Returning a faulty out of apple warranty iPhone

CynicalScotsman

The EU Wide Consumer Laws gives two years minimum from date of delivery. Apple even have this on their own website:
http://www.apple.com/uk/legal/statutory-warranty/

Presumably you/they are talking about the EU directive 1999/44/EC?

A directive is not actually law in a member state. It is a direct requirement that each EU member state give at least the protection detailed in the directive by a date also detailed in the directive. These are designed to harmonise legislation across the continent allowing consumers to have an understanding of what you are entitled too.

As you have pointed out what it sets out to achieve (last sentence above) hasn't obviously worked.

In terms of apple (who are normally good at getting things right), they are wrong in the fact that it is actually 5 years from the date of discovery in scotland and not 5 years from the date of delivery.

regprentice

I succesfully obtained an out of warranty repair to an iphone 3gs. This was for a known fault where the white polycarbonate would crack and these cracks were causing the polycarbonate to come away around the volume rocker.

in this case i was complaining about a known design fault present in the phone when it was made...i believe that was why i was succesful after over 2 years.

my experience with apple was awful... they refused to acknolwedge the fault existed. I send them the links to discussions on their own forums about this specific issue and they point blank told me the fault didnt exist and refused to acknowledge the forum posts or other articles i sent discussing the issue. They offered me a repair for £149 as mentioned above which i declined. After 4 days i got them to agree to a warranty repair as a 'goodwill gesture' but they were very clear they acknowledged no responsibility or knowledge of the fault itself.

If you are complaining you will require a clear specific issue and you will need to persevere with the customer service people.

I was disgusted with apple and havent bought an apple product since.

SuperHan

People talking about the problem on a forum is unlikely to stand up as an independent engineers report confirming the fault is inherent.

Do as the law says, get this report, then go to Apple.

In today's world, 4 years may not be a reasonable length of time to expect a phone to work. In a world where most people change phone after a 24 month contract I'd say 3 years at a push could be argued by Apple as a reasonable time. So you may be looking at a £200 refund. At this point, they may retract their offer of a £120 working iPhone.

Now you have to consider what it is you really want. £200 and a £300 expense to buy a similar spec phone, or a replacement for £120, which I have always thought is quite fair.

Sagar_Fuzz

What I REALLY want is for an iPhone I buy to do what it says it is going to do! And not just for 3 months (first iPhone) and then slightly under two years (second one)! I don't think that 3 years for a £500 phone is reasonable. I think 4 years is something we could agree is reasonable, but I think if iPhones are only going to last a year or so before showing a major fault, they should state this clearly, so you can go to a competitor product if you wish. I certainly wouldn't have bought one if I'd known how poor apple products are (my friends all won't buy another one, but is anyone else any better? How can I find out?!).

I suspect my experience will be something like Regprentice's - but I shall perservere! Appointment for midday Saturday - showdown at noon...

frugal_mike

Well after using an iPhone I found its interface to be highly clunky and unintuitive. I can't comment on the build quality yet, but my girlfriend has one so hopefully its ok. Good luck getting a result, let us know how it goes.

Sagar_Fuzz

Thanks Frugal Mike, I will.

I am not on a contract BTW, so I can't just change my phone every two years for free. I invested in this phone for a good few years, not a 'good' few months... Maybe if as SuperHan says everyone is on 2 year contracts that is why they don't care if they last very long? Is that true though, that most people are on two year contracts? Like I said, if apple had said to me: be warned this product is unlikely to last after two years (even though mine hasn't even made it that long) I wouldn't have bought it. My current Dell laptop is 7 years and 5 months old, my iPod classic lasted until last year, I still have and use my old nokia and Sony ericsson, which must be 8 and 5 years old respectively. I DO understand the technology is different in an iphone, and moves on quickly, but I would expect it to at least do as adverstised, for a decent number of years (four min). Otherwise,shouldn't they be cheaper than £500?

Anyway, that's a little off topic, will let you know how it goes!

scottishblondie

Apple are usually very good. My 4S is just over 2 years old and I've had no problems but I've had my macbook repaired for free out of warranty for a common fault, and a couple of my friends have had their iPhones fixed/replaced for free out of warranty.

I found that appealing to their better nature works best - the "genius" that you see at your appointment can override the system and authorise repairs for free when they feel it is warranted, so being nice to them is a good way to go!

Just to check - you have done a full reset? If its a software issue they can often be resolved by a reset.

Sagar_Fuzz

Thanks Scottish Blondie, for your encouragment and advice. I will certainly appeal to their sense of decency, and of course treat them with respect, as I hope they will me :-)

I have tried a full reset, and wiped it and treated it as a new phone. No joy :-( I think, given the ideas on the apple forum, the soldering has come loose on the wifi chip - lots of people have had this problem and although they don't say what causes it, it is an acknowledged problem on the apple site. I really think theybshould replace/mend it no fuss, but you know how stores can be!

Wll let you know...

wealdroam

Your_Europe wrote: »

As you have already mentioned, under the EU directive your Iphone will be covered under warranty for 2 years, which should cover you in this case.

The relevant information can be found at the Your Europe website.

Hi, are you representing the Your Europe website?

Anyway, here is a quote from their webpage about guarantees:

Two-year guarantee
Wherever you buy goods in the EU, you have two years to request repairs or replacement if they turn out to be faulty or not as advertised. If a product cannot be repaired or replaced within a reasonable time or without inconvenience, you may request a refund or price reduction.

The two-year guarantee period starts as soon as your goods are delivered, and you must inform the seller of the fault within two months of discovering it.

Why would anyone in the UK who has made a purchase in the UK bother with that?

The UK Sale of Goods Act allows a consumer up to six years to request repairs or replacement if they turn out to be faulty or not as advertised. If a product cannot be repaired or replaced within a reasonable time or without significant inconvenience, you may request a refund or price reduction.

Oh... and under SoGA you do not have to inform the seller within two months of discovering the fault.

Looksguywalker

Your_Europe wrote: »

As you have already mentioned, under the EU directive your Iphone will be covered under warranty for 2 years, which should cover you in this case.

The relevant information can be found at the Your Europe website.

Not again! The SOGA gives far more protection in the UK. Spam?