I believe the sticker does say something like Warranty VOID if Removed? So you can't really plead ignorance.

Sucks that the CSR was such a jerk though.

I wish i still worked for Microsoft, i could look up his info for him on Microsofts Database software CAP and see what info was added to the file. At least he's know what info was added, his best bet is to ask for records of the phone call, they prob record the calls and he has the right to ask for a record of the call. He at that point could use that in court if he so chooses.

Damn, a bit of read-over by your good self would go miles towards making things a bit clearer. There's no excuse for poor written English

May 11th two years ago the Xbox 360 wasn't out, right?

Why would you call in the second time just to not to get it worked on?

If it is out of warranty why would they refuse to repair it if you pay for it? I mean opening it "voids the warranty" not "voids any chance of repair" . . . shrug, what do I know . . .

Although I think it's wrong that he was promised a free repair the console is out of warranty and has been opened.

This is still why I refuse to buy a 360. The fail rate is too high for a $500 console and microsoft is already trying to screw customers who are under warranty with shipping fees.

Um, I agree with #1, i mean i know that he was in the wrong, but i'm sorry i just don't think that your "computer professional" was going to know the inner workings of a 360..

The warranty is VOID, if you remove the silver Microsoft sticker on the front.. you should have known that.. period, end of discussion. You were mis-informed by the first rep.

For what it's worth, I got mine repaired no problem. Mine was a release console (Nov 05), and I got it repaired just after the summer of 06, for free. The customer service reps were also very nice. If you had a console manufactured in 05, there was a different condition then the 1 year extended warranty thing he speaks about.

Also, @Iron Dragon:

It's not $500, and they give you free shipping now, that was actually in the article.

Oh, one more thing, did this guy try a new cable? It's possible something in the wire came loose.

If it says "don't open it" getting someone else to "open it" isn't going to make it any different, be they computer pro or a plumber.

If the repair person isn't _MANUFACTURER CERTIFIED_ then you are SOL.
(So Out of Luck)

What I'm seeing here is the combination of a product going bad with poor customer service AND the customer screwing up big time by not using the proper channels for repairs.

Once the non-qualified person breaks that seal the original issue is no longer an issue at all because breaking the seal has nullified your rights.

An expensive lesson, hopefully well learned.

Utter bullsh*t. Even if they wouldn't repair it, acting like a jerk like that should get you fired.

Ouch, should have known warranty is void if something is tampered with. I've never encountered any bad CS from MS, just bad luck with this one.

Your console was said "I am laughing at you" and then hung up? I never knew XBoxes were smart-asses.

I'm actually sending mine in for repairs *today*. I'll let you know how it goes.
Almost started off with a real problem, though! You're supposed to put the ticket # on the prepaid UPS box--I called xbox to inform them of some new errors I was experiencing, and they told me I had the wrong number! Good thing I got that fixed or I might have overnight shipped it into oblivion.

So you say "just as the computer repairman was looking at it Microsoft changes its policy?" So did the repairman actually open it?? If so he must have an idea what is wrong? Maybe he didn't open it? Sounds weird.

"I explain I am going to have to wait to get the repair as I am trying to keep credit card debt under control."

Seeing as how the wind was blowing urine all over the place every phone call, I think that was your mistake. I woulda said "SOLD! Send me the box to ship it in!" before the policy changed.

As for what to do now, can you try to trade it in towards a new one at EB games or somewhere? I know they took my broken PS2 on a trade towards a new one. They repair the consoles and resell them.

Don't blame me if things go sour, but there's a last ditch option. Basically from what I hear, video goes out on the 360 because the BGA binding for the GPA is done cheaply. That basically means MS didn't latch the GPU to the motherboard tight enough. After some time has passed, the heat will eventually pop the GPU off of the motherboard, hence no video. If you live near a major city, try googling "BGA reballing" or "BGA repair" within that city. There are electronic shops out there that have the necessary equipment to reset the GPU for you. Don't know how much it'll cost, but it's worth calling around a few places and asking.

Sounds like his only course of action now is to email Mr. Gates personally...

http://consumerist.com/consumer/apple/get-your-defective-l...

Somehow, I can't see this approach working with MS though.

While the guy made a huge mistake by opening the system (or having someone else do it), this really does qualify as bad CS.

Anytime someone says "I am the manager" or "there's no one higher than me you can talk to" my BS sensor goes off.

1) Record all your calls to these bastards. Period. I don't care what you say about this state law vs that...figure out a way to make it happen.

2) Do the "Consumerist Shuffle" and plead your case for a King Solomon to grant you mercy.

