What A Scam

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11-23-2003, 10:42 AM
DL.

I picked up a fairly cheap motherboard ($100) and CPU (AMD athlon XP 2000+ retail ) for a friend a few months back and found a few problems with the setup. After trying several OS's, win98 was the only thing that would install and run. (For the most part.) Some problems remain. The system is unstable and sometimes won't shutdown. The onboard video goes into a spaz when coming out of standby, the onboard LAN won't work.
According to sisoft, the processor voltage is a bit low. All the other voltages are quite low.
12v is 10.85v, 3.3v is 2.85v, -12v is -8v and so on. The bios agrees.

Well I finally took it back for warranty only to be informed that if their software based tests didn't indicate any problems, I'd have to pay a $40 tech fee.

Well guess what they found wrong. NOTHING! Yeah, right. The conclusion from them? My power supply out put is too low but the core voltage is ok at 1.60 instead of the 1.67 or 1.75 which their tech said it should be initially.
No, I also tried a 420 watt PSU after testing the 300 watt PSU. No difference. I supplied them with copies of all diagnostics but I'm just a customer, I know nothing.
Now they won't return the board, processor, and ram till I pay $40 for the diagnostic. Even though they haven't corrected the low volt problem. Now I'm supposed to reassemble it and take it back for them to find an excuse to say it's something else again, not their motherboard. And I'll be charged another $40 if that doesn't show any problems on their system. End even if the MB sensors turn out to be wrong, they don't consider that a significant problem worthy of a warranty return.
I think I don't do business with them after this. Next time it's future shop or circuit city where they have over the counter returns and no lies.

Buyer Beware!
11-23-2003, 11:05 AM
Darth Sushi

Try the Better Business Bureau (www.bbbonline.org). Document everything (time, date, etc). Everytime I used the BBB, I always get a letter indicating the offending company wants to improve their customer service. It's not a guarantee but it's worth a letter.
11-23-2003, 11:08 AM
Smurfette

Did this company give you a print out of their test results? If not, request that they give you one.
Scan the document and email/send it with an explanation of what exactly has happened (together with copies of your own results) to the motherboard manufacturer, asking them whether they consider there to be a problem. If there is a problem you can ask that they authorise the company to exchange the board under warranty. In the UK, you aren't entitled to a refund unless they can't supply a replacement.
11-23-2003, 06:20 PM
callum

Quote:

Originally posted by Smurfette@23 November 2003 - 11:08
In the UK, you aren't entitled to a refund unless they can't supply a replacement.

I think in the UK you can reject replacement goods and get a refund if the product is deemed to be faulty.

I've been having a problem this week trying to return a faulty graphics card, the shop has admitted it isn't working correctly. They are willing to replace it, but will only give a reduced refund as the price has lowered(illegal me thinks).
When I mentioned reporting them to trading standards, the owner swiftly made a fault diagnosis, which put the problem down to misuse by myself.
11-23-2003, 07:32 PM
Smurfette

Quote:

Originally posted by callum+23 November 2003 - 18:20--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (callum @ 23 November 2003 - 18:20)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Quote:

Originally posted by Smurfette@23 November 2003 - 11:08
In the UK, you aren't entitled to a refund unless they can't supply a replacement.

I think in the UK you can reject replacement goods and get a refund if the product is deemed to be faulty.[/b]

When you buy something (such as computer parts or even a TV) you are, in effect, paying the seller to supply that item. The seller has an obligation to supply the item in a condition fit for its intended use. If you are sold a part that is faulty, you are entitled to a replacement; (now is where it gets 'iffy' cuz large retailers have disclaimers) IIRC, if they can only replace it with a simliar item, you can refuse it and get a refund. If what you bought works for a while then breaks down, you are entitled to a new or refurbished replacement or to have it fixed, but what you actually get is down to the supplier.

<!--QuoteBegin-callum@23 November 2003 - 18:20
I've been having a problem this week trying to return a faulty graphics card, the shop has admitted it isn't working correctly. They are willing to replace it, but will only give a reduced refund as the price has lowered(illegal me thinks).
When I mentioned reporting them to trading standards, the owner swiftly made a fault diagnosis, which put the problem down to misuse by myself.[/quote]
Oops, shoulda taken the offer!
I had a mobo that never worked properly straight out of the box and the supplier's warranty department spotted damage on it which they put down to me. I know it wasn't me but that doesn't matter, as it doesn't mean it was them.
11-23-2003, 10:33 PM
lynx

Quote:

Originally posted by callum+23 November 2003 - 18:20--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (callum @ 23 November 2003 - 18:20)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Smurfette@23 November 2003 - 11:08
In the UK, you aren't entitled to a refund unless they can't supply a replacement.

I think in the UK you can reject replacement goods and get a refund if the product is deemed to be faulty.

I've been having a problem this week trying to return a faulty graphics card, the shop has admitted it isn't working correctly. They are willing to replace it, but will only give a reduced refund as the price has lowered(illegal me thinks).
When I mentioned reporting them to trading standards, the owner swiftly made a fault diagnosis, which put the problem down to misuse by myself. [/b][/quote]
If you haven't already been to the trading standards office it should be your next call. Don't delay. Tell trading standards exactly as you've said it here, they come down particularly hard on suppliers who are attempting fraud, and that's what this is.