Mobile phone warranty?

[slofox]

Anyone know the standard warranty length on a Nokia mobile phone? Bought it from First Mobile six months ago and the battery is FOOKED already and always was IMO. Never had the battery life advertised in the specs sheet - in fact I went back to ask them about it...they just fobbed the query off at the time.

Charged it last night and it's flat this afternoon, less than a day later. Bastards!

[cs363]

Generally they offer a 24 month warranty, but like all warranties in NZ it's superseded by the Consumer Guarantees Act.
I've had plenty of Nokia's and Motorola's through First Mobile in New Plymouth and over the years I've had a couple of battery issues and they've always replaced them. I think you are dealing with an isolated case with your local store, ask to see the manager and give him a bit of stick, failing that get in touch with Nokia themselves: www.nokia.co.nz

[jaymzw]

When you first use a phone, or any battery for that matter, you are supposed to charge it fully for about 24 hours. Did you do this? It helps drastically.

[slofox]

Generally they offer a 24 month warranty, but like all warranties in NZ it's superseded by the Consumer Guarantees Act.
I've had plenty of Nokia's and Motorola's through First Mobile in New Plymouth and over the years I've had a couple of battery issues and they've always replaced them. I think you are dealing with an isolated case with your local store, ask to see the manager and give him a bit of stick, failing that get in touch with Nokia themselves: www.nokia.co.nz

Thanks cs363 - haven't been in to see them yet being as how tis the weekend an' after hours an' all...an' they don't have their hours recorded on their answerphone neiver...

I shall visit them forthwith and suggest that it might be incumbent upon them to ameliorate the problem...

[cs363]

I'm assuming you are a business user too? If things get tough you can always suggest that your business will go elsewhere - that always works a treat! (Got me a free phone upgrade one time! :lol:)

[slofox]

When you first use a phone, or any battery for that matter, you are supposed to charge it fully for about 24 hours. Did you do this? It helps drastically.

Of course...

[ynot slow]

Battery has been 6 months warranty on my phones,had issues with one new phone abd the battery held charge for 2-3 days instead of 7days,they replaced it.Mind you that was after 2 weeks of owning.

[p.dath]

Note that the normal phone warranty usually has a specific exclusion for the battery. Batteries generally have a very short warranty.

Check out the cost of buying an after market battery. Probably less grief involved.

[Mully]

Doesn't matter - CGA says all goods must last a reasonable amount of time. The goods must also be fit for purpose - a mobile which requires charging daily is clearly not fit for purpose.

"Reasonable" will usually take into consideration whether you bought a reputable brand or cheap Chinese crap.

IMO, you have a very strong argument for replacement of the battery.

[cs363]

Doesn't matter - CGA says all goods must last a reasonable amount of time. The goods must also be fit for purpose - a mobile which requires charging daily is clearly not fit for purpose.

"Reasonable" will usually take into consideration whether you bought a reputable brand or cheap Chinese crap.

IMO, you have a very strong argument for replacement of the battery.

I agree, six months for a quality brand such as Nokia is nowhere near reasonable. Like anything that's mass produced they do pump out the odd lemon on occasion.

[p.dath]

Doesn't matter - CGA says all goods must last a reasonable amount of time. The goods must also be fit for purpose - a mobile which requires charging daily is clearly not fit for purpose....

Slofox has a business. CGA is not likely to apply.

[cs363]

It may apply, depending on whether the phone is personal or for business use. Though to be honest the dweebs at First Mobile are probably unlikely to know that.
However it is probably still covered under the Sale of Goods Act seeing as the battery is almost certainly faulty given slofox's description:

Remedies under the Sale of Goods Act
If the goods are faulty, you may be entitled to all your money back (a full refund) or some of your money back (compensation).

You may be entitled to a full refund when:

•the goods are not of merchantable quality (so faulty that most people wouldn't want them)
•the goods are not fit for their purpose
•the goods are of poorer quality than a sample you were shown
•you told the seller what you wanted to use the goods for and relied on their knowledge but the goods don't do the job
•the goods don't match the description
•the seller did not have the right to sell the goods.
The Sale of Goods Act is not clear about:

•how bad a fault must be before most people would not want the goods
•how long is a reasonable time to inspect and use the goods before a fault shows up.
You will need to negotiate with the seller on these points.

•In determining whether you are entitled to a refund or compensation you should consider:
•how long you would expect goods of this kind to last
•how long you used them before the fault appeared
•the price you paid
•whether the fault means that the goods don't work properly
•whether the fault affects the looks of the goods and how important the look is.
If you are entitled to a refund, you are entitled to your money back in cash. You do not have to accept a credit note. You can choose to accept a replacement or repair, if that is more practical for your purposes.

