Is my local computer shop trying to overcharge me?Please Help!

danger_mouse_tm

I think you should tell us the name of the computer shop. I'm twenty years fixing computers and I'm convinced there's more cowboys in this game than any other.
Apart from the fact that they have carried out work which you haven't requested the manner in which they did it is totally underhanded and sneaky.

edit: Give them back their wireless adaptor, take back your laptop and we will service your laptop and replace your wireless card for free...

jarvis

Tell him you spent all day handing out leaflets promoting his shop and the charge is €105 but you'll call it quits for the work he has done.

Same thing he's doing to you.

hearny

75 Euro is not really overpriced for the service but you didn't ask for it so no way would I pay them.

Tell them that you had a fresh install of windows and it hadn't been connected to the so really the only way it could have gotten a virus is from a USB in the shop. (Provided you formatted the hard drive and did not infect it with a USB key yourself).

The usb dongle is a really lazy way of sorting it in fairness. Internal card is more or less the same price.

degsie

Pay the guy what he's askin' and while you are at it give him your credit card and pin and let him carry out the transaction at the back of the shop, sheesh..

degsie

^^^
Must have a virus. I'd take your comp to the OP repair shop.

the_syco

Dr.Dre wrote: »

3 days pass and I get a call from the man saying my laptop is fixed. It turned out that it was in fact the wireless card inside the laptop that broke( which is why i could not connect anymore). He then told me that they would give me a USB wireless adapter to replace it which was the cheaper option than getting a brand new wireless card for inside the laptop. I asked him how much it was going to cost me and he said 30€. I have no idea how much one of these costs so I said that's fine.

Then he went on to tell me it would be an additional 75€ for the removal of the viruses that were on my laptop.

Tell him you want your laptop back as is. As he did not fix your problem, you will not pay for it. As for the €75 virus thing, tell him you refuse to pay it as you never asked for it to be ran. If he gives some spiel about it being standard process to do the virus scan, query why you were not told this when you brought the laptop in to get fixed.

mad turnip

Hey OP, few things,

1) A decent USB dongle is 20-30e so hes apparently charging you 0 for looking at it.
2) If he looked at the wireless card and did some debugging for an hour its already up 20-30e for business costs explaining this to consumers is never easy.
3) You use an anti virus? Ok well done all the major ones won't hit you but I'd say there's still at least 20% that can roam your PC doing whatever they like (probably more). The best anti-virus is yourself, you seem to know about software abit but if you've plugged in a USB into that fresh reinstall you can be sure something would show up in a virus scan whether its an old trojan or something else. Unless you can guarantee no hard disks and it was a fresh reinstall with limited access but you to the internet theres a few possibilities of virus's. This opinion is coming from an IT background with knowledge of how to create, find and disable virus'.
4) Saying there are virus's is an easy way just to explain to noobies "looking at it" costs.

But at the end of the day you owe him 15e for looking at it / you being a gob****e + 30e for the adapter and if its cheap **** maybe 20e for the adapter.

(I buy and resell decent adapters at 25e so 30e is defiantly not a bad price).

I would refuse the virus removal and pay the 45 for parts + services unless they have a nice detailed log of virus's removed.

Edit:

Also your asking this in the IT forum where i'm pretty sure most people would have an 8-9 out of 10 in general knowledge about computers and there working (maybe even from an engineering standpoint), you will get very biased opinions as everyone in this forum can likly reinstall an OS, replace parts, identify driver issues, and find virus's in startup directories.

Cabaal

I'm curious op,

You say you know a fair bit about computers and software yet you hand your laptop tp somebody to look at, thats seems odd.

You ask them to look at the wireless issue, that they did but that includes looking at software on the laptop including anything that may affect windows network......a virus could cause problems as such a virus scan is a perfectly normal part of trouble shooting.

smjpl

Dr.Dre wrote: »

Yeah thats a great idea. If they genuinely found viruses on my laptop(which i find it impossible to believe) then surely they would have a log that I could take a look at. Only problem then is could they show me a log of someone elses and I would have no way of knowing it was from my laptop or their's?

