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Panasonic AX100 recycling? VApex return headache - Page 2

post #31 of 55
5/11/07 at 8:10pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Person99 View Post

Not new! These things are built like tanks and run forever. An air coupled 8" can be had these days for $1200 and a good liquid coupled for about $2000.

I've got one of the very top 8" LC machines that I picked up in November 2005 (to upgrade) for a total cost of $2200 (granted that was a great deal at the time, but it is about the current going rate for it). The picture is stunning. My neighbor that I'm trying to help with the Panny AX100 is mucho jealous.

Dave

Got a link you can private message me? I am curious about where and how much!

UPDATE:

Just got a call back from VA. They said, of course that the problems I took pictures of somehow disappeared and that my machine is better than their floor model. They didn't see the pink lines and the blue hue went away??????? I'm wondering if the ride back to the warehouse didn't jar whatever back into place???????
Or is this just a fancy way of saying deal with Panasonic directly because we're not going to help you because we'll be forced to sell this as D-stock and take a hit?

I mean I got two messages, one was that my problem that I took pictures of was of significance to warrant an exchange, and this coming from VA, and Panasonic. Now those problems don't exist in the Twilight Zone of VA.

Soooo.....


Do I take the 20% punch in the face and lose $200 on a "restock fee" or just say bye bye to Panasonic and go with something else? I've not read as many complaints on the Z5, but I could be mistaken. Hmm...
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post #32 of 55
5/11/07 at 8:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by amisam View Post

Got a link you can private message me? I am curious about where and how much!

UPDATE:

Just got a call back from VA. They said, of course that the problems I took pictures of somehow disappeared and that my machine is better than their floor model. They didn't see the pink lines and the blue hue went away??????? I'm wondering if the ride back to the warehouse didn't jar whatever back into place???????
Or is this just a fancy way of saying deal with Panasonic directly because we're not going to help you because we'll be forced to sell this as D-stock and take a hit?

I mean I got two messages, one was that my problem that I took pictures of was of significance to warrant an exchange, and this coming from VA, and Panasonic. Now those problems don't exist in the Twilight Zone of VA.

Soooo.....


Do I take the 20% punch in the face and lose $200 on a "restock fee" or just say bye bye to Panasonic and go with something else? I've not read as many complaints on the Z5, but I could be mistaken. Hmm...


Maybe not as far as the PJ, but getting warranty service on most of the Z4 series, is like pulling your own teeth with a pair of pliers.
There are many threads regarding this, and they have been ongoing for years now.

Sorry your getting porked, I hope I don't go through this with my AX100U........or should I say, I better not, cuz things could get really ugly.
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post #33 of 55
5/12/07 at 10:36am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by muzz View Post

Maybe not as far as the PJ, but getting warranty service on most of the Z4 series, is like pulling your own teeth with a pair of pliers.
There are many threads regarding this, and they have been ongoing for years now.

Sorry your getting porked, I hope I don't go through this with my AX100U........or should I say, I better not, cuz things could get really ugly.

Yea, I can't see any advantage on the Z5 now I've read up on it. Going back to the AX100, I can't believe how dim it is compared to my first unit. And for VA to say that its better than their floor model is probably due to the amount of hours they have on their floor model. So it's not really a true comparison.
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post #34 of 55
5/12/07 at 10:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by amisam View Post

Got a link you can private message me? I am curious about where and how much!

UPDATE:

Just got a call back from VA. They said, of course that the problems I took pictures of somehow disappeared and that my machine is better than their floor model. They didn't see the pink lines and the blue hue went away??????? I'm wondering if the ride back to the warehouse didn't jar whatever back into place???????
Or is this just a fancy way of saying deal with Panasonic directly because we're not going to help you because we'll be forced to sell this as D-stock and take a hit?

I mean I got two messages, one was that my problem that I took pictures of was of significance to warrant an exchange, and this coming from VA, and Panasonic. Now those problems don't exist in the Twilight Zone of VA.

Soooo.....


