Zfactor Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 So, I purchased a new computer from Dell in October of 2004, having had good experiences with them in past purchases. It was a top of the line Dimension XPS, quite expensive (I usually buy the best possible computer every 4 years or so and then ride it out to the next purchase).So I get the computer, set it up, and take 2 days to install everything and tweak the settings to the way I had it on my old computer. I get new drivers for the ATI video card and everything. On the second day I play DOOM 3 for a few hours, runs smooth as can be. The next day I turn it on and the CPU puts the fan into overdrive and refuses to boot up. Turns out that one of the memory chips burned out (or so we thought). So 3 days after its set up, it burns out. So they send a tech guy and he replaces the chip, seems to run fine.Then, like a week later I start getting constant "windows has shut down to protect your data" blue screens. The stop code suggests it is hardware related, and me and my father spend 3 hours on the phone with Dell tech support trying to figure it out. We run every test possible and nobody can figure it out. So the tech guy sends us a new mobo and all new memory. As it turns out, this stuff may be refurbished.... They sent me broken stuff (we thought at the time) and then replaced it with refurbished stuff. And they think that that was fair.The nightmare doesn’t even end there, despite the new mobo and memory; we keep getting the same blue screen and the same stop code. The tech guy who installed the new mobo and memory decides that since nobody can figure out what the heck is going on, he will recommend that Dell replace the system new, as per their policy if a tech call is placed in the first 30 days.So we call up, and they say they will place the order. Then they CONFIRM that the order is being built (which turns out to be a bold faced lie). We had ordered a Western Digital Raptor Hard Drive for the original computer, its only 74GB but it runs at 10,000 RPM (the fastest hard drive available that I know of), so we decided to get a second from them. We call up, order it, and they tell us that they can install it in the new computer that they claimed they were building for us. The next day we get the hard drive in the mail.... with NO cables or anything to hook it up with. We call them, they claim that they never said they could put it in the new computer (a lie) and we demand they send us the cables at no charge. They submit, but then cancel the order THREE separate times, causing us to have to keep calling them for the cables (we still don’t have anynthing to hook it up with). Finally, we get shipment conformation and they send us what we thought was the new computer.Turns out, they screwed us again and just hoped we wouldn't notice. They sent us, not only a referb (it left their warehouse at least one) computer, but one that was nothing near what we ordered. For one, they sent some generic 160GB hard drive and not the 74GB Raptor @ 10,000 RPM that we ordered. On the phone, they literally tried to coax my mother (who usually makes all the calls) into thinking that a 160GB is better, "an upgrade" they claim. For one, the WD Raptor costs like, double what the 160GB costs, and it runs at like 7,400 RPM not 10,000 RPM (this was an insult to our collective intelligence). To boot, the software that came w/ this supposed replacement was all wrong. It was pretty clear they waited for the first XPS system to be returned that was kind of like ours, and sent it to us. We were furious, and demanded that they make us the new system that we ordered, and stop sending us refurbished garbage and broken parts. They reply by saying that “we will try to get a new system in the works.” TRY!? I get sent a broken computer, and they are going to TRY to get a new one built. This is absolutely absurd, and to say the least me and my family had completely had it with Dell at that point.After countless hours on the phone having dell insult our intelligence by suggesting the crappy computer they sent us as a replacement was an upgrade, we finally get them to agree to build a new computer for us, the one we ordered. Two weeks go by and we call them… turns out that not only did nobody put a new order through, but nobody even knew this was still an open problem. AGAIN we had to spend hours on the phone with some schmuck trying to say that the computer they already sent (the one we returned) was better. Then, we find out that they got that computer back more than 10 days earlier, and they had yet to put the new order through. It gets to the point where the guy on the phone claims the order is in, and refuses to give us a ship date (how the hell we are supposed to know when to have somebody home to get it is beyond me). Then he hangs up on us…This problem has YET to be resolved, and it is getting into the middle of January. We ordered the system in October of 2004… and knowing Dell at this point, we won’t see a single thing until February.Well, that’s it; I just wanted to rant about how much Dell blows. Hopefully we can actually get a NEW computer that WORKS sometime this millennium. As a kicker, we asked about how to just get our money back (so we could go to another company if we want), and they told us that it was past 30 days so we would have to take it up w/ customer service or some crap. I guess they want to screw us on that because we had the patience to let Dell try to resolve it professionally and civilly instead of demanding our money back on the spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Phew that stinks... but I'm sure you have more than 30 days to ask for your money back if you have not got what you paid for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Horrendous !I presume that where you referred to October of 2003 you actually meant 2004 ?Can't believe that it would have gone on for 15 months ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joysness Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Sorry to hear of your problems. :( I have heard many other reports of similar things happening with Dell.I would suggest you contact your Better Business Bureau and register a complaint.I hope you kept track of dates and times of phone calls and names of those you spoke to.I would also contact the Consumer Complaints dept at the Attorney General's Office..You can find the phone number and address in the phone book in the State Government pages.If they get enough complaints they will look into it and it may help you and others as well.Hope things turn out ok :flowers: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zfactor Posted January 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 LOL yeah it was October 2004, heh. It always takes me a month to get the new year right (i was thinking last year as 2003 and not 2004) :PAnd yes i have been keeping track of all the events in a folder full of dell stuff. I am seriously considering reporting them to the BBB once this fiasco is resolved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joysness Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 I wouldn't wait if I were you.It can't hurt to make the report now and you can always tell Dell that is what you have done. That sometimes helps to get things sorted out more quickly :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 I don't know what the law is in the USA, but over here we could by now have demanded a replacement or refund, as the goods 'were not fit for the purpose for which they were intended'. I would NEVER consider a brand name computer. I have always relied on a small local shop, and their service is second to none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Besty Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Are you from america mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homecomputeraid Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Sorry you went through all that! :(Unfortunately, it's pretty common, even with other vendors. IBM, HP, and the other big boys can be just as bad! I don't know about AlienWare. It might be an option in the future? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Are you from america mate?If you click on his name it will take you straight to his profile, and you can see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.