PS3 Warranty and Dust

[Flack]

Anyone else following this story? Apparently a guy's PS3 warranty was voided because his unit was too dusty. Boy am I in trouble.

http://consumerist.com/consumer/sony/dust-voids-ps3-warranty-321226.php

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Interesting story, I've seen a few threads about it elsewhere - but unfortunately, like all of these types of stories - it's one-sided.

After years in used game/console retail, I came to understand that what some people consider to be "dust free" or "clean" usually is pretty repulsive to me.

Any game system or bit of electronics with a cooling fan and an air pass through mesh is going to collect dust inside...anybody who's cracked open a PS2, XBOX, 360, Gamecube, or PC that's been running for the better part of a year can attest to how much is in there.

Since we didn't speak to the actual Sony reps in question, and we're likely not getting an unbiased, two-sided view of the story ... we shouldn't be so quick to validate it.

And, who knows, it very well may have been like, bagless-vacuum-level filled with dust. If Sony thought enough to take pictures of it (if that part of the story is true) it may have been as bad as we can imagine it to be. Some people are completely oblivious as to how DIRTY their living situation really is.

Short short, unless the PS3 owner is going to provide audio conversations with the Sony reps (yes, I've seen the subsequent audio on Consumerist.com ... which is not the actual initial consumer/rep issue in question ... leading me to further invalidate it) ... I have a hard time putting too much stock in this / being too concerned about it.

[Apollo]

I've actually been following this one since I first heard about it. Check consumerist, he put up a recorded conversation between him and a rep, and it seems like he's starting to make some progress, but it's still one-sided. I'm glad that he went to kotaku and consumerist though (as in telling them his story), hopefully he'll be getting the attention he deserves for this.

[Anthony1]

I read about this, and was quite shocked by it. The part in which he talks about not having the receipt and Sony refusing to deal with him is real. I bought a used PS3, and it had a problem and I didn't have a receipt, and they refused to fix it. The thing that boggles my mind about that policy, is until the PS3 has been out for more than a year, they really shouldn't concern themselves with that. Every single PS3 should be under warranty for the first year, but sony doesn't allow transfer of ownership. Alot of people buying used PS3's have no idea about this.

And regarding the dust thing, I doubt anybody has any clue about that, I sure as heck didn't. Like the guy that had the problem, I keep my PS3 in an enterainment center, and it definitely get's a coating of dust on it, but I've never really payed it any mind. Hopefully I never have any issue with that.

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, the safest way to go is to buy your console from Costco. Their return policy is solid gold.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I've actually been following this one since I first heard about it. Check consumerist, he put up a recorded conversation between him and a rep, and it seems like he's starting to make some progress, but it's still one-sided. I'm glad that he went to kotaku and consumerist though (as in telling them his story), hopefully he'll be getting the attention he deserves for this.

Yeah, I heard it ... but for me, unfortunately - it doesn't validate what he claims in the 1st article to be "true".

Granted, the original reps he spoke with could have actually told him that his system was too dusty to repair under warranty.

-or-

they could have told him something else completely. Something along the lines that something he did was responsible for the system failure, and what we're reading his how he wants the situation to be viewed.

In the recorded conversation, the rep very quickly says that dust will not void the warranty, so I have a difficult time believing that multiple other reps and cs managers would tell him that.

I suppose I'm just skeptical because of my experience on the customer service side of people telling me "my system just broke by itself" only to find that it REALLY broke because they knocked it off the shelf, or attempted to modify it in some way ...

I don't know ... and frankly, don't care until a Sony rep tells me that they can't replace my system because it's too dusty.

[Slate]

If this is true it is BS. :bullshit:

[jajaja]

I didnt read the first article, but here is another article (same site) that says the opposite:

http://consumerist.com/consumer/audio/sony-csr-what-no-dust-doesnt-void-your-ps3-warranty-321288.php

[FlufflePuff]

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, the safest way to go is to buy your console from Costco. Their return policy is solid gold.

Actually, I believe Costco has changed their return policies. They are much in line now with every other major retailer. No more free swap outs for life on products there. I believe the changes are also proactive to all prior purchases. So in this case it wouldn't have helped.

The sad truth of the matter is that manufacturer's only have warranties because they are legally required to. Anything they can do to get out of that is bonus for them. I'm not surpised Sony is doing this kind of stuff. The main thing here is, if you're sending in your unit for repair, dust both in and outside first.

[Chuplayer]

Costco's not going to keep a backstock of 60gig consoles for you to receive when you trade yours in.

[Anthony1]

Actually, I believe Costco has changed their return policies. They are much in line now with every other major retailer. No more free swap outs for life on products there. I believe the changes are also proactive to all prior purchases. So in this case it wouldn't have helped.



Costco did change their policy on TV's and some other electronics, but they haven't changed their policy on video game hardware. Also, the changes they did on TV and other electronics isn't proactive, so if you bought your items before the change date, then you are still covered with the "lifetime" protection.


Costco's not going to keep a backstock of 60gig consoles for you to receive when you trade yours in.

This is true. What Costco actually does, is refund your original purchase, and put it on a Costco credit thing for you. So, if you originally paid $599 + tax, then they refund the whole thing. You then take that credit and grab a new 80 gig PS3 with Motorstorm bundle, and buy that, and pocket $100. Sure, having the original 60 gig with the proper emotion engine would be better, but it's still nice having the peace of mind that Costco provides. I bought my launch day Xbox 360 at Costco, and when it died one year later, they refunded me with no questions asked, and I went and bought a brand new 360. I really wish I bought my PS3 there, but I didn't. Oh, well, no biggie. But I can tell you that any future video game hardware that comes out, I'll definitely be buying it at Costco.