Do I take the 20% punch in the face and lose $200 on a "restock fee" or just say bye bye to Panasonic and go with something else? I've not read as many complaints on the Z5, but I could be mistaken. Hmm...

First of all, muzz is correct, Sanyo's warranty service is as bad as it gets. It should really be referred to as "warranty denial service." Do a search on all of the Sanyo warranty horror stories before you make your purchase decision.

Second, if Panasonic told you to have the dealer "swap" the projector, and VA won't cooperate, then get back to Panasonic and explain. Let them deal with VA. The 20% restocking charge isn't even a consideration at this point.

Lastly, why are so many people still patronizing VA when we hear similar stories regularly on this forum. Just buy from AVS and forget about these other yahoos.
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post #35 of 55
5/13/07 at 2:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbawilly View Post

First of all, muzz is correct, Sanyo's warranty service is as bad as it gets. It should really be referred to as "warranty denial service." Do a search on all of the Sanyo warranty horror stories before you make your purchase decision.

Second, if Panasonic told you to have the dealer "swap" the projector, and VA won't cooperate, then get back to Panasonic and explain. Let them deal with VA. The 20% restocking charge isn't even a consideration at this point.

Lastly, why are so many people still patronizing VA when we hear similar stories regularly on this forum. Just buy from AVS and forget about these other yahoos.

Great points, I think it should be mandatory that when independent reviewers, ie projector reviews and the ilk, review a projector that they leave the last star for how well the customer got service on a bad unit. And that star should only be filled in or left blank after the first 6 months.

Thanks for the insight, I'm going to be calling Panasonic back and ask them what now....sheesh...
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post #36 of 55
5/13/07 at 7:51am
May be a stupid question, but how do you buy from AVS? There is nothing obvious to that end except the power buys.
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post #37 of 55
5/13/07 at 9:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JNelson View Post

May be a stupid question, but how do you buy from AVS? There is nothing obvious to that end except the power buys.

Just click on the AV Science link in the AVS Forum Alliance Members box on the top of the page. Once you are on their website just select the contact us link for a list of contacts. They are very easy to work with.

JD
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post #38 of 55
5/13/07 at 10:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by amisam View Post

Great points, I think it should be mandatory that when independent reviewers, ie projector reviews and the ilk, review a projector that they leave the last star for how well the customer got service on a bad unit. And that star should only be filled in or left blank after the first 6 months.

Thanks for the insight, I'm going to be calling Panasonic back and ask them what now....sheesh...


Although this is a good idea in theory, it is very difficult to determine customer service/unit reliability/warranty since most feedback on a manufacturers product is always negative rather than positive. Customer's are far more likely to post a complaint before they will ever take the time to post a glowing review.

You would also have to normalize the data to compare one manufacturer to the next. It would not be fair to compare a manuf. that sells 50k units to another that sells 500K units. The more units you sell the more complaints/defects you will have. It is much easier to keep a relatively small customer base happy.

How many posters do you see on these boards thrashing and trashing Runco or Vidikron products? You don't see it because there are far fewer users of these high end PJ's than Panasonic or Sanyo or Epson or Sony. Is it because these high-end products do not have short-comings or failures that require service? To the contrary, but it is much easier for high-end manufacturers to keep their small client base extremely happy. When you have higher margins you can afford to spend some of those dollars on exemplary service and support even when a product is out of warranty. These companies also control their distribution network very, very tightly. A tight network of very highly qualified dealers means much better quality control and end-user support.

amisam, your experience is a perfect example. VA is squeezing you because they sell products with low to no overhead, with a small staff, keeping margins very tight. Just read their return policy and you know this is true. A 20% restocking fee is rediculous in my opinion and I personally would not purchase from any business that would force this on a customer. Everyone purchasing from a place like this needs to be prepared for this type of experience. When you shop for the absolute lowest price service will not always be at the top of the list and many times not even on the list.

In your case I would forget VA. Deal directly with Panasonic and have them repair your unit. If they are willing and can help negotiate an exchange or return with VA at no cost (or just shipping cost) then I would consider that above and beyond for a manufacturer in the ranks of Panasonic.

