Anyone with experience of Techtronics out of warranty repair?

Just over a year ago, on my recommendation, my father in law bought a Samsung VCR-DVD combo from Techtronics. It had the multimod upgrade installed at purchase time.

He has just bought his first region 1 DVD (and only his third DVD!), and we have found that it does not play. Checking a couple of my R1 discs, they don't play either. Contacting Techtronics, they say that it is out of warranty, but send it back to them for them to 'check out'.

Reading previous threads, this does not sound good to me. Apart from other peoples poor experiences, it also sounds like writing Techtronics a blank cheque. Especially as there is no proof that the multimod was installed and/or working at the time of delivery.

Under UK law, it is my understanding that, providing it would be reasonable to expect an item to last that long, and omittting ware and tear, a compensation claim can be made against the supplier for up to 6 years from time of purchase. As the DVD player is little over a year old, has been used to play DVD's probably 3 or 4 times, ware and tear does not come into it IMO. Everything else, apart from the non functional Techtronics supplied and fitted multimod upgrade, works fine.

Does anyone have any experience of the 6 year rule, or Techtronics costs for out of warranty repairs?

Thanks

Ian

[bossc@]

Your post doesn't say if it still plays R2 discs at all. Have you tried one?

If not, try one. If it plays is it possible that the player was never multi region and thats why its sticking on R1.

Oops, just reread you post and you say that everything else works fine. I suppose that its possible that it was never modded in the first place. You say that Techtronics do say that you can send it back to them to check so whats the problem. Send it back, wait for their response and then take it up with them. The player obviously works on R2, If they've made a mistake and not modded it then ask them to.

I would simply do ask they ask and let them check it before getting all worked up about UK law etc. After all what chance have they got without being able to see it. Give them a chance at least.

The problem is that, simply asking Techtronics to check the unit, they are going to charge 2 * £11.75 collect and deliver, plus, from what others have said, the grief of Techtronics trying to coordinate this. And thats before any cost of repair. Its a £10 CD. It would be cheaper to buy the UK version than f@rting around with Techtronics effecting an overpriced repair. But if their prices are fair, then it would be worth the hassle. Which is why I post the question, because Techtronics themselves, seem incapable of answering a few simple questions, which really does not bode well in the first place.

Techtronics have got back with answers to my final questions - looks like the delay was because another department became involved. Looks like the delivery/collection (£23.50) is payable no matter what. If their multimod is at fault, it will be fixed, otherwise player charges will result in out of warranty charge's. Seems fair to me. Hopefully collection/delivery will not be the problem that others have suffered.

[vizslaraner]

Good Luck!

[bossc@]

Sorry wasn't trying to have a go.

Surely, this case is a bit of a dark area. As the DVD player is not multi region to start with then any modification would invalidate any manufacturers warranty in the first place. Unless Techtronics offer a warranty on machines they have invalidated the manufacturers warranty on. Do you get something separately?

If the machine was never modded in the first place and I think certainly sounds like it from what you have said(which is the difficult thing to prove) then I would have thought you might have a valid argument with Techtronics to recover the cost of any postage. After all they never originally supplied a machine fit for the purpose for which it was described.