On hold right now with in house Alienware tech/rep. Just informed me of some info incl. probable hinge solution for all..

Hey all,

(Skip to the ** if you just want 2 important details that made me create this thread)

So I called the Dell Rep who sold me my Alienware and told him I was on my second machine and the unit arrived having issues

(Dust under the screen again. But actually it seems to be gone now and the display is the best one I've had yet, so I'm thinking of keeping it. But the top of the display is not sealed as tightly as others, so I'm thinking it's only a matter of time, before dust under the screen happens again. I'm really torn. Because even though this panel is another Samsung, it is noticeably brighter with better PQ than my other Samsung on my exchange. So even if I get the same make of panel, it might not be as good as this one, but the dang seal on top..)

So I told the Dell Rep that posters on NBR were saying they were getting a one year extension on their warranty for the hinge issue. He told me before I handle that, to get with Alienware and get a third exchange arranged before I deal with warranty. I told him that I've tried to do that before, but I keep getting the outsourced call center and thusly am not able to really communicate the issue.

The rep was cool and said he'd make sure to get me with an in house Alienware tech/rep. Which he did, and I know he did because my stupid IPhone dropped out 2x. The tech called me back the first time, the second I called back and got the Alienware home office in Florida. The automated system answers as Alienware office and if you don't know your party's extension the system will hang up on you. I'm assuming to keep customers at bay and going through their support center.

The Alienware tech was cool, but was not willing or able to give me an extension on my warranty, but did say the following...

(Take this with a grain of salt, but know that it was said by a real Alienware rep and not some outsourced Dell customer service rep)

** 1. Broken Hinges, and only broken hinges, will still be fixed free of charge even after the warranty expires.

...Now let me just take a second to comment, that this has been my idea for the last few days and have been meaning to post it - Why not just follow Microsoft's lead with their XBox 360 RROD debacle and extend everyone's warranty on just the hinges for 3 years? If your hinge breaks out of warranty, then Dell will still fix that defect free of charge. That seems to be the easiest and most efficient solution and I know would satisfy any concerns I have about having the unit outside of warranty

Why do I believe him? Because he tried to play the game of saying that it was prevalent in the R1 and not an issue in the R2, until I told him I experienced this problem myself on an R2 - and it was then that I heard that deep breath exhale from someone when they're about to get real and confess - and that's when he said that they're well aware of the problem and will still fix broken hinges outside of warranty and they've been doing it already...

I don't know what else to say, but going by tone and words and vibe, it felt like he was telling the truth and I believe him. (Besides, I got his name if I ever need a hinge repair outside of warranty and they dispute that claim)

**2. There will be no new M11x "R3" with the Nvidia 400m series of chips for a long while, if at all. The main reason he stated was because the 400 series GPU's are too big and won't fit. But he also followed that up with the fact that they just released the R2 and it's still selling well so they don't feel any need to offer a revision any time soon.

Translation: Alienware doesn't want to spend the time and money to R&D a new case that will fit the GPU and not have breaking hinges, when the R2 and R1 are still selling like hotcakes

This kind of bummed me out as I'd like a stronger, DX11 ready GPU for games like BFBC2 and the like.

Now that I'm fairly confident that broken hinges will be fixed outside of warranty, I have to decide -

Keep this sturdy, well built exchange with the gorgeous panel PQ and extra luminosity with no issues but a clear gap across the very top between the panel and the outer shell/case for dust to get into -

Or play the Panel/PC lottery and risk getting something else with not as good panel PQ quality or some other potential issue?

I think I'm leaning towards keeping my exchange, but am welcome to opinions.

Bottom line, while all m11x owners may experience broken hinges one or more times, no one will have to pay out of pocket to get them fixed if it's outside it's warranty.

If Alienware sticks to that claim and follows Microsoft's lead with the RROD and extend everyone's warranty to cover this issue - (unannounced of course, because if they offer it openly like MS then there would be an admittance of the problem)

Then consider me relieved and able to enjoy and appreciate my m11x so much more, knowing that if this issue comes up outside of warranty, then Dell will pay for the fix and I won't get stuck with a $300+ repair cost.

Now if they could just get the PB fixed, or I could find a game I feel like playing that isn't BFBC2, then this machine would be perfect. But knowing that the hinge issue will be honored outside of warranty gets it that much closer to truly being so.

Cheers

 

1. Will they also be fixing/replacing all the parts that will get broken as a result of the "pro" repairs too?

2. Recall the time it took from the release of R1 to R2.

 

1. Good Point.

2. True dat

Like I said, take it all with a grain. But the reason I report it is so others have some ammo when dealing with conflicting techs and reps

 

"Why do I believe him? Because he tried to play the game of saying that it was prevalent in the R1 and not an issue in the R2, until I told him I experienced this problem myself on an R2 - and it was then that I heard that deep breath exhale from someone when they're about to get real and confess - and that's when he said that they're well aware of the problem and will still fix broken hinges outside of warranty and they've been doing it already..."

Who is out of warranty?! m11x hasnt even been out for a year and doesnt everyone get a basic 1 year warranty?

