XBox 360 Warranty

Blankenthoughts has a great post on the changes in Microsoft’s XBox 360 warranty policy.  It is definitely worth the read.  I have included a snippet below.

“If you bought your 360 prior to January 1, 2006, you are one of the lucky few that got yourself a 1-year warranty on your machine. For those that purchased after that date, I believe the standard warranty is 90 days…”

Warranty Registration Cards too Much?

From the New York Daily News

“Warranty or product registration cards often have more to do with marketing and mailing lists than documenting ownership of a product. For warranty purposes, the only information a manufacturer needs is your name, the date you purchased the product, its model and serial numbers, and a way to contact you in the event of a product recall.

But the registration cards usually ask you to provide much more, including marital status, the size of your household, frequency of travel and favorite activities. There’s no good reason why a company that makes microwaves is interested in knowing you like to ski – except one.

Profit. Companies use warranty registration forms to compile buyer profiles, which they sell to other companies for marketing purposes. Much of the data end up at companies like Equifax, a credit-reporting agency that counts warranty registration forms among the sources of information it uses to compile information on about 400 million consumers and businesses worldwide…”

Bill on New Home Warranties Dead?

From the Rocky Mountain News…
“…in its present form it goes too far in redressing the balance of power.

According to Scott Sullan, a well-known homeowners’ attorney, the bill is needed because builders frequently force their customers to sign waivers forfeiting their right to sue for damages that they should be entitled to collect under the Construction Defect Action Reform Act of 2003.

The bill would effectively void all such waivers as being against public policy. That’s fine, but the builders argue persuasively that the bill goes much farther than that.

First, it would apply not only to future purchase contracts but retroactively, up to six years back. That appears to violate the state constitution’s prohibition against ex post facto laws that would impair existing contracts.

More important, the bill would effectively eliminate the express warranty builders offer home buyers now. By creating “implied,” unspecified warranties, it would turn every little bit of buyer’s remorse into an opportunity to sue…”