My Dell XPS M1330 Experience (Laptop Base Replaced)

I received my XPS M1330 about 10 days ago. I was very happy at first. Then I noticed that the laptop would wobble when typing when on a desk. It tried to ignore it, and just live with it, but then it became too annoying.

So I chatted with someone at Dell, and they scheduled a technician to come on-site and replace the entire base of the laptop.

The technician arrived about 3 business days later with the new base. The technician smelled like alcohol which had me worried a bit. He was likely drinking on the job or maybe he's an alcoholic and always smells like alcohol. I don't know. Anyway, he went ahead and worked on the laptop. In order to replace the base, he had to literally take apart the entire laptop. The only part I remember him not taking apart was the LCD, but he still had to remove the LCD. After he put it back together, the touch-sensitive media controls didn't work anymore. So he had to take part of the laptop apart again to fix that. He got it working again.

After he left, I noticed that the plastic cover for the headphones and LED lights in the front was missing (pictures of it attached). I also noticed that the plastic cover with the XPS | M1330 logo/Power button/Media controls wasn't sitting flush anymore. I can press it and it will go down a bit, but come back up. The Dell Media Direct button is a bit sunken in too. Needless to say, I wasn't too happy. Even worse, the wobble wasn't entirely gone. When the technician tested to see if the laptop still wobbles, he had closed the lid and it wouldn't wobble. But afterwards, I noticed that with the lid open, the laptop still wobbles a little bit. It's less than before, but it still wobbles. I felt like I had gone though all this trouble and came out with even more troubles.

So I chatted with Dell again and they scheduled another dispatch to replace the base of the laptop again (apparently, the small plastic cover is part of the base and should have been on there. The fact that it is missing means that the replacement base was defective). They would also send a new plastic cover (the one where the XPS | M1330 logo is and the various buttons).

Later I noticed a dent in the magnesium palm rest. I figured that it's just a small dent, so I shouldn't worry about it. But it just gets on my nerves. Here I have a brand new laptop, and it has already been disassembled, and put back together in worse condition than it was before.

So I chatted with Dell again to have the palm rest replaced, but that I wanted all of the work done at once. I don't want the base replaced one day and then two days later have another technician replace the palm rest. I'm afraid that each technician will again screw something up and I'll be left with a laptop in worse shape than it was before. But they told me they couldn't cancel a dispatch. He ended up telling me that he'll have his manager call me back between 10am and noon today to see what they can do for me. It's 3:30pm now and I have yet to receive a call from the manager.

I don't know what to do at this point. I really liked my M1330, but I don't think I could have lived with an uneven base. Now the laptop is in worse shape than before. I don't want a refund because I really like the M1330. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do?

 

Call Dell and explain what happened and that you REALLY like the computer. My guess is that they will send you a replacement.

 

I would request a properly finished replacement.. others have had replacements for their problems.

Other than that you will have to persevere with them trying to fix it until its at a standard you find acceptable.

 

I would call and press hard for the replacement as it is within 30 days but beware...and speak tactfully. I know of another similar incident where they were told that, as someone was dispatched to fix the system, they were then not entitled to the replacement.

 

Thanks for the replies. Which numbers do you use to call Dell? Is there a number I can call where I won't get someone from India to help me?

 

lol... I think, if you call EARLY (like 8am CST), you might get a rep in the US.

 

My M1330 had a pretty bad wobbling issue as well. I called dell about it and they built me a brand new M1330 and overnighted it to me - I had the new machine within a week! Pretty incredible service for a laptop that has wait times of a few weeks still on dell's website.

So I open up the new replacement hoping that everything was fixed, but what do I see? The new computer wobbles just as badly as the original! It amazes me how these machines even make it off the assembly line. The wobbling and loose wifi/wifi catcher buttons are things that anyone at dell would notice instantly if they took 2 seconds to examine the laptop before they shipped it out.

Not really sure what to do about this issue now. For what I paid, there really isn't a comparable machine out there right now. Just wish Dell's QC would notice these problems before they ship them to us!

 

Just unboxed my M1330 and I too have the wobble base. It only wobbles when i push on the back right corner, so hopefully when i type and use the laptop it won't really wobble, or I might put a little stickyfoot on the battery to even it out. After all these bad stores of repair/replacement, I think I'll try to deal with it.

 

Update -

I just spent about 40 minutes on the phone w/ dell XPS tech support and complained about the wobbling of the new replacement system. The tech told me that they were aware of the wobbling issue and had just received a company-wide email about it. He also told me that the problem had been fixed, and he subsequently processed yet another replacement system for me. Should be here in 10-15 business days.

Third time's the charm eh? Guess we'll see.

 

Hope your new replacement fixes all of the issues. I should be receiving mine soon as well. While I did not have a wobble, the laptop creaks and moans like old wooden floors. Fortunately for me, the on-site tech that they sent was pretty good and fixed as much as he could.

Strange, but my 2 year old Inspiron 6000 doesn't make sounds like this one does.

 

I really dont see why you guys with an uneven base do not just attach a small piece of felt or something similar at the responsible corner of the laptop - of course having to do this is not what you expect from a brandnew laptop but it still doesnt cause you the trouble this guy has for an example gone through =/

 

Wow I have a horror story just like yours too. The plastic surrounding my LCD panel isn't flush and it really annoyed me that I spent so much on an imperfect laptop. So, I called dell and 1st time around they sent guy around who tried his best but couldn't fix anything even with a replacement lcd cover. Then, I tried again and they sent out a new guy. Wow, this guy was horrible. He cracked my LCD in half and was just so not careful with my laptop and not to mention uncouth that I kind of quickly just told him it was fine and got him to leave as soon as possible (not before he replaced the LCD at least). Sigh..... I was literally like WTF???????? my LCD IS ****ED!!!! good thing he had a replacement (it was LED too) but my old one was the one made in Japan now i have the one made in Taiwan, but i don't really notice a difference. After he left, since I've watched the repair twice I basically know how to repair my own laptop now, so I guess I did get something out of it.