If you are happy with the PJ after is it repaired or replaced keep it and enjoy it. If you are not happy be willing to take a 10-15% hit on the product (not 20%) and sell it on Ebay. Other's on this board should and will thank you for helping them decide where to purchase from in the future to avoid this type of experience.

Thanks for posting your experience and I wish you a successful resolution,


JD
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post #39 of 55
5/13/07 at 11:33am
IMO I would speculate that the AX100 is selling more units worldwide then the Sanyo Z5.

That said I can guarantee you from all the threads I have read in the past 6 months on various forums that their definitely has been more customer complaints & problems encountered with the Panasonic AX100 vs. the Z5.

Also as stated from previous ealier model Z1-Z4 Sanyo owners the warranty service is lagging in customer support.

It is also quite apparent that the problems associated with the AX100 are showing up within the first few months or sooner of usage by the customers due to an obvious lack of Quality Control of the product before it was released and now [Hopefully Not] it looks like Panasonic may begin resorting to the warranty tactics that Sanyo practices.

The ONLY way you could really compare these two popular projectors would be to issue 1000 units of each to individual consumers and track the first 6 months or 500 hrs. of lamp usage of customer complaints, warranty repair requests, exchanges, or total returns on these exact units.

Me personally I would rather have a problem show up in my purchase of the FP a few years down the road and if still under warranty haggle with it then. Heck in a few years I would probably be ready to upgrade anyway.

When consumers purchase a product such as the highly touted AX100 we expect it to perform as advertised but unfortunately due to lack of quality control on the manufacturing end thats not always the case. Thus we sometimes hear of recalls on various products.

I personally went with the Z5 and am extremely satisfied with the PQ mated to the XA2 and I simply made my decision based on the forum threads of early usage problems encountered within the AX100.

I`m sure their are lots of happy AX100 owners and next week my Z5 may bite the dust and I will be singing a different tune but nowadays it seems like its a crapshoot when making a decision with all the variables you have to consider.

Good Luck with your AX100 !

Regards,
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post #40 of 55
5/14/07 at 3:53pm
Thread Starter 
UPdate-orama:

Called Panasonic today, they told me that my best bet was to go through my credit card for a full return. Pansonic said that basically, my unit shouldn't fail before two weeks and that VA sold me defective merchandise.

It is interesting when I told Panasonic that my problems mysteriously went away at the dealer, he kindof grunted like "Oh yea, we see that happen all the time." In fairness to VA he hadn't heard of too many from them.

Panasonic said that they weren't willing to duke it out with the dealer and would just fix the product.
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post #41 of 55
5/14/07 at 11:53pm
I hate seeing threads like this one. It demonstrates a certain lack of understanding of this industry in general and storefront e-tailers in particular.

First of all (as jdskycaster pointed out), VA is a small operation and they do not have a warehouse of any size. They take your order, process it and forward the shipping information to their choice of factory distribution centers. It is these factory warehouses (Panasonic in your case) that do the actual shipping to you. Ordering your PJ from them, or any other e-tailer (AVS Alliance member PP and AVS Sales included) does not give you the privilege of a return of unsatisfactory (but working) equipment past the initial 7 or 14 days after purchase (B&M stores like CC or BB don't either). BTW, they do tell you what their restocking fee is, up front (if that was unacceptable, then you should have looked elsewhere). They expect that any problems (short of DOA) will be handled through the factory, like Panasonic, using the warranty that you have.

Secondly, I would have expected VA (or PP or AVS Sales) to help you with getting your problem solved by the factory. However, if you approached them with the same negative attitude (the chip on your shoulder) as you used in this thread, then the response you got is not surprising (especially from a small operation like VA).

Frankly, with the bad experience that you had with your first purchase of the AX100, I am surprised that you went out and bought another one. To me, that is inviting additional problems and potential disaster. At least, I would have contacted the store (VA, PP, AVS Sales, etc.) by phone and explained your previous problem with that PJ model, and your concern with purchasing another one. That way you could find out what your options are (and the expected support that you could get) before plunking down your money.

