Anyone know anything about 'the nvidia defect'?

[swee'pea99]

To cut a long story short, the Sony Vaio we bought my daughter two years ago has gone bad on us. Googling around has made it clear that this is one of many models afflicted by a faulty graphics component of the motherboard. There's a whole site dedicated to this issue - at http://www.nvidiadefect.com/ - which gives you a step by step guide to getting a refund under the Sales of Goods Act.

The fundamentals seem clear. SOGA says goods must be fit when they're sold. These weren't. Nvidia has acknowledged its failings openly, and set up a big chunk of money to compensate. The problem of course is that for the average consumer, their claim is against the retailer, who will invariably start out with: 'It's out of warranty.'

Apparently you can battle your way through, but as part of it, you need an independent engineers report stating that the nvidia card is at fault. And lo & behold, http://www.nvidiadefect.com/ can provide you with just such a report - for £70.

Question: is it possible to get such a report elsewhere, and cheaper? I'd hate throwing any amount of good money after bad...but certainly 70 smackers would be a bitter pill to swallow.

 

[Canrider]

Take it to an independent computer shop and get them to 'take a look' and write it up for you?

 

[cisamcgu]

I found this - not sure if it any use

http://conceptex.co.uk/site/index.php/2011/03/hot-news-sony-fix-nvidia-defect-for-free/

Andrew

 

[MontyVeda]

Apparently you can battle your way through, but as part of it, you need an independent engineers report stating that the nvidia card is at fault. And lo & behold, http://www.nvidiadefect.com/ can provide you with just such a report - for £70.

I'd just kick off* instore. If Nvidia have acknowledged the fault, and have set aside cash for compo, then it's up to either the manufacturer (sony) or the retailer (?) to deal with. Why should you pay to see if its got a problem they've acknowledged?

did the store tell you you need an independant engineers report, or the Nvidia Defect website?

take it to the store, the staff will likely be cagey, talk to their manager, failing that write to head office as the fault has been in the machine since you bought it and therefore whether it's in or out of warranty is irrelevant.

* when i say kick off, I mean stand your ground calmly, understand the storeblokes stance, as they can't do much, talk to the manager, calmly, if need be write to head office or sony, calmly... good cop always works better than bad cop.

 

[2Loose]

I think your best bet would be talk to Sony directly and cut out the retailer if possible. Jusging from cisamcgu's link, it sounds like they are quiter understandign of the issue and solution. Is your laptop model listed?

http://support.vaio.sony.eu/computing/vaio/index.aspx?l=en_gb

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks very much chaps. The link to the Sony fixes for free page is especially interesting. My daughter's isn't one of the models listed, but it does at least suggest that they acknowledge the issue, and may be prepared to act. I shall try that route first.

Incidentally, I'm quite good at 'kicking off instore', but unfortunately this was bought online, so that really isn't an option.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I'd just kick off* instore. If Nvidia have acknowledged the fault, and have set aside cash for compo, then it's up to either the manufacturer (sony) or the retailer (?) to deal with. Why should you pay to see if its got a problem they've acknowledged?

did the store tell you you need an independant engineers report, or the Nvidia Defect website?

take it to the store, the staff will likely be cagey, talk to their manager, failing that write to head office as the fault has been in the machine since you bought it and therefore whether it's in or out of warranty is irrelevant.

* when i say kick off, I mean stand your ground calmly, understand the storeblokes stance, as they can't do much, talk to the manager, calmly, if need be write to head office or sony, calmly... good cop always works better than bad cop.

It it is a DSG group they will happily let you take them to court. There customer service is second to just about everyone.