Out of Warranty

Just got off the phone with the "lovelies" at Xbox 360 support....

They have kindly enlightened me that my console is somehow out of warranty. Yes, it has the red ring of death, but the screen is ALSO freezing. Therefore, since it isn't just the red lights, it isn't covered by the **new** 3 year warranty for that issue. Fine. Whatever.

Get this. I did some digging and I received 360 #2 (aka the refurb from Microsoft) on August 15, 2006 at 2:32pm (thank you UPS tracking). If it this were a **new** console, then it would still be BARELY under warranty. Supposedly, from what the so-called tech told me is that they started warrantying repaired units for 1 year in April 2007. WHAT CRAP!

I was nice until then. I asked for a supervisor. Mr. Supervisor listened to me bitch. I then explained to him that it was their company that sent me this DEFECTIVE unit as a replacement for my first defective 360 and they should honor their 1 year warranty on it because I received it on August 15, 2006, which is 6 days short of a year from today.

In the end, after tons of fake apologies and "this is just a fluke", Mr. Supervisor knocked 75% off of the repair cost, which coincidently, is $30 less than it was a year ago.

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SUMMARY:

Original Launch Console - purchased 11-22-05, DEFECTIVE by August 2006, had to pay $130 for repair, which was later refunded by Microsoft months later

Refurb Console - received from Microsoft repair center 8-15-2006, DEFECTIVE by 8-9-2007, had to pay $25 for repair that should have been covered under warranty

CONCLUSION:
Microsoft is still screwing their dedicated customers, which is a shame. I am now reconsidering my decision to buy the Elite console bundle in the near future. BUY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN MICROSOFT. Even better, make sure they have an exchange it until it is right policy.