My nightmare experience with @DellCare / Dell Complete Care Warranty / EMEA Dell support FULL DETAILS INCLUDED - PART TWO!

@ Cloudfire - you are missing the point totally, my friend. It doesn't matter if my machine was a million years old, with ancient hardware, it is Dell's policy to offer like for like on replacements. This means better if older hardware is not available, which was the case with me. Having paid for warranty, am I not entitled to the same level of warranty support as those who DO get like for like replacements without all of this hassle??? - the value of the hardware is also irrelevant, as is the logic that I have had some use out of the machine. You must have never heard of insurance policies that dictate "new for old" huh?. Regarding the use I have had, I don't know how insurance works in Norway, but I'll give you an example of what would not be acceptable, in the majority of insurance claims:

Imagine Mr. Customer had a car crash in his BMW, that he bought brand new. He'd had it for 3 years and it was a write off. the insurance company is not going to turn around and say to him "Hey - you had the use of it for 3 years, lets take that into consideration, too". Granted, most car insurance settlements take current market value into consideration, so from that aspect, you are quite right about a current value of my machine having devalued....but...and this is a big BUT.....Dell replacement warranty does not act in the same fashion, my friend - replacement machines do not take into consideration the value of the faulty one. So, this hypothetical comment about "I've used it for X amount of time" bears little to zero impact on things, at the end of the day.

I do however see your point, even though I think it is somewhat irrelevant, and I can see that you are saying "be thankful for £3k back for a machine that is no longer worth that" - my point all along is simple though. If Dell had stuck to their own guidelines accurately for "like for like", I would, and possibly should not, have been faced with the whole 'refund/re-order/put more money to it' scenario.

My whole point here is that rather than a refund, I should have been afforded true 'like for like'.

Does that not make sense to you?

I don't know how many more times I can try and get it though to you, Bro - but Dell OFFERED me the option of a replacement. I did not, and could not possibly DEMAND that they offered this possible resolution, right? - all I was asking for is for that resolution to be fair, which it was not.

Can you not see that?

@der-kaiser - Yes, it has caused me stress. Up until now, I have remained a devoted Dell/Alienware customer, and I still feel that to own a performance laptop, the very best in the universe is to buy an Alienware. Regardless of this situation, I still feel like that. My opinion of Dell products is very good, my opinion on how they resolve things is not so good. As I tried to point out above in my last post, the refund option is not that attractive for the reasons I laid out - do you not understand the way I have explained that? - if you don't please tell me why and I will try to explain further. The simple truth is that a refund will not provide what a genuine like for like replacement would. I really did not think that anyone would have difficulty understanding that logic, but it appears I am wrong....again I am confused as to why people cannot see that logic.

Yes. Even after all of this, I would consider Alienware again - why - because the products are pretty amazing, even if the EMEA support is pretty terrible. If I had wanted a lunchbox style Clevo or Flashy MSI, I would have bought from those manufacturers at the outset - all I wanted was for Dell to stand by their own policy. I cannot believe that people cannot understand or grasp that concept.

To everyone: I respect your opinions, truly. It does not mean that I have to agree with them, though. I will afford you respect and courtesy in your opinions about this, please extend me the same level of respect. Whilst I will treat all comments made with respect, if for whatever reason you disagree with me, or I disagree with you, there is always the option for you to not read or post any further, and for those that feel like that, may I suggest that this is a course of action you should consider - no one is forcing you to remain involved. For those that DO want to add value, or constructive comments to this discussion, that do not simply deride me for my chosen approach here, you are more than welcome to do so. For those who only seek to post continual comments that disagree, please refrain from doing so. Thank you.

 

There is a HUGE difference between crashing a car or having some electronic component in it malfunctioning. Asking for a brand new BMW just because the lights in the dashboard doesnt work wouldnt sit well with them.

Same can be said about your machine as well. You only had minor issues with the SSDs. You are only entitled to a new SSD. Not a brand new machine. Not happy with not having Raid0? Here is a new R1 with same specs. Still not happy?Here, have your money back. Sorry for the problems.

The only way you could be given one of the new machines is out of their kindness. You cant expect a car dealer to give you a 2013 model if you had problems with a 2011 model either. They could give you that, but that also depends a little on the relationship between you two. If you are rude to them when you talk them, or are acting very difficult when they try to work with you, they will often resort to just doing what is legal and in the law and do not stretch out to help the customer to much extent.

Creating some big fuzz about lower 4K speed despite it being same capacity and have similar performance, writing many emails, tweet, phone calls, get many Dell people involved, threaten to use legal means, create a big thread which Dell employees might have read, all just because you didnt get the Samsung 830..

Maybe the relationship between you two wasnt exactly the greatest Stevie?

