talked to at Sony.

One girl I actually believed in and told me the truth about the recall and thinking I was going to get it fixed, I actually talked to her again today and she had changed her story! I guess they all get together and make sure their stories are on the same path. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO FIX IT WITHOUT TAKING YOUR MONEY!! They make so much money off of their products from consumers who think they're buying something that is going to last, but I've found out they don't respect their consumers at all. It's all about them putting a dollar in their pocket they take from consumers like us who believed in a good product.

I will not buy Sony products again. They won't stand behind their work and their workers all have a different story. So I wouldn't recommend you purchasing a SONY VAIO or any Sony products if you don't won't to pay out more money when the warranty runs out a year later!

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Sony Customer Service
By -

CALIFORNIA -- One word, UNHAPPY. I have a Sony Vaio laptop, bought brand new in 2010. Towards the middle of 2011 my motherboard blew out! The laptop would not turn on one bit. I was still under warranty and called to tell them the issue. It took them forever to understand what I was even saying. They gave me a reference number and said a technician will call in 2-3 days. The technician called and came after a day and he could not fix it. I called Sony back telling them everything, they gave me another reference number and told me a technician would call and come again. They REFUSED to let me send in my laptop for them to fix it at the Repair Center.

The technician came again and he could not fix it, only because they sent him all the wrong parts. I called again very very angry this time, and they finally told me they were going to send a box for me to ship it to Texas. They said it takes 7-10 days to get repaired and back to my home. It took them 1 1/2 months! I would call over and over again to Texas to see the status of my laptop and they always said "it will be ready in a couple of days, the technicians are working on it." Finally I received my laptop, thinking everything is okay because it turns on and works perfect.

After a few days I saw that underneath my laptop it was all loose! They failed to put in the screws to hold down the bottom piece of my laptop! It was hanging on by only 2 screws! No wonder my keys felt weird and also my mouse. Now by this time, of course, my warranty is over. I call Sony and tell them the problem, they said that they will send a technician with all the screws to the laptop. The technician came with a HUGE box, and in the box were huge bags. In the two huge bags there was only one little screw in each. This is ridiculous! One of the two screws I did not need since it was one of the few already on there. I am so angry and fed up at this point.

Of course, I call back Sony and tell them the problem, they apologized and gave me another reference number saying the technician will call. A few days later Sony calls me saying that my warranty is over and they cannot continue this process until I purchase a new warranty. I told them that they should have gotten it right the FIRST time when my laptop was under WARRANTY, and it has to be fixed even though it is out of warranty. She told me that she will call me back, SHE NEVER DID. Today is Friday night, I am very ready to call them on Monday! Also, I am a student and need a laptop for my classes! I cannot deal with this anymore.

Bottom line is, it is a shame that the products are good but their customer service is horrible. Unless you want to deal with this problem, I don't recommend buying a Sony product. I also recommend you to read more reviews about their customer service so you can know that it truly is horrible. Also note that the technician has nothing to do with the horrible customer service, he was always the same guy that came and he was very unhappy as well and kindly apologize each time.

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Don't buy SONY VAIO Laptops
By -

On October 19, 2008 I bought a Sony Vaio VGN-FW285J ($1700 with bluray burner) at the J&R Store in Manhattan. The laptop worked fine for a couple of months. One evening, while playing a game, the laptop suddenly shut down. I tried to turn it on but it failed to respond. When touching the keyboard you could feel the laptop was hot. I assumed the computer had turned off as a result of an overheat protection measure. I waited five minutes and turned the laptop on without any problems. I resumed playing the game and the same thing happened. This time the computer shut down after playing for 5 minutes.

I bought a coolerpad for the laptop. The problem seemed to have disappeared. As I live in Costa Rica, and the guarantee is only for the United States, I decided to continue with the coolerpad until I had a chance to go to the States and take it to support. As time passed the problem reappeared to the point that I was not even able to use the laptop normally, the keyboard freezes and the laptop shuts down a few minutes after being turned on, no matter what I do, even with the coolerpad.

I was able to go to New York in October 2009. I took the laptop to Sony Plaza, under guarantee coverage. Support there was very professional, I told them that I thought it was an overheating problem and that I lived in Costa Rica where temperature was at least 10 celsius degrees higher than in New York. They added a note in the repair voucher. In less than a week they called me back saying they had repaired the laptop and that all was OK. I picked up the laptop and was told they had changed the fan. I tested the laptop and it seemed to work fine.

