Non Aviation (Viewsonic)

bbchien

bbchien

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 13, 2005
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Bolingbrook, IL
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Bruce C
So my VPW45HD (42" Plasma) just fried its DVD decoder card. 4 images stacked on top of each other. Still plays the few HD TV signals we get out here in the hinterlands.

Call Viewsonic- it's 3 days still under warranty. Get a case numer. Am told to expect a call from a service tech in 5-7 days. Then I get an email sending send it in with an RMA. I call, wait 20 minutes on the call queue. "no don't send it in, we'll repair on site", using a firm called US Tech.

So the days go by and go by. No call. Call several times, check that my notification # is my 24/7 number. It is. Now I've been wasting 20 minutes on the call queue every night, taking names, just to tell them "I haven't been called".

Don't buy Viewsonic, folks, if you want an enforceable warranty. These dudes won't give me the number for US Tech w homever they are, and they say, "well, I 'm not in the "presentation products division so I can't do anything but pass a message".

"Well can you tweak your subcontractor?" "Well, no I can't do that...I'm not in the presentation products division. YOu have to call between 9 and 5 and then we can connect you....". Like h_ck I'm gonna do that, with a busy office all day.

F_.. YOU so I say no more Viewsonic anything. Crazy French company. Shopping again, for something with an enforceable warranty made in the US. Not many of them, for sure....
 
I would be really mad if this happened to me. AOL the pos company it is did me over a few years ago. I called them 15 times during the evening and put on the hands free unit while watching TV. Since they cannot hang up on you I kept them on the phone for an average of 3/4 of an hour just to p*ss them off.

Did you look into repairing the unit? For an expensive 42" plasma I would think it would be advantageous to have it repaired. I know of a repair shop in Lansing, MI that does great work...normally on sony units...that might be able to fix it. If you really don't want to keep it though I'll drive down and take it off your hands :).

Chris
 
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bbchien said:
So my VPW45HD (42" Plasma) just fried its DVD decoder card. 4 images stacked on top of each other. Still plays the few HD TV signals we get out here in the hinterlands.

Call Viewsonic- it's 3 days still under warranty. Get a case numer. Am told to expect a call from a service tech in 5-7 days. Then I get an email sending send it in with an RMA. I call, wait 20 minutes on the call queue. "no don't send it in, we'll repair on site", using a firm called US Tech.

F_.. YOU so I say no more Viewsonic anything. Crazy French company. Shopping again, for something with an enforceable warranty made in the US. Not many of them, for sure....
Click to expand...

Bruce, have you tried talking to the retail outlet you purchased from? I know their first response would be to have you contact Viewsonic, but sometimes you can find someone at a retailer who actually cares about their customers and will assist via channels not available to the consumer.

I feel your pain, these days I pretty much expect zilch in the way of customer service on most products. One recent exception is Motorola who after one simple (and quick) phone call sent a replacement cellphone UPS blue at no charge and included a prepaid shipping label for the return of my current one. I have to say they exceeded my expectations on that one.
 
Just got off the 25 minute call queue with them again (now a daytime call, very costly to rmy office). We can't seem to get a hold of US Tech, our service agents. Where are you located?" Oh mother of Je_us.

"We'll call you back". Yeah. Right, like the other seven times.
 
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bbchien said:
Shopping again, for something with an enforceable warranty made in the US. Not many of them, for sure....
Click to expand...

Made in the US is going to be tough. Possible that you'll find a US company but the electronics will be sourced from off shore. That said...I really like Sony stuff. More expensive for sure but I've never had a reliability issue and for me the extra cost up front has been worthwhile. Our TVs (3) and VCRs (3) are at least 10 years old and they are all working as well today as the day they came out of the box. Two DVD players are not that old but getting up there and still running strong. My camcorder is practically an antique as I bought just before the kids were born but it is still running strong. The other nice thing about sticking with Sony as the manufacture is that all of the remotes work with all of the devices and it is easy to get replacement remotes after they've been drooped or the kids run over 'em with a monster truck.

My problem is that I can't justify buying new, fancy, TVs, DVRs and digital camcorders while all the ones we have work. Oh well, more money for flying. :<)

Len

P.S. Yes, I do squeeze nickles until the buffalo cries. :<)
 
Bruce: I think Lance's suggestion is excellent. To relate a similar experience ( although only on a dehumidifier): I purchased a Maytag Dehumidifier for my basement from Home Depot. It fried in less than on year and with in the warranty period . I called the (800) number for warranty claims and it was a freakin recording. I had to enter my zip code and it would give me the name and telephone number of the "Authorized Service center" near me. A subcontractor of course. I left 15 YES 15 messages on the subs answering machine ( no one EVER answered) and never a call back.

