Worth Taking Laptop Manufacturer to NCAT for ACL?

LCosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 15:12
Last edited 02/09/2024 - 17:12 by 1 other user

I have a gaming laptop that I spent $2.6k on three years ago that turned itself into a brick recently.

I have tried contacting the manufacturer, who said it would require a motherboard replacement, and that I would have to pay almost $2k for it. Mentioned ACL, said they'd waive labour and shipping costs, but I still had to pay for parts.

Made a complaint with NSW Fair Trading, manufacturer straight up lied to the representative saying that there was nothing wrong with my laptop, and the representative closed the case. I tried to get the laptop repaired by a 3rd party repair shop, but they said CPU was likely dead due to a design defect in the motherboard, and that it wasn't something they could fix.

Is it worth going to NCAT to try and get a free repair? Or should I give up?

Poll Options

  • 211
    NCAT
  • 38
    Cop the loss
Computing Computer Laptop Lenovo

Comments

  • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 15:54

    I should mention that I asked this question on reddit and got flamed, so I'm surprised to see that there is some support for the NCAT option. My only concern with going this route is if it does end in a hearing, and I lose, I was thinking I could be responsible for the manufacturer's legal fees, etc…?

    • happydude on 31/08/2024 - 16:22
      +4

      Rare for a costs order at this level. See https://ncat.nsw.gov.au/documents/guidelines/ccd_guideline_c…

      • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 16:30

        Ah, thanks for that resource, super helpful to see the specific rules.

        The relative strength of a party’s case or whether the case was hopeless

        Question is whether trying to claim ACL expected quality and reliability on a 3 year old laptop be considered hopeless…

        • 852 Neon Nights on 01/09/2024 - 12:37
          +8

          It depends on how you run your case. You should always have relevant authorities to justify why you believe the lifespan exceeds 2 years.

          Based on the facts you've provided, your argument should focus on demonstrating that the depreciation tables provided by the ATO do not accurately reflect the actual lifespan of the product.

          As the applicant, it's crucial to prepare and structure your argument thoroughly before you begin. Since you're self-represented, the NCAT member might also show some leniency. Consider yourself fortunate that NCAT doesn't handle evidence and pleadings in the same way as the court system. In court, constantly amending your pleadings can lead to significant cost orders. Do not interpret NCAT's leniency as a green light to commence without having a proper argument.

          My opinion is, given planned obsolescence, it would be challenging to argue that a mobile device's lifespan exceeds 2 years. Relying on armchair estimates found on the internet is likely to result in losing the case and could be viewed by the member as pursuing a case with no reasonable prospects of success, potentially classifying it as futile.

          You might try arguing that refurbished products seemingly have a long lifespan and your product should last long as well, but that overlooks some basic statistical principles. I've noticed that many businesses are trying to save money by buying refurbished laptops, but there's always a risk that those devices might suddenly stop working. The average lifespan literally means the statistical average, you do not know how many laptops have been RMAed, failed or thrown away. The refurbished products have the lifespan they do because of all the other products that were lost along the way. If it were me, I would not run the case.

          • Cosmic6019 on 01/09/2024 - 13:38
            +6

            @852 Neon Nights: I appreciate this info.

            But I do have to mention:

            given planned obsolescence, it would be challenging to argue that a mobile device's lifespan exceeds 2 years

            It's crazy to me that planned obsolescence is stated as the status quo here, as if it isn't something intentionally created by manufacturers for products to be more likely to fail sooner.

          • lint on 02/09/2024 - 17:41
            +7

            @852 Neon Nights: | My opinion is, given planned obsolescence, it would be challenging to argue that a mobile device's lifespan exceeds 2 years.

            This is rubbish. The test is what a reasonable lifetime of a product is, taking into consideration the type of product and the price it was purchased for (compared to the average price of similar products).

            NCAT will likely take a favourable position that a laptop is expected to last 3-5 years (though you should argue five years). Nevertheless, you should still go to the hearing prepared with a justification why the ATO's depreciation schedule for laptops isn't a useful indicator of lifespan (easiest being that ATO's guide is for portable business use where the lifespan may be diminished, versus a gaming laptop that mostly stays on your desk).