I would definitely quiz them on that. Be cute about it as well. Find out what was on it (how many viruses etc.) because you said you did a fresh install of Win 7. How long was the fresh OS installed before you brought it in? Were you using the internet on the laptop since you conducted the fresh install? What else did you do on the laptop since then? I take it you were just installing drivers (disks or manufacturers website?) and trying to get the laptop fully functional again. Did you plug in any usb sticks? If yes, check them for viruses. Retrace all your steps because the chances of you getting a virus in that space of time even without anti virus (depending on what you were doing of course) is between slim and none. Let us know how you get on as well. This is an interesting thread that has caught a bit of attention.

Best of luck,
Sun

degsie

Anybody else notice that OP is in California and is being asked to pay in €. Curious...

dmc17

degsie wrote: »

Anybody else notice that OP is in California and is being asked to pay in €. Curious...

That could be more to do with the username

smjpl

degsie wrote: »

Anybody else notice that OP is in California and is being asked to pay in €. Curious...

He's straight outta Compton.

Dr.Dre

UPDATE:

Okay so I went back into the computer shop today to collect my laptop.

I man behind the counter tried to charge me 99€ in total for the usb wireless adapter, service and the removal of "all the viruses" he said were on my laptop.

Of course after reading the opinions of many on here I said I would not be paying him for carrying out a task that I did not ask him to carry out.I told him upon arriving with the laptop that I explained that there was a problem connecting to the wireless and I wanted them to take a look at this. At this point I went on to explain I couldn't of had a virus or viruses on my laptop as I was always running the following programs from the very beginning

Avast! Pro antivirus
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
and PC Tools Spyware Docter

running regular full scans of my laptop showing no infected files or issues whatsoever.

I also told him I had just reinstalled windows 7 the day previous which was the reason I hadn't antivirus software installed at the time I brought it in. Of course I would have reinstalled antivirus software straight away if I could get access to the internet but I couldn't so I felt it wasn't necessary at the time.

He then told me that it was standard practise to carry out a test for viruses and I said that's fine but you should have contacted me first to see if I would be willing to pay for their removal, which of course I wouldn't have because even if he did find a virus I am certain I would have been able to remove it myself.

Anyway I told him I would pay him for the new wireless adapter and the service of looking at the laptop but not for the virus removal. He wasn't happy to say the least but I think he knew where I was coming from.

I gave him the 30€ and walked out with my laptop in hand. Upon leaving he told me if I was ever having any problems with my laptop again that I should go somewhere else because I was not welcome there, which I just laughed at.

And just for those who are asking why I even brought it into the shop in the first place if I have a good knowledge of computers and how to fix them, well its because the whole taking apart and reassembling of computers is not my strong point whatsoever. I can solve almost any software problem that I come across but when it comes to taking apart a laptop I am quite clueless. And the problem was with the wireless card inside the laptop exactly as I had suspected. Now I'm sure its actually easy enough to learn but the problem is I don't possess any tools such as the small drills and screwdrivers that are necessary in taking it apart.


Anyway I'm sure most of you pc repair guys out there are legit and trustworthy but watch out for these other cowboys who will try take you for a ride.

BloodBath

Name and shame this pc repair shop. They should not be allowed to do business.

Bacchus

I'm sure business is booming for him with an attitude like that. Fair play to you OP, you handled it well, he was most likely just bitter that his con didn't work this time.

yoyo

Lets not name the business folks.

the_syco

yoyo wrote: »

Lets not name the business folks.

With this in mind, Dr.Dre; will you name the town that the repair shop is in (but NOT the shop name), and if anyone wants the exact name, to ask Dr.Dre via PM.

This ensures boards.ie doesn't get in trouble, and at the same time allow people to know if they're in the area that this may affect or not.

smjpl

Dr.Dre wrote: »

UPDATE:
I don't possess any tools such as the small drills and screwdrivers that are necessary in taking it apart.

