[DCFSCAZARES]

My Hr20-700 receiver broke down the other day. I have the protection plan and therefore, I called Directv to have it replaced. The CSR did not guarantee me that I would get a new HR20-700 or better. She stated that there was a possibility that I would receive a used one. I purchased the the receiver two years ago at Costco. I decided to go for the "Hail Mary" pass and called Costco and spoke with a supervisor. He was very kind and stated that he too was a subscriber to Directv. He encouraged me to return the receiver to Costco and exchange it with their new HR21-700 receiver; as the box is leased and not owned. Costco is awesome!

Question, If I exchange the receiver at Costco, will Directv honor my protection plan policy or extend my Contract to two years more? If they do, will they pay for the shipment of the broken receiver?

 

[curt8403]

My Hr20-700 receiver broke down the other day. I have the protection plan and therefore, I called Directv to have it replaced. The CSR did not guarantee me that I would get a new HR20-700 or better. She stated that there was a possibility that I would receive a used one. I purchased the the receiver two years ago at Costco. I decided to go for the "Hail Mary" pass and called Costco and spoke with a supervisor. He was very kind and stated that he too was a subscriber to Directv. He encouraged me to return the receiver to Costco and exchange it with their new HR21-700 receiver; as the box is leased and not owned. Costco is awesome!

Question, If I exchange the receiver at Costco, will Directv honor my protection plan policy or extend my Contract to two years more? If they do, will they pay for the shipment of the broken receiver?

no they will not honor your protection plan policy, as you would be going outside or around the policy. An exchange rcvr from Costco would be treated like a new rcvr and would carry a 2 year agreement. Only by going through the Protection Plan people would they pay for the shipment. YEs you would get a reconditioned receiver, but it would most likely be an HR21, and the system would ask if you have OTA locals so that you can get the proper AM21 if needed.

 

[say-what]

I don't understand - is COSTCO going to swap the units at no charge? If so, the PP doesn't matter. If you're going to incur an additional cost, then the PP won't pay. But I don't think that COSTCO, or any retailer, is allowed to accept returns on activated units.

But in either case, the PP will cover your equipment in the future. As for your not finding a refurb satisfactory under the PP, well, that's an allowed option under the PP. The PP does not guarantee you will receive a new unit, just a replacement that may (most likely) will be a refurb.

 

[say-what]

Oh, I forgot this minor point when I first replied. Once you deactivate the "exchanged" receiver, DirecTV is going to want you to send it back to them in a recovery box they send you. Failing to do that will cost you about $499 - another reason why you can't exchange an activated receiver at COSTCO

 

[JLucPicard]

There's nothing under the policy that says that DirecTV must replace a two-year old, defective receiver with a brand new receiver. Nothing wrong with WANTING that, but I would say expecting that or insisting on that is not reasonable.

And say-what is right. Unless you pick up a new unit at Costco at your cost (not an exchange because Costco is not autorized to exchange units) and keep the dead unit active on your account, you will need to return it to DirecTv. If you call them and deactivate the unit, they should send you a return kit so the return is on their dime.

I would just go through DirecTV under the protection plan and take what they send you.

 

[DCFSCAZARES]

There's nothing under the policy that says that DirecTV must replace a two-year old, defective receiver with a brand new receiver. Nothing wrong with WANTING that, but I would say expecting that or insisting on that is not reasonable.

And say-what is right. Unless you pick up a new unit at Costco at your cost (not an exchange because Costco is not autorized to exchange units) and keep the dead unit active on your account, you will need to return it to DirecTv. If you call them and deactivate the unit, they should send you a return kit so the return is on their dime.

I would just go through DirecTV under the protection plan and take what they send you.

After reading your replies, I have to agree with you guys 100%. I can't disagree and therefore, I have decided to go with Directv and not take a chance with Costco. Good Job!

 

[Dave]

Yes but here is the catch. At one time Best Buy and/or Circuit City were offering an extended warranty on any leased receiver you got from them for DirectV. Yes it was a leased receiver and they would sell you the extended warranty for there company to cover the cost of repair or replacement. So spme of you are saying not to use this extended warranty that someone may have purchased from BB or CC? If I had been a customer and paid for my leased equipment from BB or CC I would be down at there store getting a refund or replacement. They sold the extended warranty not DirectV. Also if you lease your equipment with a MasterCard or Visa they also have buyer protection. Where they will charge back to the company where you got your leased equipment from. So yes I would take it back to Costco because that Is where the OP got it in the first place. They offered to do the exchange. This is also another reason I DO Not have a credit card on file with DirectV.

 

[Grentz]

I wish there was a good way to exchange a unit at retail, but there is not with the way Directv wants the units returned under lease agreement.

 

[bobnielsen]

Quite possibly if you exchange it at Costco, BB, CC, etc., the new unit will start the 24 month commitment clock all over.

 

[lwilli201]

I had "Searching for Signal" trouble with one of my HR20's (It would not pull in any signals at all). I knew it was the receiver that was at fault, but because it was a "Searching for Signal" they insisted to roll a truck. I have PP so that was no cost. The tech verified it was a bad receiver and gave me a brand new HR21 off the truck. I do not think the install companies ever have refurbished units,(But I could be wrong). The "Searching for Signal" seems to trigger a truck roll and your chances of getting a new receiver are very good.

