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Received: ID <C300EG60@CMU-CS-A>; 29 Mar 84 19:35:37 EST
Date: 29 Mar 84 1935 EST (Thursday)
From: Ed.Gehringer@CMU-CS-A (C300EG60)
To: Harry.Bovik@CMU-CS-A
Subject: Sony--warning!
Message-Id: <29Mar84.193521.EG60@CMU-CS-A>

You won't be sorry you bought a Sony--unless you have to get it
repaired.  I have a variety of Sony products, some of which occasionally
break down.  I have taken them to the Sony service center in Greentree.
Their charges are the highest I have ever heard of--$70 + 6% tax
*minimum* for fixing a VCR.

In 1981 I had a new motor installed in a tape deck for $130.  The next
year, I left it on while gone over Christmas week, and experienced an
intermittent problem of speed irregularities later.  I took it back to
them.  They took about a month to give an estimate, and when they did,
they said it needed another new motor, and the cost would be $170!  I
didn't have it repaired, and now the problem seems to have gone away by
itself, at least temporarily.

At the same time, I also took in another tape deck whose only problem
was tape skew (tape is pulled across the heads at an excessive speed at
the beginning of a real).  They estimated about $130 to fix that.  I
didn't go for that either.  They charged $14 + tax for each estimate.
I don't consider that excessive, but their estimate charges are higher
for VCR's.

Naturally, I complained about the prices.  I felt that the response I got
was defensive and rude.  I was going to write the Better Business Bureau, but
never got around to it.
				-Ed