I realize that I haven't contributed to the solution of your problem. I also am not trying to make excuses for VA (which like any store, may develop problems as they grow and age). I've had a similar bad experience with Toshiba products (the first laptop I've had that failed 1 month after the warranty ran out and a second hand PJ that had an early lamp failure). In the case of the PJ, it took the lamp warranty (that was transferable) company 9 months to get a replacement lamp from Toshiba (who still doesn't acknowledge that there was a problem with the original lamp design). Due to these problems, I won't buy another Toshiba product or a Panasonic PJ (at least until Panasonic demonstrates that they have solved their projector Quality Control problems).

I hope Panasonic will make good on fixing your PJ. Except for QC problems, the AX100 appears to be a reasonably good PJ.
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post #42 of 55
5/15/07 at 1:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe View Post

....
However, if you approached them with the same negative attitude (the chip on your shoulder) as you used in this thread, then the response you got is not surprising (especially from a small operation like VA).

Woah wait a second buddy. I don't know who you are, or what your paradigm is, but I certainly didn't come across as having a negative attitude about anything in this thread till you posted your fly-by crap cloud. I don't need to say this but my experience with VA over the phone has been held in a highly professional manner!

Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe View Post

....Frankly, with the bad experience that you had with your first purchase of the AX100, I am surprised that you went out and bought another one.

Why would you be surprised? I had a good experience till it broke down, and quite logically assumed that I had bad unit, one out of a million. I gave Panasonic the benifit of the doubt. Thats being a good customer. And as far as being a reasonably good projector, well I suppose, but would you pay $2000 to have persistant pink band flash across a 105 inch screen?

Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe View Post

....I realize that I haven't contributed to the solution of your problem.

Amen! Word to the wise, if you don't have anything good to say..........
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post #43 of 55
5/15/07 at 1:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DonnyD View Post

A master manufacture warranty thread would be a good idea based on experiences posted by end users rating manufactures good/OK/bad. Could ask the mods if it could be made a sticky.

I was thinking of purchasing the AX100 myself upgrading from my AE700 which is still doing a good job other then the premature bulb explosion but I expect I would see more shadow detail better contrast and over all a more refined image from the AX100.
This thread scares me. Is this an isolated problem or is it more common then not.
Does the AX100 still use the soft screen ( not sure the correct technical term ) technology so there's no visible pixel structure, thanks!

The AX100 uses an updated version of smoothscreen. Mine is significantly sharper than the AE900 it replaced (which I liked, by the way) and has operated with no problems for about 100 hours. It's a light cannon, too. I love it but would suggest that you be careful where you buy it and would pass on an open box. The price with rebate is very good right now. If you just cannot stand to have a failure, I suppose this pj might be more of a risk, but it is hard to tell since it sells so many units. Projector People will let you return if less than 2 hours on the lamp, so you can try it out to see what you think without too much risk. Good luck.
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post #44 of 55
5/15/07 at 2:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rombullterrier View Post

The AX100 uses an updated version of smoothscreen. Mine is significantly sharper than the AE900 it replaced (which I liked, by the way) and has operated with no problems for about 100 hours. It's a light cannon, too. I love it but would suggest that you be careful where you buy it and would pass on an open box. The price with rebate is very good right now. If you just cannot stand to have a failure, I suppose this pj might be more of a risk, but it is hard to tell since it sells so many units. Projector People will let you return if less than 2 hours on the lamp, so you can try it out to see what you think without too much risk. Good luck.


Good advice. I would also add that if you are concerned about reliability make sure you get an extended warranty. After auditioning many FP's the AX100 was an easy choice based on installation flexibility and price/performance. For my application many of the FP's in this price range just flat out will not work in my theater.


JD
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post #45 of 55
5/16/07 at 5:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe View Post

I hate seeing threads like this one. It demonstrates a certain lack of understanding of this industry in general and storefront e-tailers in particular.

