Comments on: Xbox repair process leaves gamers in a fix

Some customers who send their consoles in for warranty repair are unhappy with long return times, inadequate fixes and poor customer service.

[browninggold]

Excellent Service

I called Customer Service and they sent the "box" to me within a few days...very nice shipping package to keep the X-Box360 from damage, UPS pickup they give you a tracking #. A couple of weeks maybe three weeks a brand new 360 arrived EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE KEEP IT UP MS.

[brandoshido]

mine good as well

thankfully my problem was minor (dvd drive wouldn't open), and they fixed it within 2 weeks and I was gaming again. Hadn't had any problems since.

[lucidunclarity]

I thought I was alone

Im relieved and sorry at the same time to see that I am not the only one who is getting screwed by Microsoft. I sent my console in originally for a broken disc drive and was told that it would be about 10 days after I mailed it in. Two weeks later I called to 1-800-4myxbox and inquired as to the status of the repair. They told me that they had received it two weeks ago...and that was all they could tell me. I was informed that they would put in a email about the status, but that would take 5 to 7 business days to get a response. They would not let me call the service center in Texas. They would not even transfer me. Eventually after many profanity laced tirades I was able to get a call from someone at the actual service center to tell me what was going on. His name was Steve and he was very helpful and said that I would be getting it back that week, he even called me with the tracking number once it was sent. That was Saturday, I received the console on Thursday. I was hopeful and happy on the drive home from work. Once I plugged it in I was greeted by three red glowing lights. I assumed that there was a mistake and maybe I was doing something wrong. Nope, they had sent me a console that was broken worse than before. I was beyond angry and decided that I would not even call the regular xbox help line, I called the service center number that steve had given me originally. I told him that he needed to fix this...he did not. That was three weeks ago and as of Friday, I just got the box to send it back. So in total, by the projected time that I will get my xbox back (and the projected time is more of a sick taunt rather than a projection of actual time) it will be the middle of September. This odyssey started at the beginning of June. It upsets me that this happened to me, and enrages me that it is happening on such a wide scale. If anyone reads this feel free to call the service center and launch your complaints at an actual person, not some receptionist that doesnt even speak english well. The number is 1-888-236-0927, they wont give you that when you call the regular help line, so I am making it a point to give it out. They will ask for your reference number, dont worry about it put in a 10 digit number starting with 103- or 104- and they will let you into the extension menu. Once there feel free to use any extension starting with 70- no one ever answers, its always voicemail, but this will give you a chance to get the persons name. Leave your complaints with them. Maybe if enough people actually start bothering the service center, they will see that people wont just take this disrespectful customer service while wearing a smile. If your friends are having this problem, ask about their console as well. Take up all the time that they allot for each call. Dont be rude or obscene just keep calling. I have done it everyday for 3 weeks now and will continue to do so until I have resolution to my console problem

Good luck.
LucidUnclarity

[mclaren5]

Got 3 broken ones in a row!!!!!

You can't move the consoles without them breaking. I had 3 consoles and every one of them broke within 3 months. Each one took at least a month and a half to get back!!!!!! The time i got my second one replaced the service guy actually told me good luck. So he basicallt knew it was goin to break eventually. It's just BS!!!! So i got a PS3!!!!!!!

SOOOOOOO much better.

[anmath2]

common sense!!!

Common sense tip #1:
If you have a broken 360, dont buy another more expensive one!

Common sense tip #2: Dont let them just repair you 360 and give you a new one! SUUUEEEE their ***** and ask for compensation if you had to wait for 8 months!

Common Sense tip #3: Hopefully youve learned to not buy Microsoft consoles again!

[hector a]

refurbished, smudges...

I have 9 months with my xbox 360 it was working fine, then last month just bought prince of persia and command & conquer 3, and I was going to play prince of persia when my xbox froze, turned it off and on again and I played the first level then it froze again, after that, tried again to turn on the console but it died on me when I was on the dashboard, it was a saturday, called microsoft service and told them about the problem, they told me that it takes about 15 days to fix my X360, then on monday a ups van showed at my house and they gave me a box to send my xbox, the guy took it and left, then a few days later after I came from work and there it was on my room a white box
with what I thought was my xbox360 but after opening the box I found that this machine was new, or so I thought because it had smudges all over the case and the plastic bag was poorly sealed (it only took 5 days total for the xbox service to bring back my machine)I didn't like the smudges but I had a fully functional xbox360 then I saw on the net that they where changing the heatsink and I saw my xbox to see if they had replaced the old sink for the newer model but nope, no luck, granted this new machine doesn't heat up as fast as the other.

