I was initially extremely pleased with the image quality of the Bravia KDL-46Z4500 LCD TV, purcahsed 23 May 2009.
However, in early October it developed a pink horizontal line on the left hand side of the screen, which rapidly progressed into a series of vertical bands that interfere with the left hand quarter of the viewing area.
I am astonished that such an expensive TV, from a brand with a reputation for quality, should fail after 30-months. This is unacceptable build quality, and from other posts is clearly not an isolated problem with the Bravia LCD TVs.
Like the majority of people, the idea that I would need an extended warranty for such an ostensibly high-quality product didn't enter my mind . After all, my old 36-inch Philips TV is still working after almost 20-years. Clearly caveat emptor applies, and I shouldn't have trusted the build quality or pride in reputation of Sony and that they wouldn't sell such badly designed or low-quality products, which by any reasonable standard are not fit-for-purpose.
The Sony customer info centre suggested that I would need to get an engineer out, which I understand would leave me an extra £100 out of pocket, just to tell me that my panel needs replacing, probably at a very high additional financial cost to me.
This is a very poor approach to customer-relations that requires me to carry the financial cost of this poor initial design and/or build-quality of the Bravia TV.
I would like Sony to acknowledge that they have a problem with these LCD panels, and to offer to replace the defective component without requiring me to go through a process that could raise the potential total cost of the TV to me to over £2500. This is clearly not a cost-effective solution, and if Sony will not cover the costs then I would be better cutting my losses, and never buying Sony again (and advising friends & colleagues to do likewise). I have already started advising friends and colleagues to be very wary when considering Sony Bravia TVs.
Yours Faithfully
David