First of all (as jdskycaster pointed out), VA is a small operation and they do not have a warehouse of any size. They take your order, process it and forward the shipping information to their choice of factory distribution centers. It is these factory warehouses (Panasonic in your case) that do the actual shipping to you. Ordering your PJ from them, or any other e-tailer (AVS Alliance member PP and AVS Sales included) does not give you the privilege of a return of unsatisfactory (but working) equipment past the initial 7 or 14 days after purchase (B&M stores like CC or BB don't either). BTW, they do tell you what their restocking fee is, up front (if that was unacceptable, then you should have looked elsewhere). They expect that any problems (short of DOA) will be handled through the factory, like Panasonic, using the warranty that you have.

Secondly, I would have expected VA (or PP or AVS Sales) to help you with getting your problem solved by the factory. However, if you approached them with the same negative attitude (the chip on your shoulder) as you used in this thread, then the response you got is not surprising (especially from a small operation like VA).

Frankly, with the bad experience that you had with your first purchase of the AX100, I am surprised that you went out and bought another one. To me, that is inviting additional problems and potential disaster. At least, I would have contacted the store (VA, PP, AVS Sales, etc.) by phone and explained your previous problem with that PJ model, and your concern with purchasing another one. That way you could find out what your options are (and the expected support that you could get) before plunking down your money.

I realize that I haven't contributed to the solution of your problem. I also am not trying to make excuses for VA (which like any store, may develop problems as they grow and age). I've had a similar bad experience with Toshiba products (the first laptop I've had that failed 1 month after the warranty ran out and a second hand PJ that had an early lamp failure). In the case of the PJ, it took the lamp warranty (that was transferable) company 9 months to get a replacement lamp from Toshiba (who still doesn't acknowledge that there was a problem with the original lamp design). Due to these problems, I won't buy another Toshiba product or a Panasonic PJ (at least until Panasonic demonstrates that they have solved their projector Quality Control problems).

I hope Panasonic will make good on fixing your PJ. Except for QC problems, the AX100 appears to be a reasonably good PJ.

I'm not sure where you are coming from on this one CT. You are off-base on every point. Did you miss the part where Panasonic themselves diagnosed the unit as defective and told the consumer to have it swapped out? That is Panasonic's policy for defective units within the first 30-days, and every dealer knows it.

Do you actually believe that AVS wouldn't have swapped the unit based on Panasonic's recommendation?
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post #46 of 55
5/16/07 at 10:15pm
I apologize for coming across the way I did. That was not really called for, I'm sorry. I should not have posted what I did.

I agree that if Panasonic diagnosed amisam's problem as a defective unit, there is no excuse for VA handling his problem the way they didn't.

amisam - I agree that you got a raw deal from VA. It shouldn't have happened. Your problem indicates that VA may be having problems (financial or otherwise), especially if you approached them in a professional (non-confrontational) manner.

However, as PLincoln pointed out, putting a PJ cost hold on your credit card for a replacement unit is SOP.

bubbawilly - If, as you said, it is Panasonic's policy to replace any defective PJ within the first 30 days, then there shouldn't have been any problem with VA doing just that. I would expect that AVS Sales, or any other vendor (including VA), would (should) have found a way to help any customer to take care of the problem.
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post #47 of 55
5/17/07 at 12:00am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe View Post

I apologize for coming across the way I did. That was not really called for, I'm sorry. I should not have posted what I did.


No worries whatsoever. Just added a little drama to the thread thats all. As a newbie to big entertainment purchases like this, I take a lot of comfort knowing that there are pros on this board who are very helpful, and can add their experience to my lack therof. As far as being unprofessional, alls I can say is whatchutalkinboutwillis?

UPDATE:

I wrote to VA today in regards to my decision with the projector. I related the fact that I fell well within their guidelines of replacement and that my extensive troubleshooting, combined with Panasonic's recommendation they should have no problem.

I got an email late in the day from the cust svc mgr. that said that I refused to talk with their technician, and that they would knock the re-stock fee to 10%.

???

