GE Appliance Repair Ripoffs

[Lionel Mandrake]

How It All Started 1
My wife was broiling something in the GE electric wall oven. There was a strange noise, and the lights dimmed. A heating element in the oven had just burned out.

RIpoff Number 1
I called GE appliance repair, gave them the model number of the oven, and described the problem very clearly. I assumed that when they sent someone to the house, he would have the replacement part on his truck. Silly me. The guy collected $100 just for showing up and explained that they never have any parts on their trucks, because GE doesn't have any warehouses set aside for that purpose. Instead, GE would send the replacement part to the house by FedEx, and then someone else would come to the house to fix the problem.

Ripoff Number 2
Another guy came to the house, fixed the problem, and charged $140 for labor. He was here about 20 minutes.

The Old Runaround
I tried to call GE to complain about being overcharged, but everyone I talked to explained that I had to call a different number and talk to a different department. After three iterations of "your call is important ... ", I gave up.

What To Do Next
Next I'll call some government agencies, and maybe the Better Business Bureau. Meanwhile, I hope some DUers will avoid doing business with GE after reading this post.

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Thank you for posting on DU. All members are currently busy exchanging messages with other DUers

....please remain in the thread and your post will be answered in the order it was received.

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Your post is very important to us, please remain in the thread and one of our cheerful respondents will be with you shortly.

:P

Sorry. I know the horror of trying to get decent service these days. Thanks for sharing your story.

[Lionel Mandrake]

6. premium platinum diamond?

Gee, that sounds awfully expensive.

Besides, I can already post 24/7 in multiple font sizes
and even in various colors.

[femrap]

9. ...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[SoCalDem]

38. Para Espanol, prensa ocho

:)

[Liberal_in_LA]

41. lol. n/t

[Walk away]

2. Here is what Sears did for me.

It's sort of the same "house call, FedEx parts, repair" routine but when I first called the CS person told me to have the visit done and get an estimate on the parts and repair. Then I could call Sears back if the total came to over $160 (it came to $460 including that first $100) and buy an extended warranty for $160 and everything would be covered.

I did and the total problem cost $160 and I had a full years warranty if anything else went wrong.

[DCKit]

3. My S.O. bought full coverage on all the appliances when we remodeled the kitchen four years ago.

The cost of the insurance has already been paid back by avoiding the cost of service calls, not to mention the cost of a new electronics board for the microwave. I will NEVER again install a microwave over the stove-top.

That said, the quality of the appliances sold these days is shameful.

[femrap]

10. I used to sell mostly

Whirlpool products...but that was back in 2004 when I stopped. Whirlpool makes most of the Sears Kenmore products.

Now I see that the Asian appliances are infiltrating the US markets. I don't know anything about their quality. I bet S. Korea makes a decent product...they seem to be into quality.

The quality of about everything is shameful unless one is very wealthy and can purchase the Top of the Line. Along with getting rid of the Middle Class, the corporations have gotten rid of quality Middle of the Road products as well...have you noticed that?

The coffee maker is either $20 or $100....WTF?

[DCKit]

14. Time to buy a coffee press.

1 Tsp of coffee / 8 oz cup (adjust to your taste)
Water at 180-185F - never boiling
Push the press (and grounds) down into the water about 1"
Steep for 4 minutes. Longer makes stronger, but more bitter coffee. Add more grounds if you want stronger.
Push the press down to the bottom and let it settle for a couple of minutes. No matter how/what/why you make coffee in a press, you're going to have sludge.
Pour gently.

It's been working for me.

[femrap]

27. A friend of mine had

one and it made great coffee. My little Braun is still working...but a press would be a good idea.

[LiberalAndProud]

44. LG makes Kenmore appliances these days.

Just bought a new refrigerator. Ran away from Kenmore when we asked who manufactured them now. Google LG for unhappy customers.

[femrap]

47. I figured something had

happened since Kenmore is offering 25 to 30% off their appliances....overseas manufacturing. Damn.

