Complaint Review: Acer - Circuit City

because it wasen't their product, get a clue man.
i swear the human race is losing more common sense every day

because it wasen't their product, get a clue man.
i swear the human race is losing more common sense every day

because it wasen't their product, get a clue man.
i swear the human race is losing more common sense every day

because it wasen't their product, get a clue man.
i swear the human race is losing more common sense every day

""Are you certified to do so? If not, you invalidated your warranty the SECOND you opened your machine.""

Incorrect. Many components are considered "user" replaceable. In fact, many OEMs will mail a component, as a disk drive, to the consumer and have them change it themselves as part of their normal "warranty repair" process. I've seen computer OEMs do this many times - my client calls the OEM and the OEM mails a replacement component the the client (floppy drive, optical drive, etc.)

Your statement would be correct if this were still 1985 - back when computer cases were sealed with a "warrenty void if broken" sticker. This was changed by federal rulings many years ago - it doesn't apply to only computers. I'm old enough to remember when you were taking a risk with your warranty if you swapped out the stereo receiver in your car.

The OEM warranty cannot be voided because the consumer adds a hard drive, sound card, optical drive, etc. However, the warranty can be voided if the consumer IMPROPERLY attemps to install/replace the component. Further, the OEM will not warrant the new/replacement component unless the newer component is provided by the OEM directly to the consumer.

Additionally, there is NO REQUIREMENT for the person who installs or changes the component to be "certified." This also, was true back in the 80s with the OEM ridiculous "authorized person" clause for any component changes - no more. This is why, today, many OEMs provide INSTRUCTIONS for add/changing components in the documentation they provide with their consumer computers.

I'm a computer consultant who's been in the computer business since 1973.

I didn't include every word spoken on two face to face conversations with the Circuit City manager or three calls to Acer service discussing connection problems or the hours studying Acer forums before concluding that even multiple motherboard swaps often don't correct Acer problems like mine.

The little demon died this very night at 15 months and is going right in the dumpster. I will not let the false security of buying from a brick and mortar store affect my price comparison shopping for the replacement.

I didn't include every word spoken on two face to face conversations with the Circuit City manager or three calls to Acer service discussing connection problems or the hours studying Acer forums before concluding that even multiple motherboard swaps often don't correct Acer problems like mine.

The little demon died this very night at 15 months and is going right in the dumpster. I will not let the false security of buying from a brick and mortar store affect my price comparison shopping for the replacement.

I didn't include every word spoken on two face to face conversations with the Circuit City manager or three calls to Acer service discussing connection problems or the hours studying Acer forums before concluding that even multiple motherboard swaps often don't correct Acer problems like mine.

The little demon died this very night at 15 months and is going right in the dumpster. I will not let the false security of buying from a brick and mortar store affect my price comparison shopping for the replacement.

uh...you opened the door and seen how easy it was to swap wireless cards? Circuit city doesnt carry onboard wireless cards. THey only carry usb and pcmcia cards.

I did not open the case until Acer said they would no longer work on a laptop they had been unable to diagnose with a problem after two attempts.

The manager at Circuit City agreed Acers are junk and said he couldn't give me a swap because they don't carry Acer anymore. They were advertising them soon after.

I asked him if his store would install a wireless card if I bought one and he said yes. I opened the door on the bottom and saw how simple it was to swap cards and did it myself.

The one year Acer warranty no longer a concern to me and Circuit City did not care that it was not being honored.

It won't recognize the full 2Gb because 512Mb (half a Gb) of it is shared to your video card. That's why you're only getting 1.5Gb to your system. Common with laptops, the associate should have explained that.

Question: When did CCA come into play here? I was under the impression your issue with us was our unwillingness to exchange your product?

Either way........

CC Advantage Plus would not have helped you in this situation. Day 1 coverage includes your battery and power surge protection (same with the basic plan) but also includes Day 1 Coverage for accidental damage and screen protection (plus only). All other benefits of the plan (parts/labor) start after the manufacturers warranty expires, or 1 year .. whichever comes first (Acers have a 1 yr parts/labor so they would be the same).

Since there is no accidental damage here nor screen damage, than you could (A) send it back to the manufacturer yourself, since it's a parts/labor issues or (B) had you purchased either plan, brought it to us and we could have sent it off for you.

So you're right, no argument there. The CCA plans are there for EXTENDED coverage PAST the manufacturers warranty, more specifically the CCA+ plan is there for accidental damage coverage and screen protection.

The interesting thing I just noticed is you said YOU replaced your hard drive. Are you certified to do so? If not, you invalidated your warranty the SECOND you opened your machine. And how did you swap on-board wireless cards? Best of my knowledge they are soldered onto the motherboard and attached.

And you are correct again in the fact that our firedog service does not support Acer's Manufacturer Warranty. We DO however support HP and Compaq manufacturer warranty issues and will work on HP/CPQ machines under manufacturers warranty.

If you had followed the return policy procedures or purchased a CC Advantage plan, we quite probably could've helped you. But you're blaming US for an issue that's CLEARY Acer related. They obviously don't want to work on your computer under warranty (which you invalidated by replacing your hardware yourself) so why blame us for something that WE can not by any means control?

Sorry again for your troubles!!

