[Conanc]

I posted a question a few days ago and asked if you would purchase from a Sony Outlet store. Now my question is....have you or would you purchase a refurbished TV from Sony Style (along with their 5 year warranty)? I would be purchasing it at the outlet store itself and not online.


I am a newbie and honestly, the LCDs all look pretty good to me since I currently own a Panasonic oldstyle 36" TV.

Thanks for your help and suggestions!

 

[mes444]

It all depends on how much you will be saving. Refurbs always carry some extra risk as they have failed in some way already. So if you are OK with that, and you are saving enough money, maybe. Check some other online stores, like Amazon, for a new one, and you may find you are not saving enuf to take the chance.

 

[wski440]

I have purchesed a refurbed computer, 3 monitors, stereo equipment from sony and none of them have failed. For the most part, sony's refurb products were for cosmetic reasons. If thee was a technical issue, the part would be replaced and the product marked as refurbed. Hope this helps

 

[westa6969]

If so, do it with return rights - suppose you getting recycled panels with clouding. The good news they are giving a 5 yr warranty whereas it's not uncommon to get a stinky 90 day or

I got burned on a x360 console that was advertised as refurb and the friggin thing failed 5 weeks later with three red rings of death and turns out the damn thing had a previous owner and was a >year old before I bought it when I had to use the warranty to repair and wait 5 weeks for the repair. Thank goodness Microsoft etd the waranty before it happened.


The way Sonystyle is pkging the deal it seems pretty fair if it's worth the savings and the reason for refurb has actually been resolved.

 

[nm88]

Refurbished sets are the ones all the people return because of dead/stuck pixels, uneven backlighting, and scratches, etc., repackaged for the next customer (usually when you exchange) in the hope he won't notice.


I wouldn't unless it were an amazing deal or I had the ability to get a full refund.

 

[raven69david]

IF the panel has been replaced, do NOT buy the set. Not sure how you could check history, but i've dealt with a replacement panel and ended up with the picture quality of a Vizio instead of an XBR4; true story and i've got the pictures to prove it (although they don't do it much justice - seeing it in person though will make you vomit after you've spent a good chunk of money on an elite set). Best of luck and hope you get a set that was simply returned due to buyers remorse.

 

[rocky01]

I don't know about that bruh, my XBR had an extended warranty and exactly two weeks over the 5 year mark the TV failed. Sony told me to keep moving. So I did. After having a great service shop look at it for cool $100 (down the drain), since then I won't go near Sony -- or top of the line sets from anyone. I think you can do better, but even with new and latest gee whiz features, there are no guarantees so I suggest only putting so much money in TV no matter how sexy top flight 1080p looks. Price/performance ratio is best by reading test results and reviews, IMHO. AND ... despite the hype, don't overlook that 720p looks as good especially if you're not sitting super close or you have reasonable screen size.

 

[gigaguy]

I have been shopping the local Sony Outlet store for years. there's a lot of misinformation.

Refurbed items do not usually mean damaged or repaired. Sometimes it's just overstocks, or discontinued items, demos at tradeshows, etc. (The 52w3000 I saw there recently is half the price of new 52BR4s now, plus an additional 15% off, they had 11 of them).

Sometimes just the box will be lightly damaged that can't be sold at a new store. They offer very cheap ext warranties too. I've bought lots of items there and only had 1 Minidisc player fail years ago and returned it.

I'll probably get a 52" set there soon. Hate to tell people about the Outlets cause good deals are grabbed up fast there. I think there are 15 Outlets in US, walk in sales only, no phone sales.