never buy a Sony Vaio

[MetalGear]

well... what can I say... My Vaio is now just over a year old and so out of warrenty...just as I find out that the problems I have been having with the sound turn out not to be a driver issue (driver support is also the worst in the world) but likely a CPU memory addressing issue. Having replaced the sound card, and the memory and just about ever other replaceable part I can and having recieved no replies from Sony about anything else it can be I have assumed it must be the CPU. anyway... my 1.5 year old Vaio might aswell be junked now since I cant use it for playing games as the sound starts to crackle and screach. And to top it off the wireless has just stopped working.

So.. in summary.. thanks Sony for what is the most expensive useless peice of metal I have ever purchased and I applaude you for your clever evasive customer support, pure genius.

If anyone wants to buy a GOOD laptop... steer away from the Sony Vaio, thats the advice I give all my friends, colleagues and clients.

[jumpsuit]

Hi Metal Gear

Sorry you've had such a bad time - did you ever get an estimate from them for a repair?

Did you undertake the 'repairs' yourself?

[pedroalki]

Your dead right, i wished I'd read your comments before I purchased my Vaio desktop (£1,600)!! I've got lip sync out when playing their "FANTASTIC BLUE-RAY) DVDs and Sony help is TOTALLY NON EXISTENT, they (whoever they are) take pleasure in having me going around & around in circles only to end up having to System Restore, 3 bloody times now and I still have the same problem!!! Buy an Acer or other less expensive makes.

[MetalGear]

Hi.

No. I didnt get an estimate for a repair. It took me months to get updated sound card drivers only to find out that wasnt the problem. Had I known this then I would have got it fixed under warrenty.

Yes i did do the 'repairs' myself.. but they are all user servicable parts (PCMCIA sound card and new memory for example.)

The failure of the wireless is a more recent thing. but should I be having this problem on a laptop that is not very old?

I wouldnt even know who to speak to about a repair. I still begrudge having it repaired since I started having these problems when it was less than 1 year old.

I have never had these issues with Laptops from Other Manufactures.

[MetalGear]

pedroalki, I think the problem is the Sony brand is a very atractive one and people assume its going to be good quality, but it just isnt. No-one should expect to have such drastic problems with new equipment from such a high profile brand, especially since its not even the cheapest on the market. They say you get what you pay for...well..maybe these days you dont. I have owned a lot of laptops and desktops and all have lasted me quite a while, I wouldnt have minded as much if the support was there but all sony seem to have done is created a pretty 'Club Vaio' site to increase its brand awareness without increasing its brand quality.

[jumpsuit]

All you had to do was browse this site's support section for contact details etc
(This site has been here for a few years - although it did have a facelift a little while back)
Or check the literature that came with the machine.

Unfortunately as with most manufacturers self-repair attempts invalidate the warranty.

@ pedroalki - what was their adivce after performing complete system recoveries. I don't think they would leave it at that without offering to repair (at a price if out of warranty.)

[MetalGear]

As I said, I begrudge paying to have something fixed in these circumstances. So did not do a search of contact details for repairs.

Also, i was not aware that fitting a PCMCIA sound card in an attempt to fix sound issues would validate the warrenty, that seems a little silly to me. If this is the case then Sony Vaios are an even bigger waste of time than i thought. And I thought that having a memory expansion slot was for......expanding the memory? Are you telling me that adding memory invalidates the warrenty too????

[MetalGear]

how amazing.. i just did a search for repairs but get an error on the site saying this function is temporarily out of service......go go go sony Vaio .. heheh.

[jumpsuit]

sorry, maybe I wasn't clear - you contact them to discuss whats wrong with your machine..if in warranty they can then make arrangements to repair after you have tried a system recovery etc. If out of warranty they can still offer to repair but usually at a price.

Customer service etc is usually the first port of call for anyone with a problem with a product.

If you go to the top of the page - click the silver 'support' tab and take it from there there is a whole range of downloadable drivers, guides, and contact details.

Searching the forum for repairs won't help much

I do understand your frustration with your experience but can't help feeling you may have missed the opportunity to rectify it while you were still in warranty.

[MetalGear]

well, i did try to rectify it while i was in warrenty but when i phoned customer support etc they just kept saying its sound driver.. over and over... eventually i had enough, got a new sound card only to still have the same problem.