I hunted down the "real" company behind maytag on the internet and left numerous messages for them. Nothing. Finally I went back to the retailer, in person and explained the situation and that they should reconsider selling products whose mfgs don't stand behind them. Home Depot made good on this immediately and with no quesitons asked. Fast Forward four months later I got a call from Maytag. HA HA HA they sent me coupons to apologize. Won't buy thier products again.
 
Unfortuantely when I bought this model, Best Buy (our only real retailer around here) didn't have an HD display, only EDTV (480 lines per inch) so this was bought from an online seller. Sigh.

So, I'm out looking for a US manufactured, retail product. These chumps are real Bozo-z. OR maybe I'm the chump...
 
bbchien said:
Unfortuantely when I bought this model, Best Buy (our only real retailer around here) didn't have an HD display, only EDTV (480 lines per inch) so this was bought from an online seller. Sigh.
Click to expand...

Many online retailers have physical stores as well, and/or actual real humans who will answer the phone. It's probably worth a shot. If it was E trade only outlet, your chances of getting someone interested are less but not zero.
 
bbchien said:
So my VPW45HD (42" Plasma) just fried its DVD decoder card. 4 images stacked on top of each other. Still plays the few HD TV signals we get out here in the hinterlands.

Call Viewsonic- it's 3 days still under warranty. Get a case numer. Am told to expect a call from a service tech in 5-7 days. Then I get an email sending send it in with an RMA. I call, wait 20 minutes on the call queue. "no don't send it in, we'll repair on site", using a firm called US Tech.
Click to expand...

Bruce,

I feel your pain. Sorry, man. At this point, you know that US Tech isn't going to come out. Why not box it up and send it to Viewsonic on the RMA they gave you?

Just make sure you send it via a trackable means...
 
bbchien said:
Unfortuantely when I bought this model, Best Buy (our only real retailer around here) ...
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Oh geez... if your experience with Worst Buy is anything like my experience with Worst Buy, if you didn't buy their extortion, uh extended warranty policy, you're out of luck getting them to help. I sincerely hope that's not the case for you, but I'll never buy from Worst Buy again after trying to return electronic items that failed.

"Well sir, if you would have purchased our extended warranty, you wouldn't be having this problem." says the snot nosed kid with piercings everywhere.
 
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I gave up on Best Buy. Shopping for a TV and DVD player last year we couldn't get anyone to answer questions. Wife and I left after lodging a complaint w/manager, who didn't seem very concerned about the lack of service. Went down the road to Sound Advice. They were eager to help and answer all our questions. We bought Sony TV and DVD player from them.
 
Bruce,

Go give your feedback on the seller and Viewsonic on http://resellerratings.com and http://epinions.com.

You *might* get an email from the seller or the manufacturer.

I'm glad you tipped us off. I have 21" Viewsonic PC LCD on my wish list. The feedback on NewEgg says the display is great and that Viewsonic has great service.

You cannot win. You cannot get the real straight dope.
 
NickDBrennan said:
I hear you about buying American. Its the only way I go. I use usstuff.com to find stuff, but this page might help you:

http://www.usstuff.com/televisn.htm
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Hey, Nick, Thanks for the link!

I know it may be silly, but I really think it matters, and while I won't do something stupid for principle, I will spend a rational amount extra to (1) patronize a worthy local business, and (2) buy American.

Hierarchy is something like this:

1. US company, US manufactured
2. Foreign Company, US manufactured
3. US Company, foreign manufactured (NAFTA countries- Canada / Mexico)
4. US Company, foreign manufactured (western hemisphere)
5. US Company, foreign manufactured (Korea & Taiwan)
6. US Company, foreign manufacture (everywhere else, essentially)
7. Foreign company, foreign manufacture

Not a "hard and fast" rule set (heck, it's too complicated to be), but guidelines...

...my reason for favoring foreign companies which manufacture here is that hey are investing in the US community, rather than "de-investing," as so many US operators are doing. May be some slack cut for maquiladora operations, as i think they still have substantial benefit for our economy (as opposed to across-the-ocean manufacturing).

