500 pound acer laptop - Dead

Lostboy02

Hi Guys,

Im just after a little advice and hope this is the right section, i bought an acer laptop back in late december 2006 and its dead now. It starts up but no response from the screen what so ever.
Obviously now its out of its warranty, im just wondering whether its worth me contacting Comet or Acer about a repair..... I dont really want to have to pay for it because it was alot of money for me and ive not even had it 18 months.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks all - J

chunter

it may be just a backlight or an inverter that's gone.
I would take to a pc shop and get them to price the repairs before actually getting it fixed.
NOT the techguys..

If it has a VGA out on it, plug it into a pc monitor and see what's coming up on the screen.

jje_2

Or and contact your local trading standards and ask them do they think the problem comes under UK Consumer law . If the problem was an original manufacturing defect then it does . If a reasonable lifespan for the broken component is 5 years again it comes under the relevant laws .

jje

nickj_2

i sent my daughter's laptop back to acer's repair dept in plymouth
it was returned fixed after less than a week

Lostboy02

Still within warranty though i assume nick?

BillScarab

I would have thought they ought to fix it free of charge as it shouldn't break down in 18 months. Certainly worth talking to Comet/Acer about it and seeing what they say.

Although the warranty may have expired UK law covers you if something breaks within an unreasonably short time.

I'm sure someone with more knoweldge will be along in a bit.

albertross_2

Try it with the battery out.

It's not Acer's problem, but I'd contact them and say you expected it to last longer, can you help me.. if they say no, write to Comet with the letter in this post, and wait.. they should fix it for you, 15months is not a reasonable time for a laptop to last, and you have law on your side. Many people have had similar problems and got it fixed.

Comet stores often aren't interested outside the warranty period, but after you write to HO, things tend to move.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=8815809&postcount=16

gooner045

Loads of advice here and template letters. Its down to you to prove its a manufacturing fault. Your contract is with comet not acer. Comet are notoriously bad at sticking to the sale of goods act. Stick by your guns if you can get an accredited technician to say it's an inherent fault, and his costs should be refunded by comet as well. Good luck
http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/
I just had a new washing machine delivered today by argos after a machine they sold me broke down 3 months out of warranty, so stick with it.

Lostboy02

Thanks all. Ill get started on chasing them now :P

Win2Kuser

I've had a lot of problem with Acer. The cooling fan packed up on mine 1 week before the warranty ran out, so I contacted Acer through their european warranty support thing and was told that by the time they recieved it, the warranty would be out and they were unable to help!

After several choice words (I won't repeat in a family forum), and several quotes I got from trading standards website, they agreed to fix it (and rightly so). Here I am 7/8 months later, and the cooling fan is going again, darn thing keeps overheating and cutting out. I'm sure the cooling is not up to scratch, it draws in cool air from underneith the laptop, but it sits only a few mm from the desk surface, so it can't get a lot of air.

It will be the last Acer product I have in my house!


I didn't know about the reasonable time law, I'll have to look into that...