I purchased a Sirius Sportster unit from best buy on 3/12/06 including the installation, car kit, extended warranty, home kit and all the total was $349.67.
Approx two weeks ago the unit quit working and I thought no problem, I bought the extended warranty so I'll go back to best buy and exchange for a new unit and be on my way.
After over 45 minutes in the store and speaking to 4 different best buy employees (on the first trip to try and resolve this) I learned that the unit I purchased had been discontinued and the only thing that they could do was to replace the unit with a comparable. I was fine with this but it would include bringing the car in to uninstall what I had purchased and then install the new unit. My wife and I were told to bring the car in any time and that there would be no charge for anything and that best buy would swap out the units.
Day two (the next day). We bring the car in and are now told that we will need to make an appointment even though they currently have no vehicles waiting for installation. We decide to just leave the car so that the install can be done at best buys convenience. As we are negotiating with the install person she states that "you will have to pay for the uninstall and the reinstall of the units". This is totally different then what we were told the day prior. She said that she would have to go get the manager because "somebody was going to have to pay for this and it wasn't going to be her". Apparently best buy out sources installs to an independent third party even though they are in the store and have a best buy shirt on.
The manager immediately took a defensive tone and basically said that yes we would have to pay for uninstalls, reinstalls, adaptor kits and anything else that they used which was going to be north of $150.00. Which is more than the cost of the new unit. I stated that I was not very happy with that due to the fact that I had bought an extended warranty for the unit and that I just wanted that unit replaced. It is not my fault that the unit has been discontinued. Also we were told the day prior that we would not be charged for any of this. I even stated specifically the employees that we discussed this with us and Benji stated that was not the case because those employees knew better. I would like to know how he knew what was said when he was not there. Benji stated that I could call 866-bestbuy and complain but that it would not do any good because they would just send him an email and he was just going to give me the same answer then.
I also asked if best buy could check and see if the unit was available somewhere else and he said no. (I have since emailed Sirius and there are units available in the market.)
The thing that burns me is the fact that I went in the store on day one and was given the instruction by best buy staff of what to do. On day two the story totally changed. The manager was so arrogant that I had to keep asking him "you're the top manager here"? I could not believe that a manager would have the attitude and poor customer service this guy had.
I'm out the $350.00 that I originally paid for the unit and components not to mention the jam box that I bought later that will only work with the now discontinued unit which was another $120.00 so I'm close to $500.00 out of pocket over this.
I also mentioned to the "manager" that I know I have spent over $10,000.00 in best buy and he is loosing my business over this install issue which I'm sure costs the store $50.00. I'm in the service business and I would never loose a good customer over a $50.00 issue. Stupid business.
I will never spend another dime in best buy (from now on to be known as "worst buy") nor will any of my employees, family, relatives or friends if I can help it.
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