Best Buy Trying To Cheat Me?

[Brotherkain]

Just today I decided to get an XM radio installed, which I've been wanting to do a long time. First off, the XM radio is great. It sounds good, looks good in the car, good variety, etc etc... I had it installed in that little tray below the shifter handle where the wood trim is at. I decided to get it from best buy (that just opened today in this location!!), and I had them install it for me. When I came back to pick my car up, I couldn't get it to change from park. So I asked the guys there about it. They said they had the same problem. They told me they first noticed it when they were trying to shift to get the shifter out of the way to take a peice of trim off or something. (I have a 95 for the record). Anyway, here's the problem. The button on the shifter that releases the lock to allow the shifter to move out of park is extremely difficult to press and release the lock - it takes two hands. I had them take the trim around the shifter back off and have a look to see if the mechanism was simply messed up, the spring was out of place or the button was not correctly sitting in place. Eventually here is what happened. they said they found the problem, and they came and showed me where a peice of plastic had a bit of a chip or beat / worn type spot in it. They said it was hangin on that making it difficult, and it was simply from being worn.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is this actually a worn place, or what? The best buy techs told me that they never had the shifter apart or could have done anything to cause it. Are they feeding me a line of bull to stay out of trouble, or just by pure dumb idiot bad luck did that peice of plastic actually suddenly start becoming such a major nuisance by just barely being too much worn??? I would take it apart and have a better look myself, but I'm going to wait and go back monday to talk to the supervisor there and see what my options are before I resort to that. Just thought I'd try to find some feedback (and I wanted to rant a bit, sorry bout the rediculously long post).

Thanks

[BA_GS400]

i would call that more than mere coincidence. <_<

[93LSOwner]

Are they feeding me a line of bull to stay out of trouble

A high possibility. They are not high tech machanics, even if they work and sell high tech electronics.

If the problem is not solved. I would take it to the PROs, which will be the Lexus dealers and ask them about the problem and get an estimate.

[SKperformance]

does it look lik ethey removed the trim by the shifter?

[Brotherkain]

SK,

Well looking at it you wouldn't think they needed to remove the trim by the shifter, because no wires run into that, and nothing is mounted there. They told me that they had removed that trim peice for some reason, but they said they hadn't messed with the shifter, only the trim around it. So..... I dont' know why they that trim peice off (unless they were trying to fix the shifter they broke, hmm).

[steviej]

if the car shifted fine when it went in and didn't shift fine when it came out, they most likely are responsible, especially since they where working in that area. They may not have touched the shifter, but may have moved something that dislodged something.

Get a professional opinion.

Get an estimate, even go as far as having it fixed. You got to have it fixed, right? Bring the receipt to Best Buy, speak to the store manager and the installation shop manager and ask them to reimburse you. If that don't work, threaten them with small claims court. They will most likely opt to reimburse you and right it off then to go to court and lose. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING...who you spoke with, what they said, when you spoke with them, etc.

steviej

[amf1932]

Listen to what steviej said in the previous post.

The guys at Best Buy are definitely NO rocket scientists and I believe that they're the ones that screwed up your shifting mechanism! ;)

[SW03ES]

Where did they install the controller? I watched them install the FM switch wire for my Sirius radio and they had to completely remove the center console...

[JPI]

I think they forgot to put the spring back it. Happen to me couple times.

JPI

[Brotherkain]

Where did they install the controller? I watched them install the FM switch wire for my Sirius radio and they had to completely remove the center console...

I bought the XM commander first off. The controller is installed in the little tray underneath the e-brake handle, velcro is taped onto the wood trim. The wire then runs off to the right of the tray and inbetween the carpet and the vinyl trim. They told me the receiver part is behind the Radio / Casette Head unit, up high somewhere out of the way. They did not tell me where the FM switch that the FM antenna connects is located. It is possible that it is installed somewhere underneath the shifter, but they never said.

I think they forgot to put the spring back it. Happen to me couple times.

JPI

This one I am sure is not the case though. After I couldn't get it to shift out of park, They came out and showed me how, and I moved it back into the installation bay area. In there they took the trim around the shifter back out. I suggested to them that the spring may not be back in, or the button is not seated on the inclined mechanism that pushes the shifter down. So they took the shifter apart and checked it, and that was not the case. Thats when they looked for a while in there and told me they found a damaged plastic peice that was "damaged by wear". Hmm

Update: Its only saturday, so I haven't been back, but I did see more problems. They broke the vent above climate control. The black peice that borders it is snapped in half in the bottom left side of it. They had it sort of pinched back together, so I couldn't see it until the two parts seperated and overlapped. So at the moment I am extremely unhappy with them, and they make me wanna say . I'm going to try to get them to agree to pay for it before I get it fixed. I will at least learn what my options are.

[93LSOwner]

I would suggest that you talk to the Manager of the store instead of the sales manager of the roadshop department.

[SW03ES]

They definately had to remove the center console then.

If they managed to break that vent part its more than likely they also did something that contributed to the shift issue. Have them look at it and see what the manager can do for you, if not then get an estimate to have it fixed and tell them you'll see them in court.

Lesson learned, never let Best Buy touch your car. Mine was installed by a career installer with a high priced stereo chain, Myer Emco. Watching him do it there definately is some skill involved in taking the interior apart. Anyone can do it, its a question of taking the time and having the care for your property, the kids at Best Buy aren't going to do that.

[steviej]

I went through similar events with my old Bonneville at Circuit City when I had new speakers put in the front doors.

Lights were not working, a molding strip was not working, door screws were left out and a few other minor cosmetic items to boot.

After a discussion with the managers, all was covered by Circuit City.

I think the broken vent just sealed your case that the techs were rougher than they should have been.

Be calm and document everything. If they see you document names and comments, then they know you mean business and will want to get you out as happy as possible.

good luck.

steviej

[93LSOwner]

A lot of crap happens in those electronics stores. Thats why they have dropped thier liabilites a lot. If you buy memory chip for a computer, all they will do is tell you is that take the screws of the back and there should be slots on the mother board where the chip will go in, "preaty simple" but not for someone who has never seen the inside of a computer.

If you have trouble with your laptop's software and you want them to look you have to have batteries you cannot use there outlets because of potential viruses.

If you have a camera, take pictures of the defected parts of the car before doing anything.

[Brotherkain]

Well, problem solved. My dad noticed that my brake lights were no longer working. That quickly narrowed the problem down to the fact that the CPU must not know when the brake is on. So the problem was narrowed to the switch. And then, a quick thought would lead you to believe the power to the switch is lost. Therefore we decided that the wiring must have been damaged, or just disconnected when they powered the XM. So everything is better now (at least as far as the shifter goes). Meeting with the best buy management on saturday, so they'll know then, and things are good to go. Thanks for the help.

[steviej]

so is the story from Best Buy about the worn peice of plastic a whole load of bull funky or what? They gotta eat crow on this one.

they need to make things right.

steviej

[93LSOwner]

Man, screw that. At the meeting, I would demand to get my car checked by the Lexus dealer or "Else."

Maybe, there is something else broken or messed up also; that you never thought of.....

One of my friends just purchased a 93' GS300 [without the CD] the radio plays all the speakers perfectly but when he plays a Cassette the driver's side speaker sound is lowered then all the other speakers. He tried cleaning the head of the head unit. So, he takes it to Circuit City; at first the manager tells him that he has to leave so he will look at it tomorrow [in the afternoon] and tells him that there is something wrong with the head unit; so, he drives down there again; then they tell him that there could be something wrong with the head unit or the amp. DAH. Aren't they supppose to fix the problem by: "providing customer service and/or introducing new technology." So, he just left.