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Review 1/24/2011
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I would like to preface this by saying that because of health issues I am dependant upon occasional stock day trades and upon EBay sales for my income. At this time I have about 1700 items listed in my EBay store, with most of them listed for expedited shipping. So I need to have Internet access on a consistent daily basis.
Some time ago I had a power surge damage my desktop computer. I had been out of town and financially tight, so I had let the desktop repair go. I was dependant upon my laptop. My laptop computer began to malfunction, and got progressively worse over a couple of months time. I suspected I had picked up a virus.
I called Brian Fifeld and arrangned for him to diagnose my computers. I very clearly stated my concern that I have computer access in a timely fashion; and that any repairs to the computers should stay low enough in cost to be a better option than purchasing a new computer. He completely brushed off my concerns about repair vs. a new computer, even when I stated them several times.
He told me I had a virus and that he would charge me $150.00 to remove it from my laptop. I told him that was OK but that if it went any higher I would want to be informed ahead of time and I would need to make time payments. He agreed. He told me the laptop would be ready the next day.
This started a two-and-a-half week dance of his never having the computer done, him telling me he would call me at a certain time and then not calling, and with him not taking my calls. His demeanor was very dismissive and condescending. He repeatedly called me Hon and other terms of endearment at the same time his attitude got progressively hostile and curt.
Finally he told me he had taken a mundo virus off of my computer and had had a friend remove cat hair from the fan. He said that the computer was working perfectly, and that the charge was $240.00. I had removed a mundo virus myself from a computer for much less time and money than that, and my computer symptoms had been vastly different. So that made me raise an eyebrow, but I did not say anything to him because I just wanted my laptop back by this point. I told him I would pay him the $150.00 now and make payments on the other $90.00 as agreed. He hit the roof. He returned my laptop to me, but refused to return my desktop computer.
My laptop did not work when I got it back. I took it to another computer repairman, who looked it over and told me that the motherboard was damaged and that it was not worth repairing (it would need a new motherboard and would cost too much to repair.) He charged me considerably less and took considerably less time for this accurate information.
I purchased a new laptop, that is nicer than the old one, for $400.00.
Later on I had a friend call Mr. Fifield to arrange to pay the $90.00 ransom on my desktop and retrieve the desktop computer.
I thought this was arranged, but Fifield called me the next morning to tell me he wanted an additional $100.00 from me because my desktop had given him fleas. (!) This was so surreal that it took me awhile to even understand what he was saying. I told him he had not gotten fleas from my computer. He made some nasty comments and I told him he had also not repaired my computer. He called me a liar. I hung up on him and had my friend call him back.
We collected my desktop and I let my friend interact with him, (except for some very nasty overt glares which Fifield sent in my direction.)
Now, I like the philosophy that it is better to assume someone is incompetent rather than to assume they are dishonest, but I do think this man is both. And after the flea comments he seems to qualify for mentally unbalanced as well. My experience with him was very negative. Maybe others can be warned away from this man before they have a similar experience.
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