Schmaptop

So I think to myself, why not try to get the laptop fixed under the warranty? After all, I actually paid Harvey Norman money for an extended warranty. So I ring them up and say, look, last time the DVD drive broke and your guy refused to fix it, so I want to know that you will actually fix it this time.

There absolutely was not any water damage. I can't tell her how I know this (took the back off and could see for myself that there wasn't any) but I do know it. And here's the thing: the guy said there was water damage so he wouldn't be fixing it under the warranty but if I paid a hundred bucks, they'd have a look to see what the problem was.

So basically the guy made the water damage up to get out of fixing the laptop, got paid by Harvey Norman no doubt, and figured he could scam me into paying him more. He didn't even know whether the DVD drive wasn't working because of water damage.

I daresay it's a difficult problem to fix, and not worth it to him for what Harvey Norman pays. This sort of thing seems common here: no one provides a service; all they're interested in is getting your dollars. I'm not really used to it because in the UK, people can be rubbish but they won't often try to fuck you out of something you paid for. It's just not that big a deal to them. I actually freaked out when the guy said he wouldn't fix it, because it had never occurred to me that some guy would be phoning to say no, actually, can't be bothered.

The woman at Harvey Norman's warranty centre says she will ring up the laptop people and see what their report is. They didn't even report to the warranty centre. She had no notes on it at all. Which implies to me that the repairer gets paid whether he fixes it or not. She says that now they send all laptops to Melbourne and if they decide there that they won't fix it, I will have to pay to have it shipped back. I am just dumbfounded. Instead of fixing my computer under the warranty, which I paid extra for so that I could have peace of mind, they will send it to another city and, what, just leave it there if I won't pay to have it returned.

I rang up Geeks 2 U, who say that a friendly geek will come and fix your software and hardware problems the same day -- or it's FREE! Well yeah, they will if it's something easy like a memory problem or you have a virus, but if you need your laptop fixed, you can go fuck yourself. For "experts in everything computer related", that's not brilliant.

Starcom will fix laptops -- or so they say (I'm sceptical because I've been to them before and they couldn't fix my laptop at all) -- but they've come up with a nice scam. They won't quote for fixing your laptop. No. They will charge you $45 to look at it though. And if you agree to their fixing it, they'll take the $45 off the fixing fee. Well, that's nice. It's obvious what will go on: they will decide they can fix it, but it's going to be pricey. You are stuck with losing your $45 or paying the extravagant fixing fee.

Smile Laptop Repairs haven't got back to me. I daresay they won't. They offer a "no fix no fee" service. I guess that means that if it's easy they'll do it but if not, you are on your own.

I just want someone to fix my fucking laptop. I want someone to say that it will cost 200 bucks but that they will actually make sure it is fixed. I don't want someone to charge me money to look at it. That's shit. People are in the habit around here of looking at things and deciding they're just too hard to deal with.

posted by Dr Zen @ 4:20 pm