dry-cabinet warranty: 'lan-lan' situation?

[desmondwong]

just to hear your views on this issue, or non-issue.

i actually have an Am-Pro AD-038 dry cabinet which i bought back on 15th august 1999 @ Alley Photo Traders Pte Ltd at Suntec City. that makes it 3 yrs 4 months and 4 days to the date today, well within the 5 yrs warranty as stated on the warranty card.

as of late, the drying unit has been acting rather erratically, dries at times, doesn't most of it. the analog hygrometer seems to be working fine as after putting a box of Thirsty Hippo into the dry-cabinet, the humidity just drops from 90+% to <55% with the unit still running. the red operating LED is still on and i've tried all 3, L, M and H settings.

i called up the agent, CeleStar Distribution @ 62744733 today and was told by a guy that they no longer covered the warranty for this model although they are covering the warranty for Am-Pro products. he said that because mine is an old model, they do not have the parts for it and even if i bring the unit down and they have no replacements for it and cannot do anything about it.

my question here is does the agent, Celestar Distribution in this case, have the obligation to fulfill its responsibility as the agent covering warranty for Am-Pro products to replace or repair my dry-cabinet since it is within the warranty period stated in the warranty card?

 

[Wai]

The distributor should honour the warranty

may be u can email to the manufacturer and see what they say??

I have a similar dry cabinet from Am-pro...and the dehumidifying unit wasn't working for the past one year (same problems as yours) so my parents contacted the distributor and was told to remove the screw behind and bring the spoil dehumidifying unit for 1-1 exchange

that was abt 6 mths ago

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by desmondwong
he said that because mine is an old model, they do not have the parts for it and even if i bring the unit down and they have no replacements for it and cannot do anything about it.

If they still insist of this...then ask them to give u a brand new one instead...just like RMA of harddisk....

 

[e_liau]

Ya. Is Am-pro a singaporea product? I have a bad experience with dehumidifer too. When I brought my unit down for repair, the guy said that they no longer serve the warranty because the model is discontinued. I agued with him because the warranty was still 2 years out of its intended 5 years. Guess what that bugger said? "Hello Mister, please read the small print.". I was shocked. It read "Replacement of part is only if stock lasted" or something to that effect. I have since bought a Toyo Living Dehumidifer and am happy with it evensince. So much for Taiwanese and Singapore products.

Originally posted by Wai
The distributor should honour the warranty

may be u can email to the manufacturer and see what they say??

I have a similar dry cabinet from Am-pro...and the dehumidifying unit wasn't working for the past one year (same problems as yours) so my parents contacted the distributor and was told to remove the screw behind and bring the spoil dehumidifying unit for 1-1 exchange

that was abt 6 mths ago

 

[denizenx]

valid case for CASE... quickly submit before it's fully subverted by the NTUC ppl

 

[desmondwong]

good. so means i the rights to claim warranty from Celestar. well, upon reading the terms and conditons overleaf, it DID NOT mention anything abt 'while stocks last' but it did state the original receipt is needed, something which i sadly regret not keeping.

do i still have a case?

 

[Wai]

u want my reciept? :devil:

but wait...i also have to go back and find

 

[desmondwong]

your receipt has your purchase date which i doubt is similar to mine right?

thanx for the offer anyway.

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by desmondwong
your receipt has your purchase date which i doubt is similar to mine right?

thanx for the offer anyway.

i go back and look for my reciept first and see how can i help ....

 

[rncw]

hi desmondwong, what are the terms & conditions for the warranty? 5 yrs limited? or just stated 5 yrs? what did the warranty card states?

 

[desmondwong]

let me type it out:

Terms and Conditions

1. If within the warranty period, this product fails to function because of defects in materials or workmanship, Celestar Distribution Pte Ltd will, at their option, either repair or replace the unit free of charge provided the original purchaser returns the product post pair to its service centre and submits proof of date of original purchase.

2. This warranty does not cover finishes or batteries, nor does it cover damage resulting from accident, misuse, abuyse, dirt, water, battery leakage, tampering, service performed or attempted by unauthorised service agencies.

3. All implied warranties including an implied warranty of merchantability of fitness of any particular purpose are limited to the warranty period stated overleaf

4. In no event will Celestar Distribution Pte Ltd be responsible for consequential damages resulting from the use of this product.

5. Warranty card and original receipt must be presentated at time of servicing.

the above is taken word for word from the terms and conditions printed behind the warranty card.

at the front, it just says delete where necessary at the Warranty Period field and "1/2/3/4" has been slashed out leaving "5" years behind.

 

[rncw]

if that are all as listed, then i think you have a case to claim your warranty. as long as it didn't say anything about "limited", "subjected to changes" or anything indications that put themselves out of liabilities...go to CASE, then to small Claims Tribunal if CASE cannot solve.

i'm no lawyer, but it seems that there's been a breach of warranty.

 

[Acieed]

Don't waste time with CASE, go straight to Small Claims Tribunal, they are the only legal authority with real power.

 

[Barrios]

As long as the company that distributes the product, in this case Celestar, is still in existence, they should honour the warranty.

Ask them to state in black and white that they are not going to honour the warranties of products which are no more in production or outdated. Present it to CASE.

 

[desmondwong]

alright. i'll give them a call again tomorrow. thanx.

 

[Wai]

oh no...mine is AD-068.....different from yours...

 

[shutterbug]

In USA it is a well known standard rule that all products must carry spare parts for a minimum of 6 yrs.

Can complaint to CASE, make it a class action complaint. This is clearly a case of unfair practice. Warranty is warranty that a product can last 5 years. If got problem, they will fix it. Where got warranty is defined by availablility of spare parts one. So farnie. Then their warranty is as good as 100yrs subject to availablilty of spare parts.:thumbsd:

 

[shutterbug]

Originally posted by Acieed
Don't waste time with CASE, go straight to Small Claims Tribunal, they are the only legal authority with real power.

If I remember correctly, Small Claims Tribunal only handles case that is less than 1 yr old. And under a certain amount $$$.

 

[Acieed]

Originally posted by shutterbug


If I remember correctly, Small Claims Tribunal only handles case that is less than 1 yr old. And under a certain amount $$$.

Isn't the case less than one year old?

http://www.smallclaims.gov.sg/SCT-Lodging_a_Claim.html

 

[desmondwong]

i'm not sure how you define a 1 yr old case...... meaning from the time i file the complaint? or from the time i purchase the item, if the latter is the case, then all agents providing more than 1 year warranty will be excluded in all of CASEs jurasdiction since they only handly cases 1 year or less right?

anyway, i will do what Barrios suggested and will ask them to give me a letter in black and white and with their signature claiming that they no longer provide warranty for this particular product and i will see what the authorities can do..... slim chance of succeeding, but i'll still try.

thanx all for your help. and thanx Wai, appreciate your kind gesture.