I had been lead to believe that a service plan was a smart option, by looking around all the forums and seeing all the trouble people were having with Gateway systems. I really liked this one, and wanted to give it a chance.
But I've had to send it in for repair twice now. This is only the third month I have had it. The service plan I bought from Best Buy was $360 and is supposed to last for 3 years. They have this No-Lemon policy which I figured was a good choice. After all, if it's a lemon, why live with it?
What I did not know was that when this policy is enacted (which is on the fourth call for repair) the entire service plan is scrapped. That took the oomph right out of the security I thought I had with this purchase.
If I had known in advance that I was paying $360 only to have that money thrown away if they ever replace the machine, I would not have bought it with money I didn't have (and still don't). This has me hopping mad, and it's taking all the self-restraint I can muster not to walk into Best Buy and demand all my money back (for the $1,100 dud and the $360 waste of money). The computer has not even lived past the 1 year Gateway warranty. Why would it make sense for Best Buy to scrap the machine and the plan? Oh, that's right, they'll still have all my money...
I asked what assurance I had, if the computer was ever replaced, that the unit it's replaced with will work any better. They gave me NO assurance. Yeah, I'm feeling real good about that $360 I spent now.
I'm probably going to take this up through the ranks and tell them that this policy of scrapping the plan when the machine is scrapped so soon is horse apples.
If Best Buy's policy will not change, I'll have no choice but to take full advantage of the privilege I bought myself, hang on to the computer until the end of the term, and THEN exchange it, which was my original plan anyway..but if the computer fails after the first year, I'll be left up *** creek without a paddle.
Signed,
fu "I'm-not-happy-Bob" ry