Technology

My daughter’s laptop went bad. It was a Saturday, December 20th and I went around town looking for a shop to repair it. I went to AV Computers but they were closed. I drove over to EChaps (http://www.echaps.com/) at 2007 W. Ave K Lancaster  (661) 945-4630 which is in the Clocktower Plaza at Avenue K and 20th Street West. There was a young guy who was very nice and explained what was the issue with the laptop, but his father or uncle (who was out on a call), would have to look at it. No call that day. I called on Monday and he explained that he would get around to it.

Christmas came and went and I made a few calls during that time. There is no answering machine at the number on printed on my receipt. I called even more times and still no one picked up. I came by a few times and the shop was not open, I did not have a quote (verbal or written) and it has been over a week. On the window is a 24 hour call number, which I called and finally got him to answer. He told me he had a family emergency (he mentioned over and over that he would call me, if I was counting about dozen times and he never once called me back). The following day the 30th, I called and again no answer. I came into the store and to pick up the laptop, (I knew it was not repaired, since I still did not have a quote). He mentioned he would call me that night, …nope. The following day, New Year’s Eve, I called and again he told me he would call at 7:00pm. I called him at 8:00 and he told me he had a replacement mother board in stock (rev two, which is a correction to the overheating problem that my board experienced). He verbally quoted my $140 parts and $70 labor.

I called on the 2nd of January and it would not be ready, more family issues, this seems to be a theme. It is interesting, that when I am in the store he would be working on other laptops, but not mine. I would have to wait, to be patient during all of the family emergencies, (am I the only one who waits?). I returned to work on the 5th of January and called that afternoon. I called and was told he would call me back. He never did, did I mentioned he never called me? I called on the 6th, 7th 8th, he mentioned he would call me, I asked him, you promise?, he said yes. When I arrived at the store, he mentioned it was not the motherboard, it was the CPU. What was that cost? I asked, no answer from him, but he assured me it was being shipped over night and would be in the store in the Friday morning. I still have no written quote. I called and nope the overnight did not arrive, being that he has lied to me so many times, I suspect, a) he did not order it, or b) he did not pay for overnight. I called on Monday early, and he told Tuesday the 13th at 8:00 am in the morning the laptop would be ready. I told him I would out of town until Thursday the 15th. I come into the store on the 16th (day 27), it was still not ready. He told me his wife had been in the hospital, while he sitting there working on someone’s laptop. Again, another lie about when it would be ready? Once again he told me it would be ready, Saturday the 17th at 8:00am. Do I believe him, NO. Recapping, I believe I have been at the store when he was their about 5-6 times, and about the 3-4 times when it was closed.

I arrive Saturday morning a little before 8:00 am, he was not there (the store posted time was it opened that would be at 10am). I went next door to Denny’s to get something to eat (grand slam for $3.99). I eat my breakfast and he wandered in to get a cup of coffee. I finished my breakfast and he was smoking outside his store. He told me, it was not ready (yet, another family emergency), but he had it with him today. I told him to have it ready by 10 am, he committed (or lied) that he would have it ready at 11:00am. I told him, I would return at 11 and if it was not ready, that I would call the Sheriff. In my opinion he has stole my laptop. He has promised to have it, but fails and fails, I assume that he is able to give me back my laptop, but refuse to give it back. I told him, not to disappoint me or I will call the Sheriff. When I arrived at 11am, he handed back to me. It was not repaired. I believe he does not how to repair laptops, or since he mentioned he replaced the mother board and CPU. He mumbled that the new mother board was still inside or something, I did not care, I ignored him and left the store (figuring it was another lie) with my still broken laptop.

He wasted an entire month of my time. Am I surprised he is in business, yes. I cannot believe he would treat people like this during these hard times, how can he stay in business?

An update: My daughter Hannah just looked at the laptop and it is severely scratched. She is very upset! It is apparent that this business has no ideal how to treat or fix equipment.

I have played around with Google books for some time. I like the concept to convert paper to digital, but I figured the books were a sample and not the entire book. Well that is not the case for some books (copyright limited). It is a great source of many books from the classics to technology. I am right now reading Beginning XSLT 2.0: From Novice to professional. I Ordered the book from www.half.com. Who can afford new books? The book when new is $49, and I paid $22. The downside of buying books online is the book is usally shipped by media mail (very slow snail mail), so it may take weeks. I opened up the book on google and finished reading chapters 1, 2, and 3. I do not know how much of the content is available online the book is 700 pages long. But, I figure that I can get a head start until the paper version arrives.