Dixons / Curry's laptop insurance - Returning laptop unfixed!

[John D]

Hey,
I have had my laptop collected twice now for the same problem and just
got it back yesterday, yet the problem still hasn't been fixed.

The problem is when the laptop is moved at all it instantly restarts
and all data is lost, this isn't just when picking up the laptop, it
happens if anyone touches the left corner at all.

I said exactly what the problem was on the phone, the motherboard is
cracked or has a loose connection between the motherboard and hardware but nothing was even touched on the
motherboard at all, meaning I will have to send it away for a third
time.

Both times it has been collected the hard disk has just been taken out
and replaced with a new one, meaning all data is lost, no attempt is
made to fix the hard disk.

My last 2 hard disks have had major problems because the laptop is
restarting and corrupting the startup files as well as my work files
and the same thing is going to happen this time so I can't do any work
on it.

This has caused a lot of problems with my work because all work is
done on my laptop.

Both times I have had to get the hard disks fixed at my own cost to get my data.

Each time I send it away I am missing a paid day off work waiting for
it to get collected as well as a day off when it is being sent back.

The two times it has already been collected it was late being
collected both times and I didn't even get any notification, I had to
phone up at 5pm each time and was told the collection wont be made
today, meaning I had to take another day off work each time, meaning I had 6 paid days off work in total plus another 2 at least for it to get collected for the third time!

What should I do about this?
There must be something...
Thanks very much

[labrat]

couple of quick questions

what make of laptop is it? (this is a semi-known issue with some advents/fujitsu siemens and some phillips if they have an S shaped removable panel on the underside)

does it come back with a green "job report card" should have a engineer number printed on it does it begin with a R or a W/T (personal curiosity based on trying to work out which workshop it went to i know some workshops are better than others)

did you send a note to the workshop explaining what the issue was with the unit or did you rely on the call center sending there notes through?

all questions aimed at technical side of things rather than rights side, someone will be along with those details soon im sure. im not the best of that side of things

other thing how old is the laptop?

[John D]

Hey,

It is an advent, I was reading up about it a lot and saw a lot of other people have the same problem on advents.

I have a blue service report, the engineer starts with T.

I talked to the call centre and phoned them up just to make sure they knew exactly what had to be fixed and told them it was already sent back and the problem wasn't fixed, just a replaced hard disk.

The laptop was bought in Nov 06, so 1 year 7 months old.

Thanks very much

[labrat]

hmm has it got a Large Zig zag panel on the underside if so it might be one of the issues im talking about. its a screw comes loose from a small metal link board on the mbd. will cause random power offs when moved, messed up graphics, freezing, etc....

T engineers are the newer of the workshop engineers, the problem is that the call center will probably have put the symptoms (should be on the job card) as "randomly powers off". which is hardly discriptive of the issue....

consumer rights point of view no ideas im afraid you need someone else here for that.

if you did decide to send it away again i would put a personal note in the computer explaining what issues you may have had, what you feel the problems to be and explain that it has had the hard drive changed/wiped (sorry not quite clear myself) twice with no result, explain you would like it stress testing, lifint on off the desk, moved around etc....

not sure what else to suggest im afraid sorry

[John D]

Thanks very much for the help

I was planning on putting a note in last time but forgot to do it!

Do you know where the screw is so I can check it and tighten it if needed?
Sorry, I have a lot of work up right now so cant turn over the laptop to have a look and see what its like at the bottom, sorry!

Thanks again

[labrat]

it wont need tightening it will need remoing cmpletely

the problem is theres no set way to find it and if its been loose too long it can mean a mbd replacement..... thing is it just rattles round loose in there. cant always hear it tho cos it likes clinging to chips and things plus theres a cover over the modem chips on the board that holds it....

[sayeds33]

the tech guys are absolute sh1t, i've posted a thread on my experiences, and need help on getting a new laptop. My laptop has been playing up since january 08, and currys have been effing me around for months on end and now, i've simply had enough i wont take anymore of there crap, i just want a new laptop.

[BankFodder]

Follow these instructions:-
My Acer experience - help please!

[John D]

Hey,

Just got this reply:

Thank you for your email dated 19th June 2008.

I was concerned to learn that you are dissatisfied with you recent repair on your notebook. With regards to repairing a hard drive that is difficult if the data is damaged in any way, as such the hard drive will be replaced. In regards to getting your data back, data and files are the customers responsibility and would not be covered under warranty or by the repair.

You can have the notebook collected from you local store and returned if it is not convenient for you to wait for collection and return.

I thank you for taking the time to write to us. Whilst it is always disappointing to hear from a dissatisfied customer, it is only by receiving correspondence such as yours that we can effectively address ourselves to customer care issues and improve our level of service.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Wright
The Tech Guys

So it doesn't matter that it was sent back and not fixed twice already? It wasn't even addressed in the reply..

I was going to send them another email today because it was 11 days ago when I sent the email - The reply says all emails will be replied to within 24 hours and try to be resolved within 5 days

So I'm just meant to send it back and hope it gets fixed this time

[questioning]

Hi,
I had big prob's with a PC from curry's, tech guys are useless, after a lot of hassle, calls, parts replaced I had definitely had enough, long story but I looked up the sale of goods act thanks to this site and I phoned them yet again. I quoted a few bits from the S.O.G.A said that this PC was not fit for purpose and they gave in and said if I took it back to my local Curry's I could have a replacement, I didn't want the same make & model again so i refused that so they said take your pick. I told them that my local curry's didn't have any thing I wanted so they said OK look in PC world if you find some thing you can have that.
Thats what i did.
I'm sure it was when they realised I knew my rights that was what made them cave in. If they hadn't I'm sure there intention was to keep fobbing me off until the first years warranty was up & then they could wash there hands of the whole concern.
You have given them ample chance to fix it and they have failed. I think you should politely demand a new laptop.
Good luck,

[John D]

Hey,

Sorry for the late reply, I just saw your reply!

Would this count though if it could be because of accidental damage?

The laptop was dropped and screen broken, that was fixed but I have only had this problem since I got it back.

Thats great advise questioning, its the type of experiences that really help

Also, I am paying monthly for insurance, so its not just the warranty I have.

[questioning]

Hi,
I just read your pm,
First question, Have you been in touch with your local trading standards officer?
I have never taken out the insurances so i don't know any thing about them.
This is how you got it fixed after dropping I suppose.
Have they said they actually know what is wrong with it?

I'm afraid your case is quite different to mine as my pc was sh.. from the beginning, I got mucked about loads, eg. engineer is comming out on xxxxxx and i WAITED AND NO ENGINEER WOULD TURN UP.
As my pc had been non funcional (most of the time) since purchase I demanded money back. They do not give money back I was told, only vouchers.
I got quite a helpful person at trading standards who said you must give them a chance to fix it, if the outcome is that they cannot fix it then they should offer replacement.
Now the thing that was wrong with mine gave the same symptoms all the time. they kept replacing parts but admitted that they didn't know what was wrong with it.
This is what also helped me get a new one I think.
I would suggest that you phone your trading standards officer and see what they say.
I was considering court action but declined as I think they often only take it as a threat and I was not really willing to follow it through at that point.
I was perssistant with my complaints and I think that helped as well.
Sorry I cannot offer any more help.
I'll keep watching this thread to see what happens.
Another thing that I was going to do if they hadn't of sorted things was to go to the store and demand refund/replacement, I was thinking they might not want someone in there store politly telling them that there product was a load of junk and had been since the day of purchase. I didn't have to do this obviously but that was going to be my next course of action.
Good luck.