M6400 Covet malfunction replaced with weaksauce base M6500

So yeah uhh after 4 on-site tech visits, leaving the machine basically all-new inside except for the case & keyboard, Dell is sending a replacement. No big deal right? Email says it'll ship within 2 business days. Cut to 2 weeks later, and yesterday my account has had the "in production" Covet build Canceled. I call & the rep says Yes it says Canceled but shows here that it is scheduled to ship today actually. Oh, okay, thanks, take care.

Today there is now an In-Production build of a base silver M6500. No Covet glass screen, no Covet orange case, the base processor vs/ my Core2 Extreme Q9300 @ 2.53 is a joke. My own machine has a Quadro 3700m & who knows what the base M6500 has but I'm sure it's a drop as well.

Do they really expect me to not say anything?

I mean I paid over $5k for my Covet, and this build is at $2400..

 

Just wondering if anyone can help me decipher the parts list? So far it is not looking good. Can anyone spot what CPU they are putting in there? I don't understand why they are trying to switch it to a silver one. I paid for the special edition Covet w/ the unique screen.. they are still making it.. so what's up.

I think to match or better my CPU it would have to be around a Core i7 Q840 @ 1.73?

My M6400 Covet Blood Orange with Edge-to-Edge RGB LED screen, 1GB Quadro 3700m video, Core2 Extreme Q9300 @ 2.53 GHZ, Vista Ultimate 64 My total: over $5,000

Replacement being built:

1 378MC Base,Notebook,Silver,Configure To Order,M6500 $118.85
1 06M9X MOD,CVR,BK,RGB,SLVR,M6500 $59.07
1 1C383 Module,Software,Creative Camera,Business,1.4,Factory Install $0.26
1 1M03N MOD,CVR,ASSY,HNG,SWIPE,M6500 $20.28
1 1V30N Module,Information,REMOVE,Dell Control Point Connection Manager $0.00
1 4FTTT Module,Software,Dell Control Point Connection Manager,Latitude/Precision,1.4 $2.70
1 5FJ8M Module,Label,Intel,Notebook,CI7 $0.00
1 839RM Module,KIT,Software,Creative Camera,Business,1.4 $0.28
1 9M9D2 Module,Software,W7U64,Digital Video Disk Drive,Multiple User Interface,NO-E $0.39
1 CVGW5 Module,Software,Quick Fix Engineering,Windows Seven,Business Notebook $0.00
1 D853D Module,Information,NO-MODEM E-SRS $0.00
1 F4F5G Module,Hard Drive,250,5.4,P11,TSHBA-CB,XL $40.50
1 F98X2 MOD-SRV,SW,MPWS,M6500 $0.06
1 G259R Module,Media,Digital Video Disk Drive,Resource DVD,Mobile Precision Workstation,M6500 $0.00
1 G353C Module,Label,Regulatory,E-SRS Clear,Apcc/dao $0.14
1 H346D Module,Adapter,Alternating Current,210W,Delta - Ac Adapt World Wide $32.41
1 J0CKX Module,Software,W7U64,ConsumerDesktop,English,Dao/bcc $0.00
1 J139T MOD,SW,RXO,10.3,DE,BUSNS,FI $0.00
1 J140T MOD,KIT,SW,RXO,10.3,DE,BUSNS $0.26
1 J716F Module,Software,Trend Micro 16.6,30DAY,English $0.00
1 K134J Module,Information,NO RAID M6400 $0.00
1 KF27G MOD,BZL,CMRA-MIC,M6500 $13.84
1 KHT90 Ship Group,Notebook,North,M6500,Dell Americas Organization $0.00
1 M020R Module,Software,Powerdvd,8.3,Blu-ray Disk Playback,Business,Factory Install $6.14
1 MGDW9 Module,Software,Certificate Of Authenticity,W7U32/64 $146.63
1 N971H Module,Cord,Power,125V,2M,C13 United States $0.69
1 NDHYH MOD,PRC,CLF,XXXXX,1.6,6M,45W $340.02
1 NY1KX Module,Assembly,Base,Third Party Maintenance,Sleeve,Clarksfield,M650 $266.41
1 P070F Module,Dual In-line Memory Module,8GB,1067MHZ,DDR3,4X2G $201.60
1 P8GC1 Module,Liquid Crystal Display,17WU,Red/Green/Blue,Samsung,M6500 $262.13
1 PT6PP Module,Software,Dell Control Point System Manager,Latitude/Precision,1.4 $0.00
1 T465G Module,Card,Network,5300 Latitude,Screen $29.00
1 T715M Module,Blu-ray Rewritable Double Speed,Panasonic,M6400 $0.00
1 V351M MOD,CRD,GRPHC,N10E-GLM $520.33
1 VJXGC Module,Software,Dell Control Point Security Manager,Latitude/Precision,1.4 $0.93
1 W303P MOD,KYBD,101,US,ENG,ENDB,WW $27.84
1 W3HMK Module,Label,Microsoft,Notebook,Windows7 $0.00
1 W591M Module,Card,Network,DW420 Ultra Wide Band,United States $26.12
1 W870N Module,Software,WINDOWS-LIVE Relationship Line Of Business $0.00
1 WG335 MOD,BTRY,PRI,90WH,9C,SIMP,SLVR $56.00
1 X3385 Module,Information,Rabit D-SRS-PLUS,LATUD $0.00
1 Y373R Module,Kit,Software,Powerdvd,8.3,True Theatre High Definition $0.30
1 YTFFG Module,Palmrest,W/O CTSC,M6500
==
Sub-Total : $2205.41
Shipping : $0.00
Tax : $203.98
Order Total : $2409.41

 

I don't think you'd be out of bounds to say that you at least want a Covet to replace a Covet.

 

I like that, I am going to use that. Thank you sir.

 

Another thing: Upon bootup it will often hang after this message:

PXE EX1: Media Test Failure; check cable.

Any ideas?

 

They're required to replace your computer with hardware that's equivalent to greater than your original system, Visual aesthetics are not covered afaik, however knowing dell it shouldn't be that hard to get a covet as a replacement. The biggest issue I see so far is this:
1 NDHYH MOD,PRC,CLF,XXXXX,1.6,6M,45W $340.02
1 V351M MOD,CRD,GRPHC,N10E-GLM $520.33

That's a i7 720QM. and in some areas is equivalent(or even faster) then a QX9300, however in most multi-threaded cases it's slower. That would be the big thing to get them on imo. Otherwise it's got the RGB screen, 8GB of ram, 250GB 5400RPM HDD, and the N10e is a Quadro 2800M graphics card. So a much slower laptop overall.

 

Ahhhh. This is an outrage; I am deeply offended. I demand answers, heads will roll, etc etc. But yea this is some shady stuff. Thanks for decoding the parts list for me.

I'm looking at this chart and you are right, that is not up to snuff for what I paid for.

I wonder why they are doing this, it is dishonest.

 

Just try to play cool first, customer service reps are much easier to work with when you're not hot.

 

Hehe yea I was just bein goofy, they have all been pretty nice folks so far.

I can't imagine them hassling me over it, I am starting to think they are just too big/disorganized/inconsistent with this order process stuff rather than pulling underhanded cost-cutting/rip off on purpose.. but wouldn't be surprised either. Guess I'll find out Monday.

Hopefully even if I get them to make it a Covet it will not be a refurb full of dead pixels, scratches dents etc. Is a refund out of the question at this point would you say? Bought Oct '08

 

And many of them don't have a clue about what is better or worse. Have some links ready to send someone (the notebookcheck CPU and GPU benchmark lists are very useful for guidance).

John