M11x Hinge/Screen touching Keyboard Discussion (R1 & R2)

Sorry, I was just making a list of things that a above average company would try to do.

I did not mean to give you false hope.

 

The idea of Dell automatically making money off of extended warranties is false. Extended warranties only make money for the company selling them when you don't use the extended warranty.

It's a gamble. you're gambling that you WILL need repairs within 3 years, and that the repairs will cost more than the price of your warranty. Dell (or whomever is selling you the warranty) is betting that you will NOT need repairs within 3 years, or the repairs that you need are going to be less expensive than what was paid for the warranty.

Individual extended warranties are not profitable. What needs to happen is that several people need to buy the extended warranty, and only a few of them actually use it. That is how extended warranties make money. If the only people who buy extended warranties are people with problems, then the extended warranties either become VERY expensive or lose money for the company.

It's the same concept as how health insurance is profitable: if you only have sick patients signing up for your insurnace, you'll lose money. You need to sign up both health and sick people, and hope that the healthy people never need to use the insurance that they bought.

 

Well...I did end up sending an e-mail to the Michael Dell e-mail. Hoping he - or someone in corporate - reads it. It was polite, professional, and to the point, and with links to these forums, the official forums, and YouTube videos explaining our issue. I have my doubts anything will be done, but sometimes all it takes is a single voice.

 

The only party taking a gamble is the customer. Dell, and every other manufacturer/reseller, knows very well how profitable extended warranties are. Why do you thing chains like Best Buy started offering them as well? They make 5-10% on the crap they sell and make way more on the warranty they offer you.

Why do you think the sales rep are so pushy trying to sell them? I don't think it's because they care about us...

As for insurance companies taking a gamble you have no idea what you're talking about. There's no gambling in that industry, it's all statistics and clients pay premiums based on how they are rated.

 

just out of interest and its probably been asked before so apologies in advance but..

This thread has the second or third most posts in the forum only behind the owners forums. any reason this hasn't or wont be stickied??

 

BatBoy (Alienware mod for NBR) states he gets flak for going over 4 sticked threads.

 

No need - its always on page 1.

 

true that...and will probably stay that way..............

 

I got a call back from Dell corporate today. The short story is that corporate can't do anything about it right now but they "forwarded the issue to the production team". Whether or not this means anything at all has yet to be determined.

 

Okay, some tips for new M11x users based on my experience (accept them at your own risk):

1-) Use your hinges! Don’t be afraid of it. Your machine is there to be used. Enjoy! And open/close (carefully, of course) the lid many times. What?! Are you insane?! No, I am not. By using your hinge you will either see it breaking apart or see it getting smoother. If it is going to break, it is better to break sooner than later (like in the first weeks) so you can return it easily (even get your full money back). If it is not going to break, it will get smoother because the tendency of any hinge is to become looser with time, and the M11x’s hinge seems to be excessively tight from factory.

2-) Open/close your lid by touching the middle part of the screen. Don’t use the corners. Hey, you should already know from this thread that the built quality here is not that great…

3-) Don’t put any thick material like mousepads between the screen and the keyboard. When the lid is close, the gap between the screen and the keyboard in the rear of the machine is very narrow, so any thick material will add stress to the hinge. You don’t want that! Use just thin materials.

4-) If you have money, invest some in a screen protector: those see-through skins that you apply over the screen in order to prevent scratches from the keyboard. You can even get an anti-gloss skin (I may try that). Otherwise, you can also add two small soft rubber pads in each superior corner of the screen. They are very cheap.

5-) For the really risk-averse, you can also (carefully) add a thin black or see-through duct tape (yep, 3M has a kind of see-through duct tape) in the rear of the hinge in order to hold together the two-part cover. I did that with small pieces =P. Just be careful when applying it because of the rotation of the panel (pay attention to that).

So, just some tips while dell/alienware is supposedly deciding what to do…

 

Absolutely agree. Use it like you would any notebook.

I wouldn't recommend taping the seams. A) I don't think it acts to prevent anything from breaking down - certainly not the internal plastic mount points that are breaking. B) It's quite possible that there /needs/ to be a little play there. If you're experiencing an appreciable amount of opening and closing of that gap when rotating the lid then something isn't right with the hinge and taping it closed isn't going to help that sort of thing.

They've already decided what they're going to do.

