AEG Combi Steam Oven, Rust hole on enamel base

It is worth noting that the ‘real cost price’ would still be significantly lower than the ‘discounted’ price they have offered you - it wouldn’t surprise me if it were a half or a third of the discounted price, or even lower than that. I worked for a company years ago who had three different ‘cost price’ levels for the same products depending on which division they were in the chain - manufacturing, wholesaling, distribution - it seems like a big shell game, accountants must have a field day …

All of which is to suggest that by pursuing the complaint it might be possible to drive the price down further.

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Thanks Draughtrider for the inside workings of a comapany’s pricing model. Good to know.

This oven is too costly to NOT pursue it further.

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Updating you all on what is looking like a drawn out process.

Some 20+ days ago, I sent a detailed complaint letter to Harvey Norman. I called the franchise to asked for the name of the person to address this letter to. To be sure I even spoke to the person to confirm that he has received the email. In the letter I asked for a response within 5 business days.

Up to this point, I was directed to AEG customer care, so I decided to inform the lady that I have gone back to Harvey Norman to request for a refund/replacement as they were the seller.

AEG immediately asked for an on site inspection, to which I agreed to. The technician came and took some photos to prepare a report.

Silence for 21 days, until I emailed AEG to check on the outcome of the inspection. The email reply just says its irreparable and that they can offer me a courtesy price for a new oven.

I asked how much would it cost me for the courtesy price? Answer was $2975. Same as the discounted price they offered me earlier.

I then, emailed Harvey Norman again about the complaint letter I sent 21 days ago. This time i also sent a query to HN website. Their automatic reply says a representative from the franchise will contact me within 48hrs.

Looks like I will have to take this to the Victorian Consumer Affairs. The 48hrs is expiring today.

I have been so patience and getting frustrated from the silence at Harvey Norman.

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In your complaint you will need to confirm you have gone through the letter of complaint process, and it would be useful if you include that the HN franchise fobbed you off to AEG. Re the timeline you have endured, you have been far more patient than many of us would have been.

Good luck.

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Thanks BBG, will include your comments in my report to Consumer Affairs.

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Hi Heal,

I have a similar experience to you. I have left my review on product review also.
Rust in the base. Rust throughout the oven and also the enamel base has pretty much warn off.

We used our oven only for steaming food and it ended in this condition in less than 5 years steaming once or twice a week. AEG deny any responsibility to the issue. Clearly it is defective.

We have not used our steamer in years due to the condition of it. Lucky we have a normal wall oven too which we use instead of this, trash combi steamer.

See attached images. Hope this helps your case.


Because I am a new user, it is only allowing me to post 1 image. I have a few more to share too.

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Hi John

Thank you for telling your story.

To update you, AEG has come back to me and offered me a final replacement price of $1999. I emailed them to decline the offer and clearly stated my wish for a full replacement at no cost to me.

Harvey Norman being the seller has continued to ignore me. By law, the seller is the one I can claim a full refund from. Some 2 weeks ago, I reported to Consumer Affairs about Harvey Norman ignoring my request and pushing the issue to AEG the manufacturer. I submitted a full time line of the events and actions taken so far.

I also mentioned to Consumer Affairs that in my research , there seems to be a recurring rust problem with AEG’s oven. I mentioned that I have contacted several people with this problem and if need be, a statement can be provided by those affected.

I am ready for a long road ahead. Thank you for any help you can give me.

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I believe you should be able to post 1 image per post, not just one total. Have a go. If it doesn’t work please post that and we should be able to facilitate your photos getting to @Heal another way.

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It looks like AEG hired the ‘experts’ who did auto bodies for snowy, wet, and salty conditions back in the era before treatment was common.

image

Who would have ever thought the interior of a steam oven might succumb to steam? I look forward to HN being called out with an appropriate fine since HN franchisees have an ignoble track record of fobbing their customers off re the ACL, and for AEG who does not seem to engineer very capable products yet seems to have good budgets for marketeers and ad types.

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I was just reviewing the topic and came upon that and just last week had a similar decision. While I initially had a similar thought regarding an offered discount I realised a discount in lieu does not address a product failure that happens before its reasonably expected life.

If I buy item X for $5000 and it should operate reliably for 10 years, but fails at 6, I have lost 4 years of what should have been reliable service. Why should I pay anything to get my ‘lost’ 4 years of service?

If they offer a new product for say $2000, I would then have paid $7000 for my 10 years of reliable operation. Whether or not buying a new product might have delivered a total of 10 or even 20 years service is irrelevant because I ‘bought’ 10 years for $5000 and should get that 10.

Although by using the discount I might get a new product and a new warranty, it remains money out of pocket I may neither have, nor may not want to spend regardless having been otherwise happy with the performance of X until it prematurely failed.

That is the right position to take as I see it. Well done for standing your ground.