 

It's the principal of it all. You pay £1000+ on a brand new laptop, and it wobbles?!? Design flaw, or just poor workmanship, the paying customer shouldn't put up with it. The fact that so many 1330s have many issues has really put me off Dell... the annoying thing is that I'm still pretty much set on a 1330. I was just hoping to get a quick look at an Asus F8 before ordering.... Oh and if I did get an Asus or Sony, you can be sure the build quality would be superb 99% of the time.

Does anyone actually own a 1330 without imperfections??

 

Oh and quick question about this 'base wobble', is it with all batteries or just the 4 cell? I intend on getting the 9 cell battery.

 

Yea i get your point, as i said before: of course it's not what you'd expect from a laptop you spent a lot of money on. However, isnt it still better than ordering a new base and a guy who has to take the whole thing apart at the risk to make it actually worse than before?

also, sony's did and do always have a battery wobble issue as well and i guess asus does have some flaws too.. there is barely a perfect laptop out there (allthough macbooks always seem to be flawless - at a higher cost though), but since the m1330 is so popular, every little mistake gets hyped up a bit I think. I, having ordered a 1330 myself, will be very happy if a little wobble is the only problem! for that's something I could easily fix myself.

 

I think it may have something to do with the battery. I noticed that when I received the extra 6-cell battery I ordered last month, that it only has the rubber feet on one side of the battery, not on both. I think it's only on one side because the battery indicator lights are where the rubber feet could have been placed on opposite side.

 

An update on this situation. Dell sent a replacement base, which again did not have the plastic cover for the headphones and lights. So I contacted Dell again, and this time got to talk to someone in the US. It seemed like he understood the problem, so he specifically asked for the plastic cover. The technician contacted me saying that he got a note mentioning that a small plastic headphone cover was on the way. He contacted me today saying that the part never came and that after contacting Dell, they said no part was ever sent and that the part does not exist.

So I contacted Dell again. I had a feeling that the lady thought I was making this up or something. So I sent her pictures of it so she could see for herself. She forwarded it to technical support and manufacturing. They both said that this is how it is now and that everything is normal! This is not possible. My original M1330 was not like that. So she proposed to get me a replacement (brand new). She noted that it would not have that cover since this has been a "design change." I told her I'll take my chances with the replacement.

Am I going crazy? Are all new M1330s being sent without that cover? It seems highly unlikely to me that Dell would make such a fugly design change. It just doesn't look right and I'm still not convinced that this was a design changed.

 

I really wish it didn't have to end up like that. After all this trouble, I wish I would have stuck with the wobbling laptop since the tech told me that the plastic pads wear off over time. So over time, it would have maybe evened itself out.

 

I'm still waiting to receive my laptop back. Its been at the Dell Depot for about a week. All because the two techs who came out to fix a squeak broke more then they fixed.

 

howardpm, what problems were you having with your laptop?

 

How come,you did'nt ask for a replacement lap top,is what I did,they let you keep the one you have untill the new ones arrives.So you can decide which one is best,Personally,I would rather a brand new system,I paid 2 G's for,than to have a fat smelly tech guy open my it up

 

I have the same uneven base issue with my M1330. I sent it in to the depot to get fixed (laptop base replacement), but not only did this not fix the issue, they also forgot to connect my trackpad and fingerprint reader. I guess they don't bother testing the things they fix before they send them back out. I took some pictures and sent it to XPS support, and they wanted to replace the base again. By this point I've had enough, so I asked customer care for a replacement system. It's currently "in production". I can only hope they've actually resolved this issue for good. It seems more like the chassis itself is somehow twisted rather than a base issue.

 

Another update. I got my replacement today. It's perfect everywhere except that it wobbles!

There must be a real manufacturing issue with these laptops and the fact that they wobble. But I'm going to live with it and I won't complain to Dell about it. On a good note, this laptop's screen is LPL (LG Philips) while the orignal one was an AUO.

I am hoping that overtime, the pads underneath the laptop will wear off and cause it to even out a bit. But I'm definitely not going to ask for another replacement or to have the base replace. I don't want to go through all of that again.

 

It's of course your choice but I wouldn't be happy with an XPS having a fault like that... sorry if I missed it but did you determine if it's an actual chasis twist or just the rubber feet being uneven? Maybe you can have them send you more rubber feet and pick out ones that level it properly?

If it's an actual chasis twist I would be worried as it may manifest itself later in some kind of failure due to stressing and twisting components inside.

 

It's most likely a slight twisting in the chassis and not just a pad that's too short.

 

I would be worried about that... it's a sign something is pushing or pulling on something it shouldn't. Silicon does not come out warped, so something is wrong... if all 1330s are like that I would just hope you have a good warranty that will cover it until they fix it at the fab (which I would really hope they do) if not I would keep getting it replaced until you get a good one....

Explain to Dell it's a big hassle, you have not had a proper laptop since you first placed your order and you will not keep shipping off the laptop wasting your time, they need to send you a new one and let you use that one until it arrives. Let them know if the replacement is not good you will continue to send them back until you get a decent one. For the price of a 1330 it's the least they can do for you.

 

I was happy with my new M1330 until..... I found out something's wrong again wtih my keyboard... They fixed the flex issue but the "down arrow" key seems to make this really strange noise when I press on it. It sounds like a component inside is wobbling =/