Refused to talk to their technician? Don't bother re-reading the thread I talked to Joycelen in customer care 5 times and Dave in repair 2 times. All total my conversations lastest probably a hour, which is a lot when you consider it.

I feel this is well documented enough that I will just go through my CC company and let them deal with it. It's too bad really. I really wanted to give this local company a chance.
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post #48 of 55
5/17/07 at 6:04am
Amisam-

Sorry to hear of your issues with regards to VA, that is very disturbing to me, first of all, because they are a forum sponsor (and we gave them our hard earned money), and 2nd of all, because I bought the same PJ from them BECAUSE of their EW offer....

I purposely didn't buy the Z5, because of the well-known, and much discussed, warranty issues with Sanyo, opting instead, to have VA deal with any hassles.......

Now it SEEMS to me(I COULD be VERY wrong here, but it doesn't seem like it from what I am reading), that VA themselves are crossing into that very same territory, which is very disturbing.

Is this what we get for supporting forum sponsors?
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post #49 of 55
5/17/07 at 6:37am
I purchased my first pj from VA, and thankfully have had no problems. I've been thinking of upgrading, and I was going to purchase from them again, so this thread has been something of a bummer! I wish a VA rep. would chime in on this topic, as I hate to think that they won't back up a customer with a problem. One thing for sure, I would NEVER buy a Z5 or an AX100, after hearing all the horror srories about warranty denial and QC issues!
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post #50 of 55
5/17/07 at 7:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by muzz View Post

Amisam-

Sorry to hear of your issues with regards to VA, that is very disturbing to me, first of all, because they are a forum sponsor (and we gave them our hard earned money), and 2nd of all, because I bought the same PJ from them BECAUSE of their EW offer....

I purposely didn't buy the Z5, because of the well-known, and much discussed, warranty issues with Sanyo, opting instead, to have VA deal with any hassles.......

Now it SEEMS to me(I COULD be VERY wrong here, but it doesn't seem like it from what I am reading), that VA themselves are crossing into that very same territory, which is very disturbing.

Is this what we get for supporting forum sponsors?

I totally agree with your synopsis even though I did purchase the Z5 thru VA and fortunately have not experienced any problems leading to a required contact to Sanyo.

Bottom line is when Manufacturers allow Quality Control to take a backseat on the design & assembly production of the product the folks that suffer the aggravation, frustration, & monetary loss are the Consumer and ALSO the dealer that in good faith just like the consumer was fed PR from the manufacturer that they would be selling an outstanding product.

This scenario plays out everyday from various manufacturers but eventually if they dont correct these Quality Control product issues it will hurt their bottom line monetarily.

Quality control took a backseat in the Domestic automobile manufacturers starting in 1973 with the Big Three and they eventually lost out to foreign imports. Toyota has now surpassed GM in worldwide sales.

To the average consumer it doesn`t matter whether they are purchasing a big ticket item as a car or a projector they simply expect to get Quality Merchandise as Advertised and NOT a roll of the dice crapshoot product !

Regards,
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post #51 of 55
5/17/07 at 9:00am
I think Panasonic is getting a bad rap on this thread for no reason. amisam had a ligitimate gripe according to Panny and they agreed that his unit should be replaced by the dealer. I really do not see where Panasonic has dropped the ball regarding warranty in this case. Yes, there will always be warranty disputes. This is not specific to any manufacturer or a sign that their engineering and QC is poor.

In this case Panasonic just happens to have a product in the AX100 that provides very high performance for the money. That equates to extremely high product volume and unfortunately more product failures reaching the surface.

Over the past couple days I have watched a few BR releases. The picture quality that this PJ is capable of with good high def source material is incredible. PQ is relative for everyone. My first RPTV was a 50" Mitsu back in 1991. It set me back almost $5k. Did it produce a good image, you bet. But that set is long gone and I do not miss it. In a few years, or less, I will upgrade to 1080P and will not miss the AX100. But for now I am enjoying the heck out of it!!

