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Ok, my initial experience with Sony Service started out pretty well last year when my battery latch broke and they promptly sent me out a brand new battery without question.

Near the end of last year, my 5K80 hard disk started dying. Luckily, I was able to recover my data and then send it in for service. I shipped it out on the 21st of December and on the 23rd of December, it was shipped back to me. That’s pretty excellent turn around. Once I got it back, I noticed it sounded different. Hmm...check the BIOS, it’s a different model hard disk. Mind you, that didn’t really bother me that much...lots of companies make 80GB 5400RPM 8MB cache hard drives; however, I checked the Fujitsu model they had stuck in and it was a 4200RPM model with a 2MB cache!

And so, another call to Sony to explain the situation. The lady was actually nice about it and checked the records and actually could see the mistake herself in their records. So, with apologies, she ships out another box. At this point, I’m not entirely mad since they acknowledged their mistake and were going to fix it. In the end, I got the notebook back in working condition on January 6th. So, the entire ordeal was 16 days. I suspect it would have been only slightly better had it not been the holiday season.

In the first week of this month (March) the new hard disk completely failed. Click of death. There was no way to retrieve any data whatsoever. Luckily, I had most of the data stored elsewhere although some of it had to be undeleted, but that’s another story. So, I send in my notebook on March 11th (Friday). On Monday (14th), the technician actually calls me to assure me that he’s putting in the 5400RPM 5K80 drive. Why did he call? Because to ensure I didn’t have that problem again, I stuck Post-It notes all over the notebook and the worksheets. So, I was still in a good mood at this point. At least the guy called me to confirm which made me feel better.

I receive it back on Tuesday (15th) morning. Yay!!! Oh wait....where’s my AC Adapter? Bastards!!! Sony asks you to include your AC Adapter whenever you ship your notebook in. In my opinion, this is stupid since they should have spare AC adapters at their service centers.

[This is where it gets good]

So, I immediately call them back. The customer service apologizes and says she has put in a critical issue notification in the system and I should get it Wednesday (16th) morning. Ok, fine...I’m mad but I can wait one day.

Wednesday (16th)...nothing shows up.

Thursday (17th)...nothing shows up. Of course, I called around lunch time PST to complain and then I got transferred to Service directly. At first the guy said he had to investigate whether or not I had shipped in the AC Adapter in the first place. I told him to check the work order sheet I sent in where I clearly marked AC Adapter included. Also, I said that I would be more than happy to fax him a copy of the that sheet (always make copies of this stuff!). He then says that he can send out a replacement but he “might” have to take a credit card number. I tell him that’s unacceptable. I’m not going to get accidentally charged for their mistake. So, he finally says a replacement will get shipped to me by the next day.

Friday (18th). A box from Sony shows up at 9am. Sweet. I open it up and there’s another box in it. Hmm...wait a sec.

Here’s what the box says…

PCG-FXA53
PCGA-AC19V1

WTF!!!

Not only is it the wrong AC Adapter...but it’s only the brick part. The cord that you actually plug into the wall is not included! Unbelievable!

So, I called them back yet again and now supposedly, they’re sending the correct item and the actual cord. Of course, I’m not holding my breath. It may arrive tomorrow or Monday at the latest. More updates then. In the meantime, I’m looking up numbers and contact info because I want to complain and bitch at someone.

Luckily, I have a spare iGo universal AC Adapter I use for traveling...and my TR’s AC Adapter which works with my S.  :evil:

If it doesn’t come this time, ask for the brick that comes with the U, it’s half the size and works with the x505 so I assume it works with the TR...which should work with your S.

Erik

Impressive, gr00vy. This certainly beats i-Mate’s “I dare you to get in touch with us” site and Netgear’s “you must sign up on the web to get any service” attitude.

Sorry to hear about your terrible experience. I have dealt with them twice and both times, it was pretty good. First time I called them asking to send me a copy of windows xp so that I could do a clean install of xp on my system with the serial # at the back of my system. The guy said they don’t supply that but could instead send me the recovery dvd’s. I said ok, and they sent it to me but instead sent me the ones for the TR2 series. So, again I called them back and this time they sent me the correct set...both times I had no problems.

On the subject of batteries, something interesting had happened with my x-roomie when he (and later his cousin) ordered an inspiron 300m from dell (I might have mentioned this before). The laptop for both of them arrived without the adapters. He called up Dell and was extremely angry. The CSR to calm him offered a free gift. He got a digital camera and his cousin got a backpack besides the adapters. Later on Dell realised their mistake (they probably screwed up for all their inspiron 300m orders) and sent out adapters for all orders so they landed up with 4 adapters altogether.