            Your other justification would be that most laptops are in the $1,000 - $2,000 range so a $2,600 laptop would be a premium product that would therefore be expected to last much longer than a standard laptop

      • Hangryuman on 03/09/2024 - 18:14
        -2

        'Rare for a costs order at this level. See https://ncat.nsw.gov.au/documents/guidelines/ccd_guideline_c…

        I believe that refers to legal costs for preparing the case

        and not the cost of repair which would be what you would be seeking

        I don't see any problem seeking the full repair to be paid for

        problem may be a go-slow after order by the humiliated company - tho' a good order should state something like 'a fully working replacement to be provided by two weeks from the date of this order'

        in other words you are suing for performance - a working laptop - not so much a monetary penalty. 2B or not 2B - that is the question.

    • randomusername2017 on 31/08/2024 - 17:07
      -8

      asked this question on reddit and got flamed, did not get the answer I wanted

      • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 17:13
        +12

        Yes, but the people who responded were also not very nice :(

        • Murkymerv on 31/08/2024 - 19:54
          +3

          Sounds like this site 🥱

        • randomusername2017 on 02/09/2024 - 15:42

          The post you linked has some decent advice and not much flaming 🤔

    • HeWhoKnows on 01/09/2024 - 11:19
      +5

      More information on NCAT here:
      https://ncat.nsw.gov.au/case-types/consumers-and-businesses/…

      But after 3 years (36 months) its a tall ask.

      The laptop is well out of warranty and there are so many issues that can be attributed to "user error or misuse"

      The only favourable outcome OP might get is if the aupplier agreed to inspect the laptop and determine what may have caused the problem.
      But this does not necessarily result in automatic repair at the suppliers cost.

      The supplier has already offered a solution and this would be taken into account in any NCAT hearing.
      "said they'd waive labour and shipping costs, but I still had to pay for parts."
      That is not an unreasonable offer given the age of the laptop.
      And dont forget that the matter would be referred to "mediation" first.

      • Cosmic6019 on 01/09/2024 - 12:15
        +6

        Manufacturer warranty really isn't relevant to ACL expected quality and reliability.

        My current understanding is that for anything beyond the 2 year mark, I would have to argue for it, which I'm prepared to do.

        Is 3 years really a reasonable age for an expensive laptop to completely die?

        • ThithLord on 02/09/2024 - 08:28
          +4

          Is 3 years really a reasonable age for an expensive laptop to completely die?

          No effing way.

          Good luck, mate. That's absolutely horrendous.

          • Poor Ass on 02/09/2024 - 11:38
            +1

            @ThithLord: what if they were mining for bitcoin and had it on 24x7 for 3 years… I reckon it'll die

        • bluemyself on 02/09/2024 - 16:53
          +7

          I had a similar issue with Lenovo and a laptop regarding expectation on how long it should last. Long story short I jumped on chat with a sales rep and pretending to be a new customer just asked what the life expectancy is (I worded it less blunt than that). Then just used the chat against them with my warranty. I hate when this shit happens. Just ask them if they would buy a laptop if it had the possibility that it wouldn't last past 3 years.

          • deanylev on 02/09/2024 - 17:10

            @bluemyself: Clever, did that end up working?

            • bluemyself on 02/09/2024 - 18:04
              +1

              @deanylev: I can't say that it specifically did, just tried to build up as many arguments against their reasons for denying me. In the end I did get my issue solved.

          • lint on 02/09/2024 - 17:42
            +2

            @bluemyself: That's an excellent strategy lol

          • Chandler on 03/09/2024 - 11:44

            @bluemyself: Smart ham! (IMO) Getting a life expectancy from the OEM would be an Express Warranty under ACL.

            @Cosmic6019 I'd suggest doing this and using it as evidence for NCAT.

        • bcarp on 03/09/2024 - 16:52
          +1

          Is 3 years really a reasonable age for an expensive laptop to completely die?

          Um, that’s not expensive for a laptop. Come to the business and design world. My current laptop is $6000 & now at almost 5 years old. My previous was $8000 and fully refunded under ACL (warranty would only attempt yet another repair) at 12 months old.

          • BLB1984 on 03/09/2024 - 18:39

            @bcarp: Just because it’s not the most expensive laptop doesn’t mean it’s not expensive.

            That would be like saying an $80k car isn’t expensive because you can get $300k cars

            • 2025 on 03/09/2024 - 21:17

              @BLB1984: But if that 80k car was sold as supercar then for 80k it is cheap.