3) Your story does not make sense to me, which means a) you're not telling enough detail or b) you're lying you ass off.

4) Shut yer yap and buy another video game machine. I bought 3 or 4 PS2's, a few Dreamcasts, etc. They break. None of them will ever have a 2 year factory warranty. Deal.*

Maybe you aren't wealthy enough to play next-gen games yet? **

5) Get it repaired, and not by your so-called "computer professional". You mean a shop that specialized in 360 repair and mods? No? See 3b, above, you scoundrel.

* Some were due to modding gone bad. Dreamcasts were before parts were readily available, I loved the DC. Xbox1 lived 5 years until dvd drive crapped and then I popped a new one in for $30. Wow!

** Seriously, it's not a right. Get a Xbox1, brick lasts forever, mod the fuck out of it. Get a Wii, whiine about that. Or best yet, get a PC and then you can have your "computer professional" really fix it for you. Otherwise known as: you have to play to pay.

HA! Who else is shitting out posts like that on a friday afternoon...I owned this post, yea, boyeeeee..aw, crap I have to go.

Im skeptical here...very skeptical. I've dealt with Microsoft support for 360 roughly 20-30 times each time getting a different person. There was a large range of issues be it hardware problems or software and I've called for friends as well.

I've never once had someone in any way act rude to me. Now sure it could happen but this story just stinks of being made up. Pissing in the wind? Give me a break, most of the reps arent even in America!

I can almost guarantee when you called you did not talk to MS. Most Xbox 360 technical support is outsourced to 3rd party call centers in the US. I suggest calling and asking to be escalated to the corporate (or to be transferred to the escalation desk) and try an e-mail campaign. If they refuse to escalate you, suggest that you will contact the BBB or another agency and if they are outsourced, most centers are required to escalate your call and allow corporate to handle it. When an outsourced center treats a customer badly, corporate will normally try to do something to make the customer happy

To me these stories of customer being completely rude all seem to be 'something' being blown 'somewhere'... proof much?
Plus, like others have mentioned, it is not under warranty (nor is any other electronic that has been taken apart/'repaired' by an unqualified person).
Also, most of these people that claim support was rude to them seem to be the type that is rude.

I have had someone laugh at me calling a support number (not say they were, I actually heard them). but I wouldn't expect anyone to believe me without any proof...
having never voided a warranty and having kept my things under warranty (and not having a rotten attitude) has kept me from having any problems with customer support.

I just quit MS support today, so what the hey:
once got some positive feedback from Mr. Ballmer's office, his e-mail was steveb@microsoft.com.
On the other hand, remember that all Microsoft support is outsourced, and Microsoft has very little to do with it on a day to day basis - which is which they can tell you to f*ck off and never really catch any heat from higher ups - chances are "Jose" didn't actually have anyone above him to escalate you to; in our center (XP/Vista) there were only 2 levels of mgmt, and the higher leaves at 5 pm typically (not that I have ever, in 5 years, seen one of them talk to a customer).
So, other than e-mailing the aforementioned chair-tosser, your option would be to call back in and go "hot" - that is the internal name for customer who are so upset they are sent to the MSHOT team, a.k.a. customer advocate group. They actually are MS and not outsourced, and they call up the xbox center and say "fix this person or face the shit storm". Not sure what the criteria is to go "hot" anymore (I wasnt able to when my launch xbox cacked and they shipped me a broken replacement), but tell the first person you talk to (the call router) that you are really pissed, you are "hot" and you know what that means, and you want someone important to call you back asap.

Last piece of advice? Since they claim that one of your conversations isn't logged (happens frequently, agents get lazy), you could always claim you were instructed to have a computer tech look at the innards - its already established that there is no log, so it's your word agains theirs.

I don't have email for the customer advocate office, just snail mail if you're desperate:
Customer Advicate Office
1 Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA

Hmm 140+70 = 210? Well, if you need another X360, buy a core and end your suffering? Or, like you said, just buy a PS3.

Maybe I'm being naive, but I always thought rule #1 of broken video game consoles was "Don't open it up yourself if you want the manufacturer to ever have anything to do with you again."

@Adam: Regardless they still managed to screw a lot of people on the shipping. Also when I say $500 I mean CND. The core isn't even worth getting due to lack of hard drive.

It's easy to say in retrospect that he shouldn't've opened the console. And those of us who frequently play games are surely all aware of this rule. But you have to remember that at the time he thought that his console wasn't going to be covered under the warrenty. So if the option is to either pay $140+ to have MS fix the console, or potentially have a local repairman fix it for a lot less, I can see why he would try the second option.
There are plenty of things he should've done differently in this story, but this is one of those cases where MS should be understanding of why this happened, bite the bullet, and fix it for him. The first rule of business is to keep the customer happy, and sometimes to do that you as a company have to break some of your own rules. Otherwise, you can end up with the customer making an angry post on the Internet that makes you look like an ass, which is far worse then spending $100 or so on fixing one console.

