360 Issues Thread 15/5/10 with new poll

[egparadigm]

I don't particularly agree with your assessment that a new one would be a better investment. I've had 5 consoles and the last two, both refurbs, have lasted longer than the first three – all replaced by the shop. And there are already reports of failures after the new design.

My last refurb lasted something like 2 and a half years.

[Decider-VT]

Just out of interest, which models were your first three? I stayed away from the 360 until the Elite was released due to hardware problems. The console that has just died was a Falcon model, I'd hoped that it'd last a bit longer. Whatever happens, I'd prefer to stay away from an S model for now as I still have memory cards and HDDs I'd like to use.

It only takes a few days to get repaired. If it's a noisy disc eater, then get a new one.

Really? Microsoft's website says that it'll take 2-3 weeks. Is that just a very conservative estimate?

[randombs]

The repair/replacement speed depends on the demand at the time. I've seen 360s taking upwards of two months to be repaired/replaced, but when I did mine the replacement arrived the same week.

[egparadigm]

Just out of interest, which models were your first three?

I'm not entirely sure, but they were all pre-HDMI.

[Decider-VT]

Did MS refurb your existing console or give you a different one? There was something in their TOS that said a refurb might be in poor cosmetic condition.

Think I'll get a box at the weekend and arrange a repair with MS, although I've been reading around and I wasn't aware that the Sale of Goods Act covered things like consoles for up to six years. Doubt that'd go down well at work, though.

Thanks for the replies. I'm probably worrying about it too much as I took a while picking the console in the first place.

[charlesr]

MS give me back my existing one. I know this because it was a US machine

When it came back it had louder fans though, but a quieter DVD drive.
I took it apart and put quieter fans in and did the heat channel enhancements, so the air coming out the back is really hot now - i.e. cooling is working better.

[Decider-VT]

Ha, didn't they notice it was a US machine? I would've thought that they would test it with a game or something.

Those heat enhancements sound good. Are you using the Talismoon Whisper fans?

[randombs]

MS have been known to honour US console warranties in some cases. I think I read about Charles' example on here before, or maybe it was another member.

[Spatial]

They did it with me when my first ever (US) one went tits up.

[Spatial]

My saga with Gamestation continues over my broken Xbox. Seems the statutory laws of this land mean nothing to them and they also feel they can ignore people's complaints and hope they'll go away.

Pretty pathetic that a company which spends vast sums of money trying to entice people in through their doors, can't even get basic customer service right.

Time to escalate this to the next level....

[Decider-VT]

Didn't they respond to your letter?

[Spatial]

Nope, they didn't even have the courtesy to do that.

[Spatial]

Yeah, so this is still going on

Seems the Game Group don't even want to reply to a letter from Trading Standards asking them to sort it out

It's almost like they want me to take them to the small claims court rather than just putting things right. What a pretty pathetic way to run a rail road. All I want is what I paid for - a 360 that doesn't do an amazing impression of Norman Collier.

[randombs]

Do it.

I assumed you're meant to warranty consoles directly with MS if they are over 30 days old, based on MS saying to take the console back to the store it was bought from if a fault develops within 30 days.

Do you still have the 360 S or have you sent it to MS in the meantime anyway? I suppose if the console in question has since been repaired it will make them even less interested, but I'm surprised. Maybe they're just assuming you'll back down after a few weeks of having no 360 and wanting to play games on it?

[Spatial]

Dunno what they're thinking but I'm pretty sure the tactic is `don't reply and hope he goes away`.

I still have the 360 here and haven't done anything about getting it repaired other than trying to tackle Lamestation about their statutory duties to the consumer.

The 30 day thing was what they tried to throw at me, but consumer law is quite clear that the contract is with the retailer and not MS, therefore it's the retailers duty to put it right (and especially this soon after purchase).

If they want to me to push them on it I really, really will. Even if it becomes just a matter of principal. It's a shame that the law doesn't allow for compensation for behaviour like this - the amount of time I've wasted because of them is ridiculous, all for something that could have been sorted in 24 hours.

For now the helpful lady at Trading Standard is escalating it to dealing with the home authority in which Game Group are based. She isn't best pleased at being ignored either, so maybe some input from their local enforcement officers might ` focus their minds` a little bit.

Then again the way they've acted so far, I'm more likely to win the lottery.