 

Wrong again, unfortunately. Dell's replacement policy, as I keep on trying to explain to you but you keep on not getting, is that replacement machines should be "like for like or better" - in the case where older hardware is no longer available, Dell will provide a like for like alternative (minimum) or better (at their discretion). Look it up if you do not believe me.

I'd have been happy with a like for like M18xR2, as that was the current machine when this started. It since went end of life, so is no longer available, and as Dell had offered me a BRAND NEW machine, that would have now equated to an Alienware 18. This was their choice to do. It varies by country to country, but any replacement that I have ever had in the UK has been a new build. Maybe that is down to limited outlet/refurb stock, but that is irrelevant - Dell chose to offer me a new like for like machine, but did not do so in the end - for reasons that I am unaware of, besides the fact that it seems they would have more success in configuring a coffee machine vendor than a computer.

Why you insist on revisiting previous resolution options that were offered is beyond me. Yes, Dell offered to replace the drives, and then they decided to replace the machine. As I keep on saying, that was their choice and a choice I was happy with and they were, too - your opinions on wether that was right or wrong are distinctly irrelevant here.

Please, at least if you are going to talk about Dell warranty, at least have the decency to inform yourself of the facts before doing so.

 

But that "like for like" doesnt always apply to a brand new machine all the time does it Stevie..

 

Yes, it does. If you have a bombed out M17xR2 like Brother Alienwolf did, Dell STILL can offer the latest and greatest, as they clearly did with him. They can elect a refurbished or outlet machine, at their discretion - but it still has to be like for like or better. Brand new Alienware 17 for Mr. Wolf. Granted, he could have pushed for an 18, but he was told that it would be a low end 18 - but even a base 18 would have far outstripped his 840qm/5870m Crossfire, as a 4700mq with 765m Sli would have trounced his old machine to bits. He did not want to push it, so he elected to go with Dell's offer of a new 17, which incase you did not notice, was a MASSIVE step up from his old machine. He ended up with 4900mq and a single 780m, which, when compared to a base 18, is actually even more potent.

Dell have never offered me a refurb or outlet replacement, and as per my last post, Alienware refurbs/outlet stock is extremely rare in the UK, so most replacement machines tend to be new builds, afaik. Anyway, for this scenario, it again was Dell's choice to offer me a NEW machine - shame they didn't have a clue as to what hardware was comparable with what.

So, yet again, and with the greatest respect, you are wrong.

 

So what do you want Steve? What config today could AW send you that makes you feel "like for like or better" was accomplished, and please view this as the business owner which will try their best to satisfy the "like to like" before they shell out "or better"?

 

Again, I keep repeating myself. It was Dell's choice to offer a replacement machine. It was Dell's choice to offer me the Samsung over the LiteOn. When that was not possible, it was Dell who offered me the option of a whole new machine. I imagine they did this because of the issues in running raid on a HM67 chipset. That does not happen on HM77 or above. Perhaps that was their logic to remedy the problem, but I was not complaining when they offered it - why would I? - it was a great resolution for me, or would have been if someone could have actually got a like for like replacement machine spec'd up correctly.

Precisely. They were obligated to offer me a like for like replacement - they failed miserably in doing so. That is why I am unhappy. Couldn't have said it better myself - thanks.

I've seen many people come from purchasing refurbished machines, extending the warranty, refurb fails, whole machine replaced - sometimes with brand new. That is an example of why, generally speaking, Dell warranty is very good - when it works. Cost of replacements are irrelevant. Ask anyone.

I'm getting around to you, I promise. Seen as how I need to revisit your posts in part 1, I feel like I should answer them separately. Hope this works for you.

Thank you Richard, that pretty much sums things up in a nutshell. Equality. I fail to see why I should be treated any differently than Customer X who IS given a like for like or better replacement machine. Both myself and Customer X have been offered replacements, yet often, Customer X will get like for like or better - me, on the other hand, I get the short end of Dell's stick with a pathetic offer of replacement.

I personally feel that had this type of replacement been offered to any one of you guys that had my specification, you too would not be happy.

Brother Quagmire, as I mentioned, Dell offered a NEW machine. Their choice. I would have taken an R2 with 3940xm/675m Sli, base memory, BluRay, balance of warranty (rounded up and not down) Killer Wifi, Win 7 Ultimate - oh, and of course, SSD - 512gb in either raid or single would have been fine by me as raid would then work properly.

Unfortunately, the R2 is now 'End of Life' - so the equivalent 18 would be (in my eyes) 4930mx/770m Sli, base memory (16gb in UK) Blu Ray, base Wifi (no option) Win 7 Ultimate, same thing regarding warranty, same thing regarding SSD - actually, only UK option for that capacity is a 512gb mSata & 750gb HDD.