At the end of the day it's just a battery, cost to them is relatively cheap compared to the RRP, kick up enough stink and I'm pretty sure he'll have a result - even if it's a discounted replacement battery.

[p.dath]

The problem is the Sale of Goods Act is not effectively enforcable for an item like a phone. The cost of enforcing it would be far greater than the value of the phone.

But worth asking them for a replacement. Failing that just buy a replacement.

[cs363]

The problem is the Sale of Goods Act is not effectively enforcable for an item like a phone. The cost of enforcing it would be far greater than the value of the phone.

But worth asking them for a replacement. Failing that just buy a replacement.

:) Yes, you and I know that but the average sales guy in a retail shop is surprisingly ignorant of the consumer laws (go figure!) which does tend to work in the customers favour if they are aware of the laws.

But my main point was give it a crack as it's worth a shot, if all else fails buy a replacement and chances are he'll get a deal.

[Thaeos]

When you first use a phone, or any battery for that matter, you are supposed to charge it fully for about 24 hours. Did you do this? It helps drastically.

Not true for all batteries and most cell phones seem to have lithium-ion batteries for which the 1st charge is no different to the 100th ... i.e. they don't require 'priming' like nickel based ones

[jono035]

Bear in mind that in certain parts of the country, having 3g enabled on your phone can utterly annihilate your battery life... Actually it can do that in the city too, depending on whereabouts you spend your time. These effects are never taken into account in the spec sheets

Also I don't know what the story is with the 24 hour charge thing but it could also be to make sure the charge level indicators are working correctly, they work by tallying how much current goes through them rather than by actually monitoring the battery voltage.

[Gremlin]

My Nokia E71 came with 12 months warranty, the battery 6 months ($950 phone).

Been pretty good though over the last year and a bit, battery is still good for 3-4 days, its been on virtually 24/7 (odd occasion I have been near medical equipment).

As said, if the phone is set to 3G, it will eat the battery for breakfast lunch and dinner, I leave mine on GSM to get more days.

How much have you used the phone, ie, has it been used constantly? Even lithium ion batteries have a memory, has a car cradle been used?

[jonbuoy]

The goods must also be fit for purpose - a mobile which requires charging daily is clearly not fit for purpose.

Apple seem to get away with it on the iPhone :mellow:

[Dafe]

Hey Slofox,

I find mobile phone batteries are often a bit of a gamble like that.
Those initial few charges are the important ones too.

Can you PM me your battery model. I have some nokia batteries which have seen less than one weeks use.
If I've got the right one here, I could send it to you. My batteries have all had a good initial charge too.

[onearmedbandit]

I have a Nokia N95 and use it heavily, from internet with 3.5g, gps, movies, music etc and at the very most get just over a day out of it. Instead of complaining about it I simply charge it every night, ensuring I have a full days use out of it. Simple really. And seeing as I'm asleep when I'm charging it it doesn't concern me.

[jono035]

I have a Nokia N95 and use it heavily, from internet with 3.5g, gps, movies, music etc and at the very most get just over a day out of it. Instead of complaining about it I simply charge it every night, ensuring I have a full days use out of it. Simple really. And seeing as I'm asleep when I'm charging it it doesn't concern me.

Yeah, that is a bloody good habit to get into. I always take my phone out of my pocket and stick it on charge before I go to bed, it's a hell of a lot easier on the batteries that way... My old 5210 used to get charged every day and it would get about 6-7 days standby with no talking when I was away from home, even on a 4-5 year old lithium ion battery. My new phone will do a week away from a charger no worries and it is a year or 2 old now...

My girlfriends phone only gets charged when it beeps at her, so I'm guessing the battery will be useless in another 6 months

[davereid]

Phone Warrany ppfffft.... no such thing exists !

Brand new Nokia phone.. purchased from Telecon.

Open box, charge 'em overnight. Turns on but doesnt go so I takes it back...

Ahh it will be ok in a few hours, network hasnt connected it yet. Dats Friday

Still no go on Monday, but Daves busy so takes it back Tuesday.

Ahh yeah, OK we will send it away for repair. That will be $60 please.

Fook off says I, its bran new and I wants a new one. Plus I'm not paying for the repair cos ITS UNDER WARRANTY.

Nah says the gay dickhead in the telecon shop.

You musta dropped it or got it wet, we will give you your loot back only if our tech says its our fault. P.S., if our tech says is YOUR FAULT the $60 just pays for the quotation...

Dickhead sulks, but no amount of argument from me was gonna change things.

No satisfaction for me, except that at least half a dozen other customers couldnt get served and went somewhere else.