Hello,
I am only asking this question because I am thinking of adding a product to my website and I want to get out in front of a potential problem before it has the chance to happen. I own a computer repair company and I have been repairing a very popular game console that has a tendency to suffer from what some call a design flaw rendering them useless. I can easily repair the consoles and put them back into production, I have been doing this for quite some time with no (real) issues. I had lent one of my home made visually modified consoles (with a clear case and LED lights) to a kid while I fixed his console. I did this because it was Christmas and he had received several gifts related to the console. Now he wants to buy the "wicked cool' console that I lent him. To make it worth my while I would need 200.00 for the console, but if he is willing to trade his broken consoles (now fixed) I will give him a 50.00 credit. I warranty my work on the consoles when I repair them anyway so I am not taking a risk by selling him one that I intended to keep for myself, instead of giving him his which I refurbished. I never realized it before but my hobby could be a lucrative product for my business which is 100% above the table.
To repair and/or modify the consoles I must cut a warranty seal voiding the manufacturer's warranty, I make all of my customers who hire me to repair their console (which is almost always out of warranty or the customer is in too much of a hurry to wait for the manufacturer to repair it) sign a statement stating that they understand this and they have no recourse if the manufacturer extends the warranty in the future of changes the terms of the warranty in the future.
The problem is I am wondering if I am infringing on the manufacturer by modifying the consoles (visually only i.e. cases, lights, artwork etc. I do not modify them so they can play illegal copies of games or cheat or anything like that) and reselling them. The only reason that i worry is because they are serial numbered and they are registered with the manufacturer by the people who bought them originally. I can prove that i paid for every console that I have purchased in non working condition (and subsequently fixed), so I doubt that the original owners can make a claim on them, but the manufacturer does not allow their system to be updated with a new owner, they do not take calls on the matter, and the only thing that I can find from the manufacturer on the matter of reselling consoles is that the terms of the warranty specifically state that their warranty does not follow the sale to a second owner.
I have 2 questions here:
AM I INFRINGING ON THE MANUFACTURER BY MODIFYING AND RESELLING THEIR CONSOLES?
DOES THE PERSON WHO SOLD ME THE CONSOLE HAVE ANY LEGAL CLAIM TO OWNERSHIP?
I also want to add that if the masses approve of this I will find an attorney to formalize it before actually going forward, I am posting here to make sure I am not wasting my time.
Thanks for your help.

) in writing. You need to have your purchase agreement clearly state the same thing. It might help you to separate the purchase of the old unit from the sale of the new modified unit as well. That helps clear up what happens if you might on occasion refund them the purchase of the new unit.