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HP's Billing & Warranty Practices: Buyer Beware

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aonomus

Mon Apr 06 2009, 10:38PM

Registered Member #1497 Joined: Thu May 22 2008, 05:24AM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 801

They record calls for 'training' only to loose recordings when they are most needed for the consumer. Record the calls yourself and present it as evidence to the BBB.

Download

Wed Apr 08 2009, 08:44AM

Registered Member #561 Joined: Sat Mar 03 2007, 02:46AM
Location: Adelaide Australia
Posts: 230

I sent my ACER laptop in to be serviced 4 MONTHS AGO! and I'm yet to get it back. It really pisses me off, I'm trying to demand a replacement laptop because they can't seem to repair it

so I'm stuck using my mums shitty desktop with only 512mb of RAM

Conundrum

Wed Apr 08 2009, 05:06PM

Registered Member #96 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4062

HP seemed to be OK a while back up until they started using cheap defective solder balls on their laptops. then they went downhill. Especially bad are the DVx000 series, symptoms can include what you are describing Dave.

There is currently a class action lawsuit IIRC, might be worth having a look.
regards, -A

Save the Environment, Use Both sides of the Paper...

Dave Marshall

Thu Apr 09 2009, 04:58PM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

They mailed the invoice. Contacting the BBB today.

-Dave

Hon1nbo

Thu Apr 09 2009, 05:07PM

Registered Member #902 Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042

Dave Marshall wrote ...

They mailed the invoice. Contacting the BBB today.

-Dave

good luck... but I think you have a pretty clear cut situation... they did not inform you of the fees until AFTER you sent them your hardware, they only made the repairs that were in warranty: this is clearly illegal, as if a seller says there are no fees, then there have to be no fees added once the agreement is made, they can only be made before

just make sure your credit card company knows, especially if they have a card on file...

Chris Russell

Fri Apr 10 2009, 03:48AM

... not Russel!
Registered Member #1 Joined: Thu Jan 26 2006, 12:18AM
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 1052

DaJJHman wrote ...

good luck... but I think you have a pretty clear cut situation... they did not inform you of the fees until AFTER you sent them your hardware, they only made the repairs that were in warranty: this is clearly illegal, as if a seller says there are no fees, then there have to be no fees added once the agreement is made, they can only be made before

just make sure your credit card company knows, especially if they have a card on file...

Indeed, it is a pretty clear-cut situation. They already evaluated and repaired the laptop's power supply issue. They're essentially trying to charge $90 for looking at the screen and saying "that's not our fault." Worse, the pictures make it pretty clear that it is their fault, and that even if it wasn't, the physical damage is in no way connected to the screen malfunction. It would be like your auto dealership doing a warranty repair on the muffler, refusing to repair your transmission because there's a CD stuck in the player, and then demanding money to return the car.

Dave Marshall

Thu Sept 02 2010, 03:43AM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

I thought I'd dredge up this old thread to add a little closure to it. I contacted the BBB, mediation wasn't helpful, and I told HP where they could stick their invoice. I also informed them I had forwarded all communications and pertinent information to the base JAG for review. They never had the balls to push it any further than that, as I threatened litigation.

Conclusion: Not only is HP tech support out to swindle you, they're inept as well.

The laptop remained mostly usable after HP sent it back to me. It had a large dead spot on the screen about the size of a half dollar, but it was in a location that didn't get in the way. About last December, 8 months after the entire altercation, I broke the laptop down to the last screw to clean it and fix what appeared to be a loose connector on the webcam.

The webcam connector was solid, but while inspecting the cable from the mobo to the camera, I noticed it ran right behind the dead spot. On a hunch, I started the computer up with the webcam disconnected...and the dead spot was gone.

The webcam used it's own dedicated USB port complete with 5V supply. A poor design required the cable to make a 60 degree bend right behind the dead spot. It had visible damage to the mesh shroud around the cable, and the cable itself was damaged. It had shorted 5v directly onto the back of the TFT screen, causing the dead spot. Any idiot who actually took the laptop apart would have seen it. Even if they had replaced the LCD at $440, it wouldn't have fixed the problem, but at least they might have been forced to take the thing apart and noticed the damaged cable.

True to my word, I've purchased 6 laptops since then for myself, friends and family. Every one of them has been a Toshiba, and I couldn't be happier. I sold the 2133 as soon as I repaired it, and the single HP I currently own is another netbook (Mini 210) I just got for free. Their build quality has really gone to hell, and the entire thing is held together with scotch tape and dreams. The hard drive is quite literally held into the chassis with a piece of tape. Nothing else, and the entire bottom shroud of the case pops off, held on with just a few small plastic tabs. There is no way it will survive being dropped from more than a foot, even once.

My encounter, as well as two other complaints filed with base legal aimed at HP's laptops sold at the BX on base cost them a $125,000 contract with my squadron. Hope it was worth the $90 I never paid them. I have since heard a number of similar stories about normal wear being taken out of context, or 'damage' being completely fabricated to claim the warranty is void. There was indeed a class action lawsuit last year about similar tactics.

If you buy an HP, buy it used, the warranty is worthless. Be prepared to service it yourself or treat it as disposable.

-Dave

ragnar

Thu Sept 02 2010, 01:52PM

Registered Member #63 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:18AM
Location:
Posts: 1425

Hey Dave,

The HP service culture in the USA sounds appalling. I'm not saying this to shit-stir, rather to remind myself that I was lucky in Aus to get the service I did. When the connections to both the left/right speakers failed almost entirely, I was able to get a satisfactory outcome.

I struggled to explain to the customer service representative that it was a hardware problem, intermittent depending on the angle of the screen. He of course insisted on checking sound settings in Windows and re-imaging the OS from the recovery partition (which probably would fix most people's other sound-related problems), but I got my point through eventually.

The machine was still within warranty by about one month, but I had to fight with them over the date of the invoice versus the apparent warranty date tied to the serial number. I'm glad I keep electronic copies of all receipts!

Thankfully, after the usual blowoffs (just about all companies employ patronizing reps and dispute dates):

1) They couriered me an entire new screen assembly the next day (new LCD, speakers, mic, webcam),

2) A tech was organized to visit my home at a time convenient for me, and I had his mobile phone number,

3) The tech competently disassembled the 2133, and replaced the screen while I watched in interest.

I wonder if the power-tripping service techs you encountered are incentivized to invalidate legitimate claims. The stonewalling and bad faith are common too in Aus, but it's a shame when they permeate all levels of the warranty process!

Dr. Drone

Thu Sept 02 2010, 05:46PM

Registered Member #290 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 08:24PM
Location:
Posts: 1673

aonomus

Thu Sept 02 2010, 10:35PM

Registered Member #1497 Joined: Thu May 22 2008, 05:24AM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 801

I agree with the good service = return business frame of mind.

There are stores where I *could* get things cheaper from, but they treat you like crap and only want your money; once that exchange has happened, good luck getting the full service you expect back. You get burned only once by these types unless you are daft as a lamp post.

I'd rather support good businesses with my money than support crappy ones and allow them to continue. Sadly not enough people are of the mindset of 'buy quality'.

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