I purchased a Laptop computer in July with an extended service warranty to repair or replace the unit if it had any problems that Circuit City could not repair. Laptop was sent in for repair in 2002 for hardware problems the first time after my son sat for several hours with a technician on the phone doing various "fixes".
CC techs were desperately trying to demonstrate the problem was software, not hardware which they would have to fix. Finally the laptop was sent in a couple of times but never worked as it should. My son was away at school and needed the laptop so he made do. We purchased another computer for him becaue the laptop became too unreliable for consistent use for a university student. He gave the unit to his sister last year where it began to have serious problems.
Laptop began to have problems consistently and was sent in for repairs the 3rd week of July and returned between 7- 26 and 7-28. Between July 28 and October 12 a number of phone conversations with service techs from Insurance Solutions, which is a company Circuit City contracts to perform warranty work and is the actual seller of the warranty purchased through the Circuit City stores, took place.
The unit was sent to Insurance Solutions for servicing. Servicing is reflected in a number of documented phone calls to Circuit City/Insurance Solutions which I have in my records. The phone number is: 800-555-4615. All calls were made after unit had been sent to Circuit City/Insurance Solutions and returned to me. The service warranty states unit would be replaced if sent in for servicing for the same problem three times.
Each time unit was sent to repairs it was for the same problem.in fact, it was the same problem that occurred in 2002. The problem is the unit turns pages and types additional letters as you are typing.in the middle of typing a sentence the unit goes off on it's own typing letters that are not being typed and turns the page if you pause momentarily. Below is a condensed version of a phone conversation dated either July 28 or 29. This particular conversation is relevant because it's basically an admission that the unit had met the criteria in the service warranty.
I called the service tech. And he wanted to do the recovery system again on the computer. I told him that I had been through this twice already. He said that he didn't have any of the notes from the previous times that I had called and needed to get all of the information and history from me again because the two techs before him failed to enter the information. There wasn't any information on the two times that I had sent in the laptop for service.
The techs never entered what they did to the laptop to "fix it" even though I requested that they do so the third time. I was told that they weren't required to do so, but he would make the request anyway. I asked him what would happen if the laptop still was not fixed. He said that after the this time the company would do one of two things:
1. Take my laptop and issue me a refurbished computer (not new)
2. Offer me a "gift certificate" for the amount I paid for the computer. Therefore I could use that amount to purchase a new one-but it most likely wouldn't cover the entire cost of the laptop because laptops costs more now. He than asked which one would I want to do. I told him that I would want the "gift certificate".
After 45 minutes of going over the history of the laptop again, he said that he was going to issue a box to send it in and this was going to be the third time. If it wasn't FIXED this time then I would get the "gift certificate".
When the computer was returned to me (after the third time it was sent in) I pulled it out of the box and there was loose screws on the bottom. I tried using the computer and it was still having the same problems. I called in again and they had me do the recovery (again) and asked if I had put the Internet on the computer. I said no. They kept saying that it most likely was spyware. I said how is it spyware if I just took it out of the box? He said that I had to send it in again. I told him what the other tech said and he said, (I couldn't believe this!) the other tech was probably just saying that to make me feel better by telling me that information but knowing all the time that the information was false.
Therefore, I had to send the computer back in AND they said that I it was only the second time for it being turned in. They said they weren't counting it consecutively because the issue wasn't the SAME issue. From my understanding of the service contract for the laptop, that validates the contract.
When the unit was returned to me it had the same problem which Circuit City/Insurance Solutions has yet to disclose what it is. Without a valid diagnosis of the problem this would go on endlessly which I believe is the intentions of Circuit City/Insurance Solutions.
I can't take the unit to an independent repair person because if the unit is opened up it voids the warranty. Circuit City/Insurance Solutions can continue to operate unethically and play out this charade of repairing the unit for as long as it benefits them. My phone conversation on October 5 was to inform them I was tired of the run around and I would find another was to resolve this problem.
I asked for names, ID numbers, titles of people I spoken with, address and name of the company. I was not given last names, I was told they couldn't give me the address but they eventually did and I requested a diagnosis of the problem but there was not response. Laptop was at Circuit City/Insurance Solutions when this conversation took place.
Below is a condensed version of my last conversation with Circuit City/Insurance Solutions after Laptop was returned on October 12.
I called the service people again when I received the laptop and it wasn't working again. The "A" key was fixed because it was loose. But other than that it was still typing by itself and flipping pages. Circuit City/Insurance Solutions didn't want to speak with me because I didn't have the laptop with me. I asked why do I have to have it with me when it doesn't work and this is the same old problem that's been going on for months. I am NOT doing another recovery, wasting my time. The tech said he would get a manager for me. I was on hold for 5 minutes and I hung up. That was the last contact I had with them. This
The Circuit City store where the Laptop was purchased, Southfield, Michigan has closed. I took the unit to the Circuit City store in Troy, Mi where I was informed the stores do not accept units for repair I had to call a service number to be assisted, 1-800-the city. I called the number, a shipping box was sent, the unit was sent to Circuit City/Insurance Solutions P.O. Box 551756 Dallas, Texas 75355 via DHL shipping.
The phone at Insurance Solution is answered: Circuit City. On October 5 I spoke with Darren, a service tech ID# 4540, his supervisor is Jeff ID# 6569 and the man is charge is Tom and they refused to give me any other identifying information nor would they provide surnames. The case number I referred to for servicing is 6425573.
I have the laptop, un-repaired in my possession and I have not contacted Circuit City/Insurance Solutions since. Yes, I have filed a report with the BBB. I am filing a report here, I will file a report with the State Attorney's Generals Office of the State of Michigan and also file a small claims lawsuit. If anyone has any additional courses of action I can take please feel free to respond to this report.
Rhonda
Southfield, Michigan
U.S.A.
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