m17x repaired twice still not fixed, lost money, now what?

first of all i want to say lets not argue or flame in this thread because my last similar thread was closed because of it. i want to get some advice without a thread getting closed, the mods on here are touchy when people argue so please dont argue and if you have nothing nice to say then dont say it.

With that being said i am at a point that i am so frustrated with my new m17x r2 that im about to ask for a refund and get a different computer besides alienware. i just bought this, its brand new. I had it for almost three weeks an since i took it out the box iv been having serious problems with it.

To make things short, when i first turned it on i was getting very high temps so i called a tech and they came to my house and changed the heat sync. when the tech was changing the heat sync he noticed when the computer was being built the makers left a piece of paper in between the heat sync and the CPU!! "so all this is not my fault at all." the tech replaced the heat sync that day and when he left not even ten minutes later i got BSOD on every load up. after another two hours of trouble shooting on the phone they concluded that my CPU was malfunctioning and they sent a tech to replace my CPU.

so today the tech came and replaced the CPU and guess what! the same problem was happening, i was getting the same error code "malfunctioning CPU core" right off the bat. the tech seen it and suggested that the motherboard is bad because the same problem happened with the new CPU.

now the worst part is i had to take off work three times now "$240 lost" to meet up with these techs even though i only met up twice, the reason is because one day the tech said he was coming between 12-4pm so i took off work that day and he never came by! i had to call up and ask why and i got a run around answer that said tomorrow it will be done. "that was yesterday they told me that"

what should i do? i really like this new m17x it looks great and the specs are great "even though i never used it yet" should i demand them give me a new computer and send this one in? because what are they really going to do next if another tech comes replace the motherboard and another CPU?

PLUS i would have to take another day off work which is not an option now. like most of you probably i have a full time job "in construction" and need to be at work everyday so that other people can get their jobs done at as well. i cant just take 4 days off work within two weeks, my coworkers are already behind since i took off the three days. just to give you an idea i usually take 4 days off in a year! i spent about 4-6 hours on the phone altogether now talking to these techs, i am just so frustrated and i dont know what to do. now i have to call them again and tell them its still not fixed and see what they say.

can someone please give me some advise as to what i should do besides just telling me to call tech support because i know that.. i am a very nice guy, i dont get angry and yell at techs on the phone, so most the time i dont get anywhere when asking for a replacement. i just dont know what i should say to this tech because i really cant take off work again and i really dont want this same m17x anymore with all these problems that costing me money.

remember please dont argue in this thread i dont want it getting closed.

heres a pic of the paper in between the heatsync and CPU
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/5122/img2710dl.jpg

 

personally i would just return it, then if you wish to stay with alienware then re-order. that way your return limit wouldn't get wasted waiting for a replacement unit. then by the time you figure you don't like it, you can't return it no more. you already have a case with them so a return within your 21 days should be very easy.

 

Return it and move on. It's just not worth the grief. I've sure learned a lesson from my M17.

I've got all my issues under control for now finally after many months, but everytime I turn it on I dread what my go wrong next. And I cannot take anymore of the frustration of dealing with Dell's fine India tech support.

Hopefully this thing will hold together because I am DONE with Alien.

 

Didn't you say it was a refurbished laptop before? Having seen many computer manufacturing clean areas, I'm guessing that the sticky note was from the previous owner and not a manufacturer error. I think given your issue with a refurbished laptop you might want to consider buying a new one...

I'm starting to wonder about the refurbished laptops. Someone else just reported that they got a 210w instead of 240w power supply with their laptop. Dell might need to do some more verification before sending out the refurbished units.

In fact they might want to swap out for a new baseball cap in the M17xR3 that I just returned...

 

and my XPS 17 refurb had a graphics card that died in a week.

 

Guys even if it was a refurb, accidents happen so who knows who put the note there, I've had a few refurbs that were amazing so it being a refurb has nothing to do with the problems he's having. Murkr I'll shoot you a PM to try to help you through this crap

 

Agree with DaneGRClose this isn't a refurb bash party the OP is looking for advise. Call support and ask for a replacement.
Tell them you want to start over with another unit. If they don't email dell corp and ask for someone to reslove your problem. They are very nice and will get you another refurb or most likely build you a new one. Check the replacement thread for more info.

