Unethical business practice? or sound business model?

[go_bang]

I've heard that before, except it was usually in relation to some kind of complex machinery at a factory.  It didn't translate well into the computer analogy.  Mostly because even though he knew which screw to turn and they didn't have to replace any parts, it costs $15 dollars to replace a freaking case fan, and maybe $30 for a decent CPU fan.  Which means even if the guy DIDN'T know which screw to turn and simply replaced the fan, they would have saved money. 

In the factory example, having to replace the malfunctioning part would have cost them more than paying the guy for his expert knowledge, due to the cost of the part and the downtime they'd have suffered.  That's not the case in your computer example.

Well, as I said, the story has been in the business for years.  Computers were not always as we know them today.  They used to take up entire rooms and consist of many more analog components than they do now.  A lot of what is now contained in chipsets would have then been discrete componenets.  There would have been several or more trim potentiometers in the system for the purpose of adjusting the timer circuits, and trim potentiometers are almost always adjusted with a small flat head screwdriver.

[slugcatcher]

A large central A/C chain here in Houston tried to charge me $175 for a $13 start/run capacitor plus the $125 service call. Needless to say I tell people who not to call when they have A/C problems.

[InfidelSerf]

Well it just gets better,
I came home today to a chilly 62deg   sure enough the $211 hot surface ignitor failed. 
I called around and found a place not far from here that sells them for $20
I was going to go get one and swap it out myself.
But I thought I better give them the opportunity to correct their work.
They said they back their work for 30days after completion.

So now I'm waiting in the cold for a tech to come out and swap out the $211 HSI

They better show up tonight because I would have gone to get that replacement HSI and would have had heat tonight.

I opened the furnace up and vacuumed it out to be sure the little dirt like particles that build up in furnaces wasn't causing the ignitor to burn up.  While in there I inspected the circuit board.  No bubbled up capacitors all wiring looks fine.
The little status light on the circuit board didn't indicate any problems (diagram on the panel showed some diagnostic flash sequences that could help to troubleshoot problems)

*Edited to add*
well 5 hours later a new ignitor is in. 
It seems a fingerprint on the one put in Sunday burned it out.
I'll be buying a few to have on hand.

[jackdanson]

This is why I try to replace/repair/fix stuff on my own as much as possible.

+1 on that.  Between me, my dad, my brother-in-law, and my best friend I never have to pay for anything to get repaired beyond parts.  I also get regular calls from those folks to help them out with problems, it works out great.