Silly? I am accepting comments, critiques and epithets now. Fire away!
 
SCCutler said:
while I won't do something stupid for principle, I will spend a rational amount extra to (1) patronize a worthy local business, and (2) buy American.

Silly? I am accepting comments, critiques and epithets now. Fire away!
Click to expand...

Not silly at all. I will always give an American product the chance. I personally feel better that my purchase $$$'s are helping a fellow American put food on the table.

OTOH, I'm not blindly buying American, as I won't ever give more purchasing $$$'s to any company that sells me poor product.
 
Bruce, I have a potentially helpeful contact at Viewsonic that I'd like to pursue on your behalf. I need the complete model # of your TV (VPW45HD-???), the case # you were assigned, and the purchase date. This contact was given to me by a distributor of non-consumer Viewsonic products that my company deals with. Since I don't actually know the person that I was told to call, I want to make the first contact myself. At this point I'm not even certain he will be able to help, but he's supposedly pretty high up in the chain of command for Viewsonic in America so even if he can't help directly he may be able to put me in contact with someone who can.
 
SCCutler said:
Hey, Nick, Thanks for the link!

I know it may be silly, but I really think it matters, and while I won't do something stupid for principle, I will spend a rational amount extra to (1) patronize a worthy local business, and (2) buy American.

Hierarchy is something like this:

1. US company, US manufactured
2. Foreign Company, US manufactured
3. US Company, foreign manufactured (NAFTA countries- Canada / Mexico)
4. US Company, foreign manufactured (western hemisphere)
5. US Company, foreign manufactured (Korea & Taiwan)
6. US Company, foreign manufacture (everywhere else, essentially)
7. Foreign company, foreign manufacture

Not a "hard and fast" rule set (heck, it's too complicated to be), but guidelines...

...my reason for favoring foreign companies which manufacture here is that hey are investing in the US community, rather than "de-investing," as so many US operators are doing. May be some slack cut for maquiladora operations, as i think they still have substantial benefit for our economy (as opposed to across-the-ocean manufacturing).

Silly? I am accepting comments, critiques and epithets now. Fire away!
Click to expand...

I like to do about the same sequencing too, generally.
 
Troy Whistman said:
Bruce,

I feel your pain. Sorry, man. At this point, you know that US Tech isn't going to come out. Why not box it up and send it to Viewsonic on the RMA they gave you?

Just make sure you send it via a trackable means...
Click to expand...
$130 to ship it to California, it weighs 107 pounds. Sigh.
 
bbchien said:
$130 to ship it to California, it weighs 107 pounds. Sigh.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. When I was choosing between an LCD and a Plasma HDTV, I didn't consider the weight issue from that perspective. I went with LCD for the higher native resolution and lack of burn in issues, but a side benefit is that the TV only weighs 60 lbs if I have to ship it somewhere for service.
 
lancefisher said:
Hmmm. When I was choosing between an LCD and a Plasma HDTV, I didn't consider the weight issue from that perspective. I went with LCD for the higher native resolution and lack of burn in issues, but a side benefit is that the TV only weighs 60 lbs if I have to ship it somewhere for service.
Click to expand...
Jann's 34" Sony HD CRT is 170lbs. The guys that delivered it were surpised that we had no intention of installing it ourselves, in spite of the fact that we had made it very clear several times that we were paying for setup. Don't get me started.

I did ask if they actually had customers that were ready to just lift it up out of the box. They said yes.
 
I got CALLED Friday! Hooray! Raising a Stink sometimes works.... Sigh.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Not silly at all. I will always give an American product the chance. I personally feel better that my purchase $$$'s are helping a fellow American put food on the table.

OTOH, I'm not blindly buying American, as I won't ever give more purchasing $$$'s to any company that sells me poor product.
Click to expand...

A side note. I've owned (or co-owned) 7 cars in my life, namely:

1998 Dodge Neon
1991 Dodge Dynasty
1984 Chevy Camaro
1996 Buick <something something, got stolen 3 months after we got it>
1982 Buick Skylark
2001 Acura TL
2003 Subaru Outback (new to me last week)

My Neon was American designed, Mexican built. The two buicks were american through and through; as was the camaro, the Dynasty was built in Mexico as well IIRC. My Acura and Subie are both american built, but foriegn designed.

Let a Japanese company design my car; let a japanese managed, american labor plant built it is my current track record.

Just an interesting data point...

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
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