Replacement R3 coming tomorrow--what to do?

I have had mine for 29 days (return period is 21 days) I have had the mobo replaced and am having issues with my GPU now as well as a rattling speaker. I got on with support today and told them I wouldn't settle for anything but a system replacement or a full refund.

I was told that neither of those things was possible. 15 mins a little yelling a transfer and a manager consult later and I had the option of a full refund or a system replacement. I took the replacement and am hoping I have better luck than dookie.

My current rig has had none of the "usual" problems other than the speaker it has just been bad HW so I am hoping that the replacement has the same cosmetic quality and if it doesn't I might just swap out all the insides lol.

In the end though AW support is good you just need to know how to talk to them. They are leaps and bounds above HP and even with the issue sthat I have had I can't see me going to another company just for the fact that i know that I can keep on them until my computer is fixed without having to send it to them.

 

No doubt this has been a headache. I think I'm just cursed cuz I bought it through aafes, which already saved me a bunch of $...

So I called today, trying to reach my contact @ dell. He wasn't in, and the person who answered the phone (I guess they take messages for him) said that he'd make sure the guy gets the msg and calls me back. Lies of course. Will be calling tomorrow though. Do y'al suggest I talk to him (cuz I spoke to him in teh past), or should I just speak to anyone and hope to reach a lv2 or lv3?

 

Note to self: Do not keep the old system you got replaced for 2 1/2 weeks because you're paranoid something will need to be salvaged for the new system.

Dell will harass.

 

Your sentence is confusing. Are you telling me to keep the 1st one and send back the 2nd one? Cuz the 2nd (the replacement unit) is even more faulty than the first one, minus the better/whiter screen. I don't really want to keep either of them at this point, because of such IMPERFECTION/INCONSISTENCY.

 

I think he has the original and the replacement for 2.5 weeks since receiving the replacement ie. he hasn't sent either one back thus far.

 

Ic.

So tomorrow is my "due date." Been trying to reach someone at Dell all day today, and nothing. They keep transferring me but I keep waiting and waiting but noone answers, so I give up. Gonna try again tomorrow, otherwise this thing ain't going back until I hear something from someone. I don't really want a "big" coupon or discount or something as compensation. What I DO want is just a good computer, know what I mean? And of course, I wouldn't mind a freebee to go with it So far, their products and customer service have been near unacceptable for an over-$1000 purchase.

EDIT: over-$1800 purchase.

 

Been waiting since 1/27. Still waiting even today...

I hate how just cuz we ordered through aafes, we have to deal with dell through their EPP department, which never seems to be open when I call. Wonder why I cant just go through any other csr department?

 

So, what did you return then?

 

Feel for you Dookie, and all the other R3 owners going through this.

I considered ordering an R3, but many of the build quality concerns ultimately scared me away.

I decided to go with a refurbed R2 for a much cheaper price off the dell outlet, and haven't regretted it for a minute. Got it fast, and with no visual or hardware defects. It's been a little more work to get everything out of the crossfire setup/940xm, but it's great once you get it all worked out. It will definitely hold me over until I decide I want to make the jump up to the m18x. But I likely wont do that until the next rev later this year/early 2012.

Hope everything works out for all you guys with problems!

 

Didn't yet. Awaiting emails/phone calls from them today. I'm not gonna call until I get response from them, cuz it's too much time and headaches.

 

Noone emailed or called. I called today at lunch and spoke to a dude in their Consumer Resolution Center department...he said he couldn't handle this issue, and sent an email to the AAFES dept to contact me. He felt that it'd be best for me to get a brand new computer to replace the 2 damaged ones (which is fine with me). He also said that he was unsure about what kinda compensation they'd offer since that's not his department.

So we'll see tomorrow wassup.

 

OMG !!! when my friend received mine in canada I had her checked common problems (tanx to you guys for reporting your problems) and everything was fine ! I was happy until I received my system and guess what ! none of the essential drivers were installed specially network and gpu . I tried a lot to install my wifi network driver ...wont work my gpu driver ...wont work !!! had a bsod and had to install the windows again. then I installed HWiNFO32 and guess what I saw ?!?!?! They installed a nvidia gtx 460m !!! I nearly had a seizure :-( The only reason I ordered from US and got it shipped was for the 6970m and they installed 460m ?!?! I'm stunned...

 

sorry if its unrelated . I cant even get my 460m to work properly when I try to install the driver it says: You must install an intel driver first. If it means the IGP it is installed properly . I dont know what to do instead of 6970 I got 460m and its not even working!

 

Sorry to play devil's advocate (and not to derail too much). I'm usually the one complaining but I thought for once I'd make a post saying something positive.

I wanted to share a more positive replacement experience.