 

Extended warranties (and insurance, which I mentioned) is only *NOT* a gamble when the predicted failure rates and pre-estimated cost of remedy are known and accurate. The math fails if the actual failure rate and repair costs are higher than what you had predicted.

These rates are the equivalent of the information of an actuarial table for life insurance carriers... how likely is the failure rate (i.e. how likely are you to die at a given age) and what are the pre-estimated cost of remedy (i.e. how much will we need to pay you if/when you die)?

I typed my post in response to Rhodan's assumption that having faulty hinges was somehow good for Dell, because they get to sell more Extended Warranties...

"If they don't make public whatever fix they have implemented then they only have to replace the broken one and they still sell extended warranties to a lot of people. Good for Dell's bottom line." -Rhodan​

... which is completely false. Dell makes more money if they sell an extended warranty that NEVER gets used. Releasing a product with a higher-than-predicted failure rate of a very expensive component actually causes Dell to lose money.

There is no "conspiracy theory" of not fixing hinges so that they can sell more extended warranties. The only reason that they haven't issued a product redesign or full product recall is because up to now, it is cheaper for them to keep replacing defective parts than it is for them to redesign the parts or issue a full recall.

 

I agree that using duct tape there will not solve an already existent problem, since the problem is internal. However, by helping the plastic parts to hold together, especially those in the corners, it may (just may) counteract any pressure to separate them, including the presure of the hinge to separate from the plastic cover. It is a precaution. No hurt if the tape is well placed so it doesn't block the free rotation of the hinge.

Unfortunately, it is not that simple to include reputation (and so future sales) in that account. I can't, for example, recommend this machine or any other dell/alienware machine for friends anymore without make strong observations regarding built quality (i.e., hinges) and the way they deal with the situation. After that, they may just give up and buy something else. The view of my M11x with transparent duct tapes (although somehow cool in my opinion!) also doesn't help

 

No squeeky/cracking hinge issues yet... but for the first time today I've noticed keyboard marks on my screen. My screen is definitely pressed up against the keyboard when it's closed. Mostly just towards the top of the keyboard/bottom of the screen. I can deal with this, as long as my hinges don't disintegrate

 

I did not say they were not fixing the hinges... Not sure where you got that from...

What I said in response to a post about why there was so much secrecy around his:

If they don't make public whatever fix they have implemented then they only have to replace the broken one and they still sell extended warranties to a lot of people. Good for Dell's bottom line.

If they announced publicly they have fixed the hinge then everyone would want their screen replaced with the improved version and less customers would buy an extended warranty. Bad for Dell's bottom line.

What it means:

If you fix it and don't tell anyone then you leave your customers with the impression this may re-occur and force many of them into purchasing an extended warranty. You minimise your costs as people are not asking for a replacement unless it's broken and you generate additional revenue from the extended warranties.

If you tell the public you have a fix for an issue it becomes a recall because people will call to get their screen replaced no matter what. This is costly. On top a lot of people may not purchase extended warranties if they know the issue with the hinges has been resolved which means less revenue.

As for conspiracy theory... This is Dell. A company that has shown it will go to great lengths to avoid taking ownership of product defects as many have withnessed on this forum. I would not trust them with my money for any of the brands they own.

As for the possible damage to their reputation the details that hav transpired fom recent lawsuit brought against Dell is telling of how much Dell cares about it's reputation...

 

I like the laptop in your sig... Had I read more of these boards before I purchased, I probably would have went that route. Dell is a shady company.

Apple isn't that much better in the shady department, but at least they have a handle on quality control.

 

It was a tough decision but in the end I had no choice. Having to give Dell more cash for an extended warranty was not an option as the hinge issue is a design defect that should not require customers to pay more. That and the thought of ever dealing with Dell support again was enough for me to dispose of it. What I loss on the sale was about the same as what it would have cost for the warranty.

 

Keeping this short, sweet, and irritated. My creak has become a crack. Right hinge has opened up. Second m11x to do this. Pure and simple, they need to do something about this. To have any credibility to their name, they need to correct their mistake.

 

Call them right away. The screen can be come extremely bent and can literally completely break down in half... even though I was surprised how flexible the hinge plastic actually is.

 

Supposedly mine coming in on the 18th of October.. I'm just laughing because we have to go through so much after already paying an insane amount for a laptop that can't even hold itself... This is my second alienware my first one is about 5 years old (the good old ones when dell did not have ownership)

All I can do now is pray for a working hinges

 

Mine started doing a "Crack" noise today too!

edit: Never mind, I'm calling now.