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Your calculation makes logical sense and is inline with my thoughts. There is a chance that the rust could happen again in 8 years time, if that is the case, I would have spent $7000 for an oven lasting 16 years. I was expecting initially on spending only $5000 on an oven lasting longer than that. My parents’ oven lasted more than 20 years without rust and they paid a lot less for that privilege.

Furthermore, the experience and customer service I have received to date have put me off further dealings with AEG and their products.

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That assumption works if the replacement oven only works for the remaining time left in the 10 years.

As the oven is outside a manufacturer warranty and could be borderline under ACL consumer guarantees… If the replacement oven lasts for say 10 years (assuming the fault has been rectified in new models), then one will have a benefit of 7 years one has not paid for. If the replacement oven comes with a new manufacturer warranty (something I would negotiate in accepting if their offer), then there is an added benefit which would not have otherwise existed.

Being 7 years old AEG could argue that it is outside the ACL and not offer any resolution. They could argue that the use profile of the oven are not known (which is the case) and premature rusting could have resulted from the quality of the water used for steaming…should the water provider be responsible?

While having a prorata offer may not be ideal, based on the age if the oven, likelihood success of taking it further and AEG being reasonable to offer a resolution (when they possibly don’t need to), it may be an offer which at the end of the day is most acceptable.

Based in the above, If one takes it further, they might find a resolution less satisfactory than that offered by AEG (which could be no resolution required). This is a risk one needs to consider.

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Hi Heal
It is interesting you raise this product. We purchased an AEG Combi Steamer Oven in 2007 as part of a package which included an AEG Pyrolytic Main Oven and matching AEG Microwave. The Steamer Oven broke down and could not be repaired in 2010 and AEG replaced it with a new one free of charge. This one lasted 6 years and then broke down and could not be repaired. The only thing AEG would do was sell us a new one at a reduced price of $3,500 which we paid because the 3 ovens were all matching. So, we are now on our 3rd AEG Combi Steamer Oven. A few years ago the steamer oven part stopped working properly so we just gave up using it. The microwave oven has also broken down a few times as well. We will never ever buy another AEG product. We are so disappointed in this experience especially as we thought AEG was a premium brand.

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@phb, Much of what you write is true, and I would sign on to it IF they offered a pro rata refund, not a discount on another product from a manufacturer where the customer has lost confidence, not even considering accumulating evidence the product was not fit for purpose as the problem seems endemic.

Are you arguing or suggesting anyone who buys a product that is reliable and lasts longer than expected is getting an undeserved benefit?

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If it was say a 2,3 or 4 year old oven just within or outside a manufacturer warranty, then yes…however, being 7 years…no, as the product has some age to it and it is outside the manufacturer/possibly consumer guarantee, then AEG possibly are thinking the same way when making a offer for resolution.

If they were less compassionate, they could have said that they couldn’t help…but have come up with the offer possibly based on what the expected life of the oven is as also what may seen as reasonable/acceptable.

The challenge will be that it it is taken further, it is possible that argue that offer is off the table due to any reason (e.g. water quality issue) and then wait for a tribunal to consider and provide recommendation for a resolution. Being 7 years old, I would not hold my breath that a better resolution is offered

An oven like AEG would be expected to last 15+ years…maybe with some repairs/service where necessary. While a reasonable person may expect the life of the oven to be 15 years, one can’t that the warranty/consumer guarantee will also last through the whole of the expected life (think a car where one spends money replacing parts after time and that the warranty doesn’t extend for what one thinks should be its life…but one would not expect a car to ‘die’ half way through its expected life or to have a car dealer replace it with a brand new one under the Australian Consumer Guarantee either…instead one may think it is reasonable for a ‘dead’ car to be replaced with an equivalent second hand one or a prorata discounted (cost) new one).

As also outlined above, in accepting their offer I would be requesting AEG provide a manufacturer warranty on any replacement oven (which they are no legally obliged to do) and also see if the credit can be used on a non-steam oven rather than a steam oven…noting that some may wish to replace it with another steam oven because of this function.

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I am not sure we are having the same conversation.

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Apologies, misunderstood your previous post.

I wouldn’t say an undeserved benefit, but a product which has lasted well.

The 7 years I was referring to is if the 7 year old oven was replaced with a new equivalent one, then one would in effect have used the old oven for free (no cost or depreciation over 7 years)…which is the benefit I was referring to. This is why a prorata discount based on the life of an oven seems reasonable.

If one wants to say get a cash payout for the dud 7 year old oven, AEG could estimate what the market value of a 7 year oven in working order would be worth (a bit like a car insurer paying out the market value of a car). Looking online, an oven of that age is unlikely to have much value (maybe a couple of hundred dollars if one is really lucky) and is possibly why the AEG offer is also reasonable.

Also, asking for full warranty for a replacement oven at prorata cost is an additional benefit and could be considered compensation for inconvenience on the consumer…of the oven failing and being unrepairable mid-life

Should AEG be embarrassed by the quality of their steam ovens made years ago…yes, and they need to take it on the chin. Their offer does seem reasonable compared to what could have been the response and also when compared to say the car industry.

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