If I had money, I'd buy German or French manufacturers....Bosch or Gaganeau (sp?)

But I believe Thermadore is made in Mississippi.

But I don't have the money for such high end, good stuff...I couldn't buy what I sold.

I'm glad I don't sell major kitchen appliances anymore....I stopped by where I worked and the salesperson told me that everyone was parttime...no benefits. And the place looked like shit....open holes in the wall for ovens, dirty, hand-written signs. Just a pathetic mess. It wasn't like that in 2003.

The American Empire is dying as I type.

Maybe Mother Nature will shrug her shoulders and start an entirely new paradigm of cooperation...globalization will be done.

[jdadd]

4. Call an independent appliance repair service....

I'm retired now, but I was an independent appliance repair person,for close to 20 years.....I kept a ready supply of popular repair parts on the truck,and could get most non stock item parts within 24 hours. The original service charge covered the return call, I only charged for time spent replacing the part....

[Magoo48]

5. I really like your crawler...

[Lionel Mandrake]

7. I wish I had.

Next time, I will. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Bryn]

24. My dryer still works good, but has no heating

something to do with heating element? What part should I order for it? It's Kenmore. Won't call Sears. Will look for an independent service. Thanks :)

[SoCalDem]

39. Same experience here.

Years ago, we used to buy the extended coverage, but as the appliances aged, it became too expensive, and sometimes the combined coverage cost exceeded what a few of the appliances would cost to replace, so we started using a local repair service.

We had our ice maker fixed for $55, and a few $80 repairs over 5 years on our washer...well under what the annual coverage was costing us.. Our guy was fast..and always did a good job..and always showed up right away:)

[femrap]

8. Write a

SNAIL MAIL to Jeffrey Immelt, CEO of GE. You tell him that you'll never buy another GE product and you will tell everyone you know not to do so unless this RIP OFF is remedied immediately.

Always start complaining AT THE TOP. Saves time and headaches.

I used to sell major appliances. GE made a decent oven, but dishwashers and fridges were shit. Sorry about your wall oven. I bet you'll get some action. I do. They want you to 'give up.' I'm like a pit bull with a bone....plus I hate GE and probably 99.9% of corporations.

[DCKit]

15. I agree, and I got a new fridge out of Amana after complaining about the repairs.

Every time the guy came over, the fridge just got worse.

The BBB is your best friend.

[CreekDog]

11. you're basically considering the portion of the 2nd visit associated with travel --a ripoff?

because the initial visit, $100 was to pay for the visit and the inspection...a little high but an electrician or plumber coming out will start above that amount.

okay, and the second visit, it appears you paid for a part and its installation and for travel.

if the first guy had the part and installed it, perhaps your total bill wouldn't have been $240 overall but maybe, let's say a little under $200 because it would not include travel for the second trip.

thus it appears you were ripped off in the neighborhood of $50 --though to be fair, in the course of being ripped off, your oven was repaired for $240.

based on this, i suggest pressing charges and asking the DA to request the death penalty for all involved.

and in your civil case, be sure to ask for pain and suffering.

:D

[Lionel Mandrake]

18. Yes, the job required only one trip, not two.

The total bill was like this (rounding off to the nearest dollar):

$100 initial ripoff.
$140 ample charge for labor on second trip.
$62 for the new heating element. (This may be a fair price for all I know.)
$5 tax
------
$307 Total Bullshit

Did I mention that GE Appliance Repair sucks?

[CreekDog]

22. you actually are saying it's partial bullshit --not total bullshit

you aren't taking issue with $207 out of the $307 bill.

also if they'd done it in *one* visit rather than two, the 20 minute visit when it was fixed would've been longer, to diagnose and then retrieve the part, and probably cost more.

but let's grant your argument with that caveat.

looks like you wouldn't have argued with a $250 bill. :shrug:

so this is coming down to $50-60. the cost seems a little high, but not incredible and certainly not "total bullshit". i don't even think you're truly arguing that.

