I bought a Sony Vio from Comp USA in Modesto 2 years ago this November. They talked me into buying the extended waranty. The sales man told me it covered all parts. Then the down arrow key fell off the key board and I was told that was not covered. Next in February of 2007 the computer would not power up. I took it to the Comp USA store and they said it was the hard drive and they would fix it. One week later they called me and said the store was closing my computer was not repaired come and get it and to call 1-800-266-7872 to have a box sent to me to send in my computer. I did so and the box was supposed to be sent but it was not three weeks later I finally got some one to send me a box. I sent in my computer and they changed a chip and sent it back. About two weeks later my computer quit working again. This has gone on four times now and my waranty says that after three times I am to get a new computer, but these guys are slick this time they are telling me that my computer has liquid damage even though I did not spill anything on it and they won't fix it or replace it. Comp USA does not stand behind their waranty and they will do anything to get out of it.

I brought my computer in to be checked after I deleted a virus protection program. I could access all my files and the computer ran, however, it was getting hung up with Verizon's fire wall and it was annoying. I paid to have everything backed up and have them then check it. Of course, I could have driven home and done the backup myself. The service guy said, "no problem, we can put everything on CD's and make it real easy for you." They thought that the operating system might need to be re-installed. I asked that if there were any problems to call me. (My uncle lives out of state but is a computer wizard and I would ship the computer to him.) They said that they would call me if there was any problem. "We would never delete anything without talking to a customer." They also said 1 to 3 days. On the 3rd day, I called to check on the status. Although they told me that it was still being worked on, it appears that it was not even started until day 4. I called them every day - EVERY DAY - to check on the progress. Each day I was told the info was being backed up, to call back the next day. On day 7 I was told that the info was backed up and they were going to re-install the operating system. On day 8 they said they didn't finish. On day 9 they said that they had no back up info and that everything was wiped out with the re-installation of the operating system. Basically, "we knew we should have called, but we didn't" - no one cared. I won't even go into how much personal info, tax info, work info and all the pictures of three grandsons from birth to 7 years old were on the computer!!!!!!! On day 9 I went in - no manager to talk to - blank stares on the tech's faces . . . . on day 10 I went in to talk to a manager. So - they said, if you can leave the computer one more day, we will try to recover some files. Two days later no files. Think twice before you bring anything to them. While I was there two other customers were complaining about services that were not satisfactory as well. CONSUMER BEWARE!!!! It appears that those people working there really don't know what they are doing.

I purchased a computer from Comp USA in Waco, TX, on April 26, 2004. My business at that time was photo restorations and the young man recommended this particular computer. I also bought a three-year extended warranty (Gold-3 Year Comprehensive Plan)which was recommended and was told that if anything ever happened to the computer and they couldn't fix it I would be given a new computer. The extended warranty cost $369.99.

I've been very pleased with the computer until last month. When I returned after lunch one day I could not get anything on the monitor. I tried to restart the computer but after turning it off it would not come on again. On April 23, 2007, just four days before the warranty would have run out I called the 800-number and asked for service. The Comp USA store here closed shortly after I bought the computer so they sent out a private technician to check the computer. He said it needed a new power supply and ordered one. Several days later it came in and the tech came out and installed it. The computer would start then but nothing showed up on the monitor. After spending time on the phone with Comp USA he ordered a new mother board. When it came in he came out and installed it. The computer still didn't work. He sent it to Comp USA in Austin.

I didn't hear anything for some time so called the 800-number again. They gave me the name of the person over the repair department. I called and he said they had just ordered a new processor and hopefully the computer would be ready in about a week. I didn't hear anything. Today, May 25, 2007, six weeks after the first call, I called him and he said that the mother board was bad so they ordered a new one this morning. I told him the mother board had already been replaced. He just said it needed a new one. I asked how long this would go on before they just gave me a new computer. All he said was the tech said it needed a mother board.

I called the Comp USA 800-number again to complain. They gave me the number for filing a complaint. I called it and was told that a part had to be replaced 3 times before a recommendation for a replacement would be given. She said it could be taken in ten to twenty times, figuratively speaking, before that would happen. I guess that means that since they obviously don't know what's wrong then every part in the computer will have to be replaced three times, but they only order one part at a time which takes about a week to come in and be installed then when it doesn't work they order another which takes a week to come in and on and on. I told the lady that this could go on for months and she said that it could. She said the only thing I could do was call the store manager and ask him to rush the job. She gave me the number. I called several hours ago and still have not heard from him.

The lady I talked to on the complaint line said that in my warranty book it stated that this was the way it worked. I looked at the warranty book and finally found in extremely small, very light gray print at the bottom of the page it says, "If a covered component fails three times, covered product will be replaced . A nominal fee may apply." Even if I had read that at the time of purchase I would not have dreamed that little phrase could be blown into what is going on at this time. I wish there was some way to warn everybody never to waste their money on a Comp USA extended warranty. I will go farther though. I will never shop at a Comp USA store again. And if I am ever tempted to buy an extended warranty somewhere else I will first ask a lot of hypothetical questions about it.

I have retired now from the photo restoration business, but if I were still in the business, being without a computer for this long would have put me out of business.