Very very few tools are needed. Screwdriver is about it (can even use a knife if you don't have a screwdriver handy) . Don't be afraid to take stuff apart. Just remember to ground yourself first (touch metal radiator pipe etc) and you will be fine. Just be sensible and hold things by the edges. Hardware is the easy part. :cool:

yoyo

smjpl wrote: »

Very very few tools are needed. Screwdriver is about it (can even use a knife if you don't have a screwdriver handy) . Don't be afraid to take stuff apart. Just remember to ground yourself first (touch metal radiator pipe etc) and you will be fine. Just be sensible and hold things by the edges. Hardware is the easy part. :cool:

A PH 00 screwdriver is all you need to work with most laptops. Internal wireless mini PCI cards are cheap enough on ebay and the likes, and usually replacing them is straightforward enough. Just take the one out of your current model and find a replacement part by product code

Nick

Fighting Irish

Same thing happened to me. I pity anyone who goes into a pc repair shop without having a basic understanding on a computer and how they work

platinums

€75 is a standard Charge for a Service or for any work undertaken be it non service ie Hardware Diagnostics, as for the Hardware for that Price it had better be a decent make and not a Sweetex P.O.S.

Bear in mind some people will actually check the hardware for that price, others will find an easier route for themselves, and avoid the problem by adding new hardware which is what has happened you. That's a con.

Always Check the Labour charge before you agree with someone to undertake work for you, if it seems to much there are cheaper outlets.

Those card typically become loose and just need reseating, but I bet your shop didnt even open the case.

Overheal

give them an honest online review on yelp/google, make them think twice (though what most dodgy companies do is try to bury the review with 50 fakes)

BloodBath

platinums wrote: »

€75 is a standard Charge for a Service or for any work undertaken be it non service ie Hardware Diagnostics, as for the Hardware for that Price it had better be a decent make and not a Sweetex P.O.S.

Charging €75 for 5 minutes low skilled labor is not a standard charge at all. Any pc repair shops or companies charging that much for that work should not be in business. I've had cars serviced for not much more than that and that involves a lot more work.

If it's a difficult virus it may take a bit longer. 1 hour tops. That still shouldn't be more than €20-30.

Regardless he didn't ask for it to be done and wasn't asked or informed about it before hand. That's a double blow for that business. I don't see them being around in the near future if that's how they operate.

platinums

BloodBath wrote: »

Charging €75 for 5 minutes low skilled labor is not a standard charge at all. Any pc repair shops or companies charging that much for that work should not be in business. I've had cars serviced for not much more than that and that involves a lot more work.

If it's a difficult virus it may take a bit longer. 1 hour tops. That still shouldn't be more than €20-30.

Regardless he didn't ask for it to be done and wasn't asked or informed about it before hand. That's a double blow for that business. I don't see them being around in the near future if that's how they operate.

and i actually stated in my post , let me re-iterate that for you, that some shops WILL do some work and EARN that much, others will not.

If I was fixing this laptop and I just slapped in a Wireless card and said goodbye, I'd honestly let the service charge slide and just take for the hardware, Happier Customer that way and I'll sleep better at night, but then I have a conscience. Id also explain to the customer ", it took me 5 minutes to fix, However I can charge you €75 to find the root of the problem if you want, also a service is free with that charge" Its not hard.

IF you are good at what you do people will pay for you to do it, this shop doesnt sound like it communicates well with its customers and probably wont be in business for too long.

yoyo

BloodBath wrote: »

Charging €75 for 5 minutes low skilled labor is not a standard charge at all. Any pc repair shops or companies charging that much for that work should not be in business. I've had cars serviced for not much more than that and that involves a lot more work.

If it's a difficult virus it may take a bit longer. 1 hour tops. That still shouldn't be more than €20-30.

Regardless he didn't ask for it to be done and wasn't asked or informed about it before hand. That's a double blow for that business. I don't see them being around in the near future if that's how they operate.