When I arrived in Costa Rica, I turned on the laptop and after 15 minutes of work it shut down as it had been doing before taking it to support. Lucky for me I had a friend going to New York the following week. I gave him the laptop and he again took it to Sony Plaza. One week later my friend picked up the laptop. He was told the motherboard was changed. When I got back the laptop in Costa Rica. I was surprised to find that after running the laptop for 10 minutes it shut down!!!!

Sincerely, I don'€™t know what kind of technical support SONY has, twice I've taken the laptop in for repair, twice I have been told parts were replaced and twice I have found the repairs ineffective. Now, I sent it back for a third time, and they say it has physical damage and that voids the warranty, what physical damage?? The laptop was physically perfect all the times it was sent to SONY. After calling them during three days, from Costa Rica, they shipped back the computer without being repaired.

The most funny thing is, when I called the day it was shipped back, they told me the computer hadn't been sent back, I asked for some pictures of the physical damage they said the computer had and for information regarding what was going to happen to my computer and how much the repair would cost. They sent me an email at 3:45pm with two pictures of the damage (no info whatsoever about the repair costs) and they shipped the computer back at 4pm without being able to even answer their email. SONY are a bunch of scammers. DON'T BUY SONY VAIO. You will regret it.

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Problems with VAIO VGCRT150Y CD drive, Indian call center
By -

In 2008, I purchased a Sony VAIO VGC RT150Y All in One desktop computer. Everything on the system was incredible, with the exception of the feeble CD/DVD drive, which broke after six months of casual use. Luckily, the repair was covered under warranty. However, during the replacement, the service technician cracked the large stand of the computer, so another service call was required to replace the monstrously heavy base.

After about six months, the CD/DVD drive collapsed once again, this time dropping parts into the mechanism of the computer. While my computer had been out of warranty for about one month, I called Sony Tech and requested a service call, explaining that I fully expected to pay for this call personally. This is when the serious problems of this complaint first developed.

Your service tech in India was clearly drunk. She slurred her words, giggled, and rudely told me I should just "box up the computer and send it back to Sony." When I explained this was not practical due to the size of the computer, she snorted like a pig, and garbled something about "so sad you have no warranty." In the background I could hear several Indian voices hooting and hollering as though a party was going on. I hung up the phone in disgust and called back.

This time, I reached a male in your Indian call center. He too sounded drunk, and seemed to be gasping for breath. His speech was literally incoherent. He said he wanted to look at my computer from his end, but when I followed his instructions I was suddenly given a window asking me download a binary *.exe file. Knowing I never had to download ANY file for such a call-center evaluation, I told my Indian friend that his befuddled advice, and suggestion that I download a strange file, were downright ridiculous. Again, I could hear the screeching laughter of several other call-center employees in the background.

Luckily, I purchased my computer through American Express, and have filed for my one year extended warranty to resolve this problem. However, my experience with Sony Customer Service has been so frustrating that I had to put my thoughts in writing. I have spent well over $7000 with Sony in the past ten years, and my account history is clearly visible.

My first concern is that the plastic CD/DVD drive in the VGCRT150Y is not up to Sony standards. The comparable drive in my Sony VAIO Laptop, which was purchased several years ago, is clearly superior, and all the plastic parts which broke on my VGCRT150Y are reinforced by metal on the laptop's comparable CD/DVD drive. I was also astounded by the complexity of replacing the CD Drive on the VGCRT150Y, and am again surprised that a consumer oriented company like Sony would create such a byzantine mechanical system. Even your experienced warranty technician broke the device while trying to fix it.

The real issue, though, is the obnoxious response from your Indian call center employees. While everyone in the US jokes about the incompetence of offshore computer assistance, I have never experienced such rudeness and uncivilized behavior as I encountered on my recent calls. I hold Sony fully responsible for the childish and inebriated conduct of your service "technicians."

I submit this history as an example of my acute dissatisfaction with Sony customer service. While I anticipate a response that my peculiar experiences were perhaps isolated incidents, I'll probably still think twice before making any significant investment in a Sony computer product again.

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Crappy computers
By -

It's ridiculous! I'm never buying a Sony computer in my life again! I bought a dark red, Sony Vaio, CS110D computer last year December, and was using it happily when in March, the fan suddenly started making really loud irregular noises. Not the kind of noise that comes gradually with dust in the fan. I dismissed it as being something normal and not harmful. June comes, and the fan noise turns into a very shrill, high pitched noise. It sounded like the fan was about to turn on it's head and destroy the inside of my computer.