 

Remember guys I really like this computer this isn't my first m17x this is my third. Especially Since it's my most powerful and its a red one which I personally like the best. I don't want to get a different kind of computer I just want a working one. I just don't want another tech to come by so I dont have to take off another day of work. An I got an advance care warranty I'm not just going to buy a new computer I love my m17x even though it's broken right now

 

You want your cake and you want to eat it too. You can't have it both/all ways. I agree with several others; just send it back and take a good break for a cooling off period. You're getting all frustrated and you will probably work yourself into a perpetually angry state over it, and then you won't like anything you get from them or anything they do for you.

So how about this: Send it back, save up some more money, do some research into other machines as well, see what happens with this nutso Sandy Bridge debacle, think again (and again), and when you are all settled down, buy a brand-new unit from whoever. Maybe it will be something totally different, but no matter what, you will have had time to give other ideas a whirl without all the sweating over your current machine. Imagine this: In a year or so, whatever you have will no longer be anything remarkable, and the threads here will be talking about machinery that you don't own. You might then be thinking to yourself "Why was I letting myself get all worked up over this aging box filled with electronic parts no one values anymore?" Just remember the eventual fate of all technology products before you get carried away.

 

Allright, here's a piece of advice.

Since it's your 3rd alienware, i assume there is something with the brand that you like. It's not easy to get another brand notebook, which gives you the same satisfactory as an alienware.

I would kindly call Dell Support and explain the situation, in a very kind matter (this is very important, don't get mad, don't start talking loud, simply explain the situation).
Then add to it that you don't mind putting in some time for the tech to come by and try to fix it, and that you are very happy they have taken some efforts to resolve your problem(s).
Tell them that however now you have come to the point, where you have a hard time getting a day off from work again since it has been 3 times now (or even more, if it's not fixed the next time they come around) and that you do expect a notebook of this value to not give these kinds of problems from the first day you got it.

Kindly ask them if it is possible to exchange your m17x for another one and ask them to test it on their facilities beforehand to avoid any issues they could foresee, so you won't have to bother them for repairs and don't have to take a day off again and can enjoy the great products alienware makes to it's fullest. Or any other solution they can come up with which doesn't involve sending a techy and you taking a day off.

You will be surprised how willing dell/alienware is to satisfy it's customers when you just talk to them very nicely on the phone and get them to understand your situation.

 

Yes, Jiggy has a good idea too, but then you (murkr) are losing patience with having techs over at all, so you are going to have to mellow-out, no matter what. There is NO option available that works like "I get everything I want, I have no inconveniences, Dell makes me want to sing from the hilltops, and my Alien is the world's most perfect computer." Unfortunately, murkr, you are going to have to accept a reasonable compromise (just like we all do in life) and either allow Dell to try to satisfy you with this current box, which they WILL attempt to do, or you will need to wash your hands of the anxiety over it, send it back, and take a powder for a few months. Look, Dell is not evil; they want to make happy customers, and they will try. But YOU have to help them help you and you must give them every chance to get things right. It cannot work any other way. If you roadblock them at every turn, I guarantee you will never find happiness here, and I want you to be happy. I like my Alien, but I paid a dear price for it and worked hard to dial it in. They aren't perfect; they are just darn awesome, with a few minor flaws.

 

Send it back and get a refund. Dont horse around with support trying to fix a new system. Talk to a salesperson and see if they might even work a better deal if you buy another one from them. Get everything you want. Do not compromise, either get what you paid for or get the money back.

 

This is along the lines as what I want to do. As I said before I don't want a new computer I just want a working m17x.

And voiceinthewil I already did a lot of research and came up with alienware. I would think most owners of alienware computers have done a lot of research because it's not a cheap machine as you know. And what do you mean by I can't have both because all I want is a working computer and like I said i am not an angry person I'm not going to yell at Dell and even if I did Of course I will get something out of this I got an advance care warranty they are going to either fix it or give me brand new one, I just would rather have a brand new one so I wouldnt have to take off work again which isn't an option for me now.

