Complaint Rating:

My HP Service Plan Has Been a Worthless and Demeaning Experience. Buyer Beware -

In March 2008 I purchased a "two year" on site Service Plan for an HP computer puchased in April 2007 (the previous year) at a cost of $160.
Last week i got an email notice that I needed to renew, although only one year had passed. I spent hours on the weekend speaking with personnel in India, who told me that indeed the extended warranty began with my computer purchase in 2007, even though I purchased the extended service plan in 2008!! Who in their right mind would buy a 2-year warranty that included a year that had alread passed? Nothing of the sort had been explained to me when I purchased that plan. I was then assured that any cpmputer problem I couldn't solve would bring a HP tech to my house.
Yesterday, (Monday) I was told I needed to consult with a "tech" person rather than a "warranty" specialist. The bored and sullen male technician, an American, once again confirmed that the 2-year plan actually begins from the date of purchase, even if that turns out to be a year earlier! This explanation was omitted in the actual contract HP sent me by email. No explanation for any aspect of the agreemanet was included. One has to trust the salesman, who can say anything.
I then mentioned to him that frequently, my computer couldn't be re-started without pulling the plug in the back of the PC. He said I needed to remove everything from the hard drive and start over, and that no technician would come to the house unless it was a hard drive problem. Since I have a month left on my "service" plan, I asked if he could do a diagnostic for me. "How much time do you have, " he asked. I said I've already spent hours on the weekend, and would like to get something for my money during the remaining month of my service contract. I mentioned that a phone diagosis had been done in March, 2008, when I also purchased the Service Plan. I then asked him to begin the diagnostic, and, with a sigh, he hung up.
So I'm left with a meaningless emailed contract with no details, plus hours of uncompensated time going though HP's artificial hurdles.
Well, HP successfully wore me down.
My future solution will be to use a established locally owned computer
service with a good reputation, and which gets ones computer back
the next day. They also teach customers about their computers. I could definitely use the education.