Question: When did CCA come into play here? I was under the impression your issue with us was our unwillingness to exchange your product?

Either way........

CC Advantage Plus would not have helped you in this situation. Day 1 coverage includes your battery and power surge protection (same with the basic plan) but also includes Day 1 Coverage for accidental damage and screen protection (plus only). All other benefits of the plan (parts/labor) start after the manufacturers warranty expires, or 1 year .. whichever comes first (Acers have a 1 yr parts/labor so they would be the same).

Since there is no accidental damage here nor screen damage, than you could (A) send it back to the manufacturer yourself, since it's a parts/labor issues or (B) had you purchased either plan, brought it to us and we could have sent it off for you.

So you're right, no argument there. The CCA plans are there for EXTENDED coverage PAST the manufacturers warranty, more specifically the CCA+ plan is there for accidental damage coverage and screen protection.

The interesting thing I just noticed is you said YOU replaced your hard drive. Are you certified to do so? If not, you invalidated your warranty the SECOND you opened your machine. And how did you swap on-board wireless cards? Best of my knowledge they are soldered onto the motherboard and attached.

And you are correct again in the fact that our firedog service does not support Acer's Manufacturer Warranty. We DO however support HP and Compaq manufacturer warranty issues and will work on HP/CPQ machines under manufacturers warranty.

If you had followed the return policy procedures or purchased a CC Advantage plan, we quite probably could've helped you. But you're blaming US for an issue that's CLEARY Acer related. They obviously don't want to work on your computer under warranty (which you invalidated by replacing your hardware yourself) so why blame us for something that WE can not by any means control?

Sorry again for your troubles!!

Question: When did CCA come into play here? I was under the impression your issue with us was our unwillingness to exchange your product?

Either way........

CC Advantage Plus would not have helped you in this situation. Day 1 coverage includes your battery and power surge protection (same with the basic plan) but also includes Day 1 Coverage for accidental damage and screen protection (plus only). All other benefits of the plan (parts/labor) start after the manufacturers warranty expires, or 1 year .. whichever comes first (Acers have a 1 yr parts/labor so they would be the same).

Since there is no accidental damage here nor screen damage, than you could (A) send it back to the manufacturer yourself, since it's a parts/labor issues or (B) had you purchased either plan, brought it to us and we could have sent it off for you.

So you're right, no argument there. The CCA plans are there for EXTENDED coverage PAST the manufacturers warranty, more specifically the CCA+ plan is there for accidental damage coverage and screen protection.

The interesting thing I just noticed is you said YOU replaced your hard drive. Are you certified to do so? If not, you invalidated your warranty the SECOND you opened your machine. And how did you swap on-board wireless cards? Best of my knowledge they are soldered onto the motherboard and attached.

And you are correct again in the fact that our firedog service does not support Acer's Manufacturer Warranty. We DO however support HP and Compaq manufacturer warranty issues and will work on HP/CPQ machines under manufacturers warranty.

If you had followed the return policy procedures or purchased a CC Advantage plan, we quite probably could've helped you. But you're blaming US for an issue that's CLEARY Acer related. They obviously don't want to work on your computer under warranty (which you invalidated by replacing your hardware yourself) so why blame us for something that WE can not by any means control?

Sorry again for your troubles!!

Circuit City Advantage Plus works like most extended warranties in that you must wait for the manufacturer's warranty to expire. So I would have to wait 10 months for them to take a crack at it.

My Acers are similar enough that I swapped wireless cards to determine that the card was bad. Then I swapped hard drives, software and all, to see if the freezing was software related. It wasn't.

Check out some other ripoff reports on Advantage Plus.

Let me start by saying that I definitely understand why you're frustrated, but also by stating that it sounds more like your issue is with Acer, not Circuit City.

CC's return policy on laptops is 14 days with stipulations. So after that window they are by no means obligated to exchange or replace your laptop, especially since you didn't purchase an Advantage Plan to go along with it. After reading your post, if you waited 2 days for a box, then 2 weeks to receive you're computer back from Acer than you were at least 2 days outside of this window.

It definitely sounds like you should be focusing some frustrations at Acer though (possibly). The wireless card issue is (should) be something covered under their 12 month warranty, which is limited to parts and labor. If they sent it back twice stating that they could not find fault with your wireless card, I then become curious as to some other aspects not Acer related. I.E. - What wireless standard does your router use? (B, G or N). What support does your Acer's built in wireless card have? (if purchased on 2006 I'm willing to say B and G, may only be B). Their may have been a compatibility issue there.

Also, you can't blame Circuit City for selling you the computer because we are only the next step in the supply chain; which starts with the manufacturer and ends with you (the consumer). We sell them how Acer ships them.

What you should have done in this situation was immediately return it to Circuit City the minute the issue arose, requesting an exchange or a refund. (assuming the problem began occurring within the first 14 days or course.) Had you done this, you would've gotten a brand new machine. And if the issue continued to occur with a 2nd exact same machine, than it may have been a common defect with that specific run, of that specific model of machine.

I do apologize for your troubles though, PC problems are ALWAYS a headache. Hopefully that won't discourage you from shopping with us. Albeit, it might discourage you a bit from purchasing Acer's in the future though ;p.

Happy Shopping!!