Page 1 of Warranty Advice Required!!!!

I have just taken a Toshiba SD210E back to the shop I bought it from as the sound has failed. I bought the player multi region chipped from this shop. It is still under warranty.

They have offered me a brand new replacement Toshiba. However, they have told me this will be a Region 2 player only, and they are not willing to chip it. This will mean that I have a load of DVDs which I can no longer watch.

I think they should replace it with a similar specification (i.e. multi region chipped) player.

Anyone been through a similar situation, or got any advice about what I should do?

Cheers,

FZR600R

Technically they`re saying they can neither repair nor replace the Tosh SD210, but are offering you a brand-new, admittedly not like for like, Toshiba player. I would suggest this is actually above and beyond what they`re required to do by the law, as you`re actually getting a superior product, albeit without multi-region playback - the alternative would be to pursue a refund, but chances are you`ll only get a partial amount as you will have clearly got some use out of the SD210E.

From the DTI website, with particular reference to the new Sale & Supply of Goods regulations, are two key points

Quote:
Q12. The retailer has said that a repair is "disproportionately costly" and insists I accept a replacement as an alternative. Must I accept this?

From 31 March 2003 and the coming into force of The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations, yes, and vice versa if you request a replacement and this is "disproportionately costly". However, remember any remedy has to be carried out "without significant inconvenience" and within a "reasonable time" for the consumer. Remember that you could also seek damages instead.

Q13. Neither repair nor replacement of the goods are possible. What can I do?

From 31 March 2003 and the coming into force of The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations, you may either pursue the old route of damages or a partial or full refund. Probably either would give you exactly the same amount of money. You would seek a full refund in scenarios such as those where you had enjoyed absolutely no benefit from the goods. If you had benefited from them then you would seek a partial refund as a fair remedy. This is exactly the reasoning that would be employed if you sought damages.

If they`re offering you the SD230 or SD330, have a search on the Hack Help forum - i`m pretty sure you can download a region-free firmware version and install it yourself. If this is the case you`re getting a superior player, brand new, which you can hack yourself - I think I know what I`d be doing :)

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Moderator
DVD Reviewer

Webmaster of Area 450 - independent Sampo DVD site

Quote:
Technically they`re saying they can neither repair nor replace the Tosh SD210, but are offering you a brand-new, admittedly not like for like, Toshiba player. I would suggest this is actually above and beyond what they`re required to do by the law,

On my understanding of it being "in the trade" Clayts, they AREN`T doing anything above what they should be.

To the best of my knowledge, a like for like replacement *should* be offered, and if not the case, then you can have a refund as stated.
Now, refunds, depending on the original purchase price may be the best option.
Most retailers would just give a full refund, but in the "sticky" case, this is how most work it out:

Unit should be free of manufacturing defects for 6 years. ie: 72 months (this does *not* include wear and tear, so reductions can be made for a scratched/otherwise damaged unit)
Take the original price (for ease, lets say £144)
divide the price by the years it should last (£244 / 72 = £ 2 per month)
Reduce the original price by the time you have "enjoyed it`s use" (lets say 10 months to make it easy again) = £2x10= £20
This would give a partial refund due of £122 in this example.

Now check the price of that R2 player...and do what Clayts sed! Lol

Obviously this needs to be adjusted as per the original price, time used etc etc, but thats the format I know of...

Jimbo : oÞ

PS: Dont quote me on this though, `cos different retailers work different ways...if you`re unsure what you can legally do, contact your local Trading Standards office :)

Cheers for the replies, guess I should take the new player and run!

It looks like you can upgrade the firmware on the 230 or 330 (which is what they said it would be), so it should be OK!

Anyone know which is better? 230 or 330?

Thanks!

330`s the newer player, but nowt too wrong with the 230 :)

===========
Moderator
DVD Reviewer

Webmaster of Area 450 - independent Sampo DVD site

One piont that should be metioned. If you do upgrade the firmwear YOU will invalidate any warranty you may have had.

All the best,

The 42%er.

Quote:
One piont that should be metioned. If you do upgrade the firmwear YOU will invalidate any warranty you may have had.

Not anymore, handset hacks and firmware upgrades do NOT invalidate warranties unless the firmware itself was corrupt or installed wrongly (in which case, reflashing it will cure the problem)

Only a modification which requires removal of all or part of the casings will invalidate the guarantee :)

Jimbo : oÞ

Anyway, I don`t think I`ve got too much choice, as if I don`t upgrade the firmware, more than half of my DVD collection needs replaced!

Mr 42%er - Do you not run a shop? What would you do in the retailers shoes?

Quote:
Do you not run a shop? What would you do in the retailers shoes?

Dunno about 42%er, but I do work in one, rather a large one too <grin>

I`m also pretty technical, and pretty well versed in what we can and cannot get away with as Retailers. even to the point of recently having a unit returned under 28 days as "not reading discs" which I could *almost* prove was a knackered firmware update.

However, after me and me boss discussed it, we agreed that even if I could prove the unit had been firmware CD modded, the casing was intact so the only resultant action would be to create a customer service issue and call the customer a liar.

Obviously, we couldn`t do either, and we swapped the unit. The screws on the unit were intact and no visible damage to the unit or the screw heads.

TS woulda ripped us apart if we had tried the "you`ve caused it" route.

Jimbo : oÞ

It depends on each situation. If a customer comes in screaming claiming they know there rights and shouting the odds I will find out the minimum I need to do and do that. If however they are curtious and polite I will find out the minimum I need to do and do that aswell ;) Only joking. Of cource we will allways try to help.

So if you put in firmware saying DO NOT WORK EVER AGAIN you would be coverd? If you put beer inside it and it stoped working I think you would be buggerd.

All the best,

The 42%er.