[ferretboy88]

Mine is fine. had 4 months after launch.

Never buy a launch day unit. Always wait for the bugs to get
worked out. I stick mine in front of the AC unit to keep it cool. Out
of millions sold they have thousands with problems. Not
uncomman for any electronic device. PS2's were very bad. I had to
have 2 of those. When one was in the shop getting fixed the other
was a backup.

[nickmanc86]

I BOUGHT a broken one!

I bought a broken one VOIDED my (worthless) warranty and fixed my 360 and a friends ! (one was red lights due to overheating and the other was actually just a problem with the DVD drive). A little research and even less know how (with the internet) can likely fix most problems ... I don't understand why SO many people are having so much trouble. Sure not everyone can crack open their box but I would think many can?

[menty666]

See?

This is why you should use a mac or better yet Linux. M$ sucks! Yeah!!

Just kidding, seriously though, I feel for you. I just went through this kind of dung storm with HP. Good luck everyone!

Psst...btw....*cough*class action*cough*

[Tinman52]

My 360 Works Fine!

I understand that some people have had issues with their consoles, but mine's been great since I purchased it 6 months ago for GH2 and eventually Forza2. In addition, the guitar peripheral and MS racing wheel have functioned correctly and have not had any problems either.

[bneals]

Unfair article

The tag line for this story - "Xbox 360 owners get the shaft" is inflamatory and unfair. I have owned a 360 for over a year and I don't feel like they have shafted me. In fact, I have rather enjoyed my console. I will admit that the 360 could have been made better (i.e., too loud, too hot, etc...), but at least it has good games. I for one appluad MS for extending the warranty for two additional years. Maybe it is just me, but at least I know that my $400 investment is protected for the foreseeable future.

By the way, why didn't Ms. Ogg point out how long the Wii and PS3 are under warranty by Nintendo and Sony respectively? I realize that the hardware failure rates are far higher for the 360, but an unbiased reporter should highlight each of the console's strengths and weaknesses.

[jester1176]

its completely fair.

i'm jessie lawrence, mentioned in the article. and while they extended the warranty, note its only for CERTAIN defects. my console was broken...it's been over a month since i was able to use it, and i had to pay $50 to get it fixed. even though it was just as unplayable as someone who got 3 red lights, i still had to pay. it's crap. just because yours is working, there's a LOT of people with malfunctioning consoles who feel the report is fair..myself included.

long hold times (over 40 minutes in a couple cases), rude customer service team, mistakes made by said customer service team and broken promises along the way make me a very disappointed customer. not in the box itself, but in the fact that a company of their size can't get their stuff together.

[josecaos1]

CNET is Bias against Microsoft

It seems that CNET reporters are bored. But it is ok. I bet all of them learned to use a computer because it has Windows in it. I do not care if they take it against a company but please be let obvious and try another company to complaint about. I own an Xbox 360 since it first came out. My console is awesome and works perfectly.
Someone suggested to buy an apple or get Linux? What moron suggest buying an Apple or Linux because of Xbox problems? If you get an Xbox you will get a great console with access to the best games available today.
Now,CNET group, go against the Iphone which is a lousy telephone without Bluetooth and horrible ATT coverage. Please do some reasearch on the game-exclusives portfolio for PS3 (not much!!).

[firefinder24]

BIAS?? More like right on!

I'm sorry, but I agree 100% with CNET, I am on my FOURTH XBOX console. I exchanged for my fourth console (GameStop warranty) two weeks ago when Nascar 08 was released, one week later i received my FOURTH Ring of death. I will return this one as they are supposedly replacing the faulty plastic piece with a metal piece. But I'm sorry this is ridiculous. Although I am NOT an Apple fan, I guarentee you their response would be in a better fashion. Don't get me wrong I love my 360, but my FOURTH one dead now - THATS ABSURD!!!!

