Jc Appliance Ltd.

JC Appliance Ltd. was referred to me as a 3rd party vendor from Whirlpool Canada LP to come and fix our broken ice maker for our Whirlpool Gold refrigerator (Model #GS2SHAXSS03). I found JC Appliance Ltd. to be unfair in their dealings with me, and warn any prospective customer against using them. Here are the 6 stages as to why I have come to this conclusion:

1. After the JC Appliance Ltd. technician, named Adrian, initially arrived on March 15, 2013 to diagnose the broken ice maker (which cost $96.05 for this 15-minute diagnostic visit), he recommended I purchase two parts (ice maker assembly and microcomputer), directly from JC Appliance Ltd. His office manager called me after Adrian left and she said the parts cost $379 plus tax ($428.27 all-in). I was shocked at this sticker price and later called back Whirlpool, who informed me I could purchase the parts independently from a parts store (Reliable Parts on Caledonia).

2. When I called Reliable Parts they told me the total cost of both parts was $364.35 taxes included (not $428.27), and that no third party should charge a penny more than the list cost of the factory-issued parts. So, JC Appliance Ltd. was going to charge me $63.92 extra for pure profit when they should not have.

3. When I called Adrian on his cell a week later to inform him that I had purchased the parts and had them in my possession, he let me know that it would cost $200 to repair the ice maker. I said ok (although that seemed like a high amount) and he said he would get me a call-back with a confirmed appointment from JC Appliance Ltd., as he would not work under the table. The JC Appliance Ltd. customer service rep called me back and quoted me $275. I told her Adrian said $200, but she replied it was a "more complex job". The call ended without me booking an actual appointment.

4. Unprompted, Adrian called me back a few hours later, and I told him the price discrepancy between his oral quote and his company's higher follow-up quote, and he said he would call me back yet again in a bit to see what he could negotiate with his company. He never called me back.

5. The next day, I called Whirlpool Canada Ltd., told them about the above points #1-4, and we scheduled to have a new service technician sent out. Two technicians (as partners) arrived on the scheduled date of Friday, April 5, 2013 -- one even wearing a Whirlpool shirt (note: Adrian wore nothing identifying him as a licensed technician) -- and installed the ice maker assembly promptly. When I told them that JC Appliance Ltd. was going to charge $275 for the same job, they both laughed and were shocked as well, saying that $275 for an easy 20-minute job was ridiculous. They actually asked me whether Adrian took credit cards or cash only. (Adrian did not have a mobile POS machine like these technicians did). My total installation cost from these efficient and professional technicians came out to $113.

6. Finally, the new Whirlpool technicians did *not* install the microcomputer, only the ice maker assembly, as they said that the microcomputer was working just fine (a warning/malfunction light was not on) and so this was a totally unnecessary part that JC Appliance Ltd. upsold me. Result: the ice maker worked fine without the microcomputer installation and started dispensing ice like normal over the next 24 hours. I returned the microcomputer part to Reliable Parts and was refunded $169.49 as the box was unopened.

In conclusion, had I used JC Appliance Ltd. all the way through, I would have spent an additional $331.49: for an overcharge in service repair ($275 estimate - $113 actual cost = $162 overcharge), plus the likely installation of a microcomputer I didn't actually need for my ice maker to function ($169.49). I am still out the $96.05 for the *mis*diagnosis of my ice maker (i.e. Adrian prescribed me to purchase a part I did not need).

So, if you are ever in contact with JC Appliance Ltd. of 2150 Steeles Avenue, run-don't-walk away from them. And shame on Whirlpool for not vetting JC Appliance Ltd. before sending them out to their customers. Whirlpool has also been notified and JC Appliance Ltd. should have been put on their "do not call" list going forward.