Does anyone have any tips for dealing with Dell support? Like what to say or not to say and how to speed up the process?
Ordered it 6/29, arrived around August 5. Didn't even last 3 months! And by the way the "hinge" test was accurate when I first got it.

 

Actually call Alienware not Dell support. That will save you some time. (Dell support takes forever to get to available rep anyway.) Just say the hinge is broken, its cracking and it feels like its gonna break. I think everyone there knows the procedure for broken hinges by now.

 

Alienware is even worse, I can't get into the support area because I can't register, they ask for an account number, where do I get that?

Dell said they'll send someone within the next 5 days, it was pretty painless actually. Of course now we have to see how the fix goes...

 

You cant register at Alienware anymore. All handled at Dell. This is even more true in markets out of the US. (how can it be MORE true? I Dont know, it just can)

 

Yep, if you have a Express service tag on the bottom of your laptop - you get to deal with Dell support. Since April 2009? Alienware laptops have gotten Dell service tags.

 

Ok, yeah I thought I should call Dell since I bought the laptop from them, but the other guy said to call Alienware, but there's not even any way to do that...

Alienware is hiding from customers it seems...

 

ahh it's been over a month or 2 since I posted here, sorta glad i opted for the envy 14 now, even though that stupid dell rep said the new m11x's come with a re-designed hinge loll

 

NEW Alienware systems or certainly out of the USA systems do NOT get alienware support from what I can tell... you have to go through Dell. If though you can use AW direct then thats a bonus.

 

Alienware Tech Support:
1-866-287-6727

I have had no problems contacting Alienware Tech Support.

 

There's no conspiracy theory, Alienware simply does not provide any support for anyone outside the US. Please don't insult me like that.

In the page you linked:

Forums: I can't register as a new user.

My Hive® Personal Support Area : Can't enter either, needs registration which I can't do for some reason because who knows what's my account number?

Contact Support Representative: USA and UK only

Alien Contact: Yeah, right.

Where is the support?

I'm not saying there's a conspiracy. It's obvious Alienware is not addressing this issue, and they do what they can to keep customers at bay.

 

My Hive is for older Alienware units, before Dell bought them out, this maybe put of your problem. Just go through Dell, or use the Alienware Tech Support Number I posted.

 

You're right. I was a jerk. I apologize for that. I was not aware that Alienware's support is spotty outside of the US, and was not sensitive to that situation.

 

No problem kent, I should've specified I was outside the US.

Thanks, I did go through Dell, which is why I posted that Alienware's support was crap for non-USA users.

But oh, they'll gladly sell you one... they just won't support it.

BTW I came here to post my newest hinge pic:


This m11x R2 is less than 2 months old. I did the "paper test" when it arrived and it failed, I even posted a few photos, I'll look for them to compare.

Now it audibly "clacks" when I open it.

It's a real shame because the machine is perfect for my needs. I even play Civilization 5 on it, but all this time I've had it I can't enjoy it because I knew it was going to break. I knew about the hinge issue and I've always been extra careful when opening it, but it seems it did not matter.

 

Mate, even getting a regular Dell support (as annoying as it can be) can be a real challenge in some countries. In that respect, people in the US can be happy, even though you often end up talking to someone from India and may be annoyed by the lack of knowledge they have for the stuff they are supposedly supporting [no offense meant to anyone from India ofc].

On that note, I accidentally called Dell support instead of AW support twice (I had no idea they are actually different), I was told to either call the AW support or the rep reconnected me himself. So maybe the best way then is to call AW US support and ask what options are for getting the support outside of US. I live in the US so I realized it's easy to forget the convenience.

Hikarate, sorry it happened. It seems its not that uncommon. I was so pissed off when my baby started breaking.

 

I bought my R2 in Japan, and everything from sales to service is handled through Dell. While it would be nice to contact Alienware directly, Dell here in Japan has been very quick to respond to problems and have been pretty accommodating. The techs haven't been that great, but Dell Japan has been excellent in promptly setting up repair dates, keeping me informed and ultimately sending me a replacement machine.

 

I think I'm done buying Alienware and Dell products forever. Because this is ridiculous and they're NOT fixing it. I'm doing my best to raise public awareness on the issue but it's not going too well.

