Looking for Notebook Repair Nightmares

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lincoln Spector
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Lincoln Spector

Hi. I'm writing an article for PC World's Web site about the high cost of
repairing notebooks. I'm looking for some people with personal experience.

If you've had to pay (or refused to pay) a ridiculous price to fix a
notebook PC, please let me know by either responding to the group here or
sending me private e-mail. You can figure out my REAL e-mail address from
the signature below.

If you want to make sure I am who I say I am, go to my Web site at
www.thelinkinspector.com and send the e-mail from there.
 
Wow, can I expect a well balanced article after this objective request
for people who have paid a ridiculous price to have their notebook
fixed? I'm guessing not.

Did you ever stop to consider that mabye it takes longer to fix a
notebook than a desktop? Did you consider that the when you cram 40
pounds of technology into an itty bitty little plastic box the
development cost are higher, so the parts cost more? How about the
fact that it acutally takes some level of experience beyond getting a
paper certification to tear down a notebook without destroying it, and
people who can do this are compensated based on the value of their
skills?

Maybe I should write an article on people I encountered in the field
service business who want cutting edge technology, but have to whine
about paying for it. If you want to find a billing scam, go look at
what hosptials charge uninsured patients. Nobody is getting rich off
notebook service.

- James B
 
He could try writing an article about the high cost of PC World (at
least in the UK). Perhaps the reason he is so shocked is that PC World
pays their techs peanuts (and it shows).
Wow, can I expect a well balanced article after this objective request
for people who have paid a ridiculous price to have their notebook
fixed? I'm guessing not.

Did you ever stop to consider that mabye it takes longer to fix a
notebook than a desktop? Did you consider that the when you cram 40
pounds of technology into an itty bitty little plastic box the
development cost are higher, so the parts cost more? How about the
fact that it acutally takes some level of experience beyond getting a
paper certification to tear down a notebook without destroying it, and
people who can do this are compensated based on the value of their
skills?
Click to expand...

I quite agree. Add to that the fact that many notebook parts are
proprietary, which drives up their cost. Labour charges aren't the end
of it. Holding such parts in stock costs even more.

Add to that the limited life availability of spare parts, and I've
decided the only way I'm getting a notebook is if my employer pays!
 
james b said:
Wow, can I expect a well balanced article after this objective request
for people who have paid a ridiculous price to have their notebook
fixed? I'm guessing not.
Click to expand...
PC World is a consumer-oriented publication, so the point of view of the
article is that high repair costs is one of the prices of choosing a
notebook--an irrefutable fact. I posted this message because I'm looking for
user experiences.

However, I'm aware that there are legitimate reasons for the high cost, and
intend to discuss these. I am lining up interviews with major notebook
vendors (Toshiba, HP, etc.) for that reason.

I would also love to interview someone who works in a repair shop,
especially if that person is willing to let me use his name. If you're such
a person, please let me know.

Lincoln
 
Lincoln Spector said:
PC World is a consumer-oriented publication, so the point of view of the
article is that high repair costs is one of the prices of choosing a
notebook--an irrefutable fact. I posted this message because I'm looking for
user experiences.
Click to expand...

You specifically said you are looking for bad user experiences like,
"paid, or refused to pay ridiculous prices", not user experiences in
general. I believe there is big difference between the two, and the
language couldn't be more biased. Further, the fact that out of
warranty repairs are not free is irrefutable. That they are high is
an opinion, and indeed a refutable opinion. My opinion is that repair
cost are in line with, or less than, any other device capable of
similar processing power. (ie, medical equipment, automotive
computers, industrial controls, scientific data loggers)

What I see going on with your request is that perhaps you take the
technology for granted. This actually speaks well for the industry.
That you can take a notebook off the shelf and use it to meet your
needs, with a minimum of instruction, means many of people are doing
their jobs. Any single hardware or software component of a laptop can
have thousands of hours development time behind it, and a huge spec
that defines how it talks to the other components of the laptop. All
of this technology comes together, and appears simple to the user.
This deceptive simplicity could lead one to think it shouldn't cost
more to fix than a toaster.
However, I'm aware that there are legitimate reasons for the high cost, and
intend to discuss these. I am lining up interviews with major notebook
vendors (Toshiba, HP, etc.) for that reason.

I would also love to interview someone who works in a repair shop,
especially if that person is willing to let me use his name. If you're such
a person, please let me know.
Click to expand...

Actually, having to deal with end-users as customers is one of the
things that helped motivate me to get an engineering degree, and get
out of the service end of the reseller channel. So, no . . . I don't
work in a repair shop.

- James B
 
You specifically said you are looking for bad user experiences like,
"paid, or refused to pay ridiculous prices", not user experiences in
general. I believe there is big difference between the two, and the
language couldn't be more biased. Further, the fact that out of
warranty repairs are not free is irrefutable. That they are high is
an opinion, and indeed a refutable opinion. My opinion is that repair
cost are in line with, or less than, any other device capable of
similar processing power. (ie, medical equipment, automotive
computers, industrial controls, scientific data loggers)
Click to expand...
It's huge compared to the price of repairing a desktop computer. I know
someone who's had to shell out over $250 to replace the keyboard on her
notebook. She also had to ship it back to the manufacturer and do without it
for several days.

By contrast, the keyboard on my desktop died recently. 20 minutes and $15
dollars later I was up and running again.

Are there legitimate reasons for those high prices? Yes, there are. But for
a user who figured they'd spend $300 more for a computer they can take with
them, finding out they have to pay $700 to replace the screen is very bad
news. Users need to know that the high cost of repairs is one of the
drawbacks of buying a notebook.

Lincoln
 
Lincoln Spector said:
It's huge compared to the price of repairing a desktop computer. I know
someone who's had to shell out over $250 to replace the keyboard on her
notebook. She also had to ship it back to the manufacturer and do without it
for several days.

By contrast, the keyboard on my desktop died recently. 20 minutes and $15
dollars later I was up and running again.

Are there legitimate reasons for those high prices? Yes, there are. But for
a user who figured they'd spend $300 more for a computer they can take with
them, finding out they have to pay $700 to replace the screen is very bad
news. Users need to know that the high cost of repairs is one of the
drawbacks of buying a notebook.
Click to expand...

Hmm the closest I can get was a compaq Laptop (repaired several times under
warranty) with a stuffed mobo and a Toshiba with a stuffed screen (no
surprise there) since we figured we had nothing to lose and they both had
Samsung LCDs in them we tried a transplant (different connectors you dont
want to know how we bodgied them up!) and much to my surprise the screen
worked in the Toshiba ......
This tends to suggets that screens between different laptops are at least
similair..........

Regards
Richard Freeman
 
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