Poor ASUS warranty

[PiKe]

I have a friend with a pre-built machine where the ASUS Rampage V Extreme motherboard has completely died.

However on emailing ASUS for warranty help, they suggest that the board is returned to the retailer, which would mean the entire machine would need to go back, incurring a hefty carriage charge.

Is this normal for ASUS or are they being particularly rubbish in this instance? For the price of the board, I would have expected better service than this.

 

[Plec]

I've moved on from ASUS because of their consistently poor CS in the past - which is a shame as i like their products.

Did you identify the MB problem or the retailer/authorised techy?

If it was you they may be running the numbers and assuming it hasn't been properly assessed yet so needs to be sent back for diagnosis.

I would email them again confirming you're positive it's the board at fault (stating your reasons) and gently persuade them that it's in everyones best interest to RMA the MB directly back to ASUS (assuming you're not negating any exisiting warranties with the pre-build).

These situations/companies sometimes just need a gentle nudge towards common sense solutions.

 

[Glanza]

How long ago did he buy it from OCUK is it still under warranty with them?

 

[ZXSpectrum]

Surely if its a system fault then the system builder will pick it up and redeliver when repaired?

 

[moogle]

System builds are different no? Unless you have the box and the original invoice that would go via the OEM. Saying that, ASUS were ****ty 10 years ago, and they still are now. They're more focused on the looks/aesthetics rather than how things work. AI Suite for example. It looks nice all skinned and that but works like **** when installed on a PC. Their CS is the same, once they've sold something to you that's that. Their stuff does work well but it's when you have issues it's a ballache.

I really want to switch to other products but their bios interface and feature naming (multiple other things as well) is better than the other manufacturers so I'm stuck.

 

[orbitalwalsh]

Technically your always meant to go back to the Reseller or Distributor - as you can see From Gigabyte Reps that they (vendor ) can receive the Product directly its at a Delivery charge .
If he cant get the builder to take it in for what ever reason then yes, Asus should step up to the plate and help - best shout would be Asus UK Facebook page and DM but prop just get given the standard email address to reply to

 

[mistersprinkles]

You don't understand how the industry works. You buy a motherboard, have a receipt for that motherboard, build a machine with that motherboard, the OEM (ASUS/Gigabyte/MSi etc etc) will be responsible for warranty.
You buy a built machine from a vendor such as OCUK, then the vendor handles the warranty. It's been like that for a long time. Or if you buy from a company like Dell, dell helps you. Not ASUS. ASUS have no responsibility to help you. The vendor/company that built it does.

It's like you bought a motorcycle from Aprilia that is built with a Rotax engine, and the engine blows after two weeks. Would you go to your aprilia dealer? Or would you go to Rotax? Exactly.

 

[PiKe]

You don't understand how the industry works. You buy a motherboard, have a receipt for that motherboard, build a machine with that motherboard, the OEM (ASUS/Gigabyte/MSi etc etc) will be responsible for warranty.
You buy a built machine from a vendor such as OCUK, then the vendor handles the warranty. It's been like that for a long time. Or if you buy from a company like Dell, dell helps you. Not ASUS. ASUS have no responsibility to help you. The vendor/company that built it does.

It's like you bought a motorcycle from Aprilia that is built with a Rotax engine, and the engine blows after two weeks. Would you go to your aprilia dealer? Or would you go to Rotax? Exactly.

ASUS didn't know it was a pre-built machine, they simply said to contact the retailer once the fault finding steps were exhausted.

 

[mistersprinkles]

ASUS didn't know it was a pre-built machine, they simply said to contact the retailer once the fault finding steps were exhausted.

How exactly did the conversation go?

 

[PiKe]

I just said the board has issues, I didn't even say it was a friends or whatever, this is their official statement regarding warranty that they have quoted to me.

"ASUS do not handle the warranty process for your product directly and we advise that you contact your retailer who will support you during the full warranty period of your product and will be able to arrange a repair/replacement or refund via their distribution channels if the product is still within its warranty period."