If Dell had of gave me the option of the 18, with the R2 being EOL, I would have liked the opportunity to pay to upgrade the 770m Sli, just as Brother Yeti575 was given on his replacement thread here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...-do-resolved-see-post-28-a-5.html#post9271688

I thought that was comparable........let me know if you think that is fair or not.

 

You keep repeating yourself that Dell once in a time offered you a new machine. Have it ever occured to you that it was a one time offer that may have been withdrawn now that you have created too much noise about this whole thing?
Alienwolf may have gotten a new Alienware, but then again, he may have been a little more humble than you were when you talked to Dell.

As for Yeti575, is silly to compare yourself against him. Dell had no choice there but offer him a new machine since you know, motherboards are kinda crucial for a notebook. Your case is completely different since we are talking slightly slower SSD which they offered you. It doesnt affect the other components on the notebook and it doesnt affect productivity in everyday tasks.

The only thing you are entitled to is an R1 with same specs. But instead you got a full refund, way more than what you would have gotten if you sold that R1 now. I personally think you should be happy with that Stevie

I dont think you are entitled to a new Alienware 18, with IPS and full metal notebook which is way better than what you have now. I dont believe for a second there is a written agreement that you will 100% recieve a new better notebook everytime something comes up but rather Dell takes case by case and do an assessment on each of them what is fair.

Also I do hope for the best for you and would love to see you with the new machines, but I dont think you have a case here brother Stevie.

 

Cloudfire - you have no idea what you are talking about. You keep on making things up as you go along. Maybe this and maybe that. We are dealing with facts here, mate. Dell never once said to me that the replacement that was offered was a 'one time deal' or 'take it or leave it' - you are randomly coming up with these kinds of theories to suit yourself.

Your whole argument seems to be based around your own existence - and the way YOU would deal with things, like you were telling everyone in Mr. Caladdon's "Excellent Service" thread recently. Sorry mate, but you are not Dell.....

The final resolution, prior to Dell withdrawing it without any notice and reverting to a refund only instead of a true like for like specification, was that of a brand new like for like machine. End of Story. You seem to have trouble understanding that and the fact that their offer of such actually superceeded anything to do with the drives themselves. They elected for system replacement at their discretion - both Dell and myself were happy with that, up until they cocked up on what is actually like for like in terms of hardware.

You have developed this idea that I have not worked WITH Dell on this - I did. Tirelessly. We discussed various options and those are the options that panned out. There was no 'give me this or else' routine....I was courteous and polite right up until the bitter end, when they stuffed me on a like for like deal they had offered me and then elected to reject any further review of said replacement and simply offer a refund instead.

Why is it silly to compare one replacement with another. Dell can (and do) replace mobo's without the whole machine y'know... Dell could have simply offered him a refurb, too but they did not. They treated hom as a valued customer and did right by him - it seems obvious to me that you do not know your Dell warranty very well, do you? - discretion is with Dell...they could have done the same with me. I would have been happy with a like for like refurb. Dell chose the R2 because of the R1's problem with TRIM, no doubt - they were not about to replace an R1 with another R1 because that would quite possibly lead to the same problem with RAID. Here - I'll quote you from the tech support email they sent me about that very subject:

Even Dell knew that replacing with another R1 would be futile, but you seem to think it's a good idea - no wonder people run out of your shop screaming.

Again, what you think I am entitled to or not is NOT relevant, unless you are working for Dell in some capacity that has dealings with replacement machines (god forbid). No one said I should receive a BETTER notebook. Are you really reading this or any of my posts properly?

Again, I'll repeat myself because there seems to be no getting through to you. Dell, when dealing with replacements, will offer like for like or better. It does not matter if you have had 15 million tech visits and a thousand parts replaced or just one incident where THEY deem it appropriate to offer a replacement. THEY did so with me. Your continual argument about what I am entitled to from this point on is a very moot point. It is FACT that Dell will replace with LIKE for LIKE or BETTER. If they replacing with a NEW machine, like the DID offer to me, then they will go off what is available at that point in time. It could NOT have been an R2 because it is EOL. Therefore, ANY NEW replacement is AUTOMATICALLY one of the new models.

You really do seem to not grasp how Dell warranty works, and I am getting pretty fed up of telling you and for you to not listen. Ask others if you do not believe me....ask Mr. Fox, ask anyone who actually KNOWS about Dell warranty on NBR - they will tell you the same.

 

But here we are, and you didnt get any new replacements.
Sounds to me like you think you know more about the warranty more than Dell do.

After several higher up have involved with your case including several departments, dont you think they have thought this through before making their final decision?

Maybe time to touch the ground again Stevie?

 

I think it's time to take a deep breath and move on.
Comments for this thread are now closed.

Best of luck with Dell support Stevie. Let us know in the owner's lounge if/how your issue got solved.