As far as poor service goes, I have never experienced poorer service than the one from ASUS. I filled up a technical inquiry form on their site which they were supposed to respond to within 48 hrs. Even after 2 weeks nothing happened. When I called them up they said all CSR’s are busy and that I should leave my contact details and they will call...did that but no one called. I called them up again after a week or 2 and after holding for a long time some idiotic chap answered and asked me for the case number and after I read him half of it, he said fine and that someone from the tech dept will call me. Month passed by and no response. I finally wrote to them an angry email at their tech support email. Being the shameless people that they are, they didn’t respond to that also.

My original tech inquiry form can still be found here:
http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techmailstatus.aspx?ID=WTM20041216910555142

[quote author="tifosiv122"]If it doesn’t come this time, ask for the brick that comes with the U, it’s half the size and works with the x505 so I assume it works with the TR...which should work with your S.

Erik

What’s the model number on that one again? Was it PCGA-AC16V7 or PCGA-AC16V8?  :wink:

[quote author="gr00vy0ne"][quote author="tifosiv122"]If it doesn’t come this time, ask for the brick that comes with the U, it’s half the size and works with the x505 so I assume it works with the TR...which should work with your S.

Erik

What’s the model number on that one again? Was it PCGA-AC16V7 or PCGA-AC16V8?  :wink:

AC16V7

It powers my X fine...in fact I use it with my X and the X one with my U’s base station.

Erik

[quote author="tifosiv122"][quote author="gr00vy0ne"][quote author="tifosiv122"]If it doesn’t come this time, ask for the brick that comes with the U, it’s half the size and works with the x505 so I assume it works with the TR...which should work with your S.

Erik

What’s the model number on that one again? Was it PCGA-AC16V7 or PCGA-AC16V8?  :wink:

AC16V7

It powers my X fine...in fact I use it with my X and the X one with my U’s base station.

Erik

Cool, I’ll have to look. Those are very hard to find right now. I think Sony decided to stick with the slender long ones for all of their newer models.

sorry to hear about your experiences :(

this is sad.  i hear more horrid experiences than good experience w/sony products/customer service for the amount of money we pour into their products

Man, I am sorry too. That was some adventure. I am also battling with them now - posting credit to my Amex. The item was returned back on February 8th and till this day they have not credited it back. I called them a few times and they keep telling me they are working on it.
As for the AC adapters: my X505 is running off PCGA-AC16V6 the same one used in TR, Z, and U series.
Ubid has some VAIO adapters on sale.

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Update: They have finally credited my Amex!!! It took them a while....  8)

[quote author="VAIOfreak"]Man, I am sorry too. That was some adventure. I am also battling with them now - posting credit to my Amex. The item was returned back on February 8th and till this day they have not credited it back. I called them a few times and they keep telling me they are working on it.
As for the AC adapters: my X505 is running off PCGA-AC16V6 the same one used in TR, Z, and U series.
Ubid has some VAIO adapters on sale.

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Update: They have finally credited my Amex!!! It took them a while....  8)

sadly they’re investing your 100 dollars along w/everyone else’s

[Update]

Fedex dropped off a brand new PCGA-AC16V6 AC Adapter and the matching power cord so my nightmare is over. Oddly enough, they didn’t send me a return box and return slip for the wrong AC Adapter they sent me. So, I guess I’m not shipping it back to them. I’ll hold onto it for a little bit then get rid of it on eBay if they don’t come calling for it.

So, horror story over...until the next time I need to send this thing in.  :wink:

[quote author="gr00vy0ne"][Update]

Fedex dropped off a brand new PCGA-AC16V6 AC Adapter and the matching power cord so my nightmare is over. Oddly enough, they didn’t send me a return box and return slip for the wrong AC Adapter they sent me. So, I guess I’m not shipping it back to them. I’ll hold onto it for a little bit then get rid of it on eBay if they don’t come calling for it.

So, horror story over...until the next time I need to send this thing in.  :wink:

Can you get a spare figure-8 cable at Radio Shack or something to plug into that cordless power brick? That would give you a spare.

I could. However, the brick is a 19V unit for a FX series VAIO. All of my stuff is the 16V variety.

Groovy,
Did you upgrade your hard drive to 100 Gigs? I noticed it in your signature.
Congrats on the horror story happy ending!