Received Damaged Precision M65 From Dell Outlet

Would appreciate your thoughts on this situation. Today I received a "refurbished" Precision M65 (Dell Outlet for $1059 + tax). When I last checked, a brand-new M65 with the exact specs I got was around $2500. Anyway, it turns out the chassis is quite damaged (here are some pics), just to the right of the cable lock slot, below the left-hand LCD hinge. Aside from that somewhat glaring flaw, the notebook is very nice and seems to work well. I suppose I can return it, but I generally like this machine and want to keep it. I'm beginning my effort to get it fixed (emailing Support, etc.), but who knows. I do hate the broken chassis. It looks like somebody took a screwdriver to it.

So, WWYD? Return it and look for something else, or keep it, even if Dell won't fix the chassis? Input and opinions are much appreciated.

Precision Mobile Workstation M65 Notebook - $1,059.00

Intel Core Duo processor T2400 (1.83GHz/667Mhz)
Certified Refurbished
Windows XP Pro
15.4 WSXGA+ Notebook Screen
512MB NVIDIA Quadro FX 350M Turbocache, OpenGL
2 GB DDR2 SDRAM 677MHz (2 DIMMs)
80 GB EIDE Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
8x DVD +/- RW w/dbl layer write capability
6 Cell Primary Battery
90W AC Adapter
90W Additional AC Adapter
Bluetooth Wireless Card
3945 802.11a/g Wireless Mini Card
4-year on-site warranty

 

get a new one..if possible

 

Looks like it took a spill... If I were you I'd log on to dell chat and talk to a rep about this. Scratch and dent notebooks from dell outlet are only supposed to have small scratches and dings... This looks like to major of a problem for dell to get away with. They should replace the chassis or part of the external shell for you at least...

 

Was it a scratch and dent? I guess the forum opinion that you will get a like new unit has gona out the window. There was another guy on there with one that look like it had taken a couple tumbles. Maybe these are laptops replaced under the accident protection warranty. Oh well, I guess its buyer beware on the scratch and dent stuff.

 

The more i think aobut the scratch and dent stuff...I would keep it if the price discount was great, and the dmagae did not affect the performance of the laptop. Yours is not nearly as bad as the oter guys, but a piece of plastic chipped off isnt as serious as a crack in the actual chassis. Up to you if you can live with the cosmetic damage.

 

If I were you I will keep it.
$1059 is a great price for those features and the damage doesn't seem critical.
However like others have mentioned if it bothers you, you should return it.

 

I would contact Dell to see what they are willing to do for you in this situation. If they are willing to replace the notebook or chassis, then great. If not, you then have to decide if the damage is worth the price for you or not. If not, then return it and try again for a deal like this.

 

Even if the price is that low, I would return it. I know I shouldn't expect a spotless notebook from the outlet but that is ridiculous. I would expect something like the one I have from them (Mine has a small crack near the media buttons, Inspiron letters are disappearing, white paint is coming off on the corners but that's it). Something like that is what I would consider as a scratch and dent.

 

I would contact Dell also. My scratch and dent is no way near that bad, it is a prectically brand new. Check your laptop again for more damages and chat with dell, give them disappointment on your system that you got. According to Dell outlet website Scratch and Dent are supposed to be gone though rigorous rebuilding and retesting process. I guess yours haven't gone though "rigorous rebuilding and restesting" process. Make sure you sound a upset but be polite. You might get away with better spec'ed system then you ordered, sometimes Dell CS are generous if you pull the right trigger.
Some of the systems are not meant to to sold at the outlet, and it look like your precision is one of them.

 

It's Certified Refurbished meaning that, physically you shouldnt kno someone used it, so call them, they should fix it becouse its not a cratch and dent item

 

did the shipping box look like it had taken a beating? my scratch and dent was pretty much flawless, a refurb should have no cosmetic damage, I would contact dell and ask for a replacement

 

I would also keep it, if it does not effect performance.

 

get it fixed. my refurbished dell came in perfect condition. absolutely no scratches or dents on it anywhere. what you have is a gouge...that needs to be addressed.