Anyways thanks for all the advice guys, especially dangrdose that gave me a very useful PM, thank you very much for that Corp info

 

is sending it to the depot an option? that way you won't have to take time off work.

where do you live? if you live in/near Eastern PA (Scranton-Allentown-Philly) , I could pick it up and babysit the tech. In 12 years of running dell/aw laptops, I've had dozens of service calls...

 

I hope this gets fixed for you though, there's nothing more frustrating then cashing out some serious dough and getting something that fails on you from day 1.

In the end, you are the customer and you bought something you did not get (a decently working brand new product, a defect free notebook as you could expect from something new) and they should fix it in a way that satisfies you.

 

I would demand a brand new replacement delivered to me and not take "no" for an answer. Threaten that they'll lose you forever and you'll share your negative experience with family, friends and go on a campaign online to stop people from buying AW products ...usually works (for me)

Also, taking rep names down and threatening that their names will be included in a head office complaint letter if they don't send you a replacement wouldn't be a bad idea. They tend to be much more helpful when their jobs are threatened.

I know some of us don't like being jerks, but company's these days will walk allover you unless you take them on aggressively. If you don't, they'll walk allover you.

 

Mentioning this site tends to help also ^^

 

Demand a new system. Demand to be reimbursed for your wasted time.

I have found the service for these computers absolutely horrible (I will not go into specifics of my case). Not only are the call center "techs" incredibly incapable people, but the in-house tech's they outsource their work to are buffoons. I have no idea what Dell's supply chain is like but clearly they are cutting corners just to save costs.

Even in your case it is obvious the in house tech was a goof if the only thing he did was replace the heatsink (as you say). Paper is made from wood. Wood is an excellent insulator. Putting an excellent insulator between a hot GPU and heatsink does a fantastic job of keeping the heat on the GPU side. Thus, the heatsink was actually well protected and your GPU needs replacement. This should be fairly obvious to anyone who has poked around in computer before.

So, my suggestion to you is to cite these claims, and your unhappiness with both product and service. Don't go in with all guns blazing, but at the same time I do not suggest to wait till you 'cool down' before you contact Dell. Contact them with these thoughts (And your disappointment) fresh in your mind.

It would not surprise me that if you make the above argument, dell will 'reimburse' your lost time by offering you a better replacement.

(by the way I have done the above under various other circumstances and it has usually worked for me. People are, in general, reasonable, and are usually sympathetic towards individuals who's lives they or their products have impacted negatively)

 

Before you call, write down on a paper what you want (the goal) and why you want it (the means), write down all the arguments that you want to use to convince them that what you want is what you should get. Run down possible scenarios that could happen on the phone and decide how you will react to them, write that down too, then call, a prepared call = a successfull call. This has always worked for me and hey, here I am, I started with a XPS M1710 four years ago, extended my warranty every year and now two replacements later I own a New alienware, all for that same money and some prepared phonecalls Now how cool is that ... And people still say Dell support is bad, try that with any other brand (HP,ACER,ASUS) and see ...

 

Agreed with Psyloid.

If you think you had it bad, MSI kept my laptop for 5 weeks and Asus kept the one in my sig for 4 weeks (they still have it). Dell/AW may have their faults, but at least they send techs out and don't keep your laptop for over a month.

Edit: ...And MSI/Asus keep you on hold for 45 minutes, Dell answers in 5 minutes

 

Personally I never like these "demand compensation for my wasted time" ideas.

What I do is just tell them my problems, my frustrations and they always come back with a solution (fix/repair, new system, exchange etc..).
If I do not like what they offered, I once again explain my situation then suggest what I feel would be a fair compromise between the 2.

They almost always agree with my request (I never go crazy like saying... replace my 500gb HD with 2x 256gb ssd's etc.).

Just be polite but firm and REASONABLE with your requests.
This allows the rep to actually be able to help you
Think what it is like for them to have to ask their manager to change a 720qm to an 840qm or exchanging a 720qm to a 940xm.
If it is the latter, they may not even bother and just say "no" outright instead of getting in trouble with their boss, while the former is in the realm of possibility so they are more willing to give it a go with their boss.

Just my 0.000002¢

D.