 

[say-what]

Yes but here is the catch. At one time Best Buy and/or Circuit City were offering an extended warranty on any leased receiver you got from them for DirectV. Yes it was a leased receiver and they would sell you the extended warranty for there company to cover the cost of repair or replacement.

Not sure how that would work if you purchased a 3rd party extended warranty from BB or CC, because under the current DirecTV model, you can't deactivate a broken receiver without triggering a direct return to DirecTV, but I'd guess that it would take a lot of effort to make the 3rd party extended warranty work in the current DirecTV business model.

 

[curt8403]

Not sure how that would work if you purchased a 3rd party extended warranty from BB or CC, because under the current DirecTV model, you can't deactivate a broken receiver without triggering a direct return to DirecTV, but I'd guess that it would take a lot of effort to make the 3rd party extended warranty work in the current DirecTV business model.

I am reasonably sure that any 3rd party extended warranty would not work in any way. the only thing a third party warranty would be able to do is replace a rcvr and that would trigger a new agreement. I flat out would not take any such warranty, and would not use it if I had it.

 

[JLucPicard]

Yes but here is the catch. At one time Best Buy and/or Circuit City were offering an extended warranty on any leased receiver you got from them for DirectV. Yes it was a leased receiver and they would sell you the extended warranty for there company to cover the cost of repair or replacement. So spme of you are saying not to use this extended warranty that someone may have purchased from BB or CC? If I had been a customer and paid for my leased equipment from BB or CC I would be down at there store getting a refund or replacement. They sold the extended warranty not DirectV. Also if you lease your equipment with a MasterCard or Visa they also have buyer protection. Where they will charge back to the company where you got your leased equipment from. So yes I would take it back to Costco because that Is where the OP got it in the first place. They offered to do the exchange. This is also another reason I DO Not have a credit card on file with DirectV.

In the situation you described, and under the assumption that the original unit was a leased unit, I would be going after BB or CC for selling me an extended warranty that they couldn't possibly honor rather than trying to go around DirecTV and utilize some bogus extended warranty on DirecTV's leased equipment.

Yes, there was that period of time where things were very gray as to what was leased, etc. Anyone caught in that quagmire would be hard pressed to find the "right" solution. But I've read the terms that stated if there was a problem with the unit that you do NOT return it to the place of "purchase", but contact DirecTV. So if I'm advising someone in a forum such as this regarding what to do with a unit with which they are having trouble and that they obtained from a brick-and-mortar store, my advice would be to deal with DirecTV.

And I would also be calling shenanigans against a retailer who is SELLING extended warranties on the DirecTV leased units. If Costco has some 'free replacement' policy, then the purchaser is not out any money when they can't take advantage of it. Not so with BB or CC or someone who would sell an extended warranty on that product.

 

[VLaslow]

Of course an HR21-xxx won't have OTA. You might need an AM21 with that.

 

[dreamyip]

Let me do a calculation... If I am successfully get Costco to exchange a broken HR20/21 receiver, I saved $169. Let's say I don't cancel the subscription on the broken HR20/21 receiver and continue paying the $4.99 a month, It will take at least 33 months to reach the $169 I saved. I can't tell what happen 33 months later and I now can save $169 immediately.

 

[MartyS]

Let me do a calculation... If I am successfully get Costco to exchange a broken HR20/21 receiver, I saved $169. Let's say I don't cancel the subscription on the broken HR20/21 receiver and continue paying the $4.99 a month, It will take at least 33 months to reach the $169 I saved. I can't tell what happen 33 months later and I now can save $169 immediately.

WHen I picked up my HR21-700 at Coscto, I was told clearly that I COULD NOT return the unit to Costco if anything went wrong. I was told at the register (and it was written all over the box and on papers inside the box) that this was a leased receiver and any issues with that receiver would have to be resolved by DirecTV.

So if you want to try to return it to Costco, go ahead, but if they accept the return (and that's a BIG if) the chances of you getting hit with a $499 bill from DirecTV for not returning a leased unit are very high.

I simply wouldn't take the chance.

 

[CJTE]

He encouraged me to return the receiver to Costco and exchange it with their new HR21-700 receiver; as the box is leased and not owned. Costco is awesome!

Well theres an idea. Lets give Costco a box that doesnt belong to me, and then pay DirecTV the $470 penalty because you didnt send it back to them.

 

[eandras]

Just want to give you a heads up that Costco can have different return policies that they have negoiated with the vendors that supplies Costco. One instance is that Verizon wireless had a different and very lucrative return policey on cell phone than even the verizon stores can provide. So Costco may have an advantage that we don't know about.

 

[jimb726]

Just want to give you a heads up that Costco can have different return policies that they have negoiated with the vendors that supplies Costco. One instance is that Verizon wireless had a different and very lucrative return policey on cell phone than even the verizon stores can provide. So Costco may have an advantage that we don't know about.

I think the point is, that since any defective reciever that directv owns (leases) triggers a box exchange it stands to reason that anything done through a third party is just going to get messed up. It just doesnt seem to be worth the risk.

 

[DCFSCAZARES]

I used my PP through Directv and guess what? I got a brand new HR21-200 and I am very pleased with the outcome. I guess I would have made a huge mistake if I had chosen to go with Costco. Therefore, I highly recommend using PP for replacements, etc (especially if you paying for it each month) for such cases.

Conclusion: Thank you very expertise feedback...It was very helpful.