Computer damaged in another's care

[younger5th]

Well that makes no sense.

Let's look at it another way: I bring a perfectly good 3yo laptop into a pc store for, say, an upgrade. To anyone else the value is $0, but not to myself. This laptop is used for my work, my business, and losing it means I'd have to buy another computer which obv costs money. The tech tears open my computer, curb stomps it and hands it back. Of course I want to be compensated for it, but I'm laughed at, told the laptop was worth nothing, so I get nothing...

That doesn't seem right, does it? Because that's almost exactly where I stand.

 

[Proserpina]

Well that makes no sense.

Let's look at it another way: I bring a perfectly good 3yo laptop into a pc store for, say, an upgrade. To anyone else the value is $0, but not to myself. This laptop is used for my work, my business, and losing it means I'd have to buy another computer which obv costs money. The tech tears open my computer, curb stomps it and hands it back. Of course I want to be compensated for it, but I'm laughed at, told the laptop was worth nothing, so I get nothing...

That doesn't seem right, does it? Because that's almost exactly where I stand.

That's not what happened.

But even if it was, it's a piece of machinery that has - after damage and 3 years - literally no value.

Unless you can maybe sell it in a pawn shop.

 

[younger5th]

So it has no value, yet if all the parts that were broken when it was in the shop were replaced, it would cost money. Go figure.

 

[Proserpina]

So it has no value, yet if all the parts that were broken when it was in the shop were replaced, it would cost money. Go figure.

You're making absolutely no sense.

Go to bed - and come back and re-read the thread in the morning

 

[younger5th]

What doesn't make sense to you?
If I were to fix what was destroyed in the shop, it would cost money.
That mean's they aren't worthless parts.

 

[Proserpina]

What doesn't make sense to you?
If I were to fix what was destroyed in the shop, it would cost money.
That mean's they aren't worthless parts.

^ makes no sense.

Stop it. Really.

 

[ecmst12]

How can you be ripped off for something that's free?

I'm sorry your laptop isn't worth what you paid for it. That's what happens with computers and cars.

 

[Proserpina]

Oh that's funny - OP found Joe's site.

That's really funny.

Let's hope Joe can give him some "really good legal advice"!

 

[asiny]

To the OP- there is a caveat that every business that works on computers has- they are not responsible for lost data on the hard-drive.

Why didn't you back up all the data first before handing the hard-drive over for repair?

I realize a couple things are wrong with it - a couple broken panels, lights flickered etc. They had taken it apart completely and screwed around with it and essentially giving it back to me in worse condition than I left it with. My warranty was over and I highly doubt that (now after a week) Best Buy would take any responsibility

As has been said- why didn't you take it back to Best Buy?

I know much more about computers now and, have even fixed some, and probably know more than geeksquad does.

So why did you take it to Best Buy in the first place as you seem to know more than they do about computers?

With that said, I carefully opened the top media panel to see what was causing the flickering and saw that the ribbon cable clips were broken on the motherboard. I didn't have any spare clips but I left my laptop there to see if they could check the parts on their other trashed laptops to see if they had any. Since the power button was working fine before I lifted up the media panel I figured bbuy would just blame me...hence my choice to seek parts and do it myself...I didn't want to wait another 30 days for them to mess up my laptop again.

And here is the answer as to why you never returned to Best Buy- you opened the computer and, instantly, voided any warranty they had on their repair.. which is why you never took it back.

So it has no value, yet if all the parts that were broken when it was in the shop were replaced, it would cost money. Go figure.

It would not cost money for the parts that are in the computer- those parts are worthless. It would cost for the NEW parts to be installed in the laptop and for the charge of the tech. doing the install.

If I were to fix what was destroyed in the shop, it would cost money.

It would cost money for the replacement parts or, if the parts could be repaired, the cost the technician charges for his time to make the repairs.
The computer would still be worthless- just because it has value to you is meaningless.

And for the sake of argument;

Let's look at it another way: I bring a perfectly good 3yo laptop into a pc store for, say, an upgrade. To anyone else the value is $0, but not to myself. This laptop is used for my work, my business, and losing it means I'd have to buy another computer which obv costs money. The tech tears open my computer, curb stomps it and hands it back. Of course I want to be compensated for it, but I'm laughed at, told the laptop was worth nothing, so I get nothing...

That doesn't seem right, does it? Because that's almost exactly where I stand.

If you could prove the tech curb stomped on your laptop- you could sue him for the replacement value only- not for how much you value it at.

You should not have opened the laptop to 'see' what was wrong.. this voided the repair warranty.
You should have taken the laptop back to Best Buy and have them make good on their warranty.
If the laptop could not 'power on' when you brought it to the 2nd store for repair- how can they be sure the computer worked at all? Because you told them it works?
As with the 'caveat' on data loss- what is the 2nd stores policy on computers that are damaged whilst in their care?

It's really hard for me to be screwed over once and having to swallow my loses ..

I corrected that for you- Best Buy (going off your word) damaged your computer worse than it was.. the 2nd store was hit by a flood- can't exactly blame them for that.