My M17xR2 replacment experience

Just wanted to share some positive experiences regarding Dell support. Many here post their horror stories with Dell support.

Long story short (I'll try!) is, I bought an Outlet M17xR2 during the last 20% off coupon deal. Got a fairly basic model:

• Core i5-520
• 4GB 1066 DDR3
• 250GB HDD
• Single 5870
• WUXGA RGBLED
• Intel 6300

Got it for $1100 after coupon. Seemed like a decent deal. Upon receipt, I was disappointed to see that the previous owner thought it was some sort of door mat. The beautiful Nebula Red cover was scratched up like I'd never thought possible. (I ask myself "Self? Why do people not take care of their things?").

I kept it until the 21 days were almost up, and decided I could not deal with the exterior condition. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to keeping things scratch-free. So, I called Dell, and said I wanted to return it. They offered me an exchange unit, so I accepted. I got the SR# from the rep for the exchange and hung up.

Later that day, I looked up the SR# on dell.com, and it came up as a Presicion Workstation desktop. Hmmmm... So I called the next day, and spoke to another rep who said everything was fine, the exchange was approved and gave me the replacement order number.

I looked up that order number, but the website would not bring up any results. I called back, and after about 30 minutes, the rep said he'd have to look into it, that something wasn't right. He said he'd call back in 24 hours. Of course, I never got a call back, but I did have his email address, so I emailed him...5 times on 5 different days. Got read receipts each time, but no response. Finally, I called back, got a different rep who spend 90 minutes on the phone with me figuring out what was wrong. Ultimately, he said, that there was no record of an exchange having been requested, approved or anything! The SR number was bogus. The order number given to me was even more bogus. Worse yet, I could no longer return it, and the rep said they could not do an exchange. I was basically screwed.

Today, I get an automated call from Dell, telling me my exchange had been shipped and gave me an exchange order number! I hurried to dell.com to look it up. Could it possibly be a M17xR2? Sure enough, a M17xR2 (in black) was shipped via FEDEX overnight, and was on the truck for delivery today!

Call it good luck or karma, here is what Dell is exchanging my low-end, banged up M17xR2 with:

• Core i7-920XM
• 8GB 1333 DDR3 RAM
• 256GB Solid State Drive
• Crossfire ATI 4870
• WUXGA RGBLED
• DVDRW with Blu ray ROM
• Intel 6300 Wifi

Not bad for $1100!!!

The only thing I'm not so happy about (ok, two things) is the "downgrade" to 4870 from 5870. I don't game much so while Crossfire sounds nice, I prefer the power of the single 5870. The other thing is it's BLACK instead of Nebula Red.

But, I guess I can't complain. (or should I, about the 4870's????)

In any case, this is not the first time Dell has done me right. I had posted here before about getting a really nice M17xR2 as a warranty replacment for my daughters' M1730 that I had bought from a NBR seller here for $600. Second thing, recently, was a server that was exchanged, in which Dell sent me a $6000 server as a replacement for a $2000 server.

So, while I was furious with Dell earlier this morning, right now, I'm quite pleased with them! Of course, the replacement is still on the FEDEX truck, so I don't know the physical condition of the replacement. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

Outstanding! Personally I think that is quite the deal.

Although, its hard to replace a Red one with black. I wish I had the Red one.

 

WOW chiefs what a great story huhs. Awesome stuffs.
Great lucky you indeed chiefs. TOp Stuffs.

Yeh I've got 2 reds lol

Cheers.

 

Be happy! The crossfire 4870s are loads better than the 5870 + the difference between a single 4870 and a single 5870 is not drastic.

 

Wow, and i thought i was alone on this one...

I was in a similar situation. I had ordered a M17xR2 from the dell outlet and with the 20% off coupon i got an i5-520M with an RGB LED screen, 5870 card, Intel 6300, 4 GB Ram, DVD-RW, BLACK, W7 home premium for ~$1111.20. The laptop arrived and it worked fine but i noticed that the bottom left video card grill had been dented in a part was protruding in. So i called and asked them to see if they could ship a replacement part and they pretty much said they'll just offer a replacement.

I guess i was a bit worried b/c they didn't have any outlet laptops left for sale on the M17xR2. Two days later with no notification or anything i got a laptop delivered to me. Opened it up and it was a i7-920xm, RGB LED, 4GB Ram, DVD-RW, 4870 CF, two 320GB HD's, along with Windows 7 Ultimate installed.

Pretty crazy right?

 

Nice work, pics of the machine once you get it!

 

I guess with low stock comes little choice, which is good for us!

I'm still waiting for freaking' Fedex to deliver....our lame driver dosen't deliver until end of day!

 

That's an amazing deal did you talk to some high up supervisor or something to get this done? This does not seem like a typical scenario.

 

Low stock; they probably had no choice and sent out whichever available at the time.

