Any place I see "Gary Headlee Motherboard Repair" I am posting my EXTREMELY
UNSTATISFACTORY EXPERIENCE with him
Report by Neil Slade
www.NeilSlade.com
CONCERNING THEFT OF SERVICES and THEFT OF $50 for alleged repair- not
produced- for video card by
Gary Headlee Motherboard Repair
Gary Headlee
692 Lennox St.
Midvale, Utah
84047
801-567-9150
Gary Headlee Motherboard Repair ripped me off $50 for a "claimed" repair
of my ATI 9700 PRO video card, and further made me wait over SIX WEEKS
before the card was returned to me, still non-functional. The card is
valued at around $200, with a new replacement ATI card costing nearly
$300. The card also was fitted with a Zalman silent heat sink valued at
$40.
He apparently lied, and made conflicting repair stories about the card on
two occasions-- first stating that "I've already spent a couple of hours
on your card and haven't figured out what is wrong". See the actual email
regarding this below.
Then several weeks later, apparently forgetting his first story, stating,
"Your card works fine, I couldn't find anything wrong, but will let it run
for a while to make sure its okay."
When the card was finally returned to me after repeated phone calls over a
SIX WEEK period, it was still not operational, and Headlee kept the $50 I
had sent him in advance for the repair.
Use of another ATI card in my computer's AGP slot produces an expected
monitor result without any adjustment. Use of the "repaired" card produces
absolutely NOTHING on the monitor- the card is DEAD. All of my
motherboard's latest drivers and chipset drivers have been installed. It's
not my computer- its the card- it's DEAD and Headlee LIED about it working
on his inspection- for all I know, that never even occurred.
I discourage ANYONE from doing ANY business with Mr. Headlee and instead
encourage simple replacement of a broken motherboard, or use of warranty
if available.
Headlee asks for CASH PAYMENT or MONEY ORDER payment for "repairs", yet
1) Does not give a phone number on his web site,
2) Uses an un-listed untraceable fictitious web site registration for his
web page that does not have any contact information (i.e.
motherboardrepair.com contact information is untracable)
3) Apparently refuses to reply to any email communications except under
threat of law enforcement.
CASE HISTORY:
JANUARY 4, 2005
The first week of January 2005 I sent in my video card for repair after
viewing Headlee's web site at
http://www.motherboardrepair.com/
It looked like a respectable web site, and well documented. I sent Headlee
an email regarding my possible card repair, but did not receive a reply.
None the less (and a VERY STUPID MOVE, I must admit) I followed the
instructions on the web site for video card repair and sent. I sent it in
with delivery confirmation via priority mail on Jan 4, 2005, and the
requested $50 repair fee in cash- the excess which would be refunded if
the repair did not require a lot of work.
The web site stated 1-2 day turn-around for repairs.
Delivery confirmation showed that Headlee received the card two days later
on Jan 6.
JANUARY 17, 2005
After waiting TWO WEEKS and not receiving ANY replies to my emails, nor
receiving my card back, or ANY COMMUNICATION whatsoever, I set out to find
a phone number for Headlee.
Headlee's phone is untraceable, and unlisted, and can not be found
anywhere on the Internet.
My last resort was to call The Midvale Utah Police and report what had
happened. They instructed me to contact my local Denver Police and report
THEFT OF SERVICES. They then told me to have my local police contact them,
and they would contact Headlee if possible and look into the matter.
My local police then contacted the police in MIDVALE UTAH, who then
contacted Headlee immediately- and FINALLY apparently under threat of law
enforcement action he contacted me by phone. He then offered a number of
excuses why he had not looked at my card yet. He then said he would look
at it in 3-4 days and would email me with the results. This was around
January 17.
A week went by and Headlee made absolutely no contact again.
FEBRUARY 4, 2005
I began sending a series of emails to Headlee's email address (from his
web site) (e-mail address removed) since he did not leave a phone number when he
called back.
After sending at least a dozen emails, Headlee finally replied with an
email, and left his phone number.
I then called him to see what was going on, and he claimed to have already
spent a couple hours working on my card, but to no avail, and that he
would try to complete work on it in the following week.
Here are his original emails sent to me on Feb. 4:
----- Original Message -----
From: (e-mail address removed)
To: Neil Slade
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2005 5:47 PM
Subject: Re: WHERE IS MY VIDEO CARD PLEASE?
I do understand the way you feel (I have been in the electronics repair
buis for 35+ years), will do my best to stay in contact and repair your
card.
Working out of the home has some big drawbacks..... number one drawback is
that the family doesn't think I am at work, so they ask questions & favors
several times each work day, add a few freinds dropping by, an emergency
or two and the day is gone with no real work produced. Today alone I spent
3 hours at the vet as a favor to my son and his sick cat............... If
I add the vet bill alone with lost wages for the 3 hours...........the cat
had more money this week than I did.
Sorry for the poor comunications,
Gary--
Don't forget to put my website in
your favorites:
http://www.motherboardrepair.com
My home phone # is 801-567-9150 I
am usually available between
10:30am ~5:30pm MST
Message -----
From: (e-mail address removed)
To: Neil Slade
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2005 2:58 PM
Subject: Re: WHERE IS MY VIDEO CARD PLEASE?
Hello,
I tried to call you 2 times today, however the line was busy.
I have spent a couple of hours on your video card, the problem seems to be
quite elusive.
I hope to make progress within a few more days.
Video cards take last priority over all my other work, that is the only
way I can maintain a 2~3 days turn-around for my motherboard customers.
After I finish your card, I will no longer accept video cards for repair
and will remove the video card section from my web page. You are correct,
I am not able to provide a high quality of service for my video card
customers and no hobby is worth having the police come to my door. I know
of no-one else that even attempts to repair video cards...... now there
will be none.
I will be home late this afternoon if you wish to call me,
Gary Headlee
--
Don't forget to put my website in
your favorites:
http://www.motherboardrepair.com
My home phone # is 801-567-9150 I
am usually available between
10:30am ~5:30pm MST
FEBRUARY 16, 2005
Still no card, no news from Headlee. I send him the following email, to
which I receive no reply.
ATI 9700 Pro card with Zalman cooler
Dear Gary,
Its now been SIX WEEKS since my video card arrived at your home for
repair-
Please return it today, repaired or not, and send a delivery confirmation
tracking number.
If the card is not repaired, kindly return my $50 cash.
I will expect to see my card delivered here by Saturday latest.
Thanks
Neil Slade
303-399-0418
I finally got Headlee to answer his phone, and he said my card would be
looked at right after he finished his current other repair job. There was
no mention of his claimed previous "couple of hours spent on the card
repair" from January.
I called two days later- and Headlee had STILL NOT TRIED TO REPAIR MY
CARD. His excuse this time was "I had to spent the weekend with my
girlfriend for Valentine's Day". He said he now would look at the card.
I called the following day, and Headlee claimed the card was working
perfectly, although he spotted a couple of loose solder connections, which
he claimed to repair. He said he would let the card run for a while to
make sure it was okay, and then send it back.
The card arrived via priority mail on February 19, 2005 forty five days
after it arrived at his home.
The card shows no evidence of repair of solder connections anywhere, and
the card still does not function.
Headlee sent no email explaining the so-called repair, sent no invoice,
and kept the entire $50 cash sent to him by me.
I have demanded the full return of my $50 payment, as there is no mention
of a $50 diagnosis fee for an un-repaired card by Headlee on his site.
If anyone has had similar experiences with Headlee, please contact:
(e-mail address removed)
Denver, CO
-
Neil Slade
