DVD RW Problem.

FallingDownMan

Oh, I agree. I'd be p****d off myself and - knowing the experiences some customers had while I worked there - would avoid buying from them given the choice. However, the same would be true of any major vendor - including the online ones - if I only went by the bad press I'd heard.

Tom seemed to jump at the bad advice given by the person above - even though it clearly is that: bad advice.

And it isn't a case of 'time and time again'. It appears to be only the second time and is simply a case of a blown DVD unit. That's a very discrete fault, quite common in laptops, and very easy to get fixed.

If PC World had refused to do anything at all then it would be more realistic, but not while they're trying to sort it.

Don't forget that after 11 months this is really Toshiba's fault, and not PC World's. PC World have no obligation to replace this machine except under terms of the warranty. They do have an obligation to try and fix the problem, though.

You can't own something for a year and then decide you don't want it. To stand a chance of getting it replaced it would need a much worse history than it already has - which is why playing the game PC World's way is so important.

Get it fixed. Keep getting it fixed. Report faults immediately. Keep reporting them.

In the end they have nothing else to beat you with.

ABH_3

FallingDownMan wrote: »

Oh, I agree. I'd be p****d off myself and - knowing the experiences some customers had while I worked there - would avoid buying from them given the choice. However, the same would be true of any major vendor - including the online ones - if I only went by the bad press I'd heard.

Tom seemed to jump at the bad advice given by the person above - even though it clearly is that: bad advice.

And it isn't a case of 'time and time again'. It appears to be only the second time and is simply a case of a blown DVD unit. That's a very discrete fault, quite common in laptops, and very easy to get fixed.

If PC World had refused to do anything at all then it would be more realistic, but not while they're trying to sort it.

Don't forget that after 11 months this is really Toshiba's fault, and not PC World's. PC World have no obligation to replace this machine except under terms of the warranty. They do have an obligation to try and fix the problem, though.

You can't own something for a year and then decide you don't want it. To stand a chance of getting it replaced it would need a much worse history than it already has - which is why playing the game PC World's way is so important.

Get it fixed. Keep getting it fixed. Report faults immediately. Keep reporting them.

In the end they have nothing else to beat you with.

From what I read of the OP's post, it seems PCWorld have listened for as long as they are prepared to listen and now will do like they normally do. Stop listening. As far as they're concerned it's a done deal, time to move onto the next sale.

You really think PCWorld are going to keep repairing this faulty machine in say a years time? Be serious!

Laptops are like most things, you treat them well they'll keep going on for years. As the vendor PCWorld is the place that needs to deal with Toshiba, not the OP. It's not his job to find a non defective machine, it's PCWorlds job indeed obligation to supply him one.

You sound like you've got shares in the company and this one situation is going to be to your personal detriment. The OP has been reasonable and accepted a 'repair' and the same again when something else became apparant, the fact that he's having to send it back again sugests there is something inherently faulty with the system. So what is he to do, sit there and admire his relatively new £500 doorstop and put up with this defective equipment or seek satsifaction using other means.

There is legislation in place to protect the consumer, why shouldn't the OP use it? At no point in the above has the OP inferred he's 'changed his mind' as you keep implying, but the laptop has a record of going wrong, this again sugests an inherent fault. Perhaps you should try re-reading the above posts and addressing your own thoughts on the subject before criticising others.

And whilst my afforementioned advice may seem too confrontational to you. It's advice offered by a number of reputable organisations, perhaps you ought take the time to go read the links I provided and brush up on your consumer law. Then you can speak with some authority, furthermore the advice is there to get the OP off of the merry-go-round of continual dissapointments in his purchase and instead to get him a working and useable laptop. Not one that's going to keep going in for repair untill the retailer 'probably' gets bored of seeing it and chooses to reimburse him. The longer he leaves the issue, the more doubt the retailer can cast on the laptop having an inherent fault, as they will sugest if this goes to court that it was perfectly usable for the x amount of months that the OP owned and presumably used the machine, so why now is it an issue. Meanwhile the OP sees his £500 laptop depreciate in value and will risk receiving a reduced amount in recompense, brought about by this doubt. As you yourself imply, the OP needs to 'strike whilst the iron's hot' and seek some final agreeable settlement.

FallingDownMan

Your information may be advised in genuine circumstances, but I state one more time: PC World are wanting to fix this machine, which has broken a second time, and the OP won't let them.