So just generally rubbish practices that make the whole returns process an ****-ache for both the customer and retailer.

Also, I never posted in this forum, a moderated moved it, at no point did I say it was an OcUK pre-build.

 

[Plec]

Also, I never posted in this forum, a moderated moved it, at no point did I say it was an OcUK pre-build.

Ah, explains a lot...

I wondered why everyone was assuming it was an OcUK build. I rarely post in this forum and wondered how I got here

The second email explaining your troubleshooting process may work - has for me in the past. But things may have moved on unfortunately. Numbers/margins usually usurp ease of practice for the customer unfortunately.

 

[mistersprinkles]

I just said the board has issues, I didn't even say it was a friends or whatever, this is their official statement regarding warranty that they have quoted to me.



So just generally rubbish practices that make the whole returns process an ****-ache for both the customer and retailer.

Also, I never posted in this forum, a moderated moved it, at no point did I say it was an OcUK pre-build.

ASUS is known for having the worst warranty service of pretty much any of the big brands (ASUS, MSi, Gigabyte, ASRock etc). Even if they do accept your RMA request, they'll take your part, look at it, say "Well, the damage here is clearly the user's fault" and then they'll charge you for return postage if you want the part back.

Their products are of high quality, but heaven forbid something should go wrong.

 

[Radox-0]

They are hit and miss depending on thier line. Had a bit of a nightmare with my ASUS PG348Q. But their warranty service is the absolute best on their workstation class boards. I use X99 EWS which works fine as a gaming board being able to hit same OC's and what not, but get access to their advanced RMA service. As part of service they do next day delivery of a new board and pick your old one up within 14 days all at their expense and getting things arranged. So on one hand meh, on the other the absolute best RMA experience I have ever had. I think it depends who deals with your ticket possibly also tbh.

 

[Gwyndster]

Is it over 12 months old?
For the first 12 months, the retailer is responsible - although often the manufacturer will take it directly to speed up the RMA process.

After 12 months, the warranty is solely the responsibility of the manufacturer - although you could ask the retailer and see if they will be nice and helpful.
As it's pre-built, I believe that officially, the "manufacturer" becomes whoever built it, not ASUS.

I find Microsoft to be a pain for this, they sell things with "three year guarantee" plastered on the box, and when you try to get it replaced in month 13, they turn round and say "we don't make that anymore, so no warranty."

 

[smogsy]

I have a friend with a pre-built machine where the ASUS Rampage V Extreme motherboard has completely died.

However on emailing ASUS for warranty help, they suggest that the board is returned to the retailer, which would mean the entire machine would need to go back, incurring a hefty carriage charge.

Is this normal for ASUS or are they being particularly rubbish in this instance? For the price of the board, I would have expected better service than this.

i had a Asus x99 WS-E motherboard (£500 motherboard) where the bios corrupted itself after a setting change. it had a single bios, but a clip in bios chip.
as i bought the pre-built from ocuk. i contacted ocuk. ASUS wanted them return the entire MB rather than shipping me the preprogrammed chip.

In the end OCUK had to swap out the entire ASUS X99 WS-E board due to clip in BIOS CHIP! bravo to OCUK they did it in 2 days

 

[Danny75]

Is it over 12 months old?
For the first 12 months, the retailer is responsible - although often the manufacturer will take it directly to speed up the RMA process.

After 12 months, the warranty is solely the responsibility of the manufacturer - although you could ask the retailer and see if they will be nice and helpful.

Welcome to the forum, Gwyndster.

Is it something you've heard from a retailer or is it actual law that after 12 months the warranty is solely the responsibility of the manufacturer?

See here - https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/31047405/

And here:

After 30 Days / Warranty Period
Sometimes goods may become faulty after the acceptance period has expired but within the warranty period. Depending on the product, you will receive either a replacement or your product will be repaired.

For the fastest turnaround, we recommend using a manufacturer's direct warranty service. Please check the table below to see which manufacturers offer this service.