              Thats the essence of my perspective - if this was a $2.6k Chromebook or small tablet then yes, it was expensive, but it’s not, it’s a “gaming laptop”

    • ColtNoir on 01/09/2024 - 13:11
      +16

      I’d expect a $2.6k laptop to last a solid 5years+. My last Lenovo laptop that was $1500 lasted 8-9.

      The most you’ll be out of pocket if you went to tribunal is any fees related to the day/complaint itself. Most companies fold before you get there because they don’t want employees to spend days/weeks preparing and then having to fix it anyway.

      As long as you’re acting in good faith eg not hiding that you’ve purposely damaged it, then you’ll be fine.

      • James Tabby on 01/09/2024 - 13:15
        +3

        That is beyond the truth, especially for more modern gaming laptops…

      • TilacVIP on 02/09/2024 - 11:47

        I have a DELL Inspiron 17R I got back in 2010 and its still feels as good as it did when I first got it.

        Some will last, some won't.

        Gotta say, DELL do make some good Laptops

        • Forfiet on 04/09/2024 - 14:07

          mine developed a green line on the screen that I can ignore, but yeah my 17R SE is still kicking…

      • neonlight on 02/09/2024 - 20:10
        -2

        My Asus n61jq still working since 2010. Despite I changed to sdd and upgraded ram. Just can't upgrade to Windows 11

        14 years just the battery died works fine plugged in

        Would never touch a lenovo

        • ColtNoir on 03/09/2024 - 09:05

          14 years for a laptop is definitely an outlier.

          • neonlight on 03/09/2024 - 09:15

            @ColtNoir: The older laptops have better quality parts as we know. I don't expect my ROG Strix from 2018 will last as long.

            OP definitely should to fair trading or NCAT.

            I'm just saying Lenovo is no go and especially eBay you never really get warranty from sellet

            • ColtNoir on 03/09/2024 - 10:38

              @neonlight: My older laptops beg to differ.

              Agree on the eBay side but most of the Lenovo discount plus cashback are direct through them.

        • TilacVIP on 03/09/2024 - 13:28

          Ironically I have a Lenovo Ideapad 17 I purchased in July 2016, and other than the keyboard (some keys are not registering easily) the rest of the laptop has been rock solid.

          Maybe i got lucky

      • netbies on 03/09/2024 - 10:38

        I found lenovo laptop does not last as long as the others. A few of my lenovo laptops die after a year or two, and have to replace the motherboard. Others like, Dell, HP, Toshiba still works fine except some of them did develop some screen issues.

        • neonlight on 03/09/2024 - 11:25

          This I agree. They don't last. Even Dell is better

        • Forfiet on 04/09/2024 - 14:10

          my second hand lenovo is fine, but I think only the thinkpad line is the most reliable…. Other lenovos are meh.

        • ColtNoir on 04/09/2024 - 15:10

          By contrast both my Lenovo’s are running a dream. The yoga lasted 8 years and still runs but probably needs a new ssd and that’s it but I wanted a new one.

          All my HP laptops fried themselves to death thanks to their poor ventilation.

          Like with most things, it’s all about which model you buy rather than the brand itself.

  • boomramada on 31/08/2024 - 16:02

    free repair?

    What would be the cost of the parts, or is it free inc parts?

    Why ask us, it's your time and effect, if it's worth it, go for it.

    • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 16:08

      I was quoted just under $2k for parts (which is all I would have to pay). I know it's my time and effort but as I understand it there could be some financial liability involved if the case ends up getting to a hearing and I end up losing.

  • xuqi on 31/08/2024 - 16:03

    Who's the manufacturer and what's the model of your device?

    Did you perform any preventive maintenance on your laptop whilst in use? for e.g. remove dust from cooling fan/heatsink?

    • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 16:11
      +2

      It's a Lenovo Legion gaming laptop.

      Yes I have cleaned heatsinks maybe once a year. Have also replaced one of the fans in the past.

      • xuqi on 31/08/2024 - 16:14
        +3

        I wouldn't be spending ~$2K replacing the motherboard on an old system, given how much new systems are selling for:

        https://www.lenovo.com/au/en/d/gaming-laptops/?orgRef=https%…

        Try your best to have them cover it under ACL, and then consider buying / using something else.

        • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 16:15
          +7

          Oh yeah of course I will not be paying for the repair. They even told me to consider just buying a new device as a repair would not be worth it.

