Hi, everyone.
I need an advice on my situation.
I have a Sony Z-520NB that I bought on August, 2008 for $1850. I also bought 3 year warranty with ADH coverage for $340.
Now, here's the deal. My laptop's keyboard's has been messed up, so I called them for repair. They initially offered me Sony S series for a replacement, which I found unacceptable. It doesn't have Hybrid Graphic, form factor is larger, and it's not built with carbon fibre encasement.
So I told them it's unacceptable, and I need a comparable model, and Sony's service center (I think it's 3rd party. Its name is Service Net) decides to pay me $1058 to finish the contract term.
Are they allowed to do that? I mean I did pay almost $2200 2.5 years ago. Can they just offer me $1058 and say it's over? Aren't they contractually obligated to offer me something comparable?
I'm just not sure if this is a fair settlement on my part, and I would appreciate your advices.
Thank you.
Ruben
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Insurance payout is generally for it's current value, not what you bought it for. A laptop you paid $2200 for 2.5 years ago is not worth close to that today. I have an Asus that cost $2000 2.5 years ago. I'll be lucky to get $200 for it today. Considering that better equip models of the VGN-Z sell on ebay for $500-$600, $1058 seems more than fair.
See if they would be willing to let you keep the machine and get the $1058. If so, you can replace the keyboard yourself for about $60. You'd come out $1000 ahead. Which is almost enough to buy a new Z when it goes on sale at Microsoft. -
Good luck. -
Hey guys, Thank you for your opinions.
@travfar, Could you point me where in ebay they are selling vgn-z for $500-$600? I can't seem to find it. I only see $1500+ ones.
@SpeedwithJJ, my warranty includes Onsite repair. I think it would be unfair for me to send it out. -
Good luck. -
Achusaysblessyou eecs geek ftw :D
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Here's a Z650 that closed for $350.
Sony VAIO VGN-Z650 | eBay
Here's a Z550 with badish display for $380
Sony Vaio VGN-Z550N Core 2 Duo 2.4ghz, 3GB RAM, 250 HD | eBay
Here's a Z590 for $500.
Sony VAIO VGN-Z590 | eBay -
Good luck. -
Op, I agree that what they did for you is more than fair though considering devaluation(old model) and wear-and-tear. If you do get full price or a new Z though, I'd be very impressed.
Cash is king though and you can pick whatever you want. -
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Op can buy that with the cash he's given and get spare change. -
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I think this pretty much says it. They have to provide me with a replacement that is comparable or better. If they can't, they have to give me a cash settlement for the current market value of your unit (which is not available in the current market. Ebay cannot constitute a regular retail market) or for a unit that is comparable in features (which means another Z).
I bought 3 year warranty so that I can get even when there's only one day left until my 3 year expires, I can get another Z or something comparable that is not "USED." Sony has all the responsibilities to get it for me. If they can't, then they have to pay me enough so that I can go out and buy a comparable model that is not "USED" from a reputable retailer not by some random seller in ebay.Refurbished is fine as well since it was checked by Sony itself.
But with the cash that they are offering me, I cannot find a new or refurbished Z series by a reputable seller easily. Ebay won't cut it. I'm not going to buy a used laptop when I still have a perfectly working warranty.
So all in all, I still have to fight I guess. Thanks ofor your advices! -
Please kindly post back when you've eventually settle your warranty case. Hopefully, Sony will give you back the full purchase amount.
Good luck. -
Well said, OP. Got mixed up with the terminologies.
Hope you get what you want.
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So here's the update.
Let me tell you I'm disappointed at Sony's warranty term. I don't know if other electronic or laptop company's warranty terms are like this, but if it is, this is very disappointing.
So I talked with Sony, and apparently Sony's warranty only covers upto repairs cost upto purchase price of the laptop.
Which means,
If I bought $1000 laptop and hypothetically each repair costs $300.
I can only get it repaired 3 times no matter how long my warranty term is. After 3 times, since I only have $100 left and the repair cost is $300, they'll offer $100 to buy you out. So even if I bought 3 year warranty, and these unfortunate events happen in the first year, warranty ends then.
Well I'm disappointed at Sony. I think for a warranty policy there will always be cases where Sony will pay more to repair and Sony pays nothing for repair, and all those cases in between. But it looks like Sony is trying to benefit by capping the max amount to limit their loss. Very similar to American health insurance companies.
In other countries, this would created big problem. SIgh sigh sigh.
Well this is the update. So next time you buy a product either from Sony or any other manufacturers, make sure to read the warranty term! -
Achusaysblessyou eecs geek ftw :D
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I know that it s**ks, but at least now you know the "real" reason why Sony do not handle their own extended warranties like some other companies do.
This is partly why I have been saying in a few other threads that I humbly think that Sony makes excellent products, but you just have to hope & pray hard that those Sony products you owned last a very, very , very long time without ever needing to be send to them for repair services.
If you want notebooks that will be serviced again & again (countless times & no total warranty cost cap) for genuine problems during the warranty (or extended warranty if purchased together) & if more than 3 repairs for the exact same problem failed to cure the issue which leads to the manufacturer giving you a new or refurbished latest "comparable" model, then I'll humbly suggest going with Dell or Apple. Those companies do "stand by" their products. Good luck.