 

Thanks, everyone, for all the comment. It was definitely listed as "refurbished" and not as "scratch and dent." I sent a couple of emails to Dell Support and will follow up some more today. The split opinions here on whether to keep it or send it back are pretty indicative of my own ambivalence. On the phone with Dell right now... Will be following up.

 

To help you overcome your ambivalence, here is one more vote for returning the notebook if you can't get the damage fixed. This kind of damage is not acceptable in my opinion, especially since you didn't buy a "scratch and dent" item.

 

Yes, please call Dell and talk with them about it. Scratch & Dent? That's a crack...

I've heard in some cases they will just send you a new one for the same price that you paid for this one. All you can do is try..

 

Okay, thanks again. Just spoke to a very pleasant and capable-seeming woman at Dell, and the return and replacement is all arranged. I stressed (like crazy) the importance of the configuration and she said the replacement will be "exactly the same" (but do check it upon arrival, she suggested, which of course I'll do). Not having Bluetooth wouldn't kill me, but non-WSXGA and less RAM will mean a lot more fooling around, which I'm hoping doesn't happen.

 

I hope it goes smoothly for you.

 

yes, good luck. That is exactly what I would have done

 

Did they say it's another refurbished? If they didn't check your Status on your Account. You might find present surprise. (let's hope ) I've heard someone got brand new system for similiar problem, and someone got better spec system since they didn't had matching system in their inventory.
Good luck with your new system!

 

and unforutnately some get worse specs, so be aware! gluck

 

Good for you! Let us know how it went!

 

if they send you a replacemnt that isnt up to spec, just return the new one and try again, good luck, keep us posted

 

when i got mine back i got the upgraded video card and another 1 gb of memory hehe

 

So far everything looks fine: received a couple of confirmation emails after emailing twice (including pictures the second time) and talking with someone at support. Was just informed it will take about 7 to 9 business days to get the replacement machine. I'll be using this broken one until Dell sends for it or the replacement comes. I'll also be reviewing the M65, and so far I'm quite pleased. I sold my e1705 to get this, mostly because of size and screen resolution and the RAM improvement. The M65 reminds me, kind of, of a ThinkPad T40 I used to use, and that's what I was looking for. Just hope the replacement and return go smoothly. Had I bought a "scratch and dent," I probably wouldn't have pursued this (and even with this refurb, a replacement of the chassis, which is what I asked for, would have been fine too), but I intentionally sought out a "refurbished" M65 because I knew a scratch-and-dent machine could mean a lot of different things.

 

my scratch and dent had one hairline scratch on the lid that I only found cause I was looking for it, took me almost twenty minutes to find it, and that was the only problem

 

Seems like lots of Dell Support threads lately, so I thought I'd update here, as promised, though the story remains somewhat incomplete.
The replacement M65 (new rather than refurbished) showed up on my orders page today, with a price more than double what I paid for the original from Dell Outlet. The specs were the same, and I called and was emphatically assured that there would be no additional charges to my credit card. All I originally wanted was a fix (broken parts of chassis replaced) or a replacement from Dell Outlet, though there aren't usually a lot of precision notebooks on Outlet, so I figured that might be difficult. Anyway, it all looks good as of right now. Thanks again for all the input.

 

the charges should just go away, they do that for thir own records, when I asked for some replacement software discs, I had some charges on my account as well, never had to pay them, its just so they keep their records straight

 

As Iceman said, they have to charge you something just for their records (accounting issues) but they won't actually make you pay for those charges.

 

I knew it!!!
So basically you are getting brand new Precision for the price of outlet. I knew this would happen since there aren't that many Precision at outlet.
Congrat! on your brand new Precision!!!!
Tell us how it is when you receive it...

 

Last post to this thread unless something wildly unexpected happens.
First, thanks to everyone who replied. All the input was hugely helpful.
And, yes, I got the newly built M65 today, configured just like the original, and essentially flawless. (I don't count a very tiny amount of light leakage as a flaw, since it doesn't bother me and I expect it.) It's a beautiful notebook, and I can't say enough about how helpful the Dell support people have been. I've heard lots of complaints (I think most of the people were in India, by the way), but I was astonished by how positive the experience was.
Thanks.

 

congrats on the purchase bargain for a brand new m65, shame you had to go through the hassle of getting a severly damaged one first when they should have sent you one in good condition in the first place