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Circuit City Complaint - Protection Plan Rip-off Circuit City - Protection Plan Rip-off on my SOny 60
Protection Plan Rip-off on my SOny 60 - Complaint
OHIO -- Protection Plan Rip-off on my Sony 60" SXRD
Considering buying that expensive advantage protection plan? I bought one for $549.99 for my Sony SXRD 60" television 6 months ago and let me tell you what has happened so far. Worth the read as I'm sure they will dismiss the next person (could be you) the same way!
For 3 months the set worked perfectly, then would not turn on one day - called the 888-333-2333 # for the protection plan and 2 days later a local repair shop called to set up an appointment to come fix it - and they did fix it on the spot. Installed a new fan within about 1 hour and everything was running great again.. At this point I was pretty glad I shelled out that extra $549 + tax for the warranty as this was handled quickly and smoothly.
4 weeks later same problem occured. This time it will have to go into the shop for further diagnostic testing. Took quite a bit longer this time; from the time I called the number to the time I had a working set back in my house it was 2 and a half weeks. This time they replaced that same fan again with a few other parts as well.
3 weeks later and the same problem. Now I'm looking in my $549.99 advantage plan handbook for the number once again and I see no-lemon-gaurantee - replacement with 3rd failure. I sure feel like I have a "lemon" with this set so once again I call the number, this time to report that it is the 3rd failure (within 3 months!) and I would like it replaced just like the Protection Plan states they will honor upon the 3rd failure. The phone rep puts in the request for the replacemnet and says I should be getting a phone call within 2 days...
I do eventually get a call from them and the woman on the phone states that this does not qualify for replacement as it has only been repaired one time. I tell her this is inaccurate it has been fixed twice by the same shop and that I have my documentation from both repairs to prove it. She says she will call the repair shop to verfiy and then call me back. I never get a call back.
The next day I call the repair shop myself to see if they were contacted by Circuit City about the matter and they confirm that someone called them to verify both repairs which they did verify for them. After this phone call I think everthing is taken care of and wait one more day for the woman to call me back like she said. Still no phone call...
Nearly a week later from that initial phone call to report the 3rd failure I decide it will be necessary to call the 888-233-3333 number again to see exactly what is going on. The phone rep reads me word for word the notes on their screen and informs me that the case was declined and closed earlier that morning as there were not 2 repairs made (according to their database). She says I will need to talk to the person in charge of the case to find out the reason why and gives me an 800 number with the woman's extention.
At this point I'm starting to get very upset 6 months into a $549.99 warranty that the sales person was very insistant that I buy. I take a deep breath and dial the 800 number and enter her extention. Voice Mail. Figures. I leae a message and my number. No call back. The following day I call again and leave 2 more messages. No return call. The next day I call once more and leave a message stating the urgency to at least have the courtesy to return my calls. No response, no call back, nothing after 3 days of leaving messages.
Now I am not sure what to do with a 6 month old, broken $3,200 set and the $549.99 warranty purchased with it, so I reluctantly call the store where I bought it from - knowing very well they will just try to refer me to the 888-233-3333 number for the Protection Plan. They re-submit a replacement request and still no answer back from them.
Just wanted to share my experience with the "Protection Plan" from Circuit City so you will know what to expect if you ever have to use it.
Considering buying that expensive advantage protection plan? I bought one for $549.99 for my Sony SXRD 60" television 6 months ago and let me tell you what has happened so far. Worth the read as I'm sure they will dismiss the next person (could be you) the same way!
For 3 months the set worked perfectly, then would not turn on one day - called the 888-333-2333 # for the protection plan and 2 days later a local repair shop called to set up an appointment to come fix it - and they did fix it on the spot. Installed a new fan within about 1 hour and everything was running great again.. At this point I was pretty glad I shelled out that extra $549 + tax for the warranty as this was handled quickly and smoothly.
4 weeks later same problem occured. This time it will have to go into the shop for further diagnostic testing. Took quite a bit longer this time; from the time I called the number to the time I had a working set back in my house it was 2 and a half weeks. This time they replaced that same fan again with a few other parts as well.
3 weeks later and the same problem. Now I'm looking in my $549.99 advantage plan handbook for the number once again and I see no-lemon-gaurantee - replacement with 3rd failure. I sure feel like I have a "lemon" with this set so once again I call the number, this time to report that it is the 3rd failure (within 3 months!) and I would like it replaced just like the Protection Plan states they will honor upon the 3rd failure. The phone rep puts in the request for the replacemnet and says I should be getting a phone call within 2 days...
I do eventually get a call from them and the woman on the phone states that this does not qualify for replacement as it has only been repaired one time. I tell her this is inaccurate it has been fixed twice by the same shop and that I have my documentation from both repairs to prove it. She says she will call the repair shop to verfiy and then call me back. I never get a call back.
The next day I call the repair shop myself to see if they were contacted by Circuit City about the matter and they confirm that someone called them to verify both repairs which they did verify for them. After this phone call I think everthing is taken care of and wait one more day for the woman to call me back like she said. Still no phone call...
Nearly a week later from that initial phone call to report the 3rd failure I decide it will be necessary to call the 888-233-3333 number again to see exactly what is going on. The phone rep reads me word for word the notes on their screen and informs me that the case was declined and closed earlier that morning as there were not 2 repairs made (according to their database). She says I will need to talk to the person in charge of the case to find out the reason why and gives me an 800 number with the woman's extention.