By the way, what is your eventual decision? Did you accept the $1,058 being offered & move on with another notebook? -
That sounds incredible! Are they saying that if the PC with a two-year warranty develops, for example, 3 faults in the first year and needs to be repaired three times, the total cost equaling the price of the PC, they would refuse to fix it if it fails again within the two-year period? That can't be right! That is surely not a two-year warranty.
Even if it's in the small print, I would still argue that what they are saying is contrary to the principles of a warranty, and they should honor the principles of the warranty. It sounds like if they provide equipment that is particularly faulty, they can use this clause to get out of fixing it.
Did you buy the warranty from Sony? If so, I would recommend escalating the problem to someone more senior in Sony, and ask how it can be considered a warranty if they are refusing to fix/replace the PC within the warranty period. -
The following is the link of the coverage for the Sony extended warranties:
https://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wc..._cond&catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1
Note the following, quoted from the above link:
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HOWEVER, on the Toshiba ADH policy, it is the same as what you said. They will replace one unit, then the ADH is fulfilled.
Sorry to hear about SONY's crap warranty. Actually, the money you got back sounds pretty similar to the warranty SquareTrade offers. -
=O You from UW? I'm studying at Ode right now.
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The memories I had in Odegard. Actually it's loud there. I always studied in Allen/Suzzallo library; except when doing study groups -
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Keep in mind that other than Apple, almost every company, at best, breaks even once a single repair has been performed. The margins just aren't there.
If you think this stinks, take a look at service contracts for servers or even what many small offices spend on repairs. -
products. They may be built well, but they do break as well, and in which
case you have that crappy warranty term to abide by. So sad.
I'm considering getting the cash settlement. I could get onsite repair, but they said they could charge upto $700 for that repair, which nets me $358 for my next repair. Not worth it.
In this country, even the definition of warranty is getting twisted.
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Sorry to hear about that. Sounds more like insurance to me than warranty. Now that everything is laid out in writing, now I know I'm better off without the ADH. I have a bad feeling the Fry's performance warranty I got for my tv has the same conditions on it should it(knock on wood) break down.
Hope you find a worthy replacement. -
I agree with taggart - it sounds like what they provide is a form of insurance but they call it a "warranty". That's not the case in Europe - from what I can see, there's no financial limit on the warranty.
Have they told you exactly how they came up with the figure of $1058? Have you already made a repair claim, and was it against the extended warranty or the original warranty? Of course, everything is weighed in their favour. They could say "fixing the previous fault cost us $1000 so you only have $1000 left" even if it's some minor repair that could have been fixed for a $100 and you have no way to argue!
Anyway, perhaps you can get them to increase this amount a bit, and use the money to buy something like a refurbished VPC-Z. -
I think only Dell has an ADH warranty that constantly covers its product, but I'm not so sure about it.
Well, here's a lesson though.
You want to have your unit in possession in this kind of cash settlement deal. I talked to the supervisor in Service Net, and according to her, if I have the unit in my hand, they'll simply send the cash (or check) and I get to keep the laptop. However, if they have the laptop in their possession for check up or for repair cost estimate, they'll keep the laptop and only send you the hard drive.
SO, try to negotiate hard before sending your laptop in. Once you send it in, you might never see it! -
What? So IF THEY WILL REPAIR YOU LETS SAY TOUCHPAD FOR THEY SAY 1000$ IN 2.5 YEARS IF LAPTOP WILL BECOME BROKEN ALL THEY WILL PROVIDE WILL BE A HALF OF REPLACEMENT UNIT???? Upper one or bottom one WITH KEYBOARD? Bull crap! Ask them what would they do if they had a replacement unit in this case. Gave you 55% BROKEN PART of new one with 55% used battery?
You paid 500$ additional for that warranty which means that it's cap should increase on 250$ using their stupid rules. 2000$ = laptop = 1 year. 500$/2 = 2 years I think. Or even all 500$. I understand that they will not agree but this is another bat in a hand for negotiating.
But still you may buy used one for 600$ and have repair parts for it if smth happens -
They make a fortune on it. -
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XFX graphic card company honors similar warranty. Amazing in my opionion and Sony and other manufacturers should learn something from them
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Achusaysblessyou eecs geek ftw :D
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I wouldn't call graphic chips very reliabe
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In one of the previous posts in this thread, someone mentioned Service Net.
What is this company? Does Sony own it? -
https://www.servicenet.com/ -
The point? In practice, the extended warranty only takes effect after the OEM standard warranty expires. Essentially, this means that even though it is technically effective immediately, in practice the extended warranty is really a 2 year warranty that begins the day after the standard warranty expires. -
That makes sense. otherwise it would be stupid to buy extended one.
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Does Sony own Service Net?
If not, then after the first year of warranty, is there any way to get Sony to fix your laptop? -
In the U.S., if you bought that Sony extended warranty, which is administered by Service Net & you needed service, you can call up the Service Net hotline as listed in the warranty contract or you can drop it off for service at the Backstage section of your local SonyStyle store, if you have one near you.
If I'm not wrong, even Sony's own service center here in the U.S. is contracted to a 3rd party company that specializes in computer repair services. -
I just don't understand why Sony doesn't do their own repairs. -
Sony decides to pay me $1058 for my Z.
Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by rubenhan, Apr 14, 2011.