 

It went just like I wrote. I was basically written off by the last two reps. No exchange, "too bad, so sad". It was a complete surprise to have received the automated call about an exchange coming!

 

I just unboxed the replacement, and after a little cleaning job (why does Dell not EVER clean refurbs before sending them out? I'm surprised I haven't gotten some communicable disease from the systems they send out!), I'm happy to report the replacement M17xR2 is perfect. No scratches or blemishes.

Time to go play (and read how to OC this 920XM!).

 

I don't think it's Dell, but one of their contractors who do all the refurbishing process.
Great to hear you like the system. What a deal you got.

 

I like it by specs only. I haven't had a chance to use it, so hopefully it works! And the big minus--it isn't RED.

 

I tell you what. I love red too, but I ultimately decided to go black only because -- I saw what happened to my friend's new nebula red just after 1 month. It gets scratched WAY too easily. He's on second case(Dell replaced his entire case) and it's already in bad shape after 1 trip to class. Black is the easiest to manage, imo.

 

I'm pretty careful with my notebooks. I've never even had any minor scratching on any of my notebooks. I use good cases, careful packing etc. I've only once had a mishap where a notebook flew out of my hands onto the garage floor. Dell was sympathetic (it was only a day old) and they fixed it for free!

 

I had an old Inspiron 1501. It accidentally went for a car ride on the roof of my car. When it came off it was run over by probably at least 2 cars behind me. The little rubber feet kept it up there till I hit highway speeds too. I managed to recover it on the shoulder of the road. Thankfully I had Complete Care on it. Dell replaced it with a really nice XPS 1530. It was a refurb but unlike the others above you absolutely could not tell unless you looked at the bottom and saw the refurb sticker.

 

I'd have to say that by far, the majority of Del Outlet systems are in MINT condition (minus needing cleaning). My red M17xR2 was a scratch & dent, which I took a chance on, but was too far gone for my standards. I've gotten S & D systems that were like new.

I'm currently cloning the SSD from the red one to my new M17xR2 SSD. Then, the boot!

 

do you still have the first laptop? i didn't see anywhere that you said you gave dell your old laptop.

if you're that intent on the 5870 you could swap 4870's out. though i wouldn't do it, 4870's are better than a single 5870.

 

I have not sent back the red one yet, since the replacement just arrived today (with the prepaid return shipping label!).

Swapping out parts, although it was a thought, would void the warranty on the new one, so not sure I want to go that route. I'm probably going to try my luck on getting CF 5870's since I had a 5870.

I need to call Alienware support now, also, because they sent me a bogus power supply. It's the gigantic 210w unit, and no matter what I do, the system sees it as a non-Dell adapter and will not charge. It runs the M17xR2, but will not charge the battery. Other M17xR2's have been the 240w thinner version.

 

You can ask them for a permission to swap the cards. It will not void your warranty. Do you really want to swap though? 4870's in CF clearly beat a single 5870. Asking for CF 5870 would be too much since your original machine had a single card.

 

Stick to cf 4870s.

 

that's what i call a good customer services.

 

Definitely! I'm not complaining one bit!

I'm on the phone again with them now, trying to get a new AC adapter sent since this one does not charge my M17xR2. Hopefully, things will go smoothly!

 

Well, gotta love Dell policies...

The warranty on the replacement is non-existent until they receive back the old PC. As such, they cannot do any warranty service on the one they just sent me!

So, I'm stuck for a week with a defective AC adapter until they receive back and process the original M17xR2.

Bleh!

 

Same thing happened to me. I had to call and complain about the 210W power supply, the guys was trying to assure me it was the correct one, yeah right! They must be shipping them out standard with the refurb'd units. I was surpised to see they actually shipped out the correct adapter with the replacement order. I guess with the 920xm and dual 4870's, it probably wouldn't power up with the 210W

 

It was funny (not really), but the rep was trying to talk me into using the 150w adapter that was going back with the original red M17x! I had to tell him that 150w would NOT run this model! Then he suggested just using the one I had, and that, somehow, my battery doesn't need to be charging!

I basically said none of those options are sufficient, and that I need a 240w PS. Unfortunately, I have to wait and call back after Dell gets the red one back.

 

I too will jump in on the positive side of things.

I had tons of problems with my first m17x-r2. Had to have 6 video cards replaced. You all know the drill. But I must say that each time I called I was treated fairly and it never took much to get the phone tech to send me the new parts and get them installed...even after the 3rd set when I demanded a replacement. Guy I talked to was totally cooperative and sent me a replacement unit with little to no hassle.

So while I was disappointed with first m17 I got, they replaced the lemon with a new one as soon as I asked them to. Unfortunately, I didnt luck out and get any random upgrades like you did...but I think my replacement was a brand new one and not a referb.

Even with the new unit, I recently had an HD complication...they sent me two new HD's as soon as I asked them to.

I guess I am saying that even if they dont get it right the first time, they certainly do whatever it takes to fix the problem...which is very comforting.