What happened to the concept of the warranty?

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Upstatemax
Upstatemax Posts: 2,623
edited April 2013 in The Clubhouse
I've had nothing but issues with companies recently when it comes to warranties.

I remember it being:

I have a broken product under warranty, it gets fixed/replaced no problem...

I sent my UD5007 back to Crutchfield because Marantz wanted me to foot the bill to ship a BRAND NEW machine back to them with zero idea of when I'd get it back, all they would tell me was; "we are pretty backed up". When I explain my situation, it was just a tough crap attitude.

Now I have my 3 year old LG washer blow its drive motor (covered under a 10yr warranty). I call LG and they say yes it's covered, but I have to foot the $350-$500 install! I tell them that's crazy as it's a warrantied part and I should not have to pay that. I talk to a Manager there and he agrees to pay the install. I just need to send in my receipt and they will call me in a week to schedule a time. 2 Weeks go by and I hear nothing...

I call them back and they tell me never mind, they will not cover the install. I end up speaking to an "executive Customer Service Rep" and they also tell me nope. Despite the fact that it's crazy to expect a customer to foot a bill to replace a warrantied item and you already told me you would cover it.

My wife called Home Depot (retailer that we got it from) and THEY called the LG rep for them because the way even they are reading the Warranty I should not have to foot the install.

The Manager at Home Depot was very nice and he told me that he does not even know why they carry LG anymore. I guess they are having a lot of issues with LG.

He was nice enough to ask me to come in and find a new washer if I want and he will work with me.

So I'm out an $800 washer after 3 years since LG also will not send YOU the part. They will only send it if an "approved" installer is doing it.

So I went in and Home Depot has 10% off appliances right now and they gave me an additional 15% off of our new washer because they felt bad. Lol. It was way more that what they had to do as they really did not have to do anything for me. We picked this up with a 5 year extended warranty and it should be delivered in a week:

http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=GHWN8355DMC

But I'm finding that the Manufacturers are just pushing any real customer service on to the retailers. When I called Marantz for the last time, all they kept saying was "Call Crutchfield and see what they will do", despite the fact that they knew I was out of the return period for Crutchfield...
Post edited by Upstatemax on
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,340
    edited April 2013
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    That's some pretty bad luck with warranties, sorry to hear of that. Of all of the recent warranty work I have had to get done, not one company made me pay shipping either way, for the part(s), repair or for shipping back. Heck, one blind company shipped me 4 spare gear mechanisms overnight from over the big pond so that I didn't have to be inconvenienced when the next one went bad.

    Concerning LG, might I suggest filing a report on ripoff report https://www.ripoffreport.com/ and also contacting the BBB as well as writing a letter to the President of the company. No need to get nasty with any of this but if this is the way they treat their customers, then the truth should be known so that others are educated prior to purchase. I do wish you better luck in the future with warranty claims.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
    edited April 2013
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    Lot of manufacturers are trying to not cover their warrenties. The economy is making it harder to maintain a decent profit margin on new sales, so they are becoming nit pickey at the very least. Then of course they also try to convince you that what the wording says and means are 2 different things.

    Problem is that many of these manufacturers forget that when people have bad experiences, they will not buy any of their products again. SO when the economy is left alone, and allowed to right itself, even more sales will go to the competition.
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    edited April 2013
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    Sorry to here about all the warranty problems guys. I've heard Samsung has been notorious about shafting their customers on warranties, remind me never to buy LG either.
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,558
    edited April 2013
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    Any front loader other than commercial grade is Not going to last and cost $$$ to fix.
    I don't understand the Marantz thing. They are trying to run Marantz as a high end
    brand again, and you don't do that making customers angry. But like everything else,
    money is tight and they are all cutting corners everywhere.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,894
    edited April 2013
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    No part replacement labor cost on a washer or dryer should even come close to $300-$500. The most labor intensive replacement couldn't possibly take a trained technician more then 1/2 hr.
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Inakustik Reference USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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  • maximillian
    maximillian Posts: 2,142
    edited April 2013
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    If it's done by a plumber, they will want travel time both ways at their "fixing" rate. Then they take their time on the job. So a 1/2 hour job could really be 0.75 to 1 hour total labor and 1.5 hours of driving.