      • bobokingdom on 01/09/2024 - 08:32
        -2

        "I have cleaned heatsinks", this maybe the problem. They can denied all claims if the the process was not approved by the manufacturer. (did you use the correct thermal paste, fans and such.) Wrong thermal paste and fans may caused overheat and then damaged the processors. Also, plugging out fans, unscrewing parts may caused stressed on the motherboard and cause damages down the road.

        • lunchbox99 on 03/09/2024 - 08:05

          They probably just mean opening the case and blowing dust out, not actually unscrewing anything or reapplying thermal paste.

          • bobokingdom on 03/09/2024 - 13:33

            @lunchbox99: How about this "Have also replaced one of the fans in the past."?

            From all evidences presents here, here what we know:
            1) Lenovo won't provide the part for free (but free labour)
            2) Lenovo indicated the repair is NOT cover under ACL/Warranty (as they were contacted by Fair Trade and should be aware of ACL)
            3) Fair trade decided that there is no merit for the review
            4) User HAD attempted repair on the laptop (Fan Changed, Clean Internal Components)
            5) 3rd party repair shop REFUSED to provide a report, why?

            There are many indicators that the laptop was damaged by the user. I would have support the poster if he didn't attempted cleaning, changing components, involving 3rd party repair shop but go straight to Lenovo.

            • lunchbox99 on 03/09/2024 - 15:05
              +1

              @bobokingdom: What OP said is that fair trading closed the case because Lenovo claimed the product was not faulty.

              Now I agree it is odd that OP then took the device to a 3rd party repairer, but maybe they were seeking independent confirmation that the device was in fact faulty, since Lenovo had apparently denied this to fair trading.

              I can't see in the original post where they said the 3rd party repairer refused to provide a report, but the repairer might be reluctant to claim anything other than the fact that they can't repair it. They probably have zero interest in getting involved in pseudo legal wrangling with Lenovo over a statutory warranty claim with zero benefit to them.

              I think OP should just take them to NCAT, tell them the motherboard failed and argue the device should last longer due to its purchase price. Lenovo will then have to provide evidence that OP caused the failure. OP really has little to lose in doing this and if Lenovo has no evidence to the contrary, then good luck to them.

              • Cosmic6019 on 03/09/2024 - 22:36

                @lunchbox99:

                maybe they were seeking independent confirmation that the device was in fact faulty, since Lenovo had apparently denied this to fair trading.

                This was my last ditch effort to repair the device (after Reddit told me that I had no chance at NCAT), before I completely gave up.

                They probably have zero interest in getting involved in pseudo legal wrangling with Lenovo over a statutory warranty claim with zero benefit to them.

                I assumed something similar, I regret informing them that I was considering using that report at NCAT.

  • pharkurnell on 31/08/2024 - 16:05
    -7

    Member Since
    1 hour 8 min ago

    • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 16:14
      +4

      I'm sorry, does that have any bearing on the contents of my post?

      • randomusername2017 on 31/08/2024 - 16:29
        +1

        Look forward to your future contributions 🤔

        • smartazz104 on 02/09/2024 - 09:13
          -2

          There's already enough spam here.

  • 7ekn00 on 31/08/2024 - 16:37
    +4

    "Gaming Laptop" lol … Laptops overheat, have inferior components and will degrade quickly :/

    • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 16:39

      Needed a high performance laptop for travel reasons, didn't actually do too much gaming on it. Suffice it to say that after this experience I will not be buying gaming laptops again.

      • OhmSweetOhm on 31/08/2024 - 17:52
        +1

        There's nothing wrong with gaming laptops. But like normal laptops some are made well and others aren't.

        • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 18:01

          I agree, the main issue is the fact that CPU+GPU+MB are all together, so if one goes, you (usually) can't replace a single part.

          • OhmSweetOhm on 31/08/2024 - 18:50

            @Cosmic6019: In that case that's where eGPUs shine. You can still find gaming laptops without integrated setups, but an eGPU offers even more flexibility. Get a lightweight laptop with solid battery life and a strong CPU, then plug in your eGPU when you need extra power. You won’t need to upgrade your entire laptop every few years just to keep up with new games. Just something to think about if you can't get your laptop fixed.

