Purchasing a Warranty Later

Hey,

I recently posted about my terrible experience with my first Alienware m17x and I'm happy to say that Dell is replacing my system with some additional perks. However, this first foray into the world of Alienware has given me serious doubts about the durability and reliability of the system. I know Alienware and Dell are a bit separated, but I've owned an XPS 1530 and I know the poor quality of Dell computers.

1) First, what do you think of the durability and reliability of the m17x?
2) Have you experienced many critical issues that require replacement parts, i.e. something that the average user couldn't fix themselves fairly cheaply?

Also, what advice do you have for upgrading the warranty? The mark-up, if you decide to get a warranty even 6-7 days later, is 2-3 times that of when you purchase online. Keep in mind I called and gave the service tag of the m17x that I had been troubleshooting for 3 hours (they probably know it's a lemon)

3) What's the mark-up (% terms) for warranties 1 week after receiving the computer?
4) Can you haggle on the warranty? My rep made it sound like it was set by the company, but he's a salesperson at the end of the day.

Thanks for your replies. I think Dell's technical support is crap but if you push enough, they'll replace parts rather than endlessly update drivers. Given the quality of Dell, I would rather pay 400 bucks now and avoid the 10% chance my computer dies in the next 3 years and the 20% chance that it runs like a wounded deer.

EDIT: My system was $2330 with tax. It was expensive but surely not $3000 - $4000, so it was not as much of an investment. If the risk of failure (from your experience) is low enough within a 3 year time frame and the system doesn't have too many problems, then I won't to get the extended warranty because it won't be something that I can't pay out of pocket for.

 

I don't think it really matters what their mark up is, it's what you have to pay that matters. Yes it is cheaper if you buy the warranty with the unit. It will cost more after the sale. You can haggle over the price I have seen different prices paid here. I paid 786.00 for a 3 year complete care with the 2 year extended added on. That was for a m17x, which since its a 4000.00 plus might as well spend some on protection. My m11x I got a 3 year extended with drops and spill coverage for just 119.00 after 30% off. I got it though Square Deal because they will just give me my purchase price back, I don't believe they will repair or replace a 1200.00 unit I bought for 540.00. So kind of up to you how you want to protect your self and how much you got invested.

 

It becomes expensive if you buy the warranty after the fact. I have done it, and haggled a few hundred $$ off, but took a lot of work, and was a few days after getting the system. Which I later returned and got all my money refunded, but it's much much cheaper getting it at the time of purchase.

 

Thanks for the reply. I just couldn't pay that much for insurance on my m17x through Dell. My system was only $2330 and I would end up paying $780 (780/2330 = 33%) for insurance. I'd rather just wait until technology depreciates and use that to buy a newer system.

Can you tell me more about Square Deal? The insurance premium sounds insane (119/540 = 0.22%) but if I get my money back, I can use that to get new technology.

 

How close did you get to the online prices? How's your system been treating you and anything that an average user couldn't fix?

I can search online forums but can't do anything outside of RAM and Hard Drive replacements.

 

Sorry its Square Trade my Bad.. check them out here.

SquareTrade | Facebook

or here http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/

 

I just did a quote, huge savings ($250 total)! What are the terms? Will they fix it or will my laptop need to...erm....get into a little accident to get the full face value?

 

Nevermind, they won't repair an unlimited number of damages, only up to the full face value of what you paid for for the computer. That's a bit disconcerting because video cards and processors can cost a lot of money and what happens when they're no longer produced? Dell will send a replacement computer and has unlimited liability.

 

You can deal with Dell, I got a pretty good deal after I bought my systems, I got them down as low as I could go, and they threw in a $75.00 Dell Gift Card for each system I warrantied to boot. With the gift card I ordered a pair of Logitech G930 on 12/12/2010, they have been delayed until 1/17/2011, that's Dell for you. I sent a nasty email, still waiting on a response.

I was not going to get the Dell warranty, but after dealing with a third party warranty issue with one of my Gateways, I feel it's will worth it, not having to send my system off for a month, and it not getting fixed the first time.

I paid $635.44 plus the $150.00 in Dell gift Cards making it $485.44 for both my warranties for my M17X R2, and M11X R1 (Best Buy). That's for a Three Year Reg warrenty.

 

I decided to add 2 years to my M15x which has its warranty expiring in 02/11 so I did the email route and filled in what I wanted and received an email response that I would be contacted.

I got a phone call last evening offering 2 years for $419 and a $75 DELL gift card if I decided to purchase it. I asked why the price was so high and was told the Alienware laptops are very expensive and it goes by that. I responded that I paid around $325.00 when I extended the warranty on my M17x which was obviously an Alienware laptop and considerably more expensive than the M15x and she told me she needed to speak with her supervisor.

After listening to holiday Musak forever she came back and said her supervisor would extend it for $338 so I told her to place it on my DELL Preferred Account, she said she would and would also send me the $75 DELL gift card as well.

 

Yeah, that's kinda ty... when I bought my m17x a couple months ago I only got the one year plan because funds were limited - with every intention of extending it before that year was/is up. I asked the rep if there was a price difference and he flat out lied to me. That is not the first time one of the sales reps have lied to me. These guys are worse than used car salesman in my opinion. No, they're not all bad, but let me tell you that I went through 3 people before the fourth one was even worth talking to.... and even still, I almost returned my machine. $700 for a warranty!?!? Ridiculous.

 

My R2 was shipped on Dec 17th with the 1 year standard warrenty. I called dell yesturday and upgraded to 3 years of complete care for 270.00 He first quoted me 700 something for it but then I told him my PC was still under 21 day buy back guarrente and he lowered it after that. So i guess as long as you do it in the first 21 days you should be ok.

 

I have had terrible experiences in the past with Dell.
I had 3 x M1710, a small version also (i think it was M1210), an M1530 and 2 x M1730.

All were terrible experriences. The M1710's kept dying on me, one part died, i replaced it, then in a few weeks something else would die.
I had 3 replacements and all had issues not normal for the prices i payed.
The small versions did work a bit better, but also had alot of issues.
The M1730 gave me the same problems the M1710's had, although they did work considerably longer before something failed.

Note that this was all with normal use, no modding, no special treatments.

I since switched to Alienware, and although a powerfull laptop means more heat production internally, which means a higher chance of defects, i never had issues even coming close to the Dell laptops i had.

Cashing out a bit more for Alienware notebooks is the best thing i ever did.

 

Thats stellar. I am going to do the same exact thing when I renew mine. What type of warrenty did you get?