From: kester@mte.ncsu.edu (Dan Kester)
Subject: Responses to VCR repair question
Organization: Mat. Sci. & Eng., NCSU
Distribution: nc
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 14:52:02 GMT

I recently posted a request for advice on VCR repair places in the Raleigh
area.  Many thanks to all who sent me responses!

Since there are probably others with the same question, I am posting the
responses I got.

Dan Kester
kester@mte.ncsu.edu


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Oak Park Electronics (on Glenwood, in the Oak PArk shopping center) does a good
job, but is not cheap. They have done repairs and maintenance for us, and we
were happy with the results, if not the price.


***************************************************

Hi.  I asked the same question a few months ago on one of my company's
local news groups, and had some pretty high recommendations for VCR Care.
I believe they have 4 different locations.  I have not yet taken my
machine in (I just need to have it cleaned), but that's where I plan to
take it when I get around to it.  So, even though this isn't firsthand
experience, the recommendations I had were from people I trust.

***************************************************


I took my VCR to cary VCR care. Initially I took it to a dealer located next
to Brendal's they said it would cost me about $120 to fixit. Cary VCR repair
people told me that all it needed was cleaning and aligning the tracks and 
would cost me $75. They will stand behind there work and would also guarantee
it.

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Dan,

I can recommend that you avoid CEI Electronics.  They are slow, overpriced,
and 
unhelpful.  I took my VCR to them, they had it for two weeks and only fixed
two
of the three problems.  I took it back to them and they had it for four
days
and couldn't tell me what they were doing to it.  I finally forced them to
fix
it and went and picked it up.

I can recommend that you do go to Oak Park Electronics.  They are speedy,
reasonably priced and very helpful.  I asked them to pick up my 41"
projection
TV and they came at the time they said they would.  Had the TV for a week
(had to
order a part) and called and delivered the TV the same day.  When I told
them
of my experience with CEI they told me that they had heard the same story
many times.  One of the technicians who delivered the TV said that he 
used to be a service manager at CEI and said the conditions were terrible.

Just my opinion, but I really don't like CEI, and I really do like Oak
Park.

Jeff Perkinson

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I saw your posts and thought I'd give you my $.02 worth.  I would never, for
any reason, go to CEI (two locations in Raleigh).  I took my VCR there a few
years ago.  It took them 10 minutes to tell me it needed `a new tape loading
mechanism' for $65 and $65 labor (the maximum labor charge at the time).  I
declined to spend $130 and looked into it myself.  It took a little time to
find, but a $0.75 belt fixed the problem and it still works 2.5 years later.  

After not being able to help an officemate of mine, he received very good
service at `Tech Services' of `Audio Buys' in five points.  Another officemate
was helped by EMI of north Raleigh.  Lastly, I almost worked with the guys who
run `VCR Care', but I don't know what quality of work they do, just that they
seem to try hard.  I would call each of these and compare their familiarity
with your make and model, free estimates, and typical charges.

If this helps you, please let me know where you go and how everything turns
out.  Good luck,
Terry Riley
tjriley@eos.ncsu.edu


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Contact Mike Mantini, who repairs/cleans VCRs in his spare time.
He is very good, honest, and cheap.  You can reach him during that day
at: 541-6894or via email: mjm@rti.rti.org.  You'll be ripped off at 
Circuit City, etc. 
-- 
John Posthill  jbp@rti.rti.org

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I used the place located at the corner of Western Blvd. and Gorman
(right near Mc D's) [VCR Care].  We didn't have anything seriously wrong with
the VCR, so I can't say much about their technical expertise.

Mike Waldvogel

-- 

***************************************************

We have always taken ours to Oakpark Electronics on Glenwood
Avenue. They sell Sony and Zenith electronics, but fix all kinds.
Their prices are reasonable, they will let you know an estimate
before going ahead with major repairs, and they are reliable.

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 Hi Dan,

  	 have used CEI several times ( once I thought I needed a complete
  VCR cleaning and while the guys was looking at it to write up the order
  he made several adjustments and said it did not need cleaning yet and 
  did not charge me anything). They seem professional and were reasonably
  priced the one time they actually charged me. The are located on Tillery
  place off of Downtown - North Boulevard near the Dunkin Doughnuts store.

Eric Farnum - sasezf@unx.sas.com


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>
>I just had the belts replaced on my Hitachi VCR (about 6 years old) by Kountis
>Electronics over on Garrett Road just west of Chapel Hill Blvd/15-501 behind
>Darryl's Resturant.  They're a small operation, but were fairly quick to
>figure out what the problem was and did a complete unit cleaning and head
>alignment.  Labor was $60 and parts were $15.  I'm not sure how competitive
>it was, but I only had to wait 24 hours to get the job done.  Now I've got
>my machine back so I can take Ren & Stimpy shows again (yeah, yeah, another
>sicko)
>
>Peace
>
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I had lots of trouble with a place called Oak Park Electronics - basically,
they flat out don't have a clue about electronics.

Circuit City is of course the proverbial stable/known service center around
here.  I have used them and have not had any bad experiences.

Both are located on Hgwy 70, near Pharmoor
  
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 Final comment from the original poster:  I first tried Mike Mantini, mentioned
above.  He was very busy, and wouldn't be able to do it for a couple of weeks. 
He was very nice and helpful, however.  He said that to replace a head (which
is what was needed) he would charge his actual cost for the head plus $25.  He
suggested I do it myself (I am somewhat technically competent). I tried several
sources for getting the head, the mail order places I tried didn't have it, so
I got a price from Panasonic of $171.

I then took the VCR to VCR Care (at Gorham and Western).  They said that it
needed a new head and the total cost would be $129.  This seems reasonable, so
I'm having it done there.  They (VCR Care) are fundamentalist Christians, with
lots of Jesus stickers around.  Despite being very put off by this (being
Jewish myself), I went there anyways.  The guy there (John) was quite nice and
not too weird.  At least if they are actual practicing Christians, they
hopefully aren't total crooks!


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