Microwave CGA Advice

Forums › Off topic › Microwave CGA Advice

1 | 2

cshaun

402 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#2478347 7-May-2020 00:28

eracode:
The open-endedness of CGA is very likely deliberate and works in the consumers’ favour. I wouldn’t want to see prescriptive periods for products’ longevity.

Yeah I agree. Though it can be frustrating sometimes. I do sometimes ask when buying expensive items how long is this supposed to last. e.g. when I dropped a few thousands on a plasma TV years back. Probably looking at 8-20 years.

cshaun

402 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#2478348 7-May-2020 00:28

sbiddle:
99% of microwave ovens die because the magnetron fails. It is just a normal thing to happen for something that old after normal use.

When you dropped it off did you not complete any paperwork? It's normal for any retailer or repair place to at least give you something, because they'll always make you sign to say you agree with the fees for inspection fees. If retailers or repair places didn't do this they'd be working for free spending hours assessing goods that people would simply decide to scrap.

If I were you I'd pay the $52 and move on. If you want to challenge it spend $45 on a disputes tribunal case, but even then you're potentially throwing more money away as there are probably no guarantees of a win.

Thanks, I wasn't aware that the magnetrons do just wear out over that sort of period with normal use. The repair place specifically said I'd damaged it, and could only be done by running it with nothing in the microwave. It had to be my fault it's died. They wouldn't back down on that claim at all.

No, they asked for basic details, and they completed some paperwork. No signature. They gave a carbon copy when we dropped off the microwave. I didn't bother looking at it properly until you mentioned it. I see it mentions "Inspection Fee Charged" and they've circled "No". Now if that means it's a job on behalf of a manufacturer and no fee is to be charged, or no fee was charged at drop off and therefore to be charge later - I don't know. Seems ambiguous. It also mentions - "Assessment fees apply to all appliances. These charges are payable prior to commencing work and are non-refundable."
But at no point when speaking to Panasonic or the repair place on the phone or when dropping it off was any fees mentioned.

I would have almost certainly looked at it myself if this was ever mentioned. I'd already looked up online and concluded 99% chance it's the magnetron, but there were two other possible points of failure to check. A pretty quick job with my multimeter. No point in me opening it up and breaking seals if it might be sorted out under CGA though. Magnatron could sourced and swapped out without to much fan fair.

cshaun

402 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#2478349 7-May-2020 00:28

kiwiharry: Personally I would have just moved on. I would have also factored in the savings made at the time of purchase. You say what you paid was well below RRP.

As an aside was the microwave classed as a "First", "Second", or "Third" when you brought it?

Should you wish to continue this as a CGA claim via DT, then I suggest you at least pay the service agent the $52 fee. Then look to claim the $52 back from Panasonic as part of the claim.

Well I really don't want the headache, hence coming here for some unbiased opinions as I was on the fence as to which way to go.
It was a "First", exactly the same as any other retailer with the same warranty etc. I've never gone through the DT, I've always just opted to try sort things out directly the few times I have run into issues.

Lias

5590 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2478441 7-May-2020 09:18

cshaun:

Nate001:
Pay the inspection fee - they provided a service, why would you expect it to be free? Buy a new one and be done with it.

Linux:
You should be charged the inspection fee

snnet:
Surely you must have known taking it in to a repair place to be looked at was going to incur a cost... $52 is very cheap, I would have charged more.

I thought it was free because at no point was I ever informed there was a fee. I called Panasonic and said - "hey my microwave is reporting an error, I bought it on x date, it seems like it's probably still within the CGA, how do we proceed?" I was told to drop it off there by Panasonic so they could assess it for CGA. I have no idea what their arrangement with the repair place is. I did not just take it to a repair place and ask them to have a look at it and expect them to do it for free...

In that case I'd tell them to stick their fee up their arse.

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#2478447 7-May-2020 09:28

Over it's lifetime that oven has cost you less than $0.18 per day. It's done it's time it is time to let it rest in peace and for you to move on.

RunningMan

8963 posts

Uber Geek

#2478456 7-May-2020 09:47

cshaun:

I thought it was free because at no point was I ever informed there was a fee. I called Panasonic and said - "hey my microwave is reporting an error, I bought it on x date, it seems like it's probably still within the CGA, how do we proceed?" I was told to drop it off there by Panasonic so they could assess it for CGA.

If you've been discussing CGA with Panasonic and they directed you to take it there, I reckon there's a good argument they should pay that fee, not you. Having them fix an appliance which is probably at the end of a useful life, not so much.

cshaun

402 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#2478949 7-May-2020 21:40

RunningMan:

cshaun:

I thought it was free because at no point was I ever informed there was a fee. I called Panasonic and said - "hey my microwave is reporting an error, I bought it on x date, it seems like it's probably still within the CGA, how do we proceed?" I was told to drop it off there by Panasonic so they could assess it for CGA.

If you've been discussing CGA with Panasonic and they directed you to take it there, I reckon there's a good argument they should pay that fee, not you. Having them fix an appliance which is probably at the end of a useful life, not so much.

Yeah. I was just really surprised by it. I haven't queried it yet, I figured I'd decide what I'm doing first (might be a non issue). Though we have around four minor complaints in the dealings with them so far, will be avoiding them in the future.

1 | 2