Virus removal, Windows updates, software/plugin updates etc. take a long time in some cases. Simply removing a virus without taking preventative measures to avoid re-infection isn't a proper service.
I would estimate a Vista machine I was asked to "speed up" just a few days ago took close to 6/7 hours of my time, thanks to having to do 2 service pack installs, 100s of Windows updates, plugin updates and junk removal. Very few computer repair jobs are quick and easy, and if they are being rushed well then I wouldn't be regarding the service being much.
In this instance though it is quite clear the op did not have a virus, and the repair shop should have installed a new wifi mini PCI card. This wasn't a professional service, but I wouldn't regard €50-€70 for virus removal in some cases to be excessive, particularly if a shop has to employ staff, light & heat etc.

If I was fixing this laptop and I just slapped in a Wireless card and said goodbye, I'd honestly let the service charge slide and just take for the hardware, Happier Customer that way and I'll sleep better at night, but then I have a conscience. Id also explain to the customer ", it took me 5 minutes to fix, However I can charge you €75 to find the root of the problem if you want, also a service is free with that charge" Its not hard.

This is where you have to be careful. If you sell the adaptor and install it/drivers etc. as a "goodwill" gesture, you need to remember you will be the one the customer will be blaming when the decide to uninstall the drivers accidentally, cannot connect to their wireless network or whatever. A small setup charge in these cases is usually necessary unfortunately, or else you may have a lot more work on your plate than you bargained for.

Nick

Torqay

Wouldn't be the first time, a WLAN adapter was turned off accidentally.

EDIT: You have installed Windows the day before? Did you install the hotkey drivers?

Duggy747

Depending on the model of laptop some are incredibly finnicky by having a hotkey / switch to enable the wireless card which resorts to getting a specific driver, like a keyboard driver, not just the WLAN driver.

Some brands like HP have very few motherboards locked to a specific model and brand of WLAN card too so if it is busted, you have to track down that exact model.

Either way, you did the right thing in not paying for a job you didn't ask for. Plenty of customers assume "that's just how it is, I guess", begrudgingly pay up and spread a bad opinion on repair shops (rightfully so)

BloodBath

and i actually stated in my post , let me re-iterate that for you, that some shops WILL do some work and EARN that much, others will not.

Virus removal, Windows updates, software/plugin updates etc. take a long time in some cases. Simply removing a virus without taking preventative measures to avoid re-infection isn't a proper service.
I would estimate a Vista machine I was asked to "speed up" just a few days ago took close to 6/7 hours of my time, thanks to having to do 2 service pack installs, 100s of Windows updates, plugin updates and junk removal. Very few computer repair jobs are quick and easy, and if they are being rushed well then I wouldn't be regarding the service being much.
In this instance though it is quite clear the op did not have a virus, and the repair shop should have installed a new wifi mini PCI card. This wasn't a professional service, but I wouldn't regard €50-€70 for virus removal in some cases to be excessive, particularly if a shop has to employ staff, light & heat etc.

No it didn't take 6-7 hours of your time. You clicked update or scan and left it to run. If I was doing the work i'd have the necessary software on a usb stick. Install it, update it and run it. The total of your actual time should not exceed 1 hour for that type of work. I could do a fresh install of windows with updates and driver + software installation in under an hour.

How is €70 for virus removal justifiable? It literally takes 10 minutes max of actual human time to do. The time the scan is running does not count as you are free to do whatever you want. Even if you were to charge for 1 hour of labor where does €70 come from? More than €30 for virus removal is a rip off. Shop or no shop.

Tell_Ya_Later

30 euro for the wifi stick is grand.
I would not pay for the virus removal, I would tell him I like viruses so put whatever was on the laptop back, put it in its case and just buy the wifi stick and install it myself.
But I am sure you will do that or you wouldn't have asked the question.
Good luck

Duggy747

BloodBath wrote: »

It literally takes 10 minutes max of actual human time to do. The time the scan is running does not count as you are free to do whatever you want. Even if you were to charge for 1 hour of labor where does €70 come from? More than €30 for virus removal is a rip off. Shop or no shop.

If it takes someone 10 minutes human time max then the person hasn't done a thorough enough job and runs a very high risk of the customer coming back.

I don't charge as high as €70 but it certainly isn't as hands free job as some people assume. You have to take into account that many, many viruses have to be traced manually and isn't something as simply running anti-malware / rootkit / virus software in safe mode and assume the best.