|
|
Review 7/7/2010
|
I purchased a wine refrigerator from the company. Initial sale, delivery, and installation were relatively quick. I asked, during the installation, if the refrigerator was far enough from surrounding the walls. The installer said that there was enough room for air circulation.
Just before the warranty expired, the compressor iced up. I called the company several times but the receptionist put me on hold every time. I’d wait 10 to 20 minutes before they would hang up without talking to me, or I would hang up in disgust. After a week of phoning, I spoke with a repair technician who told me how to diagnose the problem. When I relayed the diagnosis to the technician, he told me to return the compressor to the factory for repair – about 100 miles away. I suggested that the next time they delivered a refrigerator to my area; they deliver a loaner compressor and take the defective unit back with them. I paid a security deposit for the loaner; they delivered and installed it, repositioned the refrigerator, and took the defective unit to the factory. After a month I called and e-mailed them to find out the status of my compressor. The receptionist said she would research it and call me back. This went on every month for almost six months. They finally delivered the repaired compressor and took back their loaner. The installation technician told me that “the office” would subtract the security deposit from my credit card. It didn’t happen. I had to initiate correspondence to get my deposit refunded.
Within days after the repaired compressor was installed and the refrigerator was repositioned, the compressor ran almost continually. Our electrical bills almost tripled. I kept calling the company, but either did not get to speak to a technician or when I spoke with one, he’d say he would look into it and call me back. This occurred for six months until the compressor iced up again. The compressor’s digital thermometer showed 71 degrees, but an off-the-shelf thermometer that I had place in the unit showed 56 degrees. I had to unplug the unit to let it de-ice, and then plug it in when the temperature reached 60 degrees. I did this for about two weeks. During this time, I called the company three or four times, and again got to speak with no one but the receptionist. Again she put me on hold until they simply hung up. Trying to solve the problem myself, I re-read the owner’s and noted the recommended minimum air space around the refrigerator. When the repair technicians took my defective compressor, installed a loaner, and repositioned the refrigerator, they positioned the unit too close to surrounding walls. Apparently the exhausted hot air from the compressor did not dissipate and caused false temperature readings. I emptied the refrigerator and repositioned it as far as I could from the surrounding walls. The problem was solved. One would think that the technician should have known the minimum air flow requirements.
In summary, initial purchase was OK; delivery was OK; first installation appeared to be OK; repositioning of the unit after repairs was not according to installation instructions. After-sale customer service was virtually nonexistent. The product may be good, but I firmly believe that the company thinks its responsibility ends as soon as the sale is final.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|