        • Miami Mall Alien on 03/09/2024 - 12:09
          +1

          There is absolutely everything wrong with gaming laptops; their failure rates have always been atrocious and well above the norm for other categories of laptops, their warranty SLAs are an absolute joke relative to their purchase price (the majority have 1-year RTB warranties), their support channels (especially from exclusively gaming/consumer-grade OEMs like MSI, Gigabyte, Razer, etc) are horrendously bad and they almost always suffer from insane CPU & GPU throttling/insufficient cooling issues which only exacerbates their piss poor reliability and squanders any of the supposed performance gains they have over much cheaper laptops.

          Most people, especially the tech-challenged, do not actually have a legitimate need for a high amount of computing power on the go (as the OP themselves admitted since they didn't actually do much, if any, gaming on theirs); a gaming PC is always a far better value option and you'll probably still have enough left over to buy a practical ~$1,000 laptop for all for your portable computing needs.

          • OhmSweetOhm on 03/09/2024 - 15:27

            @Miami Mall Alien: Gaming laptops might run their components hard, but where’s the proof that they break down more often than other laptops? And Alienware, Asus, and Lenovo all offer up to 3-year warranties, with some including at-home repair services.

            Not every gaming laptop suffers from throttling, so don’t pass off personal experiences as universal. Even when they throttle a high-end gaming laptop will only lose 15% of performance, so even within the same price range, gaming laptops often deliver better results. Hell even a quick look on JB Hi Fi; ignoring their ludicrous prices, shows how close gaming laptops are when throttling to lifestyle laptops.

            No one argued that tech-challenged users need high-performance laptops. I even suggested a business laptop with a good CPU paired with an external GPU as a better option if he wants to game. And building a PC equivalent to JB Hi-Fi’s top gaming laptop (PC Part Picker), you’d be lucky to save $500, not $1000, that's enough for crappy laptop I guess.

            So what was your point?

            • Miami Mall Alien on 03/09/2024 - 17:49
              -1

              @OhmSweetOhm:

              Gaming laptops might run their components hard,

              That's literally the entire issue genius.

              Gaming laptops are the most contrived example in the technology world of an unstoppable force (ever-increasing demand for miniaturisation and packing more transistors into the same or smaller silicon lithography) meeting an immovable object (more electrical current and less cooling surface area in the same footprint). Something has to give which is precisely why they fail at higher rates relative to almost all other laptop form factors.

              But sure, you attempt to defy the laws of physics with your marketing voodoo lifted straight out of some ASUS/MSI/Gigabyte brochure.

              So what was your point?

              Over a decade of IT MSP experience trumps your small sample size and anecdotal evidence. But you keep buying that garbage with only 15% performance reductions after 5-10 minutes of sustained usage in high-performance mode, lol (*citation needed, many of them barring the most expensive and least portable models will close to halve their performance when they hit their throttling thresholds).

              And Alienware, Asus, and Lenovo all offer up to 3-year warranties, with some including at-home repair services.

              Which isn't included in the purchase price and which you pay through the ass for, unlike with even entry-level Dell or HP business laptops. Also, good luck to anyone dealing with Gigabyte's, MSI's or Razer's 3 support staff for the Australian market who can barely string a sentence together in English and who mighty answer 1 in every 12 phone calls, if you're lucky.

              And building a PC equivalent to JB Hi-Fi’s top gaming laptop (PC Part Picker), you’d be lucky to save $500, not $1000, that's enough for crappy laptop I guess.

              Lol, you're dreaming. Go look at any recent gaming PC deals from TechFast, Nebula PC or BPC and then tell me there's anything remotely comparable in gaming laptops within an equivalent price range. And that's not even taking into account that mobile GPUs are typically 2-3 performance tiers below their desktop GPU equivalents because gaming laptops are primarily smoke and mirror shows for tech-tards.

              • OhmSweetOhm on 03/09/2024 - 20:08
                -3

                @Miami Mall Alien: There’s no substantial evidence that gaming laptops break more often than standard ones. Yes, they do use more power, but this is by design. High-end components like GPUs and CPUs are built with different tolerances, and these laptops are equipped with well-engineered cooling systems to manage that. And let’s not forget they don’t run at full throttle all the time. It’s crucial to base our arguments on facts rather than assumptions.

                I understand your perspective, but let’s keep the conversation focused on constructive dialogue. My degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science give me a slight edge over you in technical knowledge, but what really matters here is the accuracy of the information we share. Let’s aim to provide value to everyone reading.

                We both agree that a business laptop is an excellent choice as you can always add a EGPU. But it’s important to acknowledge that gaming laptops have their own strengths. Depending on the deal, they deliver impressive performance and versatility.

