Gateway 42" Plasma TV - purchased August, 2003 from Gateway 2000 store, Costa Mesa, CA - began to flicker and squeal when turning it on

Gateway 42" Plasma TV - purchased August, 2003 from Gateway 2000 store, Costa Mesa, CA - began to flicker and squeal when turning it on

Gateway 42" Plasma TV

On August 19th of 2003 I visited the Gateway 2000 store in Costa Mesa CA, and purchased the 42" Gateway Plasma TV (3000.00 plus tax) with extended warranty. They helped me carry my TV to my car gave me some nice instructions and sent me on my way.

Once getting home I was very happy with the quality and performance of the TV and then right around the holidays the TV began to flicker and squeal when turning it on. On Jan 10th 2004 the TV went totally black and would not do anything, I contacted Gateway customer service and scheduled a tech to come look at the TV on January 15th.

On January 15th the tech arrived and determined the TV was defective and had to be replaced he called Customer Service from my home and asked when they could send out a replacement and the earliest they determined was 1-23-04. I was not happy with this and asked if I could simply take the TV back to the store where I purchased it from and exchange it, Customer Service's response absolutely not. I then asked if they could ship it via a quicker service then 8 days and they stated they did not want to pay the extra shipping cost, so I offered to pay the extra shipping cost, they checked with their manager who stated I would have to wait and have it trucked, so I waited.

January 23rd arrives and the tech comes to the house to tell me my TV order was accidentally canceled by a computer error so I new order was placed as well as several calls to Gateway Customer Service were I pleaded with them to allow me to exchange it at a store or get quicker shipping, they bounced me around to everyone in the customer service department however they stood firm I would now have to wait until January 30th, so I waited.

January 30th arrives and the tech calls me to inform me that my TV did not come in on the truck and he has no idea when it will be coming in so I need to wait. Now I make numerous calls to Gateway Customer Service threatening legal action, complaints to the BBB, State of California Bureau of Electronic Repairs and disputed the charge on my credit card.

Gateway's Customer Services response in a very polite attitude well sir do what you wish but its not going to get your TV to you any quicker.

BUYER BEWARE if you plan on buying a Gateway Product be advised they have the most polite Customer Service Reps out there who are more then happy to tell you to We Don't Care, You Need to WAIT.

Arthur L

Orange, CA 92868

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