    Being slightly sarcastic here, but the travel time charge is true, at least in my state.
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  • hosedagain
    hosedagain Posts: 116
    edited April 2013
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    maximillian wrote: »
    If it's done by a plumber, they will want travel time both ways at their "fixing" rate. Then they take their time on the job. So a 1/2 hour job could really be 0.75 to 1 hour total labor and 1.5 hours of driving.

    Being slightly sarcastic here, but the travel time charge is true, at least in my state.

    Does anybody get paid traveling time to get to their office or factory job?
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited April 2013
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    maximillian wrote: »
    If it's done by a plumber, they will want travel time both ways at their "fixing" rate. Then they take their time on the job. So a 1/2 hour job could really be 0.75 to 1 hour total labor and 1.5 hours of driving.

    Being slightly sarcastic here, but the travel time charge is true, at least in my state.

    I was trying to figure out my bill for having my 20 amp lines installed, and it included travel time to the house, and to the electrical parts store.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited April 2013
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    I had a similar issue with Sony and a NS3100ES DVD/SACD player I purchased from Crutchfield. It arrived and as expected was brand new in a double sealed box. After a few months the video stopped working, but this is a Sony ES with a 5 year warranty, so no problem. Boxed it up with the original packing in double sealed box, and sent it to Laredo. After a while I get a note from them that the tech determined the unit has been tampered with and the warranty is void. I was furious as it had never been touched, but after trying any manager I could get a hold of they would not fix it unless I paid for it. So I asked that it be returned and it arrived wrapped in bubble wrap inside a flimsy box. I contacted Crutchfield and while it was out of their return period they took it back and gave me another.

    I have to give Crutchfield credit for their customer service, but I sometimes wonder what would have happened if it broke after a few years instead of a few months. SOL probably.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • oldmodman
    oldmodman Posts: 740
    edited April 2013
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    Warranty problems are the reason that I purchase everything I can at Costco.

    I have returned items after 8 years. They give me an immediate cash refund and I go right back in the store and buy another.

    They really know how to build customer loyalty.
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  • chumlie
    chumlie Posts: 8,658
    edited April 2013
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    YELL LOUDER. Its pretty efective. Best to wait for a full showroom.
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  • zane77
    zane77 Posts: 1,696
    edited April 2013
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    Costco rocks, returns never an issue, everything done with a smile
    Home Theater
    Onkyo PR-SC5508 Sharp LC-70LE847U
    Emotiva XPA-5 Emotiva XPA-2 Emotiva UPA-2
    Front RTi-A9 Wide RTi-A7 Center CSi-A6 Surround FXi-A6 Rear RTi-A3 Sub 2x PSW505
    Sony BDP-S790 Dishnetwork Hopper/Joey Logitech Harmony One Apple TV
    Two Channel
    Oppo 105D BAT VK-500 w/BatPack SDA SRS 2.3 Dreadnought Squeezebox Touch Apple TV
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,340
    edited April 2013
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    One could say the same for Sam's Club as well. Never an issue......at least not yet for myself and those that I personally know.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • smglbrth
    smglbrth Posts: 1,460
    edited April 2013
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    I'm also sorry to hear about your issues. As far as warranty goes nowadays I think companies aren't used to dealing with people. I mean, society in general has been a "throw away" society for many years now...
    Remember, when you're running from something, you're running to something...-me
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,623
    edited April 2013
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    dragon1952 wrote: »
    No part replacement labor cost on a washer or dryer should even come close to $300-$500. The most labor intensive replacement couldn't possibly take a trained technician more then 1/2 hr.

    Trip one to "diagnose" the problem. Aka spin the drum and hear the grinding: $120

    Trip two to fix the problem. Replace the drive motor: $240-$350

    The cost of repairing this stuff is why 3 year old machines are throw away items...
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