If a direct service is not available or you would prefer Overclockers UK to handle your return, then we encourage you to contact us. We will send your goods for repair or replacement to the manufacturer under warranty.

Please note that turnaround times vary and Overclockers UK will endeavour to return the items in the speediest manner possible at the time.

Goods returned for repair or replacement should be sent without any accessories as we cannot guarantee that they will remain present with the original item throughout the whole return procedure.

If the manufacturer is unable to return the items within 28 days, we will give you the option of a refund. Depending on the age of the items, the refund may include a deduction for the length of time you have used them (known as rescission).

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/returns-details#opt2

Note it says "we recommend using a manufacturer's direct warranty service", not "you have to after 12 months".

 

[Gwyndster]

Welcome to the forum, Gwyndster.

Is it something you've heard from a retailer or is it actual law that after 12 months the warranty is solely the responsibility of the manufacturer?

See here - https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/31047405/

And here:



Note it says "we recommend using a manufacturer's direct warranty service", not "you have to after 12 months".

Thanks, I've actually discovered that my old account is still here, but I no longer have access to the email address, so I've contacted the admins.

I had issues with a custom built PC from CyberPower, which I contacted Consumer Direct/Citizen Advice - I forget what they call themselves now about.
The issue was traced to the Gigabyte motherboard, and paraphrasing slightly, because it's a while back this is what I was told.

1: Your contract is with the retailer who sold you the computer, not the manufacturer of the motherboard - for the first 30 days after purchase -if your goods are faulty, you are entitled to a full refund from the retailer (CyberPower ****** me about so much trying to "find the fault" that I missed this).

During the first 6 months after purchase, the retailer is responsible for repairing, replacing, or refunding the value of any faults - this is your statutory right under UK law. The retailer has the right to choose which option and may take into account "fair wear and tear".

2: With some items, the retailer may make arrangements for any problems to be dealt with by the manufacturer directly, but this does not override your right to seek redress from the retailer instead.

3: After 6 months and up to 12 months, there's an onus on you to prove the goods were faulty when purchased, but most manufacturers provide a 12 month warrantee, and will honour that, normally via the retailer.

4: Any warrantee period extending beyond 12 months, that is not an "insurance backed warrantee", has no legal basis in UK law, and therefore you cannot require the retailer to deal with it - although some retailers will do so as a matter of "goodwill".

So, as I understand it:

If it's less than 12 months old - the retailer has a responsibility to resolve it, however, they can suggest it's sent direct to manufacturer.

If it's over 12 months old, and does not have an "insurance backed warrantee", the manufacturer should deal with it directly. However, if you have no luck with the manufacturer, you could ask the retailer to intervene.

 

[Radox-0]

i had a Asus x99 WS-E motherboard (£500 motherboard) where the bios corrupted itself after a setting change. it had a single bios, but a clip in bios chip.
as i bought the pre-built from ocuk. i contacted ocuk. ASUS wanted them return the entire MB rather than shipping me the preprogrammed chip.

In the end OCUK had to swap out the entire ASUS X99 WS-E board due to clip in BIOS CHIP! bravo to OCUK they did it in 2 days

Could have used the ASUS customer service team that manages server / workstation class products with that board. Its next day delivery for an entire board for products they manage and they would have picked your old one up at any date you pick within 14 days of receiving new one for free.

Though yeah, guess it worked out if you just needed the chip.

 

[Danny75]

Thanks, I've actually discovered that my old account is still here, but I no longer have access to the email address, so I've contacted the admins.

I had issues with a custom built PC from CyberPower, which I contacted Consumer Direct/Citizen Advice - I forget what they call themselves now about.
The issue was traced to the Gigabyte motherboard, and paraphrasing slightly, because it's a while back this is what I was told.

1: Your contract is with the retailer who sold you the computer, not the manufacturer of the motherboard - for the first 30 days after purchase -if your goods are faulty, you are entitled to a full refund from the retailer (CyberPower ****** me about so much trying to "find the fault" that I missed this).

