Laptops warranty - Is 12 months acceptable?

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A5X

97 posts

Master Geek

#115137 14-Mar-2013 20:59

As a thought, I was wondering if 12 month warranty are acceptable on a laptop?

I have brought an expensive laptop, I refused to pay extra for an extended warrenty.

If you buy a brand new laptop, in theory you know it should last at least about 3 years without failing. Therefore without taking out forced extended warranty, if it does fail after 12 months should you be entitled by the consumer guarantees act that you laptop is still under warranty for what it should last for?

And if the official 12 month warranty no longer applies, then what can you do with it, can you hold the shop or the manufacturer responsible, and even if so then can anything really be done?

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Uber Geek

#781949 14-Mar-2013 21:30

Subject has been thrashed to death on GZ. This may help:

http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/for-consumers/goods/warranties

How long can I expect my goods to last?If you have a computer and the warranty is for one year, that doesn’t mean that you expect a new computer to only last one year. It is reasonable to expect that a new computer would last at least five years.

Under the Consumer Guarantees Act you can get a remedy if the goods don't last for a reasonable time.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

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zANavAShi

119 posts

Master Geek

#781959 14-Mar-2013 22:01

I agree, and when I quoted the CGA to the sales guy at Harvey Normam who was enthusiastically trying to sell me an extended warranty package with the last laptop I bought, his response was "Good luck with that. You would have to take us to the small claims court and it would end up costing you more in the long run than the cost of our extended warranty"

Bless his little concrete socks

Regs

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Snowflake

#781973 14-Mar-2013 22:23

laptops, mobile phones, cameras, are a little harder to prove 'not fit for purpose' due to the portable nature of them. hdd's are more likely to die when in motion, power supplies more likely to burn out being plugged in and out all the time, all of them are more likely to develop 'internal faults' if their insides are jiggled about. i took an extended warranty on my slr camera, and i usually take a manufacturers extended warranty on laptops, but i wouldn't bother with a television that sits in the same location and never moves.

if you have the warranty coverage, you are more likely to get a fix or replacement with less effort (or no effort at all). if you quote the CGA (assuming its a personal purchase, because CGA does not apply to commercial purchases) then you have to spend a lot more time proving that it should be a CGA/warranty issue instead of getting your laptop back.

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MurrayM

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#782142 15-Mar-2013 09:55

zANavAShi: I agree, and when I quoted the CGA to the sales guy at Hardly Normal who was enthusiastically trying to sell me an extended warranty package with the last laptop I bought, his response was "Good luck with that. You would have to take us to the small claims court and it would end up costing you more in the long run than the cost of our extended warranty"

Bless his little concrete socks

A couple of years ago I bought a $1000 camera from Harvey Norman and they tried to sell me an extended warranty. I said I'll be fine because I'm covered by the CGA and the assistant told me that if I tried to claim under the CGA then HN would make it difficult for me by requiring me to get a specialist report that proved what the fault was (i.e. prove that the camera wasn't water damaged) and that would cost me way more than their extended warranty. Whether this is true or not I don't know but I still refused the extended warranty.

zANavAShi

119 posts

Master Geek

#782149 15-Mar-2013 10:11

MurrayM: ....and the assistant told me that if I tried to claim under the CGA then HN would make it difficult for me by requiring me to get a specialist report that proved what the fault was (i.e. prove that the camera wasn't water damaged) and that would cost me way more than their extended warranty. Whether this is true or not I don't know but I still refused the extended warranty.

Sodding heck, so that's the specifics of what he meant by "costing more". I assumed he was referring to the small claims court fees + the personal costs of my time spent. If this is the HN company policy I think it would make good fodder for a Fair Go investigation.

Any other folks here have similar stories to share? Sorry if this is hijacking your enquiry A5X - f you would prefer me to move my question to a new topic I will happily do so.

NonprayingMantis

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Uber Geek

#782155 15-Mar-2013 10:34

MurrayM:
zANavAShi: I agree, and when I quoted the CGA to the sales guy at Hardly Normal who was enthusiastically trying to sell me an extended warranty package with the last laptop I bought, his response was "Good luck with that. You would have to take us to the small claims court and it would end up costing you more in the long run than the cost of our extended warranty"

Bless his little concrete socks

A couple of years ago I bought a $1000 camera from Harvey Norman and they tried to sell me an extended warranty. I said I'll be fine because I'm covered by the CGA and the assistant told me that if I tried to claim under the CGA then HN would make it difficult for me by requiring me to get a specialist report that proved what the fault was (i.e. prove that the camera wasn't water damaged) and that would cost me way more than their extended warranty. Whether this is true or not I don't know but I still refused the extended warranty.

Interesting. I wonder where the burden of proof lies in this kind of situation.

I suspect that the small claims court will come down in favour of the consumer unless the retailer can provide pretty solid evidence the damage was not covered.

SO I bet HN would be the ones forced to pay for the report, not the customer

MurrayM

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#782163 15-Mar-2013 10:56

NonprayingMantis: Interesting. I wonder where the burden of proof lies in this kind of situation.

I suspect that the small claims court will come down in favour of the consumer unless the retailer can provide pretty solid evidence the damage was not covered.

SO I bet HN would be the ones forced to pay for the report, not the customer

Yeah, I wasn't sure where the burden of proof lies either, but I guess he was trying to scare me into getting an extended warranty.

old3eyes

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#782173 15-Mar-2013 11:08

I usually when I buy a new laptop for wifey I take out an extended warranty mainly for her benefit. The current laptop a Toshiba she has had for 3 plus years has been fine but the ones she had before then (HP, IBM) were not and had several claims after the normal 12 months up to 4 years.

I thought the likes of HN and NL had "refined" their warranty suggestions since Fair Go did some hidden camera work a year or two ago exposing their heavy sales pitch,..

Regards,

Old3eyes

richms

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#782478 15-Mar-2013 20:30

Also they can take their sweet time with CGA repairs, and as soon as you say that your work is on the laptop or something they get an immediate out of doing anything CGA related for the laptop, since its being used for business purposes.

Richard rich.ms

P1n3apqlExpr3ss

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Ultimate Geek

#782487 15-Mar-2013 20:58

Retailer extended warranty - they won't throw you around for weeks; legitimate problems resolved within a week if not sooner

CGA - you'll have to make a claim with them (I think it's like $50?) and see where that leads with the retailer. Much more drawn out process

That's my understanding of it at least

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#782490 15-Mar-2013 21:01

Extended warranty, you are paying for convenience. Also I think you'd be hard pressed to say you expect 5 years out of a notebook computer, 3 is probably closer to the mark if it actually gets moved around.

Wade

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#782491 15-Mar-2013 21:02

How many CGA issues actually get to a courtroom though? Most companies know what they can and can't get away with so will resolve the issue on the threat of CGA action I would have thought?

scuwp

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#782502 15-Mar-2013 21:23

It works both ways. The only time I have tried to make a claim under an extended warranty it was a nightmare! Ever since I have never purchased one. Continued advice is that they are a rip-off.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Dunnersfella

4083 posts

Uber Geek

#782510 15-Mar-2013 21:44

Not all extended warranties are created equal.
Find out the specifics of what you're agreeing to, if the deal offers a great level of cover or convenience, then heck, go for it. If it doesn't work for you, don't.

richms

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#782512 15-Mar-2013 21:47

The reason I got it on my TV is that it would cover them coming and getting it, whereas I would have to move it around otherwise. That means trailer rental, finding stuff to wrap it in like blankets etc, hassle etc.

For something small that doesnt help as much.

Richard rich.ms

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