Returning a used broken camera?

Question

I bought a digital camera one year plus1-month ago and it just failed with a lens error. The repair center said they were sorry I just missed the warranty period and it would take 4-weeks and cost $120.00 plus shipping to replace the main processor board or I could purchase the same exact model for $150.00 at the same store. I am very comfortable with the features of this camera and quite frankly, I would not be happy with anything else.
Ok, here is my dilemma; would I be cheating anyone if I purchased a new camera from the same store and also purchased a 3-year extended warranty and then returned the failed camera a month or two later for an exchange to be used as a backup camera? The defective camera has been very well cared for and still looks brand new due to the low usage, <10-hours. I feel I’m being cheated by a black and white warranty policy and yes I know two wrongs don’t make a right but I don’t like the idea of just tossing money out the window!
I welcome your advice or comments on the fairest way to approach this.

Answer 1

I assume you are in the USA and I don't know what consumer protection was apply but in the UK our Trading Standards would be interested. Goods retailed have to be of a certain quality and any guarantee that reduced a buyer's rights would not stand up in court. If as you say, this camera has been well ,looked after and it has still failed in little over a year then it was arguably not good enough to be sold without a warning. Do you still have the literature that accompanied it? Writers delight in phrases like "years of service" and similar. One phrase like that in the manual or the advertisement and you have a winning argument.

But don't cheat. Everyone here says it would be fraud and I agree.

Answer 2

As the others said, the serial numbers will be found to be different and you could get reported for fraud if you do so.



But...i'm wondering, why are you feeling treated unfairly? Those warranty periods are a black and white issue, you either still are in it, or you are not. Why do you feel to be entitled towards warranty services beyond that time period? I mean, if it were a grey area, why should it work only in your favor? I suppose you wouldn't ever say, "ah well, it broke two days before the end of the warranty period, so i'll not insist on getting it fixed on warranty," would you? You'd insist on getting the warranty honored up to the very last day. You should grant the company to do the same. Some companies do fix things a few days after the warranty has expired out of courtesy and to please the customer, but you're not in any way *entitled* to that.

Answer 3

In case you haven't figured out what the other people are telling you....You are trying to rip off the system! That is one of the reasons why prices keep going up. Someone will have to pay for it.



I bought a LG DVD/VCR combo for $89. About 4 months later, the DVD quit working. I called up LG for service and was told "That is common with that model. Unfortunately, it only has a 90 day labor warranty but parts are covered for a year. We can repair it for $90".... BWAHAHAHA!!! I didn't like the issue with LG, so guess what? I refuse to buy anything from them.



"I would not be happy with anything else."....then buy another, but don't complain if the new one does the same thing. BTW...you are NOT the first person to try this scam. They will check the serial number.

Answer 4

You can't cheat. They will check the serial number of the camera. That sticker is very difficult to tamper with. No, you were not cheated by the warranty. That's perfectly reasonable. You should have taken good care of your camera. If you did take good care of it and still this happened, why consider buying the same thing again? Buy a better one. In photography, you get exactly what you paid for.

Answer 5

That would indeed be cheating the system to try what you propose, but you might get away with it. Don't forget that cameras have serial numbers, so likely date of purchase could easily be traced. If the shop did rumble your attempt then you would be unlikely to get any help from them in the future.