HR20 "friend" purchase

[chrisboc]

Help me out please. I have an opportunity to purchase a unit for a substantial amount less than the price from DTV. The person admits it is a leased unit. I just called DTV and asked if this unit could be activated and what the status would be if it could. I was told that the unit would be deactivated on the previous owners account and would then be activated on mine with no issues. It would still be a lease but I would pay much less for it.

Does anyone have experience with this good or bad?

Should I just go tthe direct route and get a new one or go for this? They guarantee the unit is good.

 

[Jimbo]

Help me out please. I have an opportunity to purchase a unit for a substantial amount less than the price from DTV. The person admits it is a leased unit. I just called DTV and asked if this unit could be activated and what the status would be if it could. I was told that the unit would be deactivated on the previous owners account and would then be activated on mine with no issues. It would still be a lease but I would pay much less for it.

Does anyone have experience with this good or bad?

Should I just go tthe direct route and get a new one or go for this? They guarantee the unit is good.

A LEASED unit (the one your trying to buy) should not be SOLD by anyone, seeing it is NOT thier property.
It belongs to D*.
Sorry, but I would not buy it, he probably should be returning it to D*.

If D* says it's ok, well then thats between you and D*, but I would make sure everythign is documented in your account and ask for a copy of it for your own file incase they should track the rec. number somewhere down the road and find that it is not with the original owner.

Jimbo

 

[chrisboc]

Thanks for the reply. I just needed a nudge in the right direction to make my decision.

 

[iceturkee]

i second everything jimbo said. this person has no right to sell or even give you the dvr....it belongs to directv. and even if you had your phone conversation with them recorded, i wouldn't take a chance. just not worth it!!!

and welcome to satguys!!

 

[bonscott87]

Seeing as it's leased, when your friend deactivates it he has to send it back to DirecTV as it's theirs.

I highly doubt DirecTV will do what you are suggesting. But if you got some clueless CSR on the phone willing to do it then you better do it right then and there because it's not a normal thing that would be done.

The biggest danger is to your friend who will have a flag on his account for a non returned leased DVR and they will charge him a non-returned equipment fee which is usually the amount to buy minus what he paid. Amount to buy is $749, he can do the math.

Good luck but I personally wouldn't try to do this.

 

[chrisboc]

I called to order a new one directly last night and the first CSR messed up and quoted me $128 total for a HD DVR. I asked her several times if she was sure it was the HD DVR. She replied every time yes.

Well, I waited a few hours and went online to verify install date and equipment. I was shocked to find out it wasn't a HD DVR. I then called again and after everything was siad and done got the HD DVR for that same price.

So, long story short doing the right thing turned out well in the end.

Thanks guys!!!!

 

[iceturkee]

i'm glad things are resolved and you got a good deal on the hd dvr!!

 

[usrauk]

Ebay

I purchased a new HR20 through ebay about 3 weeks ago and replaced an old RCA receiver I have had for about 10 years and D* gave me no hassle when I told them it was purchased and I owned it outright which I confirmed on my billing statement, I just added HD and the DVR feature which is an additional $6.00 per month but everything else stayed the same, I installed the 5 LNB slimline myself which I also purchased on Ebay.

 

[iceturkee]

i will say this again.....i would double and triple check and make absolutely, positively sure...you did not purchase a leased unit. and i would make sure i had everything in writing!!!