studio xps 16 advice

Hey all,

I just recieved my brand-sparkling new studio xps 16 last week, pimped out, nice and pretty. When I opened it up, though, I was somewhat dismayed at the build quality. they are just minor problems but somewhat annoying, none-the-less. Here's a list of what I found:

1. No cds for reinstallation (except windows, works, and antivirus.) No problem, spend an hour or two on the phone, got overnighted the cds, after two overnights (first attempt they sent the wrong cd), all good.

2. Build issues:
A. Corner of the bottom plate kept getting caught in the carrying cloth, checked it out and found two screws were stripped at each corner causing the plate to buckle out. Plate isn't even connected on the two corners now.
B. After a week, left hing/plate popped out and is now really gappy when open, only cosmetic, but annoying none-the-less.
C. Screws can clearly be seen behind the leather inlay on the cover, checked out models at Best Buy, can't see them on theirs.
D. Aluminum wrapping the screen corner looks like someone tried to mallet it back into place, it's still clearly bent up.

-performance-wise I am absolutely in love with it, but the bottom plate needs to get fixed. I've removed the washers that fix the screws to the plate, and tried other screws/longer screws and they all just turn. (The mobo screw guides are stripped, obviously.)

Anyways, contacted Dell, and they want me to send it to a depot, my guess is a technician is just gonna murder things worse, trying to fix it. Plus, I would be without my primary work laptop and would have to take all of my sensitive data (I'm a researcher) back off the laptop. I love the laptop, I just think that for $1800 I should be getting something that is solid for at least more than three weeks. Most of the time it's just sittin on my desk at work or in my padded laptop bag.

-Anyone have any suggestions? I'm seriously (at this point) thinking about sending it back or requesting they send me a new one without hard drive. I'm still well within the 21 day period for that. I'm at 14 days since I recieved it, now.

Anyone else had similar build quality issues?

my previous dell was an insp 8600 which still performs flawless to this day.

 

wow, with those build issues you need to change it NOW

 

Sounds like a disgruntled Malaysian put yours together...

If you can't get satisfaction, then send it back for a refund and order a new one. Or, write Michael Dell an email, and explain to him that you think a $2000 dollar laptop should be assembled with more precision and care....or both...good luck...

My 1340 had no real issues with build quality. Built like a rock, and pretty as (fill in blank)...

 

A disgruntled someone put it together.

the discs just top off the insult. Maybe I wasn't nice enough to the customer service person who took the order.. LOL

 

"dad", yeah, the 1340 I checked out at Best Buy this weekend was built like a rock. I just can't believe the different in how the two laptops look. Normally, I'd say if it was a year or two, fine, I beat it up, but it's been all of two weeks? Lemme know how yours holds up, good luck!

 

What are those "reinstallation" CDs? Is that the CD labeled "drivers" or something along those lines?