Complaint Review: Panasonic and Best buy - Internet

I wouldn't discredit Best Buy or Panasonic with this one.

It sounds like you bought a lemon TV, which is unfortunate but it happens.  Based on your post, you're probably taking advantage of Best Buy's "No Lemon" policy, which guarantees you a new product after 4 certified repairs.  Recently (as in about a year ago), Best Buy changed their service plans to offer free re-installation of the product if the installation and the product were purchased on the same receipt (or within 30 days of one another).  If you purchased installation within 30 days of purchasing your TV, I recommend going into the Best Buy store you purchased it at (rather than calling).  Ultimately you'll have to do this anyway to pick out the replacement TV.  As long as your polite, I doubt Best Buy would have any qualms coming back out to your house to reinstall the product.

As far as your remote control programming goes, it sounds like you either bought a Harmony remote or a Universal brand remote.  You can do one of two things to avoid needing any change of the remote (since Best Buy only reprograms for one year after purchase).  First, buy a Panasonic TV.  Despite your issues (which are unfortunate) Panasonic is the industry leader in plasmas, especially after buying Pioneer's base technology.  Just buy a new Panasonic.  FCC regulations make it so the remotes run on the same frequency.  Provided you don't replace it with something fancy (like with Vieracast or Netflix, which adds extra buttons) you shouldn't need to reprogram anything.  Second, Best Buy should have left the programming disk with you.  All the codes saved into the remote are supposed to be given to you in a disk.  Install the Harmony/Universal program onto your computer, put in the disk, click "replace device," put in the model number of your new TV and you're done.  Any 12 year old with computer experience will do that for you.  If I was in your area I'd do it for a beer.

Finally, Best Buy isn't "voiding" your extended warranty, they are fulfilling it.  The warranty exists to ultimately replace the TV then it's done.  For example, if you have car insurance and get in a car wreck, you start a new policy with the replacement car with most insurance companies.  Think of it this way: you got a $600.00 TV for $200.00 (which is the price of the original plan you bought).  Furthermore, if you re-buy plasma, you're getting a far better TV.  My 2 and a half year old Panasonic Plasma puts out a whopping 500 watts.  The new ones put out like 200 Watts.  If you've got kids, your new TV will save you a boat load of money.  Also, you probably had a "white wash" anti image retention system.  Now you'll have pixel orbiting, which is loads better for video games and DVR pause buttons.

You had a tough experience, but you didn't get ripped off.

Panasonic came with a one year warranty.  Best Buy was not responsible in year 1.

You probably purchased 3 additional years (called a "4-year plan").  During years 2-4, you are entitled to in-home service; 2-3 weeks for a service call/parts ordered is normal.

Why would you need the TV re-installed?  If it is mounted high on a wall, have a friend or neighbor help you place it back.  If not, it's just connecting wires and Panasonic has free support.   Why would you need BBY to program the remote?   They are trying to SELL you these addtional services; you don't need either.

If the extended warranty company offered to replace your TV because it had too many repairs, that sounds like a good thing.  As with any retailer, this would satisfy your extended warranty and you would have to purchase a new one if you wish.

Suggest to read Consumer Reports - Panasonic TV repair rates are under 5%.  You may be one of the few who needed a repair.

I don't purchase from Best Buy (try Amazon) but it doesn't appear as if they did anything wrong here.  Overall, Panasonic has had highly rated plasma TVs.