Question about new TVs and warranties (harvey normans extended one, a rippoff?)

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Question about new TVs and warranties (harvey normans extended one, a rippoff?)

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#243995 7-Aug-2009 16:50

The one good thing with a extended warrenty is they will come and get things, and bring the replacement.

Which on a TV is a good thing.

Richard rich.ms

clevedon

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#244173 8-Aug-2009 12:23

CYaBro:
hifinut: Hi
The manufacturers will stand by their products even out of the 12 month warranty especially Panasonic. They will pay for parts for a reasonable time. The extended warranty is not from Panasonic it is an insurance policy and can save a lot of heartaches later but they are expensive policies.

And in most cases you may be covered by your existing contents insurance.
A mate had his stove blow up the other day.
His insurance is going to cover a replacement.

I agree, we never have and never will pay for an extended warranty. Thats what house and contents insurance is for.

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#244176 8-Aug-2009 12:33

clevedon:
CYaBro:
hifinut: Hi
The manufacturers will stand by their products even out of the 12 month warranty especially Panasonic. They will pay for parts for a reasonable time. The extended warranty is not from Panasonic it is an insurance policy and can save a lot of heartaches later but they are expensive policies.

And in most cases you may be covered by your existing contents insurance.
A mate had his stove blow up the other day.
His insurance is going to cover a replacement.

I agree, we never have and never will pay for an extended warranty. Thats what house and contents insurance is for.

Don't see how that will cover you when your TV or the like die. Sounds like the insurance rip off scam to me..

Regards,

Old3eyes

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#244184 8-Aug-2009 12:47

Well our old large rear projection TV ( you know how much they were when they first come out ) three years out of warranty was fried when a car hit a power pole down the road from us and we got a new plasma out of it - full value replacement policy, we came out of it better off and upgraded larger again for no extra cost. Any type of accident can happen in the home. Extended warranty = insurance ripoff scam.

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#244209 8-Aug-2009 15:08

Perhaps they are rip offs, however when we bought a new plasma on Tuesday we got the Extended Warranty knocked down to a hundred bucks. For me that amounts worth it for the ease of getting items fixed or replaced in the future. Personal preference at the end of the day?

RustyGonad

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#244218 8-Aug-2009 15:46

Whatever they get discounted to is still a waste of money - whether it be $100 or $400 - its still money that doesn't need to be spent. Whatever you feel like your getting - fact is your getting nothing more than those of us who use the Consumer Guarantees Act.

They only afford protection to people who are disinterested in spending a few minutes researching their rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act. They will still come to pick the TV under the CGA as well...

Its the stock standard Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) - sells alot of things... Some would call this personal preference - others call it ignorance... Either way someone just got a whole lot richer for selling nothing. If you take comfort in that, by all means continue to spend money on extended warranties.

Everyone else should read up on the CGA...

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#244374 9-Aug-2009 10:24

RustyGonad: Whatever they get discounted to is still a waste of money - whether it be $100 or $400 - its still money that doesn't need to be spent. Whatever you feel like your getting - fact is your getting nothing more than those of us who use the Consumer Guarantees Act.

They only afford protection to people who are disinterested in spending a few minutes researching their rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act. They will still come to pick the TV under the CGA as well...

Its the stock standard Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) - sells alot of things... Some would call this personal preference - others call it ignorance... Either way someone just got a whole lot richer for selling nothing. If you take comfort in that, by all means continue to spend money on extended warranties.

Everyone else should read up on the CGA...

Calling it "ignorance" is a bit harsh. I'm no idiot, I know the truth behind extended warrenty's, as do most people (perhaps a vague statement, theres a lot to be said about being naive in this day and age). I also know from experience that it is *easier* to have issues sorted under an Extended Warrenty then via the CGA.

I have tried both methods for resolutions in the past and while I agree using the CGA will usually reach the same result, the process for reaching this result is longer and more stressful (just ask any man who lives with a woman

). Therefore why not allow people the choice to skip this process and have peace of mind instead? Its not ignorance, nor stupidity, nor FUD, its people who factor in an extra cost over and above the cost of the item so that they can enjoy the item knowing that if something does go wrong, they can have that item quickly and painlessly (in theory) replaced or repaired without having to go tooth and nail with a store manager or area manager.

You believe its a waste of money, thats fair enough, I, like many others, am happy to stump up the extra cash now to avoid extra stress and anguish in the future.

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#247390 16-Aug-2009 22:15

assuming i don't have an extended warranty and the tv die in 2 years time after i purchased it, and since everyone is saying that this is still covered thru CGA, where do i go to have it repaired? to the store where i bought it from or to the manufacturer directly?

Ragnor

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#247406 16-Aug-2009 22:58

The store who sold it to you.

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#247548 17-Aug-2009 11:27

It is up to you. You can go to the store (which is the recommended first step) however you can go to the manufacturer direct if you want.

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#247710 17-Aug-2009 15:10

The manufacturers are generally located overseas, it's not really practical to deal with them.. it will be the store or the reseller/importer.

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#247726 17-Aug-2009 15:29

The best way is to ring the manufacturers Customer Service number in NZ and ask for the name of their service agent. Tell them what is wrong and you would expect it to work for more than 2 years. This will soon show if youve bought the right brand as the several good ones will say on a case by case basis. That they will provide the parts at no cost or even better they may offer a new replacement. The not so good brands will become more difficult to find and talk to. The best brand for service Ive found is Panasonic then Sony and then the Korean brands, you can just about forget the rest if you dont have an extended warranty.

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#248393 18-Aug-2009 22:16

I've taken back a PVR, a vacuum cleaner and a mobile phone, all out of "warranty" and all been fixed. Usually though the people at the front desk are confused that you are bringing it back and don't have an extended warranty - you need to escalate it to a manager with a clue. Make it clear that it's nothing for you to spend the $30 at the Disputes Tribunal and that'll prompt some action.

Buster

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#251704 30-Aug-2009 11:34

CGA worked for us. Our plasma started giving trouble and completely died when it was 2 years old. HN and Samsung not interested at first but as soon as I mentioned the CGA said a product should be fit for purpose for a reasonable length of time and 2 years was not a reasonable lenght of time, they arranged for Tisco to collect the TV and check it out. A few days later Tisco phone and say the TV is stuffed, not worth fixing. A few more days and another phone call (from Samsung I think) to say there was a new TV at HN and we could arrange to pick it up. Borrowed neighbours van and went and picked it up. 19 months old now and fault free. Slightly newer model than the first one - same resolution - but seems to have a slightly nicer picture.

Paora

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#254896 10-Sep-2009 22:08

I brought a 60GB PS3 from HN in April 2007 paid $1199 it failed with a suspected optical drive problem in January 2009. I tried and tried to get HN or Sony to fix FOC as I said it should have lasted a reasonable length of a time as per the CGA - they refused (but they would for a flat fee of $375!!). Wrote letters, still they would not budge. Took them both to Disputes Tribunal for a full refund and two days before hearing HN offer to fix FOC. I said not interest and that I would take be persuing full refund at hearing. Guess what, I won and was awarded a full $1199 refund.

Adjudicator was very scathing of HN and Sony about the way in which they had dealt with the issue, said they can not avoid their responsibilities under CGA and then ask for $375 before they will look at problem.

Moral of story never buy Sony again and never buy from HN again.

Spent thousands of $$ with HN on consoles, receivers, speakers, camera's, TV's, whiteware and micro systems etc.

I refuse to pay for warranties, I have had other items fail but once I mention the CGA they have been fixed FOC except in the above instance.

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