Your sources probably also make mention of allowing the vendor reasonable opportunity to resolve it.

You've also immediately sided with the OP and - if you've ever worked in customer-facing positions - haven't allowed for the elaboration in description that can take place when they realte their experiences. This is particularly true when they are a) young and b) doing it on a web forum amongst people who want to show how clever and grown up they are.

Yes, your post WAS confrontational, and still is. So I will reply in kind as long as you are offering information of which you have heard but don't understand too well.

The OP does not yet have a case with only two breakdowns. It is likely his behaviour to PC World would be questioned if he went to court now, particularly as we only have his side of the story. And he won't have a case at all if he doesn't play the game under PC World's terms and conditions. Instead of trying to suggest I am defending them, try and read into the meaning in that statement, eh?

Play them at their game, then you will win if you have a genuine complaint - but two faults inside 12 months of this kind is not a genuine complaint.

Oh. And call the tech support peopl instead of taking it into the store. It isn't the store who is responsible and any repair would have to go through the tech people anyway. This is from someone whoi knows the facts and doesn't just repeat things he's heard.

tomsolomon

Could I just say for the record, that in no way have I been confrontational towards PC World in any way. Furthermore I have stuck to the rules quoting PC World Repair policy and SaSoGA every time I have been in contact with them, and following correct complaints proceedings, apart from going into the store alone which I know could have compromised my position in any court case against PC World. The fact of the matter is that when I bought the machine I was ever so slightly green when it comes to my customer rights. Needless to say I have grown a little since.
PC world are quite clearly in this case in breach of both there own repair policy and SaSoGA. I have done my homework, and the small claims court papers arrived on my doorstep this morning. I have every intention in claiming recompense for the bad manner in which PC World have handled this matter, and have also contacted BBC Watchdog.
I would appreciate if people would not grill each other regarding this dispute, I had no intention of causing grief on the forum. If i knew this discusion was going to cause so much friction I would not have posted it.
Obviously there is a lot of contempt for PC World.

tomsolomon

Just one more thing.
As for the wireless fault, it was a software issue which has now been corrected by Toshiba with an update. So yes indeed there was a fault with the machine when I bought it, albeit a software fault.
But still a fault that was obviously a known issue (perhapse not by PC World) but by Toshiba. This in itself is justification enough to persue a court case.

FallingDownMan

Tom, I'm not saying you have. All I'm saying is that you are upset and haven't really got a case of the magnitude you are being advised of by the other poster.

His advice is based on the sole premise that PC World need teaching a lesson, when in fact all you have is a machine which has developed the same fault twice inside 12 months and simply needs fixing.

I hope now that you have had it fixed you can see that the advice given above was totally unreasonable without further fact-finding. It was that I was referring to and not your attitude.

Yes, there is contempt for PC World and that's why the other poster was giving you bad information. I don't honestly think you have a case as far as the machine is concerned. If PC World behaved badly, however, then that may be a different matter - but it won't be a replacement machine which is the prize. Just compensation for the hassle.

Just remember that your stautory rights make it clear that your agrement with PC World is that after 28 days you need to contact their tech support people who are deicated to fixing broken machine. You would not be fobbed off if you report a genuine fault to them, but the store is a different matter. PC World (the store) are not responsible for the machine after that time and any advice they give is based on what the person you speak to is aware of. That may well be absolutely nothing!

tomsolomon

I think I would have been more than willing to accept the repair if the manager had'nt have been obstreperous. He's just given me enough ammunition to make things personal.
Bad I know on my behalf, I realy should'nt let something so trivial get to me.

tomsolomon

Ok a quick update on the laptop..
Since my last post Ive given up on PC World, I sent the laptop to Toshiba instead. They identified the fault with the DVD drive and repaired it, this isnt the end of it however.
Since getting the laptop back I was still getting problems, for two days It kept hanging, and on the third day it died completely.
I sent it back to Toshiba and guess wot? The mainboard was fried again.
That two main boards inside six months :eek: ...

PC World are now offering me £340 in vouchers because of depreciation.
OMG the dam thing has been knackered from the day I bought it, I've lost count of the amount of times they have had it in for repair, and now they wanna offer me £50 less than the machine was worth, in bloody vouchers.:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Any advice at this time other than court action would be most helpful..

bookduck

Tomsolomon, the simple answer: quickly just contact you trading standards and see where you sit