Also think I might get kicked from the Dell forums for being polite-yet-contrary. I think the other users there should know what they're getting into if they purchase the m11x. And I AM polite, but truthful.

 

Did they send you any pm saying that? LOL

 

My hinge was like this:
YouTube - Weird hinge movement on m11x
Then it was fixed
YouTube - M11x hinge fixed
And now its getting like on first video

I don't unerstand, from my point of view its not economically viable, cause i force them to replace screen for third time.

 

My last call went something like this:

"Hello there - I purchased an m11x a few months ago, and the hinge has since deteriorated and cracked open. I understand that this is covered by factory warranty - is that the case?"

"Yep, let's get some info and I'll have a box out to you tomorrow"

 

Had broken a hinge on my laptop. Contacted Dell and planned on paying for the replacement as I believed it was my fault. After I paid for what I believe was a "New" replacement screen with hinges, I was told to expect the parts in 5 day.

It is now going on 3 months and I am still waiting on the parts to come in. I finally talked to someone with a clue and found out that Dell does not sell NEW replacement parts. Every part that they will replace comes from a used laptop. That is not service. That is what I can do buying a dud off of ebay.

For me to get my screen repaired, I have to wait for a purchased laptop to be returned. Then I get to wait in line to get the part replaced.

This is terrible service. I have never experienced such disregard towards customers with any purchase I ever made. The American manager states that she will take "Ownership with my order and I can update Thursday if you guys are interested. Supposedly there are no MX-11 parts in stock in the world. But I never plan on buying another Dell ever.

 

You were given some wrong info. Twice.

 

Yeah, honestly every single Dell PC I've bought has had some defect, but this is by far the worst.

It's one thing to receive say a Vostro with a too loud fan, or an XPS that doesn't properly detect multiple monitors, but at least they're still running.

My m11x is running on borrowed time. Today the "Crack" sounds much louder than it did before, and still no call from Dell about repairs... They said it would be fixed by Friday, but I have a hard time believing that.

It's even worse because it cost me almost 2000 dollars with extras.

 

I wouldn't be so sure it was your fault at all... There is definitly a design fault regarding the hinge. Plus, as you can see in this thread, there is no shortage of replacements, at least not in U.S., unless the problem is becoming so demanding that NOW they are having a shortage

Since there is no evidence of any improvement in the screen, it is unethical that dell/alienware is still selling these machines with tic-tac bomb hinges... (oh, but my hinge is still good after so many months! Yeah, lucky you that dell is so bad that even their bombs don't work 100% )

 

Bah my m11x r2 came about 2 weeks ago and I started reading up on this discussion. I then looked at my hinges and noticed that the right one is just a tiny bit crooked and I have tiny marks on my screen from the keyboard. When I close the laptop the very right edge towards the back (top right corner) is a tiny bit over the body where on the left corner it aligns properly. Is this what everybody else noticed before they started getting the popping noises and such. Because mine is quiet so far.

Should I even contact Dell for this, my screen is the tiniest bit crooked but no noises and everything runs great.

 

Don't call Dell yet, 98% of them have what you describe. Once the hinges start to fail... that is when you call dell.

Cheers,
Stain

 

Sweet thanks for the info.

 

Goodluck calling Dell. 1 hour on the phone with them today going between spare parts, getting disconnected, and finally getting to Alienware only to have to get a call back maybe by the end of the day.

This after they did NOT return my call when they were supposed to.

I would call earlier then later.

 

Immediate success when calling Dell seems to be hit or miss with some people. I'm sorry to hear you are getting the run around. Sure you should call Dell when a problem starts to surface, but so far, Nervous M11x Owner's laptop sounds like the vast majority of them. Read the first 10-20 pages of this thread, that is just how they come right from the factory.

Cheers,
Stain

 

And this I learned a long time ago and is why I have never purchased anything but Refurbs from Dell without Extended Warranties......and the service is exactly the same as someone who paid $1400 for a "new" unit. Dell called me yesterday about buying an EW with a $75 gift card....I told them for what I paid an EW is not worth it.

For $600 I can throw this thing away when it craps out after the warranty runs out and buy another refurb. Only all my previous refurbs are still running including an 8600 notebook and I don't baby them at all. I have cleaned enough crumbs out of keyboards to feed a small country in Africa.