 

@tass - that is exactly what i was thinking. (if the conversation with the rep is accurate and factual).. He starts by saying it's only an issue with the R1 (lie), then says they are already fixing m11x hinge issues out of warranty (lie), m11x only been out 7 months (give or take), nobodies out of warranty yet...
So are we to believe they will fix the warranties after warranty is out, GET IT IN WRITING... The stuff about the r3 or supposed r3, dont worry about it until you see it IN WRITING from Alienware.

Take care, stevenx

 

Hope the "hinges will be fixed out of warranty" part is true.

 

Verbal warranty is about good as nada. Thanks for the effort anyways.

Oh and Dell will probably refund your money if you keep on going on exchaning route. How many will depend on the rep.

 

Not exactly... They are representing dell by speaking in the name of dell. Once I got what I wanted (as advertised by a representative but not honored later) because the conversation had been recorded by the company (yes, these recordings can work both ways). So someone needs to record those conversations

 

There was a post quite awhile back now of a CS rep that said the same thing as yours, that it would be fixed out of warranty. The posted said /she was going to try to get that in writing and would post it, but I don't believe it did get posted.

I agree with Achilles that without getting it in writing, it means nothing for a CS rep to say that.

edit: here's that post http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...keyboard-discussion-r1-r2-62.html#post6601393 and the one saying he was going to get it in writing if possible http://forum.notebookreview.com/6601586-post614.html

 

Some states require consent (and I doubt the CS rep will give it)

Just from some quick googling, http://www.rcfp.org/taping/index.html:

 

So why can't they just strengthen the current case? If the hinges are weak, solidify them somehow.

 

50-12 and we still got 38 states
In my case, the own company was recording the conversation "for security and training purposes"

 

I work for a large multinational company. There is the truth, and then there is the corp truth. They are not the same without official company letterhead.

and there are ideas.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/520966-hinge-fix-alienware-could-use.html

 

I don't believe he was talking about the m11x, I inferred that he was talking about the m15x. As you may know the m15x had the exact same hinge problem as the M11x, albeit much longer. That's half the reason people are so torked off, as it was assumed Alienware learned their lesson by now.

Anyways, afaik, it was never openly acknowledged either. And like I said, I inferred the tech to be referring to the broken hinges with m15x when referring to that already being the practice.

I can't convey it here, but it's not exactly what he said, but how he said it. Because I got pushy when I couldn't get an extended warranty and wanted to return it for a full refund because I didn't want to get stuck with broken hinges out of warranty. And that's when he dropped the info, and he said it in a way that sounded like he went and confessed something he wasn't supposed to say, but still said it.

Like I said, take it all with a grain. I am. But I like to look on the bright side of things and think that at least this part is true.

And yeah, a phone rep is a phone rep, but I didn't talk to this guy by calling the Alienware 1-800 customer service number. I called the Dell guy who sold me the unit at his own extension, explained the situation and the Dell guy used a backline and connected me with an Alienware rep at their home office.

I know this because my phone dropped out and he called me back. And when the phone dropped out again and I called the number he called me with, the answering service answered as "Thank you for calling the offices of Alienware" and it sounds like a business message. There's no funky spacey music playing in the background like when you call the 1-800 CS number. And if you didn't know somebody's extension during business hours, the system disconnects you. No operator, no customer service or support option.

And the number is a phone number with a Florida area code.

So while he may have been just a phone rep. He was one stationed at Alienware's home office and not from some CS center or outsourced support center. Not saying his word is bond, or couldn't be wrong, all I'm saying is it wasn't any Alienware/Dell customer or tech support that is just a division of the corporation or some outsourced dude typing in your question and then reading back some standardized answer.

As for them already replacing hinges out of warranty, I believe he was referring to the M15x hinge issue and contends the same fix will apply for the m11x. If you consider it from that perspective, everything he's saying makes sense.

But again, I agree, take it all with a grain.

I'm still looking for opinions if I should hold onto my exchange unit which is perfectly built with the best PQ of any m11x display I've gone through, but also isn't properly sealed at the top leaving a gap for dust to get under the screen - And if I should risk that gap on exchanging for another unit which might have a worse display or not OC as well - Or try to return both for a full refund, or just keep the one I have?

I was going to keep it, but now am not sure since there are already rumors of a GPU refresh

I think I'm going to shoot for a refund and see if the refresh comes sooner rather than later. Honestly, if the PB issue and the ability to update drivers wasn't so restricted, I'd probably roll the dice and keep it.

But the PB issue has me wanting to return this and wait for a version that has a stronger GPU and no Optimus. If I get stuck with this version then I'm going to keep exchanging it until I get a good quality build or a warranty extension.

I still believe the guy about fixing the hinges out of warranty. They've been doing it with the m15x and the same solution makes the most sense.

But again, I take it with a grain and will wait until the real Alienware employee that regular users and the mods know to be legit, who visits this forum, can verify any of this.

 

It is exactly what I need, Thanks for your effort!

 

lets not revive a thread from september... thanks.