Best Buy finally caves in and replaces my Wega. Can I expect a better set this time? (1 Viewer)

[Jay Sylvester]

I purchased a Wega 32FS16 from Best Buy back in November of 2000. It exhibits many of the issues people have been complaining about over the past few years, including the "rolling hills" effect both horizontally and vertically, inconsistent brightness, convergence problems, and seriously flawed geometry.
After three visits from technicians and one in-shop repair attempt, it looks exactly the same as it did the day I bought it. I just spoke to a Best Buy service rep who seemed much more helpful than some others I've dealt with in the past, and she is contacting the repair shop to get the paperwork in order for a replacement under the "no lemon policy" in my extended warranty.
I'm concerned however that since there was only one actual in-shop repair, and the other visits were for various adjustments (with equipment that I didn't recognize and couldn't explain), my TV might not qualify for a replacement, and I'll be forced to send the set to the shop for another lengthy repair session that probably won't help.
Have any of you had any luck getting a big ticket item replaced by Best Buy? What are the chances that they'll come back and say that they won't replace it? Can I expect a newer model, or a refurbished version of the same model? And are the newer Wegas less prone to the problems that plagued the earlier runs?
I'm so sick of this thing that I'm about ready to accept the loss and buy a new set.
Thanks

 

[Roy H]

Jay I know how you feel. I just bought a Toshiba 50 inch RPTV from BestBuy a little over a week ago and on the fifth day the TV shut off all by itself. See my post below entitled (MY FIRST POST AND I NEED YOUR OPINION).
I love the TV and everything about it but since it shut off like that I was feeling like I better have it replaced now. I have been trying to get BestBuy to exchange it, simple right? Not for BestBuy.
It took me two trips to the store, and my wife one herself! Each time we went there we got a huge run around and had to speak to at least 5 seperate people, all of whom did not have a clue as to what they were doing. I made numerous phone calls to the store and the BB wharehouse, and then finally to Toshiba themself. Calling Toshiba was a total waste of time.
Finally I decided enough is enough and told them to replace it ASAP or take it back and give me a full refund. I am not even telling you how many times the BestBuy wharehouse called me saying they were sending people over to pick up the TV but had no idea that they had to bring a new one to replace this one with. Two guys even showed up at my door saying they were here to pick up the TV and when I said where is the new one they said what new one. Man I was pissed beyond belief.
After another hour and a half visit to the store last night, 3 costumer service rep's (THATS A JOKE) and two store managers (A BIGGER JOKE) I think they may have my message. I got a call today at 1 this afternoon and the manager told me my new TV will be delivered monday and the guys will take away the original TV at the same time. Trust me I am skipping a ton of stuff trying to keep this post short.
Here is the kicker, BestBuy was having a special all last week, If you buy any projection TV you get a free leather recliner and ottoman a $350 value. I still never got them, they gave me a rain check and as of today the manager said they are still on back order.
PS: Keep in mind this is all within just over one week. I have a right to return it period and end of dicussion, so I can't even think about what you must be going through.
YA LIVE AND YA LEARN!
Good luck Jay, sorry for the long rant but man I feel better now.
Roy.

 

[Jay Sylvester]

I actually posted a reply to your topic already. I'm amazed at what you had to go through to get a response. While I think returning it so quickly was a bit hasty (a visit by a technician may have been all you needed), it's still within your right to do so.

I probably won't be purchasing anything other than DVDs from Best Buy from now on.

Another question: does anyone think Best Buy would offer a trade-up, letting me get a credit for this set toward a newer and better model? I don't like the idea of dealing with Best Buy again, but I'm concerned that I'm going to get a 2-year-old refurb piece of junk instead of a new TV. If I could get a better TV out of the deal I'd be much happier.

 

[Dave Bennett]

It's reasons like this that made me decide to not purchase any big ticket item from best buy. They gave me a hastle when I returned my 27" Sony Triniton despite having the reciept(and being within 30 days of purchase) and having all of the original packing materials and box. They claimed that I damaged the TV and they weren't supposed to take it back but they said "we'll let you do it this time." Needless to say, I didn't buy the new set from them. I've said it once and I'll say it again, give me a Bernie's, Tweeter, or even Circuit City any day over Best Buy. When it comes to big purchases best buy just isn't worth it for me.

 

[Roy H]

Jay I agree with you when you say I may have been hasty because normally I would have just waited to see if the TV shut off again. But due to our great source of information today (The Web) I was able to see that this is an issue that is well known by consumers and also Toshiba. What really made me decide to just replace it was that some of the people were quoting the repair prices they were hit with. $800 if you were not under warranty. That is what one guy was charged to have two capacitors replaced in his Tosh RPTV after his warranty expired and he had the same exact symptoms I described. He also said it only happened a few times while he had the TV but he just ignored it thinking it was just a surge or power spike. One guy went through a couple different Toshiba RPTV's before he decided thats it time to move on. He also had the same exact symptom they just turned off and had no way to turn them back on unless he turned the surge protector off then back on.

Me I am still willing to give another Toshiba RPTV a try because I do like them, and I think overall they are as reliable as most of the other top names on the market.

Only time will tell.

Roy.