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pick up plasma or have delivered?

1522 Views 29 Replies 18 Participants Last post by PerryU, Mar 4, 2005

kaps94

Discussion Starter · Mar 2, 2005

I finally did, after months of research on this site and the great feedback I received from many members I finally took the plunge and purchased a plasma. I purchased the pioneer 4340 at compusa for a song. I strongly recommend anybody looking at this unit, to check out your local compusa to see if they have any remaining units at closeout prices. The closeout price was already lower than any internet dealer and with a little negoitating they came down another 25% and threw in a 3 year warranty.

My other reason for this post is how should I get this unit delivered? It was an open box item so it no longer has the box. They told me that they would bubble wrap it and cardboard it up very tightly and then said I could either pick it up or have it delivered. The manager recommended I pick it up rather than have it delivered because he said that their delivery company is not that responsible and have broken three units over the last year. Is it smart to try to take it home myself? or should I try the delivery company(my main concern here is if they do break it, I will just get a refund of money, but no replacement plasma, and I am not sure I will ever find a deal this good in the near future) If I do pick it up myself what is the best way to secure it in my car?

Thanks

Craig

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 20 of 30 Posts

iqwertyi

· #2 · Mar 2, 2005

When you say "car" do you mean vehicle as in a truck?

If it is a car/sedan/coupe. I'd rent a U-Haul or sometihng if I was to pick it up myself.

Suntan

· #3 · Mar 2, 2005

Agreed, If you have a pickup that you can safely prop it up vertically while you transfer it home, you should be good to go. If you have a car (or even an SUV that is not big enough to transport vertically) I wouldn't.

One thing he neglected to add is that when the shippers deliver it broken, you get to reject it and he has to eat the cost of their incompetency. When you take it home yourself, that risk is on you.

-Suntan

kaps94

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 2, 2005

yeah I know I take that risk, and he did mention that to me. But if they do break it which he said had about a 20% chance of happening, I am out of a plasma and I just get my money back, which is fine, except that I am not going to get another Pioneer at this price. The manager was feeling very generous yesterday and basically told me he just wanted rid of all tv's they still had, as they are no longer going to carry any.

I was going to transport it in my car. Because it is not in a box, I can place it upright in my backseat, I didn't know if leaning it just slightly would hurt it. I was think about leaning it against the back seat and and using bungy cords to strap it in securely. Would that hurt it if it was a say a 20 degree angle and completley upright?

adb

· #5 · Mar 2, 2005

Bubble wrap it and put it in the back seat. Tilting will not hurt it.

Suntan

· #6 · Mar 2, 2005

Yeah, if you are just going to have bubble wrap (not the ginormus boxes that they normally come in), you should be OK putting it in your back seat. Just get a buddy to help you (they aren't heavy, but they are deffinitly a 2 person job).

-Suntan

iqwertyi

· #7 · Mar 2, 2005

And go easy on the brakes.

kaps94

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 2, 2005

thanks I will

I think I will recruit my wife to ride and the front seat and keep a hand on the plasma at all times so it doesn't move.

Turtledoves

· #9 · Mar 2, 2005

We transported our first plasma ourselves, but finally concluded that we could have been in for major hassles if for any reason the set didn't work when we got it home (let alone if we broke it). Therefore, when we decided to return it, we gladly paid to have it picked up. Likewise, we paid again a week later to have our new plasma delivered. (Of course, having to borrow a truck may have also entered into our decisions.)

Just to share, one of the delivery persons who were supposed to set it up asked me if he could borrow a Phillips head screwdriver. Luckily, I have plenty of tools, but I finally had to ask what they were doing delivering TV's without the tools necessary for assembly. (No good answer.) Upon connecting the cables, the picture was GREEN! The same person said it looked good to him, but he was being paid only to deliver and set up. (I was a bit panic stricken until I found an unseated connector on one the cables. No thanks to "the competent installation crew!"

But back to your question: I really have to wonder why, if "their delivery company is not that responsible," that they continue using them! And most companies encourage their customers to pay for delivery. Everything's probably on the up-and-up, but considering how anxious they appear to get rid of the open box Pioneer, and their encouragement to have you transport it, you might have pause for thought. Personally, I'd have them deliver for the reasons already mentioned, but in this case you may have an additional reason. If you decide to take it home yourself, at least try to make sure it's in one piece and working first.

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iblaineman

· #10 · Mar 2, 2005

I bought my from sears. I think it was $50 for delivery. They just opened the box and left. I had to setup everything myself. It was really cold here at the time and I watied several hours for the set to get to room temprature. I guess if I had a bad plasma sears would have done something about it.

iblaineman

· #11 · Mar 2, 2005

oh off topic but did you guys keep your box? I didn't I don't really have room. I live in an apartment so I'm sure I'll have to move one day so I hope I don't need the box .

