urgent help dealing with apple needed

[Lemon[H]ead]

My ipod's hard drive recently started whining really loudly, i figured this was a fault so I go to apple's website to get it serviced or refurbished or replaced. After a long time of fumbling around on apple's "support" page (what a joke that was) I finally encountered a page which allowed me to return my ipod.

After filling in my info i found that apple said my warranty had expired (i bought it online in february 14th 2003, it came on the 20th). My warranty had expired after only 2 months? What happened to my other 10 months? They proceeded to inform me that I would be charged £188 if i wanted to get it fixed.

That is the same as the cost of a NEW iPod in the USA!

I feel like i can't do anything now. I'm stuck with a turkey of a product and there's no way of contacting apple apart form a premium rate number which i'll try in a bit (but doubtless they'll probably tell me the same).

I am completely helpless, there's nothing I can do. I'm only 17 so it's not like i can take legal action against apple for not complying with the warranty that came with the ipod, and I'm in the UK so any attempts to complain to apple will only ever reach some dumbass call-centre and not the people who can do anything about my woes.

has anyone got any ideas what i should do?

[Skywalker[TSG]]

Did they tell you why the warranty isn't valid anymore ?

[smurffart]

I would definately call them up and find out why they are not honoring your warranty...you may have already seen this, but here is a link for apple phone numbers. The UK numbers are at the bottom of the page.

http://www.apple.com/contact/phone_contacts.html

[Skywalker[TSG]]

Also as part of the EU you have a 2 year warranty covering manufacturing flaws

[tmx468]

If you have a proof of purchase from new, then that is your warranty proof - the 12 months starts from the date on the invoice... so give them a call, and give them hell - they will support you in the end

[Lemon[H]ead]

the only proof of purchase i got was an email from them saying they'd received my order, and also some subsequent emails saying that my order had been dispatched etc.

also there's the piece of paper which says it'd been delivered.

They didn't tell my why the warranty was no longer valid, they just said it was no longer under warranty and that i'd have to be charged for the repair.

[Lemon[H]ead]

good news, i phoned apple and they said it must've been some mistake in the online support as it appeared to them that i'm well under warranty and that i shouldn't be charged "a dime".

so I was freaking out for nothing it seems. Thanks for all your support, by the way, it's always nice to know people are looking out for you .

-Sean

[iNeb]

Yeah, online support never is perfect, i perfer 1on1 support, you get better results