I was traveling at the time so I couldn't send it in to Sony repair center for repair, so I waited until September. I sent my computer in on September 7th and expected it back 7-10 business days plus shipping, so in 2-3 weeks. After 1 week, I call in to check the progress of my computer, and I found that the computer hasn't even been booked yet. So I try to resolve that issue.

I ended up calling every day. Yes EVERYDAY to rush the people to work on my computer. The customer support people kept on telling me different things like "The mechanics are telling us that it is a physical damage so you have to pay $500," When all I do is place my computer on my desk and not move it. And so I spent over 50$ on my phone bill, calling long distance trying to get a hold of the repair center in Toronto to discuss this issue with the mechanic, when one day, I called back to the support center, just to have them say "I'm sorry, that was a mistake." With various issues going on, people telling me different things, and my fan issue not being fixed, I got annoyed.

Apparently the fan was on "back order" and they had "no idea when it was going to arrive." This was week 6 of the whole ordeal. One and a half month have passed and I still haven't gotten my computer back. How can one live for one and a half month without a computer especially when one is a student and needs the computer to do various projects including programming?

I got fed up, and told the customer support person that this was not acceptable. 7-10 business days, this has been over 1.5 months! I want a new computer. Since you can't fix my current one, you can replace it. After more phone calling, with the people saying "Oh, someone/manager will call you back tomorrow" (Of course no one calls back, What was I expecting) They finally decide to replace my computer.

I expected the computer to be in 3-4 days since the factory was very close to my home, but after 2 days, I call in, asking for more information, they told me the order to send out a computer hasn't even been placed yet. I got mad, and tried to rushed them again. I find that whenever you get mad, the people CUT YOU OFF to try to calm you down. When you get cut off, you just want to lash out more.

People kept on telling me things like "mam, we can't see the status of the order. We have different systems." but miraculously, 5 minutes later, when I hung up, and called again, the next person told me they could see the information. Lying much? What was it about "I can't see the information, we have different systems?" What a bunch of lying people! So after another week, I FINALLY got my computer again, and happily I open it, just to find instead of a red computer, I got a black one. I was not pleased. I bought a Sony computer solely because it was red. I decided to suck it up and leave it at that since I didn't want the hassle again.

Using my new computer, end of November, comes December, and surprise surprise, my NEW brand new Factory condition computer's fan broke again, with the exact same problem as my previous computer. I called back again early January (as December I was back in my hometown) and tried to resolve this issue again.

Again with the support people who don't return calls, and the rude cutting me off during mid-speech. The only option they could give me was to "send the computer in and have it checked out." Needless to say, Sony has lost all my trust. I will NEVER send it in again, who knows, it could be 2 months this time. I told them that, to find another option, such as sending me a fan, and I'll find someone to replace my fan, or send in a technician to check out my computer. But I felt like I was talking to a wall, the person could only repeat like a broken machine "I'm sorry, but the only thing we can do now is have you send it in to our repair center to have it diagnosed."

They talked to the manager and couldn't even have a spare fan part sent to me? I mean wouldn't it have been easier to just send me a fan, rather than spending all the money on having a technician work on it and shipping on sending it to and from the factory? Since they aren't willing to compromise, I decided to drop it and just wait for my fan to explode on me.

Needless to say, I'm HIGHLY unpleased and will never buy a Vaio computer again in my life. If you are looking into getting a VAIO computer, hope that you have don't buy a computer with such a high rate of breakage. Get another brand. Don't ever get Sony.

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Vaio AR520e Bad Nvidia Chipset
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- Sony has worst customer service I have ever dealt with! EVER! I bought a Sony Vaio VGNAR520e in Oct. of 2007 2 weeks ago the screen became distorted just out of the blue. Then it became scrambled with artifacts, then it just went black. I always knew it was running way to hot and tried using laptop chill pads to try to keep it cool. Took it to Best Buy where I bought it and was told that the Video Card was bad, and for $700 plus could get it repaired in about 4-6 weeks. I came home and began to explore the internet. Come to find out that there was an issue with the 8400MGT Nvidia geforce video cards that was in my machine, all of them were bad.

These bad cards where sent out to Dell, HP, Apple and Sony. In 2007 Nvidia came clean that the cards were bad and defective. Dell, HP, and Apple replaced them all in there machines and repaired the defective machines, but not Sony!!! NO! They sat on it for the consumers till everyone's one year warranty was up. The defective Nvidia chip set dosn't go bad till the machine is 1 1/2 to 2 years old then it dies from the heat and cooling issue. **

So Sony puts out a recall on certain models only that they list on there site as having this defective chip set, for free repair. My model is not listed, but does have the defective 8400MGT geforce. I talk to a rude moron today in customer service who tells me, and I qoute! "The video card is the one recalled, but the model you have is not listed so there is nothing we can do for you" So I said "My laptop is recalled, but not recalled?" reply from Sony MORON "YES"...

