Need to RMA hard drive - supplier or manufacturer?

[funkyiguana]

Hello everyone

My 1TB Samsung Spinrite F3 hard drive failed today, exactly one year (to the day!) after installation. These drives have a 39 month guarantee so I'm entitled to a replacement, but it looks like I have a choice of where to send it for RMA:

1) eBuyer.com - the place of purchase.

2) Samsung - the manufacturer, though I believe the replacement will be handled by a UK company called Rexo.

Will it make a difference which one I choose? Do I have more chance of getting a brand new drive (as opposed to a refurb) from eBuyer? Does anyone have experience of either eBuyer or Samsung/Rexo?

Any help would be much appreciated!

[scaryjim]

The usual rule is that if it goes within the first year after purchase it's the retailer, if it goes after the first year it's the manufacturer. If I was you I'd probably go direct to the manufacturer, I imagine they'll be less inclined to question the timing of the fault and will be faster to turn around a replacement drive.

[funkyiguana]

The usual rule is that if it goes within the first year after purchase it's the retailer, if it goes after the first year it's the manufacturer. If I was you I'd probably go direct to the manufacturer, I imagine they'll be less inclined to question the timing of the fault and will be faster to turn around a replacement drive.

Thank you for your advice. I'm going to return it to Samsung/Rexo: it's over a year, and Rexo have some excellent reviews in what I've read.

Cheers.