Yes, this is a computer related question. If a mod thinks this needs to be moved to Media Center, feel free. I just wanted to get as many opinions on this as possible as well as possibly some expert advice.
My wife left the laptop sitting on the coffee table with the cord stretch across between the table and the recliner. My dog ran between, caught the cord, and the laptop fell onto the hardwood floor. The screen cracked. It still worked but the area up in the corner by the crack was messed up.
I ordered a screen from this place in Canada (laptopscreen.com, I think - verified them using resellerratings.com). It took quite a bit of taking stuff apart to get my screen out. Apparently, an Acer Aspire 6920 is a pain in this area. Anyway, I got the screen in and it was working. So I started putting everything back together and it went dark. Not completely dark as I could barely see the display. I tried putting the old screen back in to see if I damaged the new one. The old one wouldn't work, either.
At this point, I'm beyond my basic skills in this area so I looked for local computer repair shop. I found this lady who repairs computers (
http://mycomputerlady.com/) for a flat rate of $65. I went with her rather than a big name because I wanted to save a few bucks. Why not give a young, local entrepreneur some business, right? I did do a little research to make sure she was on the up and up. Everything seemed okay.
Once she got it back to her shop and looked it over, she suggested the ribbon connecting the screen was damaged. She said if she held it with finger, it would come on back to the original brightness. It would be an extra $20 to replace. I told her to go ahead and order the new ribbon to fix it.
She calls me back a few days later and informs me that the new ribbon didn't fix the issue. So now she thinks it must be the gray cable that powers the screen or something like that. This cable will cost $40. At this point, I'm getting irritated but I need my laptop fixed so I tell her to go ahead. I should note that she told me before ordering either of these parts that if they did not fix it, she would not charge me for them and she would just ship them back for a refund.
A few days later, she got the new gray (screen power?) cable. She informs me that it did not fix the issue. Then she suggests (once again - she also mentioned this when I first explained the issue) I check the return on the laptop screen to see if maybe the screen is damaged. I suggest to her that it did work at first so I know it wasn't DOA. And I don't believe I did anything to damage it while I was trying to install it. Not to mention why would the old one not work when I know it was working previously, even with the crack? And also not to mention why would the screen work when she put her finger on the ribbon just the right way?
At this point, it appears to me that she doesn't have a clue and is just fishing for a fix. She seems to think that if she keeps replacing parts, she will eventually stumble upon a fix. I'm not pleased but I tell her to just return the PC to me and I'll decide what to do with it later.
I ask her what I owe her and she is still charging me the $65 + tax. My initial thoughts are that I shouldn't have to pay the full rate since she never really fixed the issue. I would think it would be a good business practice to at least charge less. I realize she did work on it and therefore should at least be compensated for some time. But I paid the normal rate and didn't get my laptop repaired.
How would you guys handle this? Pay the full price and forget about it? Tell her I'm only gonna give her (some amount less) because she didn't fulfill her duty? Or tell her I will pay her full bill but I'm gonna make sure to report on the online places that she's listed my unsatisfactory experience?
Edit: She is returning it to me tomorrow. I haven't received the laptop or paid her as of yet.