[hobbit709]

23. If my appliance repairman has to get or order a part

He doesn't charge for a second trip to come back and install it.
ONE service call, ONE charge.

[CreekDog]

29. I know...I'm just putting Lionel's complaint into context

for all the bluster in the OP, one would think fraud had been committed.

[DCKit]

48. When the circuit board first went out on the microwave, visit one (to check the circuit board)...

was $135. On visit two, it turned out they'd sent the wrong circuit board. Another $135.

Visit three fixed the problem - with only $405 worth of service calls.

The parts people had all the correct information, the warranty people had all the information, but they couldn't get the right circuit board the first time.

Tell me how that isn't a rip-off.

[CreekDog]

49. did I say your repair wasn't a ripoff?

:shrug:

[Melissa G]

12. Sears tried to do the same thing to me with a top of the line dryer

Both the top of the line dryer and washer are gone now and replaced with used ones for 200 bucks. Less than the service calls would have been. The effing drum was cracked on the dryer. Top of the line and a cracked non metal drum. :grr:

Washer started having water left in it after a cycle. Top of the line and less than 7 years of service. My old fridge at work is going on 30 plus years with no problems. My new fridge at home is leaking out the gaskets in less than 6. argghhh!!!!
New junk these days. No quality!!!

[RebelOne]

13. I need a new gas range.

My oven knocked out. The range is over 30 years old. I was checking out prices on Lowes for ranges There was some good prices on GE ranges, but after reading the negative comments about GE, I am skeptical about buying one. What other brands would anyone suggest?

[Fla_Democrat]

16. gecustomernet.com

Order your own part and d-i-y. Most appliance problems are easy to fix.






:smoke:

[Recovered Repug]

17. Depending on how much of a handy-man you are,

you can order parts online and repair it yourself.

[Bozita]

19. currently undergoing similar shit with Comcastic's shitty service.

My blood pressure couldn't take writing a proper description of their stupidity/negligence.

So, you gotta trust me on this one.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. Use a locally based repair service. There are still plenty of them.

We've used the same family for years, first the father, and then the son (who is my age).

There was one time he determined a repair was still under a special/extended warranty from the manufacturer and he called it in an arranged for their guy to come fix it.

His prices are lower than the national chains and his response time is fast. If he hasn't got the parts on his truck, he can get them very fast - usually the next day.

[MilesColtrane]

26. Yep

Calling GE for repair is like going to a car dealership, you'll be paying more than if you went to an independent.

No reason to do that unless your product is still under warranty.

[Lionel Mandrake]

32. You're right.

Calling GE for repair is like going to a car dealership.

A VERY BAD dealership. I've made that mistake, too.

For a while I was going to an independent garage that fixed Toyotas. Then the owner sold the business, and it went downhill. C'est la fucking vie.

[Ilsa]

21. I ran into a similar problem with my GE refrigerator.

I'll never buy another one. There isn't anyone to talk to. You have to type data before you can speak to a human. I finally found someone outside of GE to fix the problem. (no warranty remaining)

[Lionel Mandrake]

25. Here is how GE handles complaints.

"GE Appliance Repair" sent me to "Billing", which sent me to "Customer Relations", which answered the phone like this:

Welcome to GE appliances consumer relations. Please listen to the following three options. ...

Choosing the last option, I get another menu. Choosing the last option again, I get the following:

Thank you for calling. To ensure quality, your call may be monitored or recorded.

We are currently experiencing higher than normal call volume, and your estimated wait time is greater than twenty minutes.

Why do you suppose the estimated wait time is so long?

1. GE plans it that way by having too few people answering phones;

2. There are an awful lot of dissatisfied customers; or

3. Both of the above.

[CreekDog]

30. Wait, are you arguing against the second visit charge or just the second visit?

I mean, if your billing didn't appear to charge you for the two visits separately, would you be as upset?