JD
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post #52 of 55
5/17/07 at 11:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdskycaster View Post

I think Panasonic is getting a bad rap on this thread for no reason. amisam had a ligitimate gripe according to Panny and they agreed that his unit should be replaced by the dealer. I really do not see where Panasonic has dropped the ball regarding warranty in this case. Yes, there will always be warranty disputes. This is not specific to any manufacturer or a sign that their engineering and QC is poor.

In this case Panasonic just happens to have a product in the AX100 that provides very high performance for the money. That equates to extremely high product volume and unfortunately more product failures reaching the surface.

Over the past couple days I have watched a few BR releases. The picture quality that this PJ is capable of with good high def source material is incredible. PQ is relative for everyone. My first RPTV was a 50" Mitsu back in 1991. It set me back almost $5k. Did it produce a good image, you bet. But that set is long gone and I do not miss it. In a few years, or less, I will upgrade to 1080P and will not miss the AX100. But for now I am enjoying the heck out of it!!

JD

I am very happy that you are one of the AX100 owners that hasn`t had to return your unit for repairs since your purchase. And since your enjoying your FP you have no need to be following the posting of the similar problems folks are having with the AX100 not just on this forum but several others I frequent.

That being said the issue is not Panasonic standing behind the warranty but the QC in testing & the assembly line that has led to the numerous COMMON problems folks are experiencing within the first few months after the initial setup of the AX100.

Just read the threads over the last month:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=719857


Like I have mentioned earlier if you placed 1000 each of the AX100`s & Z5`s side by side and ran them exactly the same in relation to lamp mode, OFF & ON times, exact same disc content to make the iris auto adjust to the same scenes, and did this scenario until they all had 500 hrs. on the lamp IMO you would then see the QC common issues that prevail with the AX100.

We hear & read of QC related issues in the automobile industry relating to a mere low grade gasket being used. Some fail sooner then others due to varying driving habits, etc. The same can be said of Panasonic failing to use the right type or amount of lubrication on the iris mechanism that they have acknowledged to be faulty.

So no one including myself is attempting to trash Panasonic but merely point out that NO manufacturer is beyond having QC problems.

Regards,
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post #53 of 55
5/17/07 at 1:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfox1 View Post

I am very happy that you are one of the AX100 owners that hasn`t had to return your unit for repairs since your purchase. And since your enjoying your FP you have no need to be following the posting of the similar problems folks are having with the AX100 not just on this forum but several others I frequent.

I was not aware that members of this forum were only allowed to post to and follow threads that are related to the current operating status of equipment they own. I am following this thread because I hope that amisam's issue is taken care of and he is happy with the result. As of his last posting it still appears that this is not the case as VA is still yanking his chain regarding return of his defective unit.

amisam, I hope you are dealt with to your complete satisfaction on this issue. You should not be charged any restocking fees related to a defective unit as supported by the manufacturer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfox1 View Post

That being said the issue is not Panasonic standing behind the warranty but the QC in testing & the assembly line that has led to the numerous COMMON problems folks are experiencing within the first few months after the initial setup of the AX100.

The title of this thread and amisam's issue is poor customer service by a specific dealer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfox1 View Post

Just read the threads over the last month:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=719857

According to you I have already been following these threads and should not have been. I am very aware of the issues that have been posted specific to the AX100.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfox1 View Post

Like I have mentioned earlier if you placed 1000 each of the AX100`s & Z5`s side by side and ran them exactly the same in relation to lamp mode, OFF & ON times, exact same disc content to make the iris auto adjust to the same scenes, and did this scenario until they all had 500 hrs. on the lamp IMO you would then see the QC common issues that prevail with the AX100.

This comparison cannot be done and your conclusion as to the results are pure speculation. Would some of the AX100's exhibit iris failures? Yes, just as previous models of Panasonic PJ's have also experienced this failure but are not noticeable due to the units specific startup procedure. Would Panasonic repair the defective units? Most likely. What does the AX100 have to do with a Sanyo Z5 anyway? According to owners posting to these boards you are more likely to NOT receive warranty service on your Z5.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfox1 View Post

We hear & read of QC related issues in the automobile industry relating to a mere low grade gasket being used. Some fail sooner then others due to varying driving habits, etc. The same can be said of Panasonic failing to use the right type or amount of lubrication on the iris mechanism that they have acknowledged to be faulty.

