Guarantee Rip Off

[Alexam]

Went to enquire about a new TV at PC Worldand in the discussion about the 5 year guarantee offerd, the salesman explained that if the set went wrong, any callout would cost £90.

I thought a guarantee was a guarantee, not a means of screwing the customer if equipment went wrong. As it's years since I bought a TV, has the system changed? Is this now the norm?

Alex

 

[Lons]

Avoid them like the plague and go somewhere like John Lewis who offer a cast iron 5 year warranty included in the price.

 

[petermillard]

Went to enquire about a new TV at PC Worldand in the discussion about the 5 year guarantee offerd, the salesman explained that if the set went wrong, any callout would cost £90...

That's not what they say on their website

"When you buy your new television your manufacturer’s product guarantee will provide cover for mechanical breakdown. Our Care Plan is designed to provide a more comprehensive after-care service, made to give you the assurance that the product you’ve just bought will be protected from now on.

With a Care Plan you’ll benefit from a 14 day repair promise, unlimited repairs and you’ll never pay a penny more - all parts, labour and call out charges are included. You have the option to pay once for 3 or 5 years protection or you can choose to pay as you go."

+1 for John Lewis though, also Richer Sounds

HTH

 

[artie]

I haven't got around to it yet, but it might be worth checking the sale of goods act, as I have been told it offers very good protections up to 6 yrs after purchase, regardless of guarantee.

 

[Monkey Mark]

A lot of places are pushing the guarantees even though the unitis come with manufacturer guarantee anyway. It's worth checking what the manufacturer offer before agreeing to any 3rd part warranty.

On the likes of TV's, the prices are coming down so low, I don't bother with any extended warrantee. I'd like them to last a long time, but if it doesn't id just buy another. I used to work in electrical sales when plasma was new. A 28" plasma could be £3000. At the weekend I saw a 55" LED for £449.

Just avoid anything 3D as they are on their way out and sky have already started pulling the 3D channels.

 

[AJB Temple]

Extended product guarantees are a sales scam and should be avoided. Consumers are amply protected from product defects. Consumer rights act has reinforced protections already embodied in sale of goods act. There is a lot of information on-line about this, including the Which web site.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Went to enquire about a new TV at PC Worldand in the discussion about the 5 year guarantee offerd, the salesman explained that if the set went wrong, any callout would cost £90.

I thought a guarantee was a guarantee, not a means of screwing the customer if equipment went wrong. As it's years since I bought a TV, has the system changed? Is this now the norm?

It could be that the guarantee is a return-to-base type, and the callout is if you want an additional on-site service?

 

[NickWelford]

Hotpoint have the usual 12 month comprehensive warranty, then a 10 yer 'parts guarantee'. However, parts are only free if fitted by a Hotpoint engineer at a call out of, I think, £112. Needless to say you can buy a policy to cover this for about £120 a year???
Of course, John Lewis gives a comprehensive 2 year warranty. Get my TV there too.

 

[Stu_2]

Another vote for John Lewis and Richer Sounds. I've seen both handle warranty issues very well indeed. Costco are pretty good, but I now stick to the first two.

 

[themackay]

Sales people must be encouraged to push warrantys/insurance just took out a new phone contract with Tesco the girl tried to sell me insurance at least 3 times most items of value are covered under the sale of goods act for 5-6 years warranty is waste of money.

 

[AndyT]

What sales people like to call an "extended guarantee" is generally an insurance policy.

Insurance companies succeed by taking in as much as they can as premiums and paying out as little as possible to settle claims.

If you buy one of these policies you will also get the extra risk that the insurance company will go bust, leaving you without any cover, unable ever to find out how worthless it was.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Sales people must be encouraged to push warrantys/insurance

They are indeed. The profit margins on TVs and similar are very, very thin indeed, so the warranties are (depending on how cynical you are about it) either their way of gouging as much from you as possible, or their attempt to stay in business in the face of customers who will quite often opt for lowest price as the only purchasing criterion.

 

[artie]

My son was a car salesman for a few years for Arnold Clark, a big name in GB circles.

He told me there was more commission on the mudflaps, mats, sunroof etc. + extended warranty

 

[RogerS]

Extended product guarantees are a sales scam and should be avoided. Consumers are amply protected from product defects. Consumer rights act has reinforced protections already embodied in sale of goods act. There is a lot of information on-line about this, including the Which web site.

The only thing I would buy an extended warranty for would be a combination microwave oven as the reliability - across all makes - for recent models is abysmal.

 

[Fatboy]

SWMBO ordered a new LG washing machine from Currys/PC World and paid an extra £290 for extending their 2 yr warranty up to 5 years. That afternoon we stopped an John Lewis and saw they had the same machine at around the same price; the guy offered to price match. When we asked him if he would price match the warranty and told him what Currys had offered he went quiet and went over to his desk. He then pulled out the LG warranty and showed us - all LG products came with a manufacturers 5yr parts and labour warranty included foc.

I wasn't especially polite when I went back into currys that afternoon to get the refund and haven't been back since.

 

[AndyT]

If only John Lewis did a wider range of woodworking tools...!

 

[MIGNAL]

I haven't bought one single extended guarantee, ever. That includes TV's, microwaves, washing machine, cookers, CH boilers, computers . . . the list is endless. I can't ever recall anything breaking down in the first 5 years, although one washing machine was only just outside of that 5 years and two items broke within the manufacturers guarantee.
I've probably saved a whole lot on insurance premiums. Probably 4 figures easily.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Dixons/Currys some years ago made something like 83% of the years profits from selling guarantees.

 

[woodpig]

I bought a TV recently from Richer Sounds and got a six year warranty.

 

[DiscoStu]

John Lewis - End of.

5 year guarantee - no messing about and they'll even load you a to whilst yours is being fixed.


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