Rant Repaired goods (a 360 in fact)

So, FINALLY the 360 comes back from repair only to find it's not my original unit (they even put it in a letter as if they were doing me a favour).
Fair enough, they did it so I can get the console back quicker but the problem lies with the fact that it's a worse condition unit than I sent to them:

The silver drive front is scratched (looks like screwdriver marks)
The protective material they put on the drive was more like Sellotape (Scotch tape for the US) and in peeling it off leaves sticky marks which are stupidly hard to clean off
The chassis is put back together badly
The DVD-ROM is a Samsung drive which is meant to be quieter than the Hitachi, but its louder than the Hitachi which I had in the original unit
The unit smelt of cigarette smoke when taking it out the box
The inside of the drive tray was pretty dusty (as if its been there a while, and thick browney coloured dust) so I've had to clean it myself
Scratch marks all over the rear of the console (looks like someone has tried to butcher it with a flat blade screwdriver)
Front fascia doesn't fit properly, probably due to the ill fitting chassis cover
"Ring of light" isn't as bright as it should be, its very dulled green (ok maybe that is just splitting hairs)


But you can see where I'm going.. Needless to say I am NOT a happy camper.

What is everyone else's experience of the 360 repairs?
Do I have any ground to stand on in demanding a replacement unit as the law states that replacement goods must be of equal or greater value (I guess this covers condition too)?
If they refuse can I speak with trading standards/some other governmental body and get it resolved?

 

I'm sure buried deep in a "terms and conditions" section of some manual, there is a statement that says Microsoft may, at its discretion, send you a replacement unit in lieu of your actual unit, and that the replacement may be a refurbished unit. I've seen similar clauses in other electronics that I've owned. Still, as the consumer you do have a reasonable expectation of your merchandise arriving in decent condition (i.e. no scratch marks, good build quality, etc.).

I would call customer support and politely explain your dissatisfaction with the repair. If it's dusty, put together incorrectly, and the front fascia doesn't fit right, they should offer to swap it out with another unit.

-monkey

 

sent mine away bout 5 weeks ago and got it back last week. Cant say ive got any reason to be unhappy, as i'd took the whole unit apart including removing the heatsinks from the motherboard to see if i could remedy the problem myself (stupid i Know but it was out of warrenty at the time.) i managed to loose 2 screws when putting it back together, and snapped to of the locking pins that hold the top hard drive grey piece on. Eventually gave up, and arranged to have the unit collected. 4 weeks later and ive got the same unit as i sent out, unless the techs managed to replicate some very distinctive marks i'd left from my butcher job!! according to the enclosed letter its had a new motherboard and dvd drive and now HAS an extended warrenty. So yeah im over the moon as its cost me nothing, I'd say give them a ring and see what they say?

 

my m8 sent his off to be repaired, it got sent to the wrong place, sent back, lost and allsorts of lame excuses from microsoft. took about 2months to fix it.
however now its back there have been no problems since, dont know if it was a refurb like u got but there wasnt a scratch on it when he got it back

 

When my son's pristine 360 went away the first time (DVD drive failure) we got a scratched unit back that had the bottom USB flap missing - I rang and complained, but got the distinct impression that they really couldn't give a rat's ass.

Compensation - 1x month's Live membership.

The second time that it failed (ring of doom = mobo failure) we got the same scratched unit back, though they included a USB flap with it; clever buggers must have known there was a modder in the house, as they decided to omit the spring/retention mechanism to attach it.

Compensation (from a choice) - 1x wireless controller.

For the next repair, I'm hoping for a replacement 360 but won't be holding my breath.

This'll likely be the last M$ console in this house.

 

i would say that, if it is a refurbished unit, and it is not up to a reasonable standard, i would say you have every right to send it back and complain. Once i had to send a mobile off to repair, as it was quite simply knakcered, they sent a replacement out which was a refurbished unit, which they said would be off the same standard as a new one, but the battery kept falling out, so one quick phone call later, it was again sent off and a new one sent within 24 hours.

 

Bash it about a bit until it doesnt work and send it back lol

 

With the first repair, we were offered the chance to send the replacement unit back to them for 'repair' but were told that it would take the same amount of time as the original fix (3 weeks +)

They couldn't comprehend the concept of pride in the appearance of their hardware, and the fact that the required cosmetic 'repair' was someone else's doing and not ours.

 

Considering the original failure rate of the 360s I’d be super pissed if i sent a excellent condition one in for repair and got a scratched piece of crap back.

my advice is complain. lots.