eevBLAB 88 - Right To Repair Questions & Answers - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 21, 2021, 12:13:34 am
content: NOTE: This video was a response to various questions about Right to Repair I hastily did for a legacy media current affairs program who are doing a segment on right to repair. But I now won't be on it, so here is the footage if it's of use to anyone else.

author: GabYoung92
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2021, 02:31:05 am
content: Is there an online list/catalogue of manufacturers who will support independent repair?I always hear/read lots of "this need to happen" but I wouldn't have a clue who actually does this! If I did find this I would 100% buy from this supplier, even if the device costs slightly more.(There may be an online list/catalogue, but doing a quick search online only returns many articles that say something similar to this but never provide an answer)I work with repairing OEM car audio equipment and the number 1 issue is obtaining parts/service information. Even with cars that have the right to repair! It's always "We will sell you a replacement module for $xx,xxx.00" from the car dealer, but that's not an answer when the module is worth MORE than the car.One of the issues is even being able to contact the manufacture of any module in the car. Usually, you can only get a general email/phone number for a receptionist who has no idea who to pass the request onto - So I end up wasting countless hours to get nowhere (Maybe this is the plan?)OR if I am lucky enough to get through I will get a response like..."we are not allowed to sell the components or provide any info to non-authorized 3rd party.This is in line with our OEM agreement with GM.As such, please get in touch with your country GM or in this case, Holden service personnel or original parts center.""non-authorized" interesting.. how to become authorized? No idea because I never get a response after this.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2021, 02:51:57 am
content: With regard to the manufacturer choosing to swap entire mainboards rather than repairing them. There's a bit more to this than simple high cost to the consumer. They actually are component-level repairing them, just not for you!Often when you get your product repaired by the manufacturer they sell you an entire new mainboard assembly for high price but don't throw away your 'supposedly' dead mainboard. They send everyone's non-functional mainboards to a central location where they do perform component level repairs on them. These boards become 'factory refurbished' and are what they use for the original repairs!It is good that they are repairing and reusing the boards rather than sending them to a landfill but they are doing it in a very dishonest way when the customer does not know this. The customer assumes they are getting brand new parts when getting an official repair.To be clear, they're selling you a seemingly new mainboard at high cost but installing someone else's repaired board while also taking your dead mainboard and fixing it so they can sell it to the next person.Apple does this, as do lots of other companies. (If you RMA a hard drive your replacement drive will often say "Factory Refurbished").In effect the manufacture is double-diping, they benefit twice. Once from the original repair sale and again from getting your parts to sell to the next person.Factory refurbished units will have the original fault fixed, but other faults that are still developing but not yet causing a noticeable problem will go unnoticed and fail sometime later after the swap.