Wait a minute. He got his console May 2005? That's impressive, considering it didn't come out until November 05

First, the X360 was released November 22nd 2005, so how this guy got his system from EB 6months early is beyond me.

Then, opening the system means MS will not fix it. If you had of asked the CS agent (any of them), you would have known that. They consider it tampering (as you could have been a modder, or someone who tried to hack their system.) It is just them covering their own ass.

Then there is the simple question, how is the price any different from other companies. Out of warranty repairs usually cost quite a bit, and shipping too.

Although all this doesn't take away from the fact the rep was a dick. Did you call back to complain? You should get in contact with escalated service.

Btw, threatening a rep who gets 10bucks an hour, that your going to buy a "rival" console will not get them to budge, I doubt the phone jocky cares.

@Iron_Dragon: Pretty sure Adam was suggesting you use your current hard drive with a new core system. No problems with your hard drive + $300 = expensive but, problem solved

Scazza: Well he doesn't say specifically that it was pre-orderd April. But he does say he picked up it November 11th, not November 22nd.

Sorry, but this is a BS story trying to pin Microsoft customer support as terrible. Sure they may have been rude asses which is uncalled for and unprofessional. But this guy apparently lost his warranty when he had a computer repairman inspect his 360 to see what was wrong.

Reminds me of when I was reading the Logitech forums and people were complaining about some PS2 wireless controller problem. Some guy says he opened it up and discovered his problem. Then he later replies that Logitech told him he no longer had a valid warranty because he opened up the product.

In all sincerity and honesty....I kind of agree with oldhat's statements, as well as #1's. Pardon my French, but shit happens. Bring toilet paper.

I got my Xbox 360 in November '06, and to this day it works just fine. Even after leaving it on for God knows how long to get the 7 Day Survivor Achievement on Dead Rising, just so I could proudly gloat to my friends about it because I had nothing else better to do at the time. So frankly, just from personal experience, so far I have had little to no flaws with my 360.

But for those who DO have a problem with their 360's, I dunno. Update your warranty, for one. And don't attempt to cut open your 400 dollar baby like a surgeon without a license. But hey, that's just coming from me. I may be wrong.

@greatinsight: There's no excuse for grammar nazis either.

I should mention that my 360 just got the "flashing red rings of death".

Called support, and because of the extended warranty announcement, I had a week left of coverage. Everthing went very smoothly and professionally. Short hold times. Turn around was a week and a half. And now it has another 90 days.

Just like other folks say, MS support was top notch for me.

@Iron_Dragon:
Couldn't he just put his hard drive from the broken one into the core?

@oldhat: Same thing happened here. I had a 360 from launch day, and its lasted up until this wednesday, where the update killed the system.

I called support, and it was a 10minute call, no questions asked. She said "lets run through some troubleshooting" and I just told her "I tried everything already" and she said we can skip those parts then, and wa-la, coffin in the mail (btw, the system is WAY out of warranty and they didn't hassle me at all.) Free repair, free shipping, what else??

From almost everyone I know who has dealt with MSCS have all said that they have always had stellar service.

I think the story submitter is full of crap. I've sent in my Xbox 360 to get it fixed and i found that CS was top notch.

I have to echo others statements here: while they couldve certainly been more polite, you cracked the machine open. intent means nothing here as support has to take all at face value. How many modders who fucked up have called in saying "I wanted to see what the problem was so I opened it"?

Like Oldhat above my 360 red-ringed last week with one week left on the warranty. Support took my info and after going through the brief testing of removing the HD etc I was told that I would be taken care of free of charge. no muss, no fuss.

I work at Microsoft. I am going to see if I can find the records for this call. I find it really hard to believe that a tech would say that.

Microsoft seems to take customer service very seriously and if this did indeed happen it wouldn't surprise me if the tech got written up or fired.

I find this story hard to believe. I don't buy this story about having a computer repairman man looking at it. Why? Because no reputable computer repairman would even look at a game console. Regardless he chose to have a 3rd party look at the console which means he's SOL.

Regardless of whether this story is true or not, "Game consoles break. Deal with it," is not a proper response. Game consoles break because we buy a second PS2 or XBOX 360. If we as consumers put our foot down and demand quality, we will get it.

