Please help me get my X5000 5040 motherboard back

[Jeff]

Hello,

I am reaching out here for some help. I am a long time Amiga community member.

I bought an AmigaOne X5000 5040 from Amedia-Computer France last June 2022. The computer was poorly handled on it's way to me and arrived DOA. I sent the motherboard back to Amedia after many attempts to diagnose the problem by email. I do not have the motherboard back yet. Amedia and Aeon are silent. After several email messages to Amedia asking for some sort of update - this was their response;

"We’re currently trying ALL that we can try to repair your motherboard, but it takes much much much time."
"Please stop harrassing us since we’re trying all that we can.
We’ll send you any updates when we have some, not before, not after."

Here is a link with more complete information;

https://www.amigans.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?start=0&topic_id=8895&order=ASC&status=&mode=0

It looks like I am out $3k. Beware that this happens before spending thousands on an X5000. Once they have your money they stop talking to you when things go wrong.

[kamelito]

If the X5000 was poorly handed it should have shown in the package, if it was damaged you should have refused it.

[Jeff]

The damage was concealed. That answer doesn't help me now.

[utri007]

This is situation in Amiga land. There are no million dollar companies and support is what small companies can do.  I understand it his not a good situation, but all you can do is wait.

[redfox]

@Jeff

I hope that Amedia/Aeon will step up to the plate and resolve this issue.

They should keep you updated and repair the board or refund your money, rather than telling you to stop harrassing them.

Tiny companies operating in a tiny market is not a valid excuse for poor customer service, especially considering they are charging top dollar for a very rare commodity.




redfox

[BozzerBigD]

Computers for the masses not the classes! A Commodore rule broken by NG AmigaOnes! I wish you well but why put yourself in this situation? Can you claim using any consumer rights laws?

[Jeff]

Highlighting what I may or may not have done wrong in the past isn't the topic of this thread.

From the serial number of my board it looks like I may have been sold an old board from the 2016 production run as new without being told in advance. After 5 years of storage in who knows what type of environment I would have declined immediately had I been told.

With all due respect if you don't have something helpful or supportive to add then feel free to start your own thread and go crap on someone else's day.

This is one last attempt at reaching out to see if anyone in the greater Amiga community can give any help or ideas to a 30+ year Amiga user that would help resolve this situation with an amicable solution.

[Vlabguy1]

Well there is no excuse for not answering emails. That’s just bad business and poor customer service.

[BozzerBigD]

@Jeff

This is one last attempt at reaching out to see if anyone in the greater Amiga community can give any help or ideas to a 30+ year Amiga user that would help resolve this situation with an amicable solution.

Yeah, that was the "help". Use your consumer rights. They've accepted the goods back as faulty so surely you can demand a refund if they can't repair it! Go to a Citizens Advice Bureau or write in to a Watchdog type TV show to pressure them into doing the right thing!

[Jeff]

I am in the USA and Amedia is in France - that makes things more difficult. I would like to go there and resolve it in person but I cannot. The troubleshooting via email and sending the board back added complications. The process took too long for me to dispute the charges with my bank.

Perhaps this will help someone else. I know that I am not the only one that this has happened too. Most people that have been taken for that much money don't want to come forward in public and admit it.

Thank you to everyone.

[cehofer]

Jeff,

I am in the US too.  I purchased an X5040 and memory from them in the beginning of June.   It took until the first week of August to just get my MB.  They were very responsive to me.  To my knowledge there is only Franck and Laurent.  I didn't quite understand the whole distribution of the MB because they were waiting for A-Eon to send it to them in France from the UK.  I don't understand why Amigakit doesn't sell them directly.  I didn't think it was ever going to happen.  They were also very helpful setting the OS up as it the 5040 requires a different OS4.1 image than the 5020s for some reason.  They did not ask for payment until they received and tested the MB.

I really hope they come through for you as they did me.  One reason I didn't buy a complete system from them was because of shipping damage from size and weight.  I have had good luck with boards shipped from UK, Poland, Germany, and France.   For what it is worth, Amigakit wouldn't respond to me for over a year on a $200 order I placed.  They finally shipped it after a year and a half.  I don't sometimes understand our friends across the pond.

[Jeff]

It has been well over a year now and I would still like my 5040 motherboard returned - repaired or not. I would like an update from somebody please? I purchased a NEW and complete 5040 system from a Dealer in 2022 and I still have an empty case to look at for US $3000.00. The way this ended just doesn't feel right to me.

[gertsy]

I know it doesn't help to say the level of service is inexcusable.  I can only imagine how frustrating it must be. The test of reasonableness has well and truly passed and gone, but your legal options are 'limited to none' in the EU for non-EU people. I can understand the dilemma; If it's known and accepted that the damage was in transit it would come down to insurance of the logistics company or the retailer to get a replacement.  I assume that avenue has been tried unsuccessfully.

Part of me is thinking if I was in your boat and as frustrated, I might try something crazy (perhaps stupid) like order another X5000 using AmEx or another purchase guaranteed card (If possible) and when it arrives in good order, take credit card refund proceedings for being charged for a product you already paid for. Or doesn't work. If successful, you just return the product at your cost (You know which one to return).

Big risk.  I definitely can't say you should do that. It's something I would think about in a rage of frustration. Please accept this advice as desperate, crazy advice to be discounted as such.

Good luck

[Jeff]

They "Amedia" are holding my 5040 motherboard and refuses all contact. That is just wrong. I have an empty case and that is all.

[AndyFC]

There is legislation in Europe dubbed Rome II (Rome 2) where a seller which sells abroad has to decide whether they sell according to the laws of the country of seller, or the buyer. If not stated, the laws of the seller's country apply.

There is buyer protection in France (I've had to use it, based in the UK) but I can't remember the specifics.