Saturday, March 05, 2011

An Adventure in Queretaro - The Rest of the Story


Way back on January 21st. I wrote about taking my printer to Queretaro to be repaired. I said that I had confidence in Ingeniero Carlos Velasco who told us that he would have the problem with the printer diagnosed in a few days and then would have it repaired a week after that. Nancy commented on the blog.....
I love your story, Billie, and you're right, we all have those kind of experiences... but I will never stop shaking my head and laughing, as it is just the way things are here! I really hope that it is repaired on the timeline you gave, most of my situations like this involve the dreaded "fifteen days.....!"

I knew deep down, Nancy was right. While I did have confidence in Ingeniero, I didn't really have confidence in the time line. The printer was gone for almost six weeks. So here is the rest of the story.

After one week we called to check on the printer. Ingeniero said that he had put in a new motor for paper feed but the printer still wasn't working and he was still checking it out.  Another week went by and Ned called again. Ingeniero said he was waiting on some "diagnostics" to be sent from DF. The next week Ingeniero said he had taken the printer to DF to be repaired. Another week and Ingeniero told us that the problem was in the "works." We don't know what that means but we know what it costs. Ingeniero said that it had been delayed so much that we were going to get a discount on the repair. We said okay get it repaired. He first said that he would have the printer back in Queretaro the next Friday. When we called to be sure the printer was there, he said that Epson in DF would send the printer back to our house in San Miguel. Okay. At least that is some good news. We will not have to drive over to Queretaro to pick it up.

We waited Monday and Tuesday and on Wednesday finally got a tracking number. The printer had been sent from DF to San Luis Potosi and the tracking number indicated that the printer was scheduled for delivery on the next Tuesday. Saturday we were not home but when we checked the tracking number we saw that they tried to deliver it on Saturday. Now the website said we had to come pick up the package. Ned talked to Ingeniero and he said he would get it straightened out. On Monday the printer finally came home.

I was a little concerned about the printer traveling around Mexico. I kept the box it came in and when we took it to Ingeniero it was very carefully repacked in the box. He said we should take the box home with us so I'm wondering how the printer is taking all these road trips in a secure manner. When the printer finally came home, I was going to take a picture of the packaging the printer came in but while I was making lunch Ned started unpacking it. It was NOT in a box. At least not a box as you would normally think of a box. It was wrapped in pieces of corrugated boxes and secured with metal strapping. The package kind of looked like a huge corrugated log....no markings "This Side Up" or "Fragile." There was at least three huge garbage bags of shredded paper all around the printer which thankfully was wrapped in shrinkwrap so all the dust and bits of paper could not get into the "works" of the printer.

The printer is working but it was another Mexican adventure.

11 comments:

Tancho said...

Lucky you got it back... I hope it was a lot cheaper than buying a new one,now that it really has a lot of miles on it?

Billie Mercer said...

Tancho, it was a lot cheaper than buying a new one. And for some reason I just had confidence that it would be repaired.

Nancy said...

Congratulations! How funny that they didn't want to keep the box with it...and I am so glad it is working now.

I love how there is such a "can do" attitude here, and that things can be repaired that we would think were past repairing. I took my very-important-to-me Kitchenaid Mixer in for repair and got it back in one day after having ruined the bearings when the beater got stuck. I was worrying that I was going to have to buy a new one, too!

GlorV1 said...

Wow! That looks like a great printer. Epson I see. Glad you got it back. Look forward to seeing some of your prints. Take care.

Sam and Bob said...

Glad you got your printer back in one piece. We are definitely learning the art of patience here in SMA.

pitchertaker said...

So was the final damage, pesos-wise?
And actually was wrong with it?

Unknown said...

Enjoy Mexico Billie! Years ago, I went to my town in Guanajuato. It must had been my first trip back to Mexico from the US. After living in the "primer mundo" and going back to "el tercer mundo", you notice the simple differences very well. I was complaining about the water not coming out with pressure as it is in the US. Complaining about going to the store and they don't have something I need of daily use and the clerk telling me, next week he will have it. (I need that thing now, not next week!) Anyway, I guess I complaint too much about this and that at home and my mother told me. "Alfredo, this is Mexico and you emigrated from here, you should know that this is the third word and things are not as easy as in the developed countries". I never complaint about anything anymore, since I know, I know how difficult is the bureaucracy not only with documents and government, but everyday and with everything yet, people seem to be happy in THAT style of living. Think of charging yourself with a lot of patience Billie... my recommendation. Also, even transnational companies do not work the same way in other nations.

At least you have it back at home, and in working condition after... two months, lol. Did they charge a lot to fix it?

Saludos cordiales,

Alfredo.

Billie Mercer said...

Alfredo, Things are changing in Mexico. Mexico is never going to do things the way the USA does them but in the 9 years we have lived here we have seen many improvements and computerization of procedures. I live here and I think for the most part I have adjusted to the way things are done or at least I can just go with the flow.

I needed to get the computer repaired. I just had to trust the system that it would happen and it did. It was pricey but I've talked with some friends in the USA who have had Epson professional printers repaired and it was pricey there as well.

Unknown said...

Thank God and the Mexicans for changing Billie. We do need to change there. I understand your feeling when sending your "babies" to get fixed in a place that you may have difficult communicating. It happened to me when I arrived to the United States but, you adjust to the system and then, thing nothing of it.

Good for you, now you can print your beautiful images. Love them all,

Alfredo.

Unknown said...

I suggest next time buy a new printer, in this days the printers cost less than the cartridges.

Billie Mercer said...

Jorge, I agree with you on the smaller consumer printers but not the larger printers that will print wide-formats of 17" or more. Also the ink per square inch is much less than with the small printers and if you print a lot one of the large printers that takes 80ml or more cartridges, you will very soon pay for the difference between the small printer and the large printer.