TheGossipGuy Tip #172 - As with any repair service, be sure to check credentials first

Yeah, that's right. Shame on me for not doing my homework. The next time you need your computer repaired, I highly suggest either taking it back to where you bought it, looking for a service shop online and reading the reviews, or asking a friend who may have already been through this ordeal. As for me, I hit a double-whammy last month when both my laptop and desktop went out. Yes, this would explain why you haven't seen many posts from me in a little while.

So me, being the ever trusting person that I am, decided to take my laptop to Blake's Computer repair located at 3728 NW Loop 410, near Wonderland of the Americas Mall. I should have known from the beginning when I saw computer shit all over the place that something was wrong, but no, I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. So I drop off my laptop and explain to them that it won't power up anymore. Joaquin, the service technician takes one look at it and tells me that it has something to do with the port where the power cord plugs in to the device. He even demonstrated how it was loose and needed to be fixed. So BAM! I'm charged $120 and out the door I'm sent. I'm told I can pick it up in a couple of days. Luckily I wasn't going to need it, and was leaving for vacay the following day.

Upon my return from vacay, I notice that my desktop comp is out too. Turns out there was a massive storm while I was out of town. I'm still not certain if there was some kind of surge, but I decided to take that one in to Blake's as well. They open it up in front of me and explain that it needs a new power supply. Next, I'm told I can have my desktop back the following day because they have a spare power supply in the back. This worked for me, but while I was there, I decided to pick up my laptop. It hadn't been repaired to my surprise. Joaquin tells me that he can't figure out what's wrong with it, and that it's "a unique" problem even for him. He assures me he would take a look at it, and that he could probably have it done by the weekend. This was great news for me.

Fast forward a month and a half later from the day I first dropped off my laptop. Both machines are still sitting at Blake's. It was always one excuse after another. They haven't had time to look at it. They still haven't determined what was causing the power failure in the laptop, and the power supply for the desktop was still on back order because of the Thanksgiving holiday (turned out the one they had in stock didn't fit my computer, acccording to Joaquin). Well fuck me three ways from Sunday, but I'm pretty sure my computers were there way before any of the others they were looking at. I finally decided to throw in the towel and just pick up both computers, whether they were finished or not. This is where I blew my fucking lid!

The laptop which I had handed to them back in October, was brand new. I kid you not, it even had the cellophane screen protector from the original packaging. I had gotten the laptop as a gift upon completing graduate school, but had not used the thing because no software was included and we didn't have wi-fi at home for a while, so I just didnt' see any use for it. It literally sat in its original box for almost a year. So I go into the shop to pick up my equipment and my laptop, which again, was in mint condition, has scratches all over the top where it appears they had sat other equipment on it. On top of that, Joaquin couldn't find my power cord. The original power cord which I supplied to them at the time of drop off in October. He was very nonchalante about it too. "Oh, I can't find it." Really dickhead? He offered to give me a replacement, but I wasn't very satisfied. I quickly grabbed my two computers and began walking to the exit, but here's the cherry on top of this fucked up Sundae....Joaquin has the nerve to tell me they don't offer refunds on any work that has already been done, and that he'll call me as soon as they get the power supply for my desktop. FUCK YOU!

I don't want their fucking power supply. I don't want their fucking refund. I most certainly don't want their fucking business ever again. I will defintely be telling everyone what a shady-ass business they're running there. No refunds? FUCK YOU BLAKE'S! I will gladly take my business elsewhere, but I most certainly have learned that I need to check up and do my homework on places like this the next time i decide to take anything in for repair.