Turtledoves

· #12 · Mar 2, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by iblaineman
oh off topic but did you guys keep your box? I didn't I don't really have room. I live in an apartment so I'm sure I'll have to move one day so I hope I don't need the box .

Yes, I routinely keep all boxes, at least until the initial 30-day return period is over. Then, if I have room, I'll likely save it. (The carton for our plasma is going into the attic.) Interestingly, while I was signing the paperwork, the other delivery guy was loading the empty carton back into the truck. Fortunately, I realized it was missing just in time to run out to the curb and get them to unload it!

If you ever have to move it, I'm sure the carton would come in handy, but I'm equally sure it isn't necessary. In fact, the pickup crew for the first set was happy to have it available â€“ they told me it usually isn't. Wrapping in thick blankets would probably be a good thing in lieu of the carton, but I really don't have a clue what the pros do. They probably crate it.

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martyj19

· #13 · Mar 2, 2005

I am not sure I agree with the "tilting won't hurt it" advice. The panel is glass and may well be overstressed if you were to transport it where the glass isn't close to vertical. This is why glass trucks carry their load the way they do.

Genesis667

· #14 · Mar 2, 2005

I'd move it myself...These things are shipped all over the country everyday by companies etc...It isn't that fragile...You will need two people to safely carry it in though...

gohd

· #15 · Mar 2, 2005

I kept the box (just for panel), in attic for future moving purpose. Tossed boxes for speakers, media box & stand. For me, I normally don't like to pay more than 5% or so over the cost of the item for shipping, except for large/bulky items or if fragile. So, for me, I'd pay the extra to ship it & just absorb that into the total cost of the TV. But, if the shipping cost was nearing 10%, I'd really start thinking I'm getting ripped off.

badxmaru

· #16 · Mar 3, 2005

don't let it tilt

mine was farking heavy

and i was sweating rivers.

not because it was heavy

but because of the capital expenditure it represented.

and then i had to hang it on the wall....

daveok

· #17 · Mar 3, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by kaps94
thanks I will I think I will recruit my wife to ride and the front seat and keep a hand on the plasma at all times so it doesn't move.

Couple of suggestions;

Use the back seat shoulder belts- if your car has them.

Before loading it into your car, power up the plasma and be sure there are no apparent problems, cause once you drive off, it's yours.

joemama127

· #18 · Mar 3, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by Turtledoves
We transported our first plasma ourselves, but finally concluded that we could have been in for major hassles if for any reason the set didn't work when we got it home (let alone if we broke it). Therefore, when we decided to return it, we gladly paid to have it picked up. Likewise, we paid again a week later to have our new plasma delivered. (Of course, having to borrow a truck may have also entered into our decisions.)

Just to share, one of the delivery persons who were supposed to set it up asked me if he could borrow a Phillips head screwdriver. Luckily, I have plenty of tools, but I finally had to ask what they were doing delivering TV's without the tools necessary for assembly. (No good answer.) Upon connecting the cables, the picture was GREEN! The same person said it looked good to him, but he was being paid only to deliver and set up. (I was a bit panic stricken until I found an unseated connector on one the cables. No thanks to "the competent installation crew!"

But back to your question: I really have to wonder why, if "their delivery company is not that responsible," that they continue using them! And most companies encourage their customers to pay for delivery. Everything's probably on the up-and-up, but considering how anxious they appear to get rid of the open box Pioneer, and their encouragement to have you transport it, you might have pause for thought. Personally, I'd have them deliver for the reasons already mentioned, but in this case you may have an additional reason. If you decide to take it home yourself, at least try to make sure it's in one piece and working first.

I would never EVER allow a delivery person to touch more than the outside of my plasma box...having a CDL doesn't give them any technical expertise.

On another note...I found my local Best Buy to have a very professional and prompt delivery service. (but I still ripped the box open myself)

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PerryU

· #19 · Mar 3, 2005

Be very sure the plasma's intact and working before you take it away. If this guy is claiming his chosen delivery service has a 20% breakage rate (!), the only reason I can think of is that he badly wants you to transport it yourself. And the only reason I can think of for that is that he wants to be able to blame the problem, once you find it, on your clumsy handling.

I could be out to lunch, but this smells a little off to me. Caveat emptor.

kaps94

Discussion Starter · #20 · Mar 3, 2005

he wasn't trying to push it on me at all. He was actually a really cool manager who really didn't even know what he had in the pioneer and admitted it. he was just saying they have had some problems with their delivery company recently and it would probably would be just as safe if I took it myself and I would save myself $120 for weekend delivery.

I know what you mean I have to be carefull and I will have them turn it on again so I can inspect it one last time before I leave with it.

If this was a new unit I would have it delivered in a heartbeat but the fact that this is their last unit and they will no longer sell pioneer, I get screwed if the delievery company breaks it, because all I get is my money back which isn't a bad thing but not a good thing because I am out a plasma I cannot afford at new prices, so it puts me in a bit of a dilema.

Craig

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