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A consumer lesson

O

OldNumber7

I got an Audiovox PNP3 last Christmas and I've really enjoyed it, but lately it's developed an annoying problem: The display winks out, and doesn't come back on until I tap the thing, sometimes several times.
So yesterday I found my original paperwork and, sure enough, the owner's manual says it has a 12-month limited warranty. So off I went today to Circuit City, with the original gift receipt, and the paperwork.
The customer service lady said I could swap out my unit and she issued a full store credit. Lo and behold, I found out from the sales guy that the store no longer stocks the PNP3. "No problem," the customer service lady said, I could substitute another unit.
What she didn't understand is that my car dock, home dock and boom box are designed for the PNP3. Sure, I could get another model at no cost, but then I'd have to buy all new gear to go with it!
To make a long story short, we undid the exchange and I went home with my winking -- but otherwise OK -- unit. That's when it occurred to me that if the thing actually failed, I would be S.O.L., EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNDER "WARRANTY." Nothing like having a warranty that forces you into spending a bunch of money!! Now do you wonder why they are discontinuing models every few months?
Or am I completely missing something here?
 
> I got an Audiovox PNP3 last Christmas and I've really
> enjoyed it, but lately it's developed an annoying problem:
> The display winks out, and doesn't come back on until I tap
> the thing, sometimes several times.
> So yesterday I found my original paperwork and, sure enough,
> the owner's manual says it has a 12-month limited warranty.
> So off I went today to Circuit City, with the original gift
> receipt, and the paperwork.
> The customer service lady said I could swap out my unit and
> she issued a full store credit. Lo and behold, I found out
> from the sales guy that the store no longer stocks the PNP3.
> "No problem," the customer service lady said, I could
> substitute another unit.
> What she didn't understand is that my car dock, home dock
> and boom box are designed for the PNP3. Sure, I could get
> another model at no cost, but then I'd have to buy all new
> gear to go with it!
> To make a long story short, we undid the exchange and I went
> home with my winking -- but otherwise OK -- unit. That's
> when it occurred to me that if the thing actually failed, I
> would be S.O.L., EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNDER "WARRANTY." Nothing
> like having a warranty that forces you into spending a bunch
> of money!! Now do you wonder why they are discontinuing
> models every few months?
> Or am I completely missing something here?
>


I had the display backlight start going out on my PNP2 after I had dropped it. I had the same problem, all my accessories were for the PNP2...so I wound up taking it apart to see if I could correct the problem. It was a loose solder joint on the backlight.
 
> To make a long story short, we undid the exchange and I went
> home with my winking -- but otherwise OK -- unit. That's
> when it occurred to me that if the thing actually failed, I
> would be S.O.L., EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNDER "WARRANTY." Nothing
> like having a warranty that forces you into spending a bunch
> of money!! Now do you wonder why they are discontinuing
> models every few months?
> Or am I completely missing something here?
>

Well you had a warranty on the device and if you read closely you'd know they have the option of equal trade or cash return (well BB does cash).

Problem is you didn't have a warranty on the complete package and there is never any gurantee how long a store will carry a model.

You could try to demand cash so you could go out and try to replace the unit elsewhere or maybe you could get the store to check their computer to see if they have the unit at another store.

Perhaps the manufacturer warranty has something left? Did you buy it on a credit card that offers some consumer protection?

I had a similar thing at BB with an mp3 player. Said they no longer carried my unit so gave me cash and I bought another. Dropped into another BB a month later and they still had the unit.
 
> Problem is you didn't have a warranty on the complete
> package and there is never any gurantee how long a store
> will carry a model.
>
No warranty was offered on the package, for obvious reasons.
I guess my larger point is that this is a disturbing business model. If my home stereo receiver fails, I don't have to buy a new CD player and new speakers when I replace it. Why should the failure of my PNP unit force me to by new components? It really drives up the marginal cost of the service to the consumer. Divide the cost of replacing the entire setup (the PNP, car and home docks and boombox) over a couple years in the lifetime of the PNP and you can see you're easily paying several dollars more a month above the monthly subscription fee. If the PNP fails in the second year, as I now assume my unit may very well do, that marginal cost works out to between $10 and $20 a month above the regular fee! If you tell people they are really paying $23 - $30 a month for sat rad, would many still think it's worth it?
 
> I got an Audiovox PNP3 last Christmas and I've really
> enjoyed it, but lately it's developed an annoying problem:
> The display winks out, and doesn't come back on until I tap
> the thing, sometimes several times.
> So yesterday I found my original paperwork and, sure enough,
> the owner's manual says it has a 12-month limited warranty.
> So off I went today to Circuit City, with the original gift
> receipt, and the paperwork.
> The customer service lady said I could swap out my unit and
> she issued a full store credit. Lo and behold, I found out
> from the sales guy that the store no longer stocks the PNP3.
> "No problem," the customer service lady said, I could
> substitute another unit.
> What she didn't understand is that my car dock, home dock
> and boom box are designed for the PNP3. Sure, I could get
> another model at no cost, but then I'd have to buy all new
> gear to go with it!
> To make a long story short, we undid the exchange and I went
> home with my winking -- but otherwise OK -- unit. That's
> when it occurred to me that if the thing actually failed, I
> would be S.O.L., EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNDER "WARRANTY." Nothing
> like having a warranty that forces you into spending a bunch
> of money!! Now do you wonder why they are discontinuing
> models every few months?
> Or am I completely missing something here?
>

Its probably just a bad solder joint someplace,probably an easy fix.
 
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