Mis sold Apple iMac computer?

swinks

This is going to be a long winded one so I really will try keep things short and to the point. I'm just hopefully after a bit of advice to back up whether I should go to Citizens advice/ Trading standards.

January 18th 2014 I bought an 'A1 refurbished apple iMac' from a shop which claims it is the UK's largest Laptop specialist. I couldn't see the product in the store before buying it but was assured that any problems I could go back to the company. When I got home I noticed the product was in poor condition it was dirty and still had another users details on it. I emailed them the following day, they advised they could 'repair the damage'... damage which was not repairable as it was cosmetic and when I explained the damage was not repairable they no longer replied.

Skip to January 2015.. I go to use the computer and the screen doesn't work. It wasn't heavily used as my disability effects me being able to sit up for prolonged periods at a computer. The fan etc could be heard so its definitely a screen problem. I contact the company who arrange a return... then decline the return stating it came with a 3 month warranty only. (OK fair enough!) However the sales of goods act says it should be of satisfactory quality and last a satisfactory amount of time... 12 months for a refurbished computer costing over £1000 is NOT satisfactory.

Heres where the fun starts!

I then try to locate the serial number on the apple product. To find it's not where it should be. Theres a common fault with this 'model' so if I can prove it is that one then apple will fix the product for free. I drive the iMac to the shop- 30 minute drive each way. For them to tell me I have to open it up to get the serial number. I then drive it to the apple store- who says under no circumstance should it be opened however - they have changed the stand and put a faulty one on, they've not given you the correct power cable and no serial number. So apple can't do anything at all- even if I pay for repairs.

At my expense again I take the iMac back to the shop I bought it from. They 'inspect' it for a week.. and come up with a serial number. They are adamant this is correct despite it not being on the product.. They email me a copy with a screen shot of information from a third party website. In front of the manager in the store I copied and pasted there serial number into the official apple website- it's invalid. The manager shouts at me and gets defensive.

I then contact apple several times who state the serial number is infact false. I have it in writing and give it to the company- they refuse to do anything apart from now inspect the product and open it up to give me a quote for some third party company to possibly repair it- when all I want is the serial number to get it fixed properly!

So now i'm in limbo! What can I do about this? The stress recently put me seriously unwell in hospital where I nearly died. I lost 4 weeks off work due to this and I am constantly stressed by there lack of help. I don't know where to turn!

Please please help!

zaax

How did you pay for it? If the serial number is not were is it supposed to be its not an apple product. Get it inspected independently maybe by trading standards.

marliepanda

swinks wrote: »

So now i'm in limbo! What can I do about this? The stress recently put me seriously unwell in hospital where I nearly died. I lost 4 weeks off work due to this and I am constantly stressed by there lack of help. I don't know where to turn!

Please please help!

OK firstly you need to stick to the facts. On the face of it you appear to have a strong case of being sold a dodgy computer, but do not start to say you nearly died due to the stress of having a dodgy computer. That will straight away put people on the back foot thinking you are out for crazy money.

By the sounds of this you will have to take this company (feel free to name them) to court for the cost of your computer. If you have all the evidence you claim (invalid serial number, the report from Apple saying this is a cobbled together computer) then you should be successful.

swinks

It wasn't the stress of having a 'dodgy computer' it was the fact that I had to trail all over taking it to and from. Repeatedly phone them up, email people with no straight answer, being shouted at in the front of the store by the assistant? manager because the actual manager refused to speak to me face to face. The fact they ignored me constantly and I was left with a complete hole in my pocket and no idea whether to just get someone to take the iMac to the tip- being that its 27inch it isn't the easiest thing to move! And when they had it back for inspection they (if they could have got the screen working) would have access to some very very personal/sentimental information and photographs.

That aside.. Now I have someone else who works for HMRC trying to help me out to take some of the stress off.. i'm just trying to work out if I could take it further and who take it further with. Especially as with anything I will need assistance because of my health.

I have a signed report from apple stating the above and then 'service denied' because of the serial number.. It mentions that I have proof of purchase etc but that the company who have an 'apple store' on there website aren't actually an authorised apple dealership.

knightstyle

So can you plug in another screen? I have been given an old iMac with a broken screen and just plug in another screen and it works fine.
Then you can get the serial number by hovering on the Apple icon.
This aside I would be sending a letter before action to the retailer followed by small claims court. Do not get engaged in any other correspondence with them, money back or court!

swinks

Knightstyle I'm not sure! I asked the guy in the apple shop to do this and he said there was no point because its a known fault that the Graphics card goes in this model (if it's the correct model) and therefore it wouldn't show up anything. Apple support also said the same. I don't have the facilities or connections to connect it to anything either I've just had to buy a basic laptop to get my work done on. I was thinking that's the case.. The company are arguing that the serial number has been removed because it's refurbished. But apple said the only serial number that should have been removed would be a HD if that was removed/replaced. That aside... a A1 refurbished item shouldn't have a third party bent stand! Unfortunately I was gullible and I thought it was part of the design because the screen is so large and heavy!!

Leo2020

swinks wrote: »

Knightstyle I'm not sure! I asked the guy in the apple shop to do this and he said there was no point because its a known fault that the Graphics card goes in this model (if it's the correct model) and therefore it wouldn't show up anything. Apple support also said the same. I don't have the facilities or connections to connect it to anything either I've just had to buy a basic laptop to get my work done on. I was thinking that's the case.. The company are arguing that the serial number has been removed because it's refurbished. But apple said the only serial number that should have been removed would be a HD if that was removed/replaced. That aside... a A1 refurbished item shouldn't have a third party bent stand! Unfortunately I was gullible and I thought it was part of the design because the screen is so large and heavy!!

So they have confirmed it is not the screen at fault but in fact the graphics card? Also many computers have onboard graphics - this means that the graphic card is built into the motherboard (although Apple refer to this as the logic board). If so the motherboard would need to be replaced. Have Apple confirmed what part/parts need replacing? Or because of the lack of serial number have they not even inspected it?

A motherboard failing within 12 months of purchase is poor.

swinks

Because of lack of serial number they can't investigate any further.. but if it's the model the company say- there is a well known fault with the graphics card and my mac shows the same 'symptoms'

tomtontom

Can your friend who works for HMRC connect it to another display for you? You don't know what the problem is so this should be your next check.

How did you pay for the item?

What you need to do before going any further is stop being so emotive. When you start suggesting that this nearly killed you people stop taking you seriously. Stick to the facts - nothing else is relevant.

swinks

I'm merely stating why someone else is also involved.

He just uses a laptop too. Getting it from a to b is extremely hard, but I don't know anyone that has a pc monitor and or adaptors.

tomtontom

swinks wrote: »

I'm merely stating why someone else is also involved.

He just uses a laptop too. Getting it from a to b is extremely hard, but I don't know anyone that has a pc monitor and or adaptors.

Use the laptop as the second monitor ...