Beware toshiba
We purchased a Toshiba laptop in late 2008, near December. While it has been a decent system in terms of hardware, Toshiba has a lot of problems when it comes to repairs.
Through the time we purchased the laptop until about Aug of 2009, everything went great. I had no problems with the hardware and liked the laptop.
the problems began in Aug of 2009 when the DC port became loose on the laptop. I sent it in to the depot in KY. Over 3 weeks later, I finally got the system back and it was in pretty bad shape; the system looked like it had been used as a hands-on project for a grade school class learning how to repair computers. The DC port was fixed, but the screen was not tightened up in the frame, so you could tilt the laptop back and the display would just hit the back of the case. The fan constantly ran at a high speed, which was problematic since it drains the battery and was extremely loud, the headphone port was loose and the webcam cover had a corner bent on it. There were also many protectors missing on the screen that basically just stick on to cover the scrues that let you take the screen off of the chassy. So we sent the laptop in -again- to get it fixed. It finally came back, but this time the headphone port was still loose, as well as a USB port that just didn’t work. The next time we sent it in, they got us in with Nexicore, which was supposed to be a better repair location. I can say the USB port got fixed and we got the laptop back a lot sooner, but the headphone port is still loose. The last time we sent it in, the headphone port still didn’t get fixed, though they supposedly replaced the system board, the wireless card no longer works, and the fan runs at it’s constant highest speed again.
Having sent it in four times already, I got in touch with their customer relations management department, who recommended that I send it in yet again. This is the only offer they can make for some reason or another, and their supervisors “do not communicate with customers.” that’s just excellent. They insisted that they were the final contact up the chain of command, and that I just send it in again to get it fixed.
I finally found the number for toshiba corporate on the internet and gave them a call. I got to speak to Robyn Morales who rather than sending it to the depot would like me to send it to the engineers this time instead, because they’re “excellent.” I mentioned getting a replacement, and was directed to a company called Service Net, which “handles the backend.” This done, I decided to contact the company.
I put in a claim to Service Net, which basically explained that this would be round 4 to fix what was broken the first time we sent this computer in, and they said someone would look at it. In the meantime, I spoke to Robyn again, who explained that I had to have 3 repairs done before Toshiba would consider doing anything. But, here’s the catch; the three repairs have to be done in the first year that I have the system, because Service Net takes over after that point. So since I had only sent it in once before that year was over, they wouldn’t replace it.
Service Net, however tells a whole different story. They do not have the “backend” for two years, and even though my system was transfered to them, Toshiba never put in a claim to fix the system itself; they just paid out-of-pocket for all the repairs, which have not been cheap. During the four times it has been in the depot, they have replaced the motherboard as well as numerous other parts, which don’t come cheap, as well as handled 2-day shipping and handling for both the empty box and the box with the system in it. Given that I have sent this in four times, and it has to go from their depot to my house, back to the depot and back to the house, they have paid for no less than 16 shipments just for one laptop.
With this information, I got in contact with Robyn at corporate yet again to see what there was that she could do about this. She had of course “looked into everything,” and recommended I send it in.
With this all said, I will be sending it to the engineers, but this should not have drug on this long. The laptop should have been repaired the first time, and never should have came back from the depot in the condition it was. Even if the depot had made a mistake and messed something up, it should’ve taken one more trip at minimum to get this fixed. Instead, it’s taken 3 more trips, and they still haven’t managed to get this taken care of. Rather than just replace the system, Toshiba would rather continue to pay out of their pocket to replace parts over and over again, not to mention the cost of shipping. I do not know if I will end up with a working system out of this deal, which is pretty bad since we paid a good bit for it, but I will for sure be reporting this to the BBB and the Chamber of commerce. It should not take this much work to get Toshiba to stand behind their products and take care of their customers.
In short, anyone who is currently looking for a laptop I recommend avoid Toshiba. The hardware isn’t bad, but if you ever have a problem where you need to send in your laptop, you may as well forget using it. To date, there have been approx, 1300 complaints filed with the BBB regarding the repair and depot itself, within the last four years. This is a huge number, especially considering that most people’s first move would be to just give up after repeatedly sending their system in and go by another. This is just the people that have taken the time to file a report with the BBB in the hopes that something will be done about it, which does not say much for Toshiba.
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