Turns out it's the tenth time...

...that's the charm. Or, at least I'm hoping so.

Thinking it would be the fifth service call that would fix my new range from Sears was laughably optimistic.

After the parts problems - both incorrect and damaged - I made a series of phone calls, with much waiting on hold and being shuffled about and sent to other numbers. I requested that, since no solution was in sight for the parts issues, my range be just replaced with a new one. They agreed pretty easily, which was nice.

We scheduled the delivery. This requires you to choose a day in which you can be home all day, because they won't give you a two hour window until 7pm the night before the delivery. Thus, I couldn't choose any days in which I had any plans that couldn't be changed. Once they give you the automated call for your two hour window, they will not - no matter how much you beg - pick a different two hour window: "It's all automated, ma'am, we don't have any access to make those kinds of changes. Would you like to reschedule for another day?"

However nice and cooperative everyone was, I can't really give them much credit for it. The first range arrived damaged - bashed in at the back corner where the gas connection is. This was not discovered until my current range, which was working (with the gas manifold held together inside with twist-ties), was disconnected and moved out to the street. The delivery people wanted to know if I wanted to just accept the damaged one and see. Uuuuhhhhh, NO. A bashed in gas-line corner does not sound like a good bet. So they brought the old one back in and reinstalled it.

I then had to set a new (home all day) delivery date. They assured me the range would be pre-inspected to make absolutely sure it was undamaged. But, when it arrived, it was damaged in the exact same way. I was quite suspicious of the similarities but they assured me it couldn't be the same range because all the packaging was factory-sealed. Of course, that means no one pre-inspected it. The delivery people told me they never open them until they get to the customer and won't ever open them until they get to the customer. They also said "Oh, yeah, it's always damaged in that spot - they pick them up wrong in the warehouse." *Sigh* At least I made them open it before they disconnected mine again and set it out in the street.

So I set another delivery date. If you are getting bored of this story, there's some variety here: they never came. When they missed their delivery window, I called and was told I wasn't going to be able to get a new range because I hadn't had enough service calls. "Five? Five isn't enough service calls?", I shrieked. He "did some checking" and came back to say that "since only two service calls were recorded..." I had to interrupt and say that this had all been approved, I had the two hour delivery window, I just wanted to know why they hadn't shown up. In that case, he'd check with delivery. He came back and said they were running late but would definitely be there. An hour later, an operator called me. She had the delivery man on the line saying that he would be late and would I like to reschedule? I declined to reschedule. They then proceeded to have an entire conversation with one another in Spanish with me still on the line. Is it just me? Because I think that's appallingly rude. It was along the lines of "Ella esta segura, porque.... muy tarde, muy muy tarde...", or "Is she really sure because really, we're going to be really late". I was sure. An hour later, this entire scene was repeated, including the conversation excluding me in Spanish, but they couldn't argue me into canceling so they canceled themselves.

So, another delivery date. They assured me the range would be pre-inspected, even when I told them the delivery guys said they wouldn't do it even if there was a note in the file to do so. I had to rush home from an appointment and have James get Zack from school but guess what?

IT WORKS.

At least so far. Those leeks above were part of its christening meal.

I believe I'm obliged to tell you: Thanks for listening.

And if anyone knows someone in upper management at Sears, I'd like their contact information.