Pasta Problem

moggins · 9 March 2005 at 3:53PM

I don't even know whether this belongs here but I hope I'll be forgiven if it doesn't.

Trying to save my pennies even further and seeing as I was in town anyway I went to Argos to invest in one of their £12.99 pasta makers. Noticed when I got home that one of the flaps on the box had a cut on it but opened it anyway, the machine has flour inside!!

Now I don't mind paying a reduced price for a second hand product at a bootsale but I do object to paying full price for a supposedly new item, but to return it means a trip back into town which will cost me a minimum of £1.80.

Do I just ignore the fact that they have sold me used goods and get on with it and save my £1.80 or do I throw a fit and take it back?

Penny-Wise_4 · 9 March 2005 at 4:04PM

For Argos goods if you aren't satisfied with an item you have 16 days to take it back, if it is faulty you have 30 days (i'm not sure which used goods fall under) - will you be going to town anyway for any reason in the next couple of weeks?

Caterina · 9 March 2005 at 5:12PM

Why don't you email Argos customer service and explain your situation? You can then add that going back to town would cost you whatever and ask them to refund you the value of your return trip.

Alternatively they might agree to pick up and replace the item.

Or at the worst they might say no but nothing ventured nothing gained!

Best of luck

Caterina

MATH · 9 March 2005 at 5:18PM

Is a pasta machine going to save you money when value pasta is cheaper than dust?

I think they come into the same category as bread makers inas much as they don't save you money compared to buying ready made. Unlike breadmakers IMO the end product is no different to shop bought. Personnaly I think they are a complete fad 'n' fancy and a bit of an affectation, even the Italians use dried pasta more than home-made. (Stepping down from soapbox now:o ) Seriously - I would compare money saving (if any) to the effort and trapped fingers making your own involves.

Bogof_Babe · 9 March 2005 at 6:26PM

I agree with Math - you can buy ready made for less than the cost of the flour to make your own, not to mention the hassle!

I imagine whoever returned the one you ended up with had come to the same conclusion. And they probably found it too much trouble when trying it out for the first time - hence the flour.

We can suggest many better gadgets to save you money. Got a slow cooker yet?

Galtizz · 9 March 2005 at 6:26PM

Ikea give you 'milage' for returning faulty goods - not sure if Argos do the same, might be worth asking.

Poppy9 · 9 March 2005 at 6:37PM

I think you should mention the H&S issue here. They have accepted back used goods that have not been checked. The flour in the box no doubt now has dust mites etc. you have totally lost confidence in them as a retailer due to their appalling stock control blah blah blah. Gotta be worth a £25 gift voucher plus full refund.;)

SnowyOwl_2 · 9 March 2005 at 6:48PM

I think I'd be on the blower to them right away to complain. They have missold this item to you - you paid for a brand new item and it quite clearly is not brand new. It has been used and is therefore second hand - they did not indicate that it was a returned item etc etc. Threaten them with trading standards and insist that they pay your fare to return the item to them. Don't let them get away with this, you deserve better.

Regards making pasta, I lived in Italy for a while some years ago and can vouch for the fact that the Italians use the dried stuff a lot. Occasionally they'd make fresh but it is a lot of faffing around - if you've got the time then fair enough but it is a lot of time spent for not much of an improvement in terms of money or quality.

moggins · 9 March 2005 at 7:57PM

Well, it was not quite a £25 gift voucher but it was certainly a result, the other half came home early and told me to take it back, They exchanged the machine for a fully checked new model and gave me £4 back so I got the pasta maker for £9 in the end.

Yes I agree the value pasta is probably cheaper, I do keep a couple of packets in for emergencies but it seems to take ages to cook and I love tagliatelle which you can't get in the value range at all and is very expensive to buy.

The one I've bought has tagliatelle and spaghetti cutters and with half a bag of value flour (15p a bag) 5 eggs (a tray of 30 for £1.20) I can make my favourite tagliatelle. Still a bargain

tiff · 9 March 2005 at 9:34PM

Moggins, where do you get your flour for 15p a bag? I looked in Lidls today, 27p and Tesco value is also 27p. As I seem to be getting through loads of it I'd love to know

moggins · 9 March 2005 at 9:47PM

In my local Lidl it is only 15p and strong white bread flour is 45p. I'm thinking of trying chapati flour next as that is only about £3 for a huge sack in my local asian shop

The trouble is that prices do very a lot around the country especially where you have a lot of supermarkets close to each other as they are all warring with each other over prices.

We had baked beans at 3p a can when Lidl first opened and now Aldi has opened right opposite Tesco it is getting even funnier

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Pasta Problem

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