Because if you expect things to be taken care of in one visit, then you're expecting either:

1) the technician to have any needed parts with them when they visit

or

2) the technician to diagnose the part needed and the problem without actually seeing the unit or its problem

[Lionel Mandrake]

31. Item 2 of course.

Like I said in the OP, I had already supplied the oven model number and diagnosed the nature of the problem BEFORE the first visit. There was no need for a technician to do that all over again. He should not have made what he knew would be an unnecessary visit just to collect $100.

Think about it.

[CreekDog]

35. You know, I went through worse with my dishwasher

I had a $650 dishwasher recalled after just a year.

Whirlpool sent out a tech who ordered a part.

another visit to put it in.

stopped working right away.

repeat previous steps, twice. ((yes))

out of frustration, i called Sears and the manager gave me a new unit which was sent and installed.

after a few months that unit started to smell electrical. Sears wouldn't cover it under warranty because the *original* unit was out of warranty.

so obviously, i got on the phone, wrote letters, posted to DU and raised all holy hell about it to get the problem fixed and treated fairly.

oh wait...it turns out that's not what i did:

actually, i gave up, i went to Home Depot, got a cheaper dishwasher that wasn't manufactured by Whirlpool, it was a GE and it still works. i didn't really care the brand but the problems at Whirlpool at the time, i just didn't want to get tangled up in never-ending recall repairs again.

after all was said and done, i was out about $400. yeah, it wasn't fair, but life is short and i wasn't willing to waste precious time trying to rectify that unfairness, because in the scheme of things it just wasn't how i wanted to spend my time, my life.

:shrug:

[Johnson20]

28. It's a racket that the Mafia would truly admire. n/t

[DainBramaged]

33. "I will blog all over the internets as to how badly your company treated me"

It has worked for me every time. Immediately got transferred to 'customer retention' or 'customer compliance'. And when you tell them you'll bash them on Facebook for how badly you were treated, the extra goodies come a tumbling down......

[CreekDog]

36. Lionel should start a Twitter account

I recommend @Victimofminorovercharge

[winstars]

34. Go to the website below:

http://www.applianceblog.com

Get your model number of whatever appliance you have that has an issue and do a search and you will most likely find someone had a similar problem as you have. The mods might even jump in and tell you what part you need and where to order it. I have fixed my ice maker in the frig, my cooktop and my oven with the help of this website. Maybe I was just lucky but I would recommend checking it out for all DU'ers... Oh and its completely free...

[chaska]

37. "I hope some DUers will avoid doing business with GE after reading this post." Amen, you got it.

Death to all these evil bastard corporations. GE first and foremost.

[Ikonoklast]

40. "Hello, my name Peggy..."

You got hosed by the first guy.

[LiberalAndProud]

42. Isn't it interesting that we want well paid labor, we just don't want to pay well.

You're paying for office staff, advertising, lights and phone bills when you utilize the repair service. And no, they cannot take your word for what has failed. That would only be effective approximately 33% of the time.

Yea, it's cheaper to buy new because original manufacture utilizes near slave wage labor. However, feel free to complain. It's your pocketbook.

[Lionel Mandrake]

43. No, it's not interesting and not true.

I have no objection to reasonable charges for necessary work.

I maintain there was no need for the first visit. If they had needed more info, they could have phoned me instead of making an unnecessary visit, which involves drive time and other unnecessary expenses that I had to pay for.

Who's talking about buying new? My alternative would have been to call a local independent repair shop, as others have pointed out in this thread. That is what I will do next time.

[CreekDog]

46. so are you saying you've been ripped off by $100?

because you think charging for two separate visits was "bullshit"?

do you think that the second visit would have cost $140 if it weren't for the first visit?

do you think the second visit would have taken 20 minutes had the first visit not taken place?

what is the total dollar value that you would consider a rip off --how much should you have paid for what you received?

[The Second Stone]

45. GE ovens are crap. My GE oven has broken twice.

They send all their jobs overseas and sell shitty products. As the GE products in my house break and wear out I am replacing them with non-GE products.

My mother has had the same double ovens for over 35 years and uses them daily.