During the first 6 months after purchase, the retailer is responsible for repairing, replacing, or refunding the value of any faults - this is your statutory right under UK law. The retailer has the right to choose which option and may take into account "fair wear and tear".

2: With some items, the retailer may make arrangements for any problems to be dealt with by the manufacturer directly, but this does not override your right to seek redress from the retailer instead.

3: After 6 months and up to 12 months, there's an onus on you to prove the goods were faulty when purchased, but most manufacturers provide a 12 month warrantee, and will honour that, normally via the retailer.

4: Any warrantee period extending beyond 12 months, that is not an "insurance backed warrantee", has no legal basis in UK law, and therefore you cannot require the retailer to deal with it - although some retailers will do so as a matter of "goodwill".

So, as I understand it:

If it's less than 12 months old - the retailer has a responsibility to resolve it, however, they can suggest it's sent direct to manufacturer.

If it's over 12 months old, and does not have an "insurance backed warrantee", the manufacturer should deal with it directly. However, if you have no luck with the manufacturer, you could ask the retailer to intervene.

Cheers, Gwyndster.

There's been an update around November 2015 (Consumer Rights Act). Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act are against the retailer, not the manufacturer. There's no longer any mention of "after 12 months", which also had to do with your contract with the manufacturer (warranty/guarantee) not your statutory rights against the retailer, as you mentioned in point number 2 above.

First 30 days you are entitled to a full refund by rejecting the goods. From 30 days to 6 months the onus is on the retailer to prove that the goods were fit for purpose, if they don't want to accept a return for repair or issue a full refund. Otherwise the retailer has one attempt to repair, if unsuccessful a full refund must be issued. From 6 months to 6 years, the onus is on the consumer to prove the goods were not fit for purpose. Since the manufacturer contracts by and retailer advertises by stating a product's given warranty as an indication of how long a product should last, then if a product fails within that warranty time, and it wasn't the consumer's fault, that is one way to prove the goods were not fit for purpose, even though that particular contract is with the manufacturer.

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/what-do-i-do-if-i-have-a-faulty-product

To make sense of all this mumbo jumbo, and try to put it plainly, what's been going on is that many retailers have misled customers, by focusing on the contract between customer and manufacturer, and telling them to seek redress through that method. Instead of also informing them of their statutory rights against the retailer, and that they can choose to return a product to the retailer for repair if it's more convenient (postage costs, trust, whatever). As the Consumer Rights Act explains, this doesn't mean that every product should be expected to last 6 years, or that you will be successful if you have to claim (i.e. if the retailer refuses to help). The manufacturer warranty (which is also advertised by the retailer) plays an important part in any claim against the retailer, as an argument regarding "fit for purpose".

Sometimes it is a good thing to RMA through the manufacturer. Can be faster. Sometimes it isn't a good thing. In two recent cases with a certain video card manufacturer, customers have had three faulty cards in a row, and have been without the goods in excess of 28 working days whilst awaiting repair after repair, or replacement after replacement. If the customers had chosen the retailer, then they would be entitled to a refund after one unsuccessful attempt at repair. Whether full or partial would depend on whether it happened in the first 6 months, or from 6 months to 6 years. And then they could buy a different card from another brand or something, instead of being stuck in Groundhog Day and expecting the worst from a product that keeps failing.

If the retailer can get you to choose to RMA with the manufacturer, and the product you purchased from the retailer is replaced with another unit from the manufacturer, then the retailer is no longer liable for supporting your product, which is why it's usually the first thing a retailer suggests (or says you "must" do, which is misleading).

 

[orbitalwalsh]

Wow, thats poor!
Why i tend to go with Gigabyte for boards and Cards, reps on here carry weight with their RMA department- always state to go back to Retailer but if they didn't find any problems or have issues like the one above then they try to get stuck in and help.

Have you tried contacting ASUSROGUK on facebook- they might be able to help a little more due to being PR based