[comp.sys.ibm.pc] Hi Tech Asset Recovery, A warning

root@qetzal.UUCP (Admin) (02/04/88)

Hi gang.  A week or two ago, I posted a query about some CMI
40 and 20 meg drives offered for outrageously low prices through
a company called "Hi Tech Asset Recovery" in Canoga Park, California.
The drives cost $135 for a 40 meg, and $75 for a 20 meg. Very 
attractive.

I have ordered three of these drives, all of which arrived within
three days via UPS second day service.  Unfortunately, none of the
three drives worked, and the repair facility (APS) mentioned to
me that as many as 80% of the drives DO NOT WORK.  It costs
$50-$60 dollars to repair the servo/electronics and $85-$95
to replace the disk platters which I still consider to be a good
deal.  

I am a little dismayed however, that Hi Tech claimed these drives
were taken out of working machines.  I dispute that claim.


Robert White
boulder!qetzal!rcw

ron@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ron Natalie) (02/05/88)

Obviously the machines worked fine, people trashed them because the
hard disk stopped working.

-Ron

pete@wlbr.EATON.COM (Pete Lyall) (02/05/88)

In article <1164@qetzal.UUCP> root@qetzal.UUCP (Admin) writes:
>Hi gang.  A week or two ago, I posted a query about some CMI
>40 and 20 meg drives offered for outrageously low prices through
>a company called "Hi Tech Asset Recovery" in Canoga Park, California.
>(edited for postnews....)
>I have ordered three of these drives ...Unfortunately, none of the
>three drives worked .... as many as 80% of the drives DO NOT WORK.

I have also had incredibly bad luck with CMI drives coming out of that
section of Los Angeles.... I bought 2 CMI 20 meggers (CMI 6426's) from
J&B Technologies @ around $200 each... both failed within the week
(one was intermittant). In addition, a friend's CMI6640 (30 megger)
just ate it as well. It would appear that the current crop of CMI's
being offered at bargain prices are not much of a bargain at all.

To turn the spotlight onto J&B Technologies for a moment, 
I also bought an ATASI 37 meg (they say 40) drive from them
a few months back. As most of their drives are, it was a
refurbished unit (if it doesn't *say* new, it isn't...). It blew its
Brains out at the 92 day mark - two days out of warantee. Tough luck,
says they.

With all of this bad history with these people, I wonder why I was
stupid enough to turn a 30 Meg CMI in for repair there? They promise
5 day turnaround - it's been over three weeks, and they've lost the
drive twice.

I guess what I'm trying to say is a strong 'caveat emptor' here...
those prices in the Computer Shopper may look appealing, but.....



-- 
Pete Lyall (OS9 Users Group VP)|  DELPHI: OS9UGVP  |  Eaton Corp.(818)-706-5693
Compuserve: 76703,4230 (OS9 Sysop) OS9 (home): (805)-985-0632 (24hr./1200 baud)
Internet: pete@wlbr.eaton.com      UUCP: {ihnp4,scgvax,jplgodo,voder}!wlbr!pete 

phil@amdcad.AMD.COM (Phil Ngai) (02/05/88)

In article <1179@wlbr.EATON.COM> pete@wlbr.UUCP (0000-Pete Lyall) writes:
>In article <1164@qetzal.UUCP> root@qetzal.UUCP (Admin) writes:
>>I have ordered three of these drives ...Unfortunately, none of the
>>three drives worked .... as many as 80% of the drives DO NOT WORK.
>
>I have also had incredibly bad luck with CMI drives coming out of that
>section of Los Angeles.... I bought 2 CMI 20 meggers (CMI 6426's) from

If CMI couldn't ship reliable drives to IBM, what makes you think
you'd have better luck? Why mess around with a company with such a bad
reputation when there are companies like Fujitsu and CDC?  CDC's Wren
series, especially, is of outstanding performance, quality, and value.
Out of four 182 megabyte drives, three had few defects and one has NO
defects. 

-- 
I speak for myself, not the company.

Phil Ngai, {ucbvax,decwrl,allegra}!amdcad!phil or phil@amd.com