So, does this mean that the automakers engineering and QC is poor? No. It means that of the many products that they design, test and manufacture they had an issue that needed to be resolved. You prove my point that it is not the reliability of a single product that is important but how the manufacturer deals with issues when they have one, and they ALL DO.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfox1 View Post

So no one including myself is attempting to trash Panasonic but merely point out that NO manufacturer is beyond having QC problems.

Your intention may not be to trash Panasonic but it comes off that way. I merely replied to give some balance. floridapoolboy's post was a good example of why some balance is needed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfox1 View Post

Regards,

Regards,

JD
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post #54 of 55
5/17/07 at 3:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdskycaster View Post

I was not aware that members of this forum were only allowed to post to and follow threads that are related to the current operating status of equipment they own. I am following this thread because I hope that amisam's issue is taken care of and he is happy with the result. As of his last posting it still appears that this is not the case as VA is still yanking his chain regarding return of his defective unit.

amisam, I hope you are dealt with to your complete satisfaction on this issue. You should not be charged any restocking fees related to a defective unit as supported by the manufacturer.



The title of this thread and amisam's issue is poor customer service by a specific dealer.



According to you I have already been following these threads and should not have been. I am very aware of the issues that have been posted specific to the AX100.




This comparison cannot be done and your conclusion as to the results are pure speculation. Would some of the AX100's exhibit iris failures? Yes, just as previous models of Panasonic PJ's have also experienced this failure but are not noticeable due to the units specific startup procedure. Would Panasonic repair the defective units? Most likely. What does the AX100 have to do with a Sanyo Z5 anyway? According to owners posting to these boards you are more likely to NOT receive warranty service on your Z5.



So, does this mean that the automakers engineering and QC is poor? No. It means that of the many products that they design, test and manufacture they had an issue that needed to be resolved. You prove my point that it is not the reliability of a single product that is important but how the manufacturer deals with issues when they have one, and they ALL DO.



Your intention may not be to trash Panasonic but it comes off that way. I merely replied to give some balance. floridapoolboy's post was a good example of why some balance is needed.



Regards,

JD

I stated in all due respect that I was not trashing Panasonic nor their warranty policies. Merely pointing out that IMO QC is an issue with the AX100 whether you want to accept it or not is irrelevant.

The consumer & the dealers are the ones that are affected by these issues with consumer related products when the problems are found to be specific related to one or more components.

It rarely happens in the Aerospace & Oil industries since they have their own Quality Control inspection teams that check & test equiptment very thoroughly manufactured by second & third parties before it is even purchased or installed.

No one ever said QC was cheap monetarily but invariably an array of products at the consumer level are rushed to market.

Prime example of QC was released today by the Govt. Consumer Product Commission in regards to the largest manufacturers of consumer products below:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07190.html

I am definitely a consumer advocate and not a supporter of ANY business that will produce products with QC in the backseat for a buck !

Regards & I sincerely apologize If you were offended in any way, since that definitely was not my intent.
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post #55 of 55
5/18/07 at 4:51pm
Thread Starter 
It looks like VA is going to honor their policy and take care of my issue. Phew...that was a lot of work.


My lessons learned:

1. This board is a great resource, thanks to all for insights and experience!
2. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
3. Panasonic has QC problems even past the April 2007 build date
4. VisualApex is a company that has overly-rigorous return/replacement practices. They will take care of you, but you are going to have to do a lot of the groundwork, and even then...man I'm just plain tuckered out over this!

Where to go now? Maybe I'll just wait till Panasonic sells their 1080i at the AX100's prices. Maybe a DLP? Darn, Panasonic sure spoiled me with all that light! (caveat, my second ax100 was quite dim in comparison to the first)
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