Sony Warranty Support Rant...

[Joe C. HEcht]

Dear Sony Warranty Support,

I want to thank you for helping me understand the
warranty for *one* of my prized DRU-500A DVD Burner
that quit working last night.

Your website was very informative, and it only took
45 minutes to figure out that there was no number
listed to call for help, and the 20 minutes of "one line
at a time" online chat was very entertaining, and want
to thank your rep for giving me a phone number to call.

May I add that the "hold" music was excellent during the
9:00 to 12:00 shift.

I was very amused at the remarks from your 2nd teir tech
support rep "Laurie", right before she hung up on me. I don't
blame her a bit for not wanting to wait for me to boot up my
computer after I retreived the build date from my DRU-500A...
It allowed me time to de-stress while I sipped my coffee
and listened once again to the excellent hold music.

Being a former support engineer, I can certainly understand
how having any 3rd party burning software (such as Nero
or EZ-CD Creator) would void my warranty, and I certainly
agree that using Intel IDE drivers should void my warranty!

Yes, I now understand that hooking up the DRU-500A to a Firewire
or USB box should void my warranty as well...

I compeletly agree that even though I had a hardware problem
with my DRU-500A, that hardware problems cannot be fixed until
I get the software right, even if that means I must format
my hard disk, throw away the drivers that came with the machine,
and install a benign non-OEM copy of Windows before we can discuss
the fact that I have TWO DRU-500A DVD burners, and can freely exchange
them, and when I do, one works, and the does not.

I understand that it must be my software that is messed up, even
though I have 7 machines, and all have the same problem... the DRU-500A
that died last night will not work in any of them, while the other
one does.

Yes, I understand that it does not matter that the "Drive Check"
software that you had written for your company does not do a
true diagnostic of the unit. Looking at the Windows API calls
and the logs, it is easy to tell that it skips over logging
certain problems.

Yes, I know that you cannot give me an RMA number based on
a hardware failure.

Its ok. Since I voided my Warranty, I took my screwdriver
and my enginering degree, and took the unit apart. I observed
how the mechinism that guides the laser was stuck, and with a
little dab of white greese along the carrage, and a gentle push,
it now works again!

I have learned a valuable lesson for the second time (remember
the Sony handycam video warranty episode?). I have learned
(one again) that you will spend more money and resources to
avoid a return than you will spend to listen to the problem,
do the right thing, and keep a happy customer.

I have learned that it might be more efficitive to pay a bit
more, and purchase the units from someplace that offers a
extended warrany where *they* will ship me a new one and
*they* will return the old one unit to you...

Of course, what do I matter. I am only one customer, and
I only represent $5000 in revenue to Sony this past year,
and the units I sell to my customers dont mean a thing.

I am sure you wont miss it next year...

Joe

[Bob W]

Hmm well I guess I won't bother trying to get my Sony DRU500a replaced. It died two weeks ago after about 300 burns.

[Baldrick]

Hmm....isn't the sony dru a DVD Writer...yep....so I'm moving this one to the DVD Writer forum.


(writer=pc dvd unit, recorder=standalone desktop recorder)

[Bondiablo]

Gee, and i thought it was bad when it took Sony 4 months to replace a DVD-ROM drive I had with a tray that wouldn't open anymore.

[vric]

Hahaha remember me 2 year ago when 3 DVD-ROM of my customers died... no services at all I baneed all Sony product since then

[red lion]

my sony dru500ax will not let me use nero to copy discs
it creates the image then up comes an error that it cant burn
start of disc error
my 2 other writers work ok
this writer is the worst drive i have ever had for media compatibility
and yes latest firmware
btw does updating firmware void your warrenty


joe did you really send them the email if so could you please give me the email address as trying to get hold of them is like trying to drink all the water in the sea
i have a few complaints about this drive myself