Look before you buy a Pioneer Product. Review on Pioneer XR-VS500D

This is my opinion on Pioneer Service Centers in India, based on personal experience; and what an experience! Hope it helps prospective buyers of Pioneer products. On September 01, 2001, I purchased a Pioneer mini-system XR-VS500D in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I took it to India (Bangalore), in Nov. 2001.

The performance of the unit was good. In Feb. 2002, while playing I noticed that unit was malfunctioning and some odor was emanating from it. While the DVD/VCD was playing perfectly, the tape and tuner were not operational. I took the unit to N.P.S Electronics in Bangalore, which claimed to be the Authorized Service Center for Pioneer products. They were ready to repair the unit if I paid for the repairs, in spite of the fact that my unit was under warranty period. I agreed to pay. After many follow-ups with them I was told that they have set right the tape and tuner section but DVD/VCD module has become in-operational. This was very strange. I advised them to restore the unit to its previous state – that is to activate DVD/VCD instead of Tape and Tuner and return it to me if they are not able to repair it. They were simply not able to restore it. They returned the defective unit to me after aggravating the original problem. They said they tried their best to activate the DVD/VCD module but couldn’t succeed. Sounds unbelievable? – read on.

The unit was taken to another Pioneer Service Center (Telectronics).We were told that they would try to repair it, but on the condition that we would pay for all the spare parts they will use during the course of its repairs, even if the unit is not repaired eventually. In other words, I had to pay for their experiments by ‘trial and error.’ They added that it could take up to a month, or six months. This defied logic. We got the unit back from them.

I wrote to another authorized dealer in Bombay (Emission Electronics) and requested them to give me the name of their representative in Bangalore. I did not receive any response from them. I, then, enquired with Pioneer (M/s. Ahmed ali Badoghaish Electonics Co.) Riyadh, if I can buy only the main component without the speakers and super woofers. I was told that it was not possible. This model was not on sale anymore. So much for purchasing a Pioneer product.

Eventually, in April 02, I wrote to Pioneer Corporation , Tokyo, Japan, (by post) and sent a copy to their Gulf branch in Dubai, U.A.E. I requested them to guide me as to where and how I could get my unit repaired when, apparently, I had exhausted all the possible avenues; or to inform me where I can buy the base unit without speakers and super woofers. I am yet to receive a reply from Pioneer Corporation although it is almost 6 months since I wrote to them. Customer Service and Product Support, obviously, are not a priority area for Pioneer Corporation. If I were to know of such problems in advance, I would never have purchased this product. I wasted a lot of time and money. I was put to acute mental anxiety and physical stress, in futile attempts to get the unit repaired.

Pioneer Service Centers in India, neither seem to have the expertise nor the needed spares to effect any repairs. On account of their lack of exposure to high-tech units, their technicians end up creating more serious problems while attempting to rectify the existing ones.

For sure, none of them is qualified to handle the sophisticated products. They are hopelessly inadequate and incredibly inefficient. So, my friends, save yourselves a load of trouble and buy a product which guarantees good after sales service, availability of spare parts and backed by technical expertise to deal with your expensive gadgets. Pioneer in India, lack in all these departments. They appear to be decades behind although their products are satisfactory performers.