I purchased an extended warranty 4 years ago for my LCD tv. The tv has been deemed too costly to repair and the store has agreed to give me a new tv. However, they do not want to give me a tv of the same size they currently sell. They want to give me a tv that is no longer produced and no longer sells in the store.I'm thinking it's an old piece of junk. Are they allowed to do this? I would prefer to keep my old tv and have it repaired. Can LCDs even be repaired? The picture is distorted so you cannot watch anything.
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Read the details of your extended warranty. It likely says that if the TV cannot be repaired that it will be replaced with a comprable model. You should be able to insist that it is the same size, has the same number of input ports, and general features, e.g., plasma or LCD. It should also be a new model, not a store demo, but a refurbished would not be unreasonable.
Who did you get the warranty from?
Their terms and conditions are usually published.
I recently had an HDTV from Best Buy that was starting to misbehave in month 45 of the the 48 month warranty. I sent it for service because I didn't want it to die right after warranty ran out, or at least have a record that the problems were developing before the end date.
They determined it needed a new circuit board, and when one couldn't be found after 60 days, the replacement provision took effect. The terms did not allow for a used or refurbished replacement. They sent me to their nearby store and the manager assured me they were empowered to find a replacement that would be to my satisfaction.
Sure enough, none of the replacements had the same size or features. That was no fault of the store, simply the reality of how TV makers have really cheaped out in recent years.
The 'closest' model they had in that size was a junker but I could see how they would suggest it based on the raw size.
They weren't stubborn though, and when I suggested they give me their best LED set in a lower size, they approved. I think the store is paid by the insurance program, so as long as the store's cost on my selected unit was within the insurance limit, they didn't care what I chose. I went from a no-name to the best of breed, and the cost was about 80% of what I paid 4 years prior. It took a fair amount of time for them to do the paperwork but all in all it was a positive experience.
One twist is that the replacement TV had only manufacturer's warranty, I would have to pay for an enhancements.
I didn't mind doing that since the previous warranty was lapsed by then and had already paid out, but I did wonder if I'd be so happy buying another warranty if this same event transpired just 6 months into the 48 month warranty.
PS - the original TV was about $1299 (on sale) plus $300 warranty, and the replacement was $1099 (full MSRP, probably $1000+ even on sale)
Their terms and conditions are usually published.
I recently had an HDTV from Best Buy that was starting to misbehave in month 45 of the the 48 month warranty. I sent it for service because I didn't want it to die right after warranty ran out, or at least have a record that the problems were developing before the end date.
They determined it needed a new circuit board, and when one couldn't be found after 60 days, the replacement provision took effect. The terms did not allow for a used or refurbished replacement. They sent me to their nearby store and the manager assured me they were empowered to find a replacement that would be to my satisfaction.
Sure enough, none of the replacements had the same size or features. That was no fault of the store, simply the reality of how TV makers have really cheaped out in recent years.
The 'closest' model they had in that size was a junker but I could see how they would suggest it based on the raw size.
They weren't stubborn though, and when I suggested they give me their best LED set in a lower size, they approved. I think the store is paid by the insurance program, so as long as the store's cost on my selected unit was within the insurance limit, they didn't care what I chose. I went from a no-name to the best of breed, and the cost was about 80% of what I paid 4 years prior. It took a fair amount of time for them to do the paperwork but all in all it was a positive experience.
One twist is that the replacement TV had only manufacturer's warranty, I would have to pay for an enhancements.
I didn't mind doing that since the previous warranty was lapsed by then and had already paid out, but I did wonder if I'd be so happy buying another warranty if this same event transpired just 6 months into the 48 month warranty.
PS - the original TV was about $1299 (on sale) plus $300 warranty, and the replacement was $1099 (full MSRP, probably $1000+ even on sale)
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