At this point I'm starting to get very upset 6 months into a $549.99 warranty that the sales person was very insistant that I buy. I take a deep breath and dial the 800 number and enter her extention. Voice Mail. Figures. I leae a message and my number. No call back. The following day I call again and leave 2 more messages. No return call. The next day I call once more and leave a message stating the urgency to at least have the courtesy to return my calls. No response, no call back, nothing after 3 days of leaving messages.
Now I am not sure what to do with a 6 month old, broken $3,200 set and the $549.99 warranty purchased with it, so I reluctantly call the store where I bought it from - knowing very well they will just try to refer me to the 888-233-3333 number for the Protection Plan. They re-submit a replacement request and still no answer back from them.
Just wanted to share my experience with the "Protection Plan" from Circuit City so you will know what to expect if you ever have to use it.
Comments:
Posted by TheNewSheriff on 2007-03-19:
Very good review. Thanks for the heads-up. I hope you get things squared away. Take them to small claims?
Posted by Lidman on 2007-03-19:
Small claims court seems like the only option. Good luck
Posted by lobo65 on 2007-03-19:
I'm guessing you have a rear-projection HDTV. Those are the kinds of problems they usually have. Your experience is just like many others, unfortunately, who have bought these meaningless warranties. I would rather save that money, and just take my chances paying out of my own pocket if something goes wrong with mine.
Hopefully not though. I bought a CRT tube HDTV, and have no problems with it so far in over 2 years of ownership.
Hopefully not though. I bought a CRT tube HDTV, and have no problems with it so far in over 2 years of ownership.
Posted by Justusryan on 2007-03-19:
Tube t.v.'s almost never go bad if you buy a quality brand. For a LCD, PLasma or DLP projo television, even Consumer Reports recoomends the extended warranty because bulb life on one of these televisions is very short. Having said that, the Sony XRD is a sweet television, second in my opinion only to the pioneer plasma. The Sony XRD is the television I see that is the troublesome, so this is really bad luck! Sorry, and good post!
Posted by lobo65 on 2007-03-19:
I bought a Sony XBR-960, which at the time was reputed to have the best quality HD picture. It's been great, and I would recommend CRT tube to anyone who isn't looking for a screen size over 34", which I believe is the largest on the market that is in the 16 X 9 format. Of course they are bulky, and heavy though. Mine weighs 196 lbs.
Posted by vertzine on 2007-03-19:
Thaks for the postive comments - really just want to let everyone know how they will be treated if this situation ever happens to them. To answer a few questions, yes, it is a rear-projection HDTV set...and as some have suggested court - I am calling my attorney tomorrow on this matter. Over the phone he said it seems like a very clear case of breech of contract. Will update as things progress.
Posted by shawnp80 on 2007-03-19:
Did you try calling Sony? Maybe that will get you a little further.
Posted by pcas on 2007-04-24:
I was in almost the same situation as you, but at least they came out to you.. I never could even get a call back. To make a long story short they finally called back after the court summons was served. It was in july/august that the summons was served. I talked to the legal dept 3-4 times between then and october when the court date as set. They called about 3 weeks before the date and said how about we give you a new tv? Told legal dept. no way they had there chance long ago to make it right and they didn't. Then the day before the court date they called and settled. Some other things that went on makes me firmly believe they were trying to get me past my warrnaty date so they they could do the not our problem your warranty is out.
So sue them. It's a pain but, they will stall you to the last minute but they know there going to loose and just try to hang you out until the last possible second then settle.
So sue them. It's a pain but, they will stall you to the last minute but they know there going to loose and just try to hang you out until the last possible second then settle.
Posted by sickupset on 2007-11-08:
Your night mare is mine. Same thing happen to me, going on 2 1/2 months with no repairs to my computer when it crashed.... 14 calls to Barrister 888-447-6838 to assign work order. 7 Calls to Circuit city, can't remember how many to Circuit City Main office 800-555-4615. Work order assigned October 20, 2007...have to wait 72 hours for phone call back. No Call back on any of these phone calls.
Got work order number...called Keith who was assigned work order...Recorder..called on October 20,2007...Left message, no call back.
Been discounted several times when calling Barrister...Asked to speak to someone in charge. Call transfered, disconected again. Called back put on hold..Operator comes back, supervisor is out to lunch. Called again and again..Supervisor out to lunch..Come to conclusion that this person must weigh at least 300lbs with all the lunch breaks. This is November 8, 2007.. No one has called back to fix our computer..Oh forgot when called to first tell Circuit City about our computer crashing, we renewed our protection plan. After all of this, I called back and demanded they refund our renewal protection plan because it wasn't worth 3 cents..Sorry I didn't put it to him in those exact words. Still waiting...In the mean time we finally went to local computer place and had it fixed another cost of $175....Don't buy from Circuit City any products or protection plan.
Got work order number...called Keith who was assigned work order...Recorder..called on October 20,2007...Left message, no call back.
Been discounted several times when calling Barrister...Asked to speak to someone in charge. Call transfered, disconected again. Called back put on hold..Operator comes back, supervisor is out to lunch. Called again and again..Supervisor out to lunch..Come to conclusion that this person must weigh at least 300lbs with all the lunch breaks. This is November 8, 2007.. No one has called back to fix our computer..Oh forgot when called to first tell Circuit City about our computer crashing, we renewed our protection plan. After all of this, I called back and demanded they refund our renewal protection plan because it wasn't worth 3 cents..Sorry I didn't put it to him in those exact words. Still waiting...In the mean time we finally went to local computer place and had it fixed another cost of $175....Don't buy from Circuit City any products or protection plan.
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