                Take, for example, the Techfast Gaming PC versus the Lenovo Legion Gaming Laptop from JB Hi-Fi. While the desktop might have a slight advantage in GPU and RAM, the laptop shines in portability, a superior CPU, built-in screen, keyboard, and mouse. So it's worth exploring all the possibilities to find the best value.

  • follow on 31/08/2024 - 16:38
    +5

    it's only $60 to file
    they may come to the table once they see you are not playing around

    what's the Reddit link?

    • freefall101 on 31/08/2024 - 16:46
      +3

      Yeah, I'd file and accept a 50% refund/discount on a new laptop or something along those lines. It's unlikely they're going to want to keep fighting it and get a ruling that gaming laptops should last over 3 years.

      $60 and unlikely to do anything besides annoy a Lenovo lawyer, there's not much to lose.

      • Grazz989 on 31/08/2024 - 20:08

        Why would you settle for a 50% refund?

        If there's an issue with the laptop, and that issue was raised during the warranty period, then they're 100% obligated to honour the warranty.

        • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 20:11
          +1

          Warranty period was 1 year, so it's not covered any more.

          • Grazz989 on 31/08/2024 - 20:14
            +1

            @Cosmic6019: Ah I see. Yes, well … Depending on whether it's just over or just under 3 years old when you first raised the issue with Lenovo, you could get it covered, but it's certainly not a guarantee. Still, given that it's an expensive unit, I still think it would be worth trying NCAT. Yes, you might have to settle for a 50% refund or discount.

      • ColtNoir on 02/09/2024 - 08:06

        I’d accept the 50% refund but not the discount.

        Lenovo legion laptops are often discounted by 40-50% +cashback of 14%.

      • neonlight on 03/09/2024 - 09:27

        Link doesn't say much. 2 years for a laptop is not the amount of time you think it will work for. I assume 5 years more like it

  • AndyC1 on 31/08/2024 - 18:29
    +1

    How can you take a manufacturer to NCAT when you did NOT buy it from them?

    • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 18:30
      +1

      Retailer was eBay, but Lenovo had a store with them. So the invoice was from Lenovo.

      • AndyC1 on 31/08/2024 - 18:37
        +1

        Check your invoice very carefully to ensure it has an ABN # on it and an OZ address to ensure that you bought from the OZ Lenovo division.

        • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 18:42
          +3

          Yep I have, it's Lenovo Australia

          • askbargain on 31/08/2024 - 19:15
            -6

            @Cosmic6019: eBay is a marketplace not a retailer.

          • neonlight on 03/09/2024 - 09:29

            @Cosmic6019: It was hard enough for me to get a PS5 controller replacement for my Ps5 which I bought over eBay via Big W. It was only $79 even. Escalated many times using ACL laws etc

      • spaceflight on 03/09/2024 - 19:49

        Did you pay with a credit card?
        Does that credit card give you extended warranty?

    • SirCH on 02/09/2024 - 20:34

      This is an underrated comment.

  • DoctorCalculon on 31/08/2024 - 19:21
    +1

    Made a complaint with NSW Fair Trading, manufacturer straight up lied to the representative saying that there was nothing wrong with my laptop, and the representative closed the case.

    Did you appeal the case closure by providing video evidence of the defect?

    It sounds like there is more to this story.

    • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 19:59
      +3

      Did you appeal the case closure

      I didn't know that this was possible.

      The agent I got assigned was honestly useless. I called them on the provided number several times in a week, never answered. Never got a call back when I tried leaving a message. After the case was closed I received an email informing me of further steps I could take, etc. I immediately replied to the closure email calling out Lenovo's bs response, but I didn't get a reply.

      • 42 on 03/09/2024 - 22:42

        Fair trading is a toothless tiger anyways. Eg if you took your complaint to Fair trading and the other party doesn't even respond, they will say, oh wells, they didn't respond, take it to NCAT

  • Grazz989 on 31/08/2024 - 20:10
    +7

    Interesting timing OP, I just posted a big rant about my experience taking Mwave to my local CAT, ACAT - also over a laptop warranty.

    I won the case, but it did take a bit of time and effort. Forget about Fair Trading etc, they're absolutely useless.

    Just raise a case with NCAT, 100%. Just make sure to get a written statement from the local repair store saying that there is a fault with the unit, and provide it as part of your evidence when raising the case and when in the hearing.