I actually got a computer just before Dookie did--had the rattling speaker issue, and minor lid alignment issue. At first they wanted me to mail in, I just said no thanks and called again until I got a replacement approved.
I received it in 9 business days.

The replacement is pretty much perfect: lid is a lot more precisely fitted and the speakers are good. even the media buttons push better, no crashes, no dust, no dead pixels.

I was trying to find something wrong within my 21 but I have to say it's good and I'm happy with it. It is unfortunate that I had to go through the trouble of returning etc. vs having a perfect initial product but realistically there are going to be QC issues with anything with so many parts from so many places. Not to mention AW market probably has some of the most critical consumers out there.

With that said, it's likely that at a certain point in business it simply becomes more efficient to just release the 95% good product with a 5% failure rate with the promise to fix the bad ones later than making them all perfect either because it goes unnoticed or it is 'good enough'.

But the biggest reason I bought Dell/Alienware over some of their competitors is their warranty support. The only time I have ever experienced a 'tough luck, we cant help you response' was when my warranty was already over--and that's counting the time I basically (like an idiot) spilled water all over my computer. Luckily I had the accidental care coverage so when I called up and said, I'm stupid and I spilled water all over my computer and it's broken, they simply mailed me another one.

 

This is very reassuring. I've decided to keep the original and send back the messed up/refurb replacement back to them. They're comping me an Orion backpack ($80 value). I guess my warranty will just cover everything down the line... Still a pain in the to deal with them though, seriously. Had to go through like 2 level2s and maybe the guy I spoke to might even be a level3. Sheesh.

 

Nice. atleast you gota backpack!

 

Yah, I'm very grateful for it. The lady let me ramble on and on about my problems. Only thing is, this is the 2nd time I've ever spoken to this lady, and both times I complained about the R3s, and both times she asked for photos, of which I told her no can do/ no reason for photos to determine that it's damaged. Complete BS. So I rambled and rambled until she offered a carrying case to me. I was like, that'd be great.

The R3 will be held hostage until I receive an order number from her though.

 

dookie.... cap. you better come up with something more positive to say about AW... .... i am almost regretting this..... buying an AW for the first time in my life...and for as long as i have been with PC's i have kept an eye on these....and now with all of these traumatic stories....i am half pressed to cancel the order (as it is DELL AU is extorting great amounts of moolah)

PS am contemplating buying the AW orion meself

 

Oy,

Does anyone know how to I can dismantle the front of the computer, where the speaker/grills are? As you can see in the picture, I just noticed this today, that my grills are broken, probably due to the fact that the horizontal bar/brace thingamabobber is flexible and can smash in the flimsy grill. I'd like to swap out these grills for the one from the replacement R3.

TYIA!

 

Wow, yo still have 2 R3's at this moment? What did the dell guys tell you?

 

Just to return it asap. I basically said I'd return it as soon as I received my compensation. Not like I can send anything on the weekends anyway.

 

I had two R2's sitting here for two months waiting on a shipping label for the first one. I even called them about and told my on-site tech about it. They did nothing. Yet, when I called about my replacement being bricked... they said we can't help you because you broke the terms of agreement and didn't ship your machien back in time, LOL! What a day that was. That was like setting off a haf stick of dynamite in a vienna sausage can.

Bad day there, lol!

 

What? So they didnt want to help you anymore? Did you still return the bricked r2?

 

My r2 specs are, 940xm/8gb ram/raid 0 1tb/dual 5870's cf/bluray player/intel 6300/1440x900. So I just got in the specs for the r3 they want to send me. Here is what they want to send me, 2720qm/8gb ram/6870m/raid 0 1.5tb/bluray/intel 6300. That seems like a serious downgrade not only in specs, but in what I paid for my r2.

 

That's ridiculous!! The 460M is better than the 6870M. The only real reasonable exchange is the 6970CF.

 

Well I have to settle for the r3 replacement they are forcing on me. They said its outside of policy to replace my r2 that's pretty much maxed out with an m18x, regardless. The guy told me he would max the r3 out, and it seems he hasn't done that at all.

 

Naaw man

you'd need the 2920XM
definitely get the M18X....tell them.... a dual GPU setup for a dual GPU setup...or u go to the ombudsman (are you in the US)
tell 'em it's not ur fault DELL decided something along the lines of giving CF/SLI exclusive to M18X

 

So wait. How does this affect me? I'm going to mail them back the R3 tomorrow(maybe Wednesday cuz I don't have time). I'm past the "10day" thing, even though the supervisor guy I spoke to said to "just return it as soon as you can". Is my warranty void due to this??? What happened in your case?

 

I was told almost the exact same thing!!! I received my new service request number for my replacement R3, but when I look it up it shows it as processing.