[satober]

LOL My PS# works fine

I have never had a problem with my PS3 thats because Sony Learns from there mistakes.

[smackc]

waiting on my shipping box as we speak

got the red rings 2 or 3 days ago, it would play some occasionally for a day or so then quit completely. don't know yet the level of dissatisfaction. but i have loved the thing up to this point. btw, the cs reps i spoke to were very nice. when you call the xbox cs line, there is even a special message about the red rings. oh well, we'll see.

[degenerazn]

Extended Warranty = Shafted???

I can't start to outline how wrong this article is. First off, the title, "Xbox 360 gamers get shafted" ?? Isn't that just a bit bias and extreme. I mean, why don't you highlight how many Xbox 360s actually need to get repaired. I believe a VAST majority of gamers do not have problems w/ their 360s.

Second, Microsoft announces that they'll extend the warranty to 3 years. How the hell is that getting "shafted?" I think I'd get shafted if they didn't extend the warranty and left consumers to have to purchase a whole new 360.

Seriously Cnet, you guys are losing credibility every time you guys post a bias article like this. There are many other things you guys can report on. Its obvious which companies or products get the positive spin and which get the negative.

[browninggold]

I agree

How many companies go and extend the warranty on a product after it has a problem. MS is doing a excellent job while C/net is spiraling

[Kidekk]

On my second 360, soon to be third

I'm on my second 360, and I'm thinking of returning it, again, to Costco and getting another one because my games keep on hanging. It's ridiculous, I don't want to return it, but at some point (and that point is coming soon) I'm going to get tired of being in the middle of a game of nba 2k7 and having the announcers cut out, then praying that they come back because if they do that means the game won't hang, but if they don't it's only a matter of time before the "disc is unreadable message pops out from the side of the screen.

[anmath2]

wot!!!!

your gonna buy another one!!! dude no offense but ***!!! why spend the same money on items with the same problem!!!buy a PS3, barely no probs in console not working. next be more smart

[renagade89]

What about paying customers?!?!

My brother and I have an Xbox 360 that almost immediately after the warranty expired started freezing. We tried numerous ways to fix it but nothing worked, and no red lights flashed. Now four red lights flash but Microsoft informed us that the new 3 yr warranty only applies to the problem when a certain part melts and 3 red lights flash. So after they told us we'd have to pay $140 to get it fixed we paid and they said they would send us a box to put it in and mail it back. That was a month ago!!! They can't even send us a stupid box and we PAID $140 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AKL1]

Microsoft vs. Apple

I have read most of the comments here, some have been bashing Microsoft and others Apple.
I deal with electronics on a daily basis and I come to the conclusion that the brand name does not matter, if the device is going to fail it will fail. The main thing is that whatever company you are dealing with you must keep on their tech support service until your device is fixed or replaced.

[StargateFan]

The Sad Thing Is

Everytime we have any type of article on CNET it becomes a pissing match between Microsoft and Apple. I agree with what you said about electronics, either way they are going to fail. Neither Microsoft nor Apple can control what they can not perdict. Like circuitry going bad or what not.

[zgreenwell]

Happy Customer

I have owned an xbox for over a year and had no real problems with it. I use it quite often for games and I also use it as a Media Center Extender. For the money I paid for it I could not be happier with any other purchase. I am even more confident in my purchase now knowing that I will be covered for the next two years again the general hardware failures, even if I have to wait for repairs. It is better than the competition which provides no coverage at all beyond the first year.

[blozzo]

No Shaft here.

The whole process took 2 weeks. I am quite PLEASED!!!

[renagade89]

The warranty only cover one prob. I'm def. getting the Shaft!

My brother and I have an Xbox 360 that almost immediately after the warranty expired started freezing. We tried numerous ways to fix it but nothing worked, and no red lights flashed. Now four red lights flash but Microsoft informed us that the new 3 yr warranty only applies to the problem when a certain part melts and 3 red lights flash. So after they told us we'd have to pay $140 to get it fixed, we paid and they said they would send us a box to put it in and mail it back to them. That was a month ago!!! They can't even send us a stupid box and we PAID $140 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!