I purchased a 50" Hitachi LCD 720P HDTV on 11-22-05 from the ABC store in Waterford, Michigan which cost $2,300.00 plus tax and warrantee.in addition to the TV, I purchased another $6,000. Worth of household appliances and purchased their 5 year extended "Warrantee Plus" on everything at that time.
The TV began having intermittant problems of powering off & on in January. ABC Warrantee Co. Called Universal TV Repair service (248-681-2255) to pick it up, which they did on 2-11-08. They replaced the Light Engine and returned the TV to me on 2-13-08. After plugging the TV in & turning it on, it powered off again & this time would not power back on. I called Universal TV & they picked up the TV for a 2nd time on 2-14-08. On 2-22-08, Universal TV replaced the both the Ballast and Lamp. When that didn't fix the problem, they emaild Hitachi for advice.
According to Universal TV, they weren't able to connect with Hitachi for advice until 3-7-08, at which time Hitachi suggested that the Light Engine they replaced on 2-12-08 may have been defective and ordered another Light Engine. At this time, Universal TV's repair bill totaled $1,445.54!
By 3-17-08,5 weeks from the TV's initial service pickup, I had run out of patience. Universal TV was saying that they still hadn't received the 2nd Light Engine from Hitachi.in the meantime, they had swapped some parts with another 50" LCD 720P HDTV in the shop & my TV began working. When they switched those parts back to their original TV's, mine still continued to work. Universal said they didn't know what to make of it, but felt a loose connection must have been jarred back into place or something (huh?!?).
After 2 weeks of my phone calls to Universal TV, during which time they insisted they ran my TV without incident, my TV was finally delivered back to me on 3-31-08, after 7 weeks of service. Much to my surprise, after the TV was plugged in & ran for 10 minutes, it again powered off then on then off then on then finally off for good. I couldn't believe it! They said they ran it for 2 weeks straight without incident! So, back on the phone to Universal TV I went, where an irate owner (Keith) admonished me for insinuating they did a poor job repairing my TV. Sorry, but it was picked up & delivered twice and remained broken... What am I supposed to think!?!
Finally, I figured I needed to get ABC Warrantee Company involved since it was they who were paying for this poor service. Big mistake!!! They obviously employ the rudest customer service agents on the planet! When I asked for details on the warrantee, they refused details. I wanted to know what the policy was for time-out-of-service and I wanted to know "how much was too much" when it came to dollars spent on a TV such as mine, and what their policy was for replacement on units deemed "unfixable".
Again, they refused to answer. I placed more than a half dozen calls to different Customer Service Agents and one so-called supervisor called Eve, all of whom refused to give me details, saying "it is up to ABC Warrantee's discression to decide how long to wait & how much to spend".
Today, 4-4-08, I received a call from "Pat" at ABC Warrantee Co. Who barked that they will not replace my TV because Keith at Universal TV says he's not willing to declare the TV "unfixable" and now wants to replace the Digital Module and possibly, if that doesn't work, resolder all of the connections and get that Light Engine changed out.
In other words (in my opinion), he basically wants to keep this cash-cow in his shop for as long as he can milk ABC Warrantee for repair costs. And ABC Warrantee Co. Is refusing to replace the TV (likely) because they've dumped so much money into it already that they're not willing to walk away from it & pay out for a new unit. Pat firmly told me that they have the right to work on the TV "indefinately" and to invest "as much money as they choose" into a particular unit. When I asked for a copy of a warrantee contract listing terms, she refused.
So, I have a $2,300. TV that doesn't work. When I asked them to send it to another repair shop, they refused saying they have too much invested in Universal TV on this unit (I wonder... Does ABC perhaps have a financial interest in Universal TV or visa versa?). They're saying either I agree to have ABC enter a 3rd repair order & allow Universal TV to pick up my TV again (to be held indefinately until Universal either fixes it or admits defeat) or they will assume I am refusing service and thus voiding my warrantee.
2 months... I want to sue... I want to picket... I want to scream...
Cindy
Oxford, Michigan
U.S.A.
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