This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

[Paul678]

....he claims Samsung told him it needed
a new power supply, but since it was out of
warranty, he didn't get it fixed.

But if it was out of warranty, won't they
charge you just to diagnose what the problem
is? Maybe he is BSing me.

So what would you guys offer this guy?

[bbjunkie]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

You hear all sorts. Especially on eBay - I saw one recently the guy said he left his LG flatscreen - cant recall if it was a plasma or LCD - in for repair but because it needed a "valve" (in the UK this is what we call a vacuum tube) he didnt fix it.

Even a set that wont turn on with what looks like a simple PSU problem i'm very wary of - it could be the person has created a power supply fault to hide a cracked LCD panel.

If it's not far out of warranty (and the panel IS ok) IMO it's probably worth that for parts, it's a risk though.

Quiz him a little more on it, see if his story adds up. Some people you can just tell they are BSing as soon as they open their mouth.

Maybe by Samsung he means the local Samsung dealer - perhaps it's still inside warranty but the panel is cracked so they wont cover it. Difficult to say without more info from him really

Perhaps he's a decent guy and is telling the truth (they are a rare breed these days)

To answer your question, I wouldn't offer him a penny without more info.

[tom66]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

It's not the first time I've encountered someone who has diagnosed their TV. On a Panasonic plasma the owner had said it needs a new power supply but they didn't consider it worth fixing, they'd even taken it apart and bagged the screws up.

With 5 minutes and a service manual I had completely eliminated the power supply as being at fault; it was a shorted MOSFET on the Y-sustain, which was an easy fix. It only cost £50 and wow, the picture was amazing.

So sometimes you can get lucky.

[PlainBill]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

What is the date of manufacture of the TV? Samsung had a run of bad power supply caps in their TVs manufactured about 3-4 years ago, the problem started showing up perhaps 3 years ago. The symptom was difficulty turning the TV on. Usually after repeated attempts it would start.

IF the TV falls in that date range and exhibits those symptoms $120 is still a good starting point on negotiations. Point out a used power supply costs $75 - $100 on eBay; Best Buy was selling 40" LCD TVs for $200 on 'Black Friday' last year. Don't mention the actual cost of the caps would be under $10.

PlainBill

[Paul678]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

Ok, so Tom, assuming this guy ain't lying, what do you
think this set is worth?

Considering I may not be able to fix it, of course, and Ebay it....

....I mean, even if it has $120 worth of boards, the work to sell
on Ebay is quite a bit....waiting at post office, packaging, returns, Ebay
and paypal fees, etc., etc....not an easy job really......

[Paul678]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

The owner said he thinks this is a 2008 model....

40" LCD TVs for $200? Wow. Then I'd say $120 is
too much.....

[bbjunkie]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

I'd doubt they were Samsung!

[tom66]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

I'd doubt they were Samsung!

Yes, and probably only 720p with one HDMI, no tuner etc. 1 year warranty craps itself at 13 months. (Come to think of it, so do Samsung!)

[rpgruss]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

I found out the hard way that pretty much any time the seller tells you the problem, they are either wrong or lying. The first TV I fixed I was told the inverters were bad, he even bought new ones but didn't bother to put them in. Sure enough, inverters were fine, the power supply was bad. The only time someone was right was diagnosing a bad y-sustain in a Samsung, from my experience you could say that about most Samsungs with no video and you would be right!

Personally, and this is just me, I've never paid over $100 for a non working tv. Even if it is newer, the fact of the matter is that it is broken, and you are taking a gamble that you can fix it for less than a new tv, if it can be fixed at all.

Seconding the get lucky, I picked up a Samsung LCD, the seller had been told by a technician that the panel had shorted and that's why the tv wouldn't turn on. Turns out the T-con had shorted, $40 later I had a 1080p tv for less than 1/5 the cost of a new one.

[bbjunkie]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

Seconding the get lucky, I picked up a Samsung LCD, the seller had been told by a technician that the panel had shorted and that's why the tv wouldn't turn on. Turns out the T-con had shorted, $40 later I had a 1080p tv for less than 1/5 the cost of a new one.

My best one was a little 15" LCD. I was given it because it wasnt working (2 seconds to black), a few days later the owner came over with a PSU and asked me if they could have the PSU for their ipod docking station back, that they had given me the wrong one.

They had mixed up the PSUs and were trying to power it from a 9v 500mA wall wart!

Plugged the other PSU in, working like a dream. Not a big win financially, but nice all the same - felt a bit guilty on that one actually!

Sorry - kinda OT

[Paul678]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

Ok, update:

I offered this guy $30, and he came back with "$50 and it's yours".

Looks like I'll offer $40 as a final offer.....

I'll look real carefully at the screen, in case he's trying to hide a
cracked screen.....

[bbjunkie]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

No point checking, I picked up a 42" LCD on Saturday with a cracked screen - it looks brand new. Even knowing it is cracked I cant see where. (not powered it up yet)

[Paul678]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

Ok, so there's no real good way to check for a cracked LCD screen?

How much did you pay for yours, if you don't mind?

[tom66]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

90% of the time you can tell.

10% you can't, because the crack is very difficult to see in some lighting conditions.

I find assuming people will be honest is good enough. Not sure if that applies in the states but hasn't let me down after 17 TVs.

[bbjunkie]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

How much did you pay for yours, if you don't mind?

When I arrived to pick it up he asked me if he owed me anything for taking it away

[tom66]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

When I arrived to pick it up he asked me if he owed me anything for taking it away

No luck so far on picking up stuff for free . But I shall prevail!!11!

[Paul678]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

The free ones for me have been either cracked screens,
really small and older screens, or gigantic projection TVs that need
new lamps.

[tom66]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

The free ones for me have been either cracked screens,
really small and older screens, or gigantic projection TVs that need
new lamps.

You're unlikely to get a faulty TV for free, but most people realise a cracked screen isn't worth anything. (Also, stay away from older plasmas, working or not.)

[Paul678]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

Update:

I offered $30, he came back with $50.

Then I asked him details about what was
wrong, and he said it doesn't turn on, just a red
light flashing.

I just got a text from him saying he'll take my
$30, that the TV is only in his way, asking me
When and Where I wanna meet up.....

I should probably insist on picking up the TV at his
address, to check his honesty.

Meeting people in public places means
your Craigslister is hiding something....

[tom66]

Re: This Guy Wants $120 for a Samsung LN40A550P3F

Yes, and ask him to plug it in. Or, bring a 300W inverter and plug it into your car.