    Here, this might interest you: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/864242

    • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 20:17
      +2

      Thanks for writing up your account, very helpful info.

      I requested a statement from the repair place, but they didn't agree to provide one unfortunately.

      • Grazz989 on 31/08/2024 - 20:21
        +1

        Did you pay the repair place? If you paid them to look at the laptop, they're obligated to provide you a report.

        • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 20:25

          I did pay them. I don't know about any obligations for this though. I asked them for a report as I was considering taking the manufacturer to NCAT. Maybe they didn't want to be held liable, said they weren't able to provide a report since they were a 3rd party repair place.

          A report would definitely have been useful as evidence, but I'm hoping it won't be super necessary in my case, because the laptop clearly doesn't turn on beyond the power LED.

          • mikekiwimike on 02/09/2024 - 07:31
            +8

            @Cosmic6019: This right here would tell me the the repair place is not confident in their assessment of the fault. If you paid them to assess your computer then it is reasonable for them to write you up a statement that states “in our opinion this laptop has a faulty main board based on xyz”.

            Dodgy right there if you ask me

    • muzzamo on 02/09/2024 - 16:31

      Forum topic unpublished? would have liked to read.

      • Grazz989 on 03/09/2024 - 11:34

        I'll post it up again before long.

        I just got good advice to wait til the money's in hand before talking about the experience. I'll reply again when I do so :)

  • trustnoone on 31/08/2024 - 20:47

    Random OP but I had a similar issue, and had to re-install the bios. It was weird though I had to press a random key like delete or home instead of the normal function key with a USB key in.

    • Cosmic6019 on 31/08/2024 - 21:06
      +2

      My initial attempt involved reflashing the bios actually. Did the flash IC directly with a reflasher. Didn't help.

  • reactor-au on 01/09/2024 - 09:11
    +4

    3 year old gaming laptop, with heavy use I'm surprised it lasted 3 years.
    Also, it's past the generous 3 year warranty for a gaming laptop.

    • Cosmic6019 on 01/09/2024 - 09:58

      It really wasn't heavy use. I didn't really game on it that often, and I took the time to set max thermal limits, use cooling pads, etc. because I wanted to maximise the longevity of the device (which is what makes this sting even more).

      Also I'm not sure what you mean about the 3 year warranty. Warranty was only 1 year.

  • Hirolol on 01/09/2024 - 09:25
    +1

    Defs take it to NCAT
    Paying that much would expect 5 years

  • jonkvh on 01/09/2024 - 11:46

    You really should've got more than 3 years out of it. They could've offered a refurbed unit too.

  • James Tabby on 01/09/2024 - 13:16

    It seems fairly ordinary for a laptop to last around 3 years.

    This is why I only buy used laptops for my workplace, i.e. for malware analysis because virtual environments are easily detected.

  • 2025 on 01/09/2024 - 13:17
    +1

    I’d conclude that it’s a write off, the effective life of a laptop is 2 years in the ATOs eyes, and to be honest, $2600 is not that expensive, Alienware have models at 6.5K and there is a 9k Lenovo Legion. I wouldn’t expect magical longevity from your end of the segment.

    Corners have to be cut to produce products at specific price points, and it’s a decision you make as a consumer when purchasing the device.

    Having said that, I usually hate extended warranties, but Dell’s is something I always tick.

    • James Tabby on 01/09/2024 - 13:17

      Yeah, exactly my thoughts.

    • Cosmic6019 on 01/09/2024 - 14:19
      +2

      The existence of far more expensive devices doesn't make $2.6k not that expensive. If anything, you would start at the other end of the price scale, since I would assume that the average person is spending less than this on a laptop.

      • 2025 on 01/09/2024 - 15:04

        Ok so I can only see pricing for models that they have right now on the website of course.

        The cheapest is 1329, and there are 10 models until we get to your price point.

        There are 14 models after 2.6K

        The average price of all their models is $3,454, and yours is 25% less than the average. These factors combined indicate to me exactly where in their lineup it might sit - the cheaper end of the scale.

        I’ve successfully argued ACL beyond warranty for a number of products that were in the top 20% of the lineup, as I was paying a premium over the average.

        But to expect a below average priced laptop to last an above average amount of time just doesn’t make sense to me.

        Good luck though and if you do seek a remedy at the tribunal please keep us updated :)

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