I have a $1200 Machine with defective hardware that Sony knows is a defective piece, and they refuse to fix it! There Reason it's pass the 1 year warranty! Which explains the models they listed they probably all still under a one year warranty and Sony knows it take's 1 1/2 to 2 years before the defective chip set completely breaks down. So I ask for higher ups. Same thing is said they admit the chip set is bad, but refuse to fix it. It was moron after moron I spent 2 hours talking to dumb, rude people who rejected to help me even tho they said it was a defective chipset that was recalled.

Every Sony in my house is going to be sold!! I will NOT EVER, BUY Sony AGAIN, EVER! They treated me the consumer as if I was the idiot! I meant nothing to them! ZERO! They even refused to pay half the cost of the repair! They talked to me as if I was a bother to them! I will buy a new laptop this week, and it won't be a Sony. Just bought my kid a brand new Cyber shot last week it's going back.

My son wanted a Xbox 360 for Christmas, I talked him into a PS3, well I'll be getting that Xbox 360 for him now! All my vid equipment will be found for sale on Ebay. But this is far from over. I make documentaries and will be doing some work about Sony now. I will be posting more. I'll be getting the recorders out people have to hear this crap to really believe it.

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Arrogant Odd Unacceptable Customer Service
By -

For Christmas, two years ago, my parents surprised me with a Sony Notebook. I should look up the model, but don't feel like digging through the bathroom closet to find the notebook. Oh yes, it has never been used. It's something like VGN AR... Media Center Edition. I should know the model as I've faxed Sir Howard Stringer and all his affiliations lengthy letters dozens of times. The notebook cost was $2,400.00.

I can type volumes here and give contact names if you want (as I've researched contact addresses on Stringer's biography even). A brief summary is that Christmas for my dear parents was ruined,and I have $2,400.00 worth of no notebook to use. I wanted to trade it in, called SonyStyle.com in plenty of time, was given the run around several times, and vow to remind them monthly - forever. Their support system is a joke at most. They put me off until it was too late to send it back, and then said I could trade it in at the value of $250.00.

When I decided to try to use it (even though my Dad was not aware they were selling him the media center edition), there were problems. Stuck with it, I started calling customer and tech support. One tech guy didn't even say hello, Sony, etc., and I had to say that I heard him breathing - HELLO. As soon as I said the word Christmas, he told me that his girlfriend's boyfriend died under a Christmas tree. Sad if so, but what???

One tech person walked me through a restore on this new product, and a message appeared that it was not a Vaio product. We paid for a new Vaio product. Again, what? Oh, it has been a nightmare, but I'll just keep it in the closet and keep contacting them.

Today, I received a call that still makes me laugh. A woman identified herself as being form "the executive offices" and proceeded to cite lies about when I did / did not contact them and all the help they offered me. You tell me where the logic is there? If they offered to help originally, what type of idiot would still be fighting them two years later? Of course, they did not offer.

This woman must have been trying to establish for her boss that she was tough and would certainly handle me (the consumer). This is their attitude. They don't help nor do they serve, and they certainly don't please the consumer in this case at least. She called my home and certainly tried to be tough... with the wrong person. I don't use foul language nor do I get agitated. I simply have the truth on my side and the intelligence. She was rude.

Rather than hang up on her, I finally just told her to not call my home and gripe at me; rather, if they've offered to help so many times, help. She gave me a number to call. I took the number, thanked her, and said goodbye. Been there. Done that. It will do no good. Trust me. I did add that she called my home stating "facts" that were not factual at all, and if I ever get rid of my desktop, I might just have someone take my hard drive and try to find all the information I've long since lost (although I did keep a thick folder of documentation).

They'll let you send the product to them for them to look at. I've read numerous reviews stating once that happens (and they have your product in their hands), they'll quote a high fee to fix it. Recall, I'm talking about a new never used (and not refurbished) $2,400.00 product here. If you have problems, I'd suggest looking up Sony on Hoovers.com where you can get the fax numbers for all the executives. You can also read their bios on their site if you want to try to contact them through organizations on which many serve as board members. I do.

I'd also suggest not buying it in the first place or at least buying it through Sams Club, etc. if they have what you want. They'll take it back. Excuse typos - rushing. Stand firm though. Even if you're stuck with a lousy product from a company like this that has ignorant yet arrogant customer support, be the squeaky wheel.

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