Re: Warrant on custom built computers

sPoNiX wrote: 
On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 22:42:32 +0000, =?UTF-8?B?UGFsaW5kcuKYu21l?=
<sb382638@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:



If the warranty is in addition to your legal rights (Sale of Goods Act), then they can make that additional warranty conditional on not opening the case. 


Yes


The shop cannot remove your statutory rights, nor can they remove the manufacturers' warranties. You can negate those yourself by misusing the components (eg open up a hard disk drive).

If you break the seals of the case, then you fall back on SOGA, in the event of a fault developing. 


However, under the SOGA the onus is on the customer to prove the fault
was due to a manufacturing problem or faulty components.

The fact that the seal was broken adds weight to the defence of the
manufacturer who could claim the machine was damaged by the customer.

If the seals are intact it makes the manufacturers claim that the
machine was damaged less likely.

Check out rswww.com to see if any of their seals match those on your
box..if they do you can always reseal it..


They put the seals there so that a non-skilled user not following anti-static precautions,


Very few manufacturers fit "anti static" warning labels, despite them
being available for a few pence. 

You *could* argue that the lack of these stickers means the
manufacturer isn't concerned about static and can't use static damage
by the customer as a defence?


For the box assembler to obtain evidence that static did the damage would be disproportionately expensive and I can't see it happening. At best, all he might be able to produce is a witnessed admission by the user that anti-static precautions were not taken.

Actually, users seem quite capable of blowing up computers without opening the case - rapid and repeated cycling of the power switch, using a gender changer on a parallel/serial port and connecting it to a serial/parallel device, installing it in an unventilated cupboard, pouring coffee into it (at least provable as to fault), dropping it (often ditto), etc.

Those that make up and sell computers to individuals have my sympathy. I can understand them password protecting the BIOS and putting on seals. Taking a copy of the BIOS, before handing it over, so that it can be written back to the original or to a blank chip is another little precaution.

Then, of course, because they can fix the problem in an hour that would take someone less experienced days, customers complain at the hourly rate..

Still, they can always point moaning customers at PCWorld - where they will get the technical support they deserve..

--
Sue













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