American companies have been slighting their own employees for some time. Very few have stood up to them. On the backs of that success, our companies' brass balls have gotten even bigger, and now they feel they can screw their customers. Many seem to have a case of corporate Stockholm syndrome. I won't buy a 360, because I refuse to roll over.

The moral of the story and many others like it is, don't buy Microsoft, or Sony, or [insert brand X].

I don't need to be treated like shit and I proactively avoid it by simply not doing business with these people. Best way to stay happy :)

Luckily, Llama Corp is right in town, so if I have Xbox troubles I know who to call. It's pricey but less than Microsoft and takes less time. They also have a 30 day guarantee so if it breaks they'll fix it for free.

I

You can send it there too if you want by mail, www.llama.com

@Smegzor: What are you talking about? Most everything who has dealt with MS support has come away without issue. I've had 3 360's replaced, 1 was broken by my own hand and they replaced it, one was a launch system which had a wierd video glitch where when I played at 1080i the screen would bounce every 10 or so min for about 8 seconds...they replaced it no problem. The 3rd had the red lights and it was about 7 months out of warrenty. They replaced it FREE OF CHARGE because it was my 3rd system and they felt i was having bad luck.

Also there is 1 written rule with consoles. if you open them you void any chance of getting it fixed. It says that right on the damn sticker you have to cut in order to open it. No repairman would even look at a 360 because they cannot repair it even with identical parts it will not work unless its flashed at Microsoft.

I say again this story is a load of crap, this guy probably does have a broken 360, and ms probably did say they wouldnt fix it and thats all, none of that other crap is real he's just pissed and is HOPING if he makes some bull**** up that someone will take notice and fix it free.

He is taking advantage of this site, he is giving everyone who uses it in a fair manner the shaft and he deserves a swift kick in the pants.

well that killed a few brain cells

@Minister of Fun: Okay, comrade, then what do you play?

And what's this about companies screwing over actual customers?!? Hogwash! In America? Poppycock!

@Smegzor: Wow, bro, you're so enlightened...where is the little utopian island that you live on? Millions of people want to go visit. You better have bathrooms for us, cuz we likes to eat, yo.

@SubKamran: They been around since forever...gotta be doing something right.

I don't think you can say, "All the CSRs I've dealt with were helpful and friendly, so this guy is lying." I work as a B2B phone rep and most of us are very friendly and knowledgeable. Once in awhile, we hire an asshole who pisses some people off or is a rude ass on the phone and then gets fired.

I do wonder how long this guy really pressed the issue though. I have snapped at someone before just because they were so relentless. It's not right and if I didn't have an understanding boss, I could have lost my job but it does happen.

@missbrooke06: Well the way this guy made it sound was like, the guy picked up the phone and was a jerk to him.

Either way this story is too good to be true. Its just a pissed off guy with a broken xbox looking for a way to get it fixed for free.

Just to clarify.

It was opened for repair because the advise "David" gave me was to buy a new one.

I am not looking for anything for free. I am willing to pay $139.00 for the repair that they advertise. They changed their policy to accept Xbox 360s "now out of warranty." I know mine is not under any warranty and I just want it repaired. Microsoft now includes the shipping and the warranty in the cost, which are the items that had the repair cost pushing the $300.00 price of a new Xbox 360.

Microsoft will not repair it "no matter how much money you offer..." another quote from Jose. "...as soon as the repair team sees it has been opened they will ship it back untouched."

On another note... I have had great experience with the CS in the past. While "Davids" pissing in the wind comment was inappropriate, it was not meant as mean. The lady I spoke with soon after Microsoft started accepting Xboxes out of warranty said it was fine to send in my Xbox because the warranty was voided anyway so opening it didn't "Void it any More," which was apparently not the case. I have 2 360s, the dead one and a new one which was sent in for repairs when it's disk drive stopped recognizing 360 disks and told me I needed to "put them in an Xbox 360 to play this disk" in about a dozen languages. It was replaced quickly. I had a problem with a NEW 360 dying withing 60 days, but I chalked it up to faulty DVD drives which I have had my fair share of in my computer.

All I am wanting is for me to be able to have my 360 repaired legit, and pay Microsoft to do it. I wouldn't mind if Jose gets whatever reprimand he deserves for his HIGHLY inappropriate comment to a consumer who WANTS to spend his money with his employers, but I know that is a long shot.

RICHARD

The machine was tampered with. End of story. Microsoft has NO obligation to repair or try to figure out what may have been messed up by a modder or someone tampering with the box. I have no idea why ANYONE would let anyone besides MS open their xbox. That is just asking to get nothing but spite from MS.

Note: I've had my 360 since 1/06 and never had a single problem with mine.