Fujitsu P1510D Defective On Arrival - no joy

My Fujitsu laptop nightmare
A recent purchase of a Fujitsu P1510D has rapidly turned into a nightmare. It was Defective On Arrival (DOA) but I can’t get an exchange because of Fujitsu splitting hairs on policy.

Day 1 (May 2)
Go to retailer, order and put $300 deposit on Fujitsu P1510D. Retailer says it takes about 3 days to get in.

Day 2 (May 3)
Unknown to me, retailer receives delivery of Fujitsu P1510D from Fujitsu distributor!

Day 3 – Day 7 (May 3 - 8)
My Fujitsu P1510D sits unannounced at retailer. Boo hoo.

Day 7 (May 9)
Call retailer to get ETA on Fujitsu P1510D. Retailer says it is ready to be picked up. After work, I excitedly rush over to retailer, pay $1700 balance and pick up brand new Fujitsu P1510D. Beautiful music starts playing, I am all aflutter but I have plans tonite so I have to leave the laptop under the Christmas tree. My date keeps asking what is on my mind. I don’t tell her it is a Fujitsu P1510D.

Day 8 (May 10)
After work, come home, eat, then carefully remove new Fujitsu P1510D from packaging. Spend hours reading manuals, copying Fujitsu P1510D CD and DVD material to portable hard drive to transfer to Fujitsu P1510D (it has no optical drive). Then spend hours installing those applications and my own applications and transferring data from my old laptop to Fujitsu P1510D. Go to sleep tired but satisfied most of the hard work is done.

Day 9 (May 11)
Spend hours configuring applications and Windows XP Tablet Edition, and learning all about tablet edition which I’ve never used before.

Day 10 (May 12)
Gingerly bundled up in bubble wrap to put in to 12” laptop case and delighted see there is so much room still, this is a nice small unit, take laptop to work, show it off. It’s a hit.

Day 11 (May 13)
Using Fujitsu P1510D at home after work, its in laptop configuration and then suddenly the lovefest comes to a screeeeecching halt…… the screen suddenly turns solid pink/purple and unresponsive to touch, keyboard, mouse and although the laptop kept running – what the heck!! My heart is racing faster - it was like the blue screen of death, except Fujitsu’s death color was pink/purple color! Oh no! After a few minutes of sweating, I reboot, praying that it comes back and it does. But I am still freaking out, because who wants their newly purchased $2000 laptop to be defective.

I then realized what I previously assumed was a problem with my tired eyes or bad room lighting, when the screen often appeared to be slightly tinged pink/purple. It’s a small touch screen so I thought, ok this the Fujitsu P1510D is lower quality. But after the screen suddenly turned solid pink/purple, it clicked, and I realized that the screen was defective and I really was seeing the pink/purple tinge!

I immediately went to Fujitsu site, and connected with Fujitsu support on their online support chat. I registered with the support tech, described the issue, guy said it was probably loose LCD wiring, and said I should bring it for repair. I was pretty upset because I just bought the thing and it was defective from the get go. But what are you going to do right?

Day 12 (May 14)
Today is Sunday, I can’t do anything about it today. Put the laptop away and don’t think about it.

Day 13 (May 15)
Early this morning before work, I called Fujitsu's customer service 1-800 number (the person told me I still wasn't registered so I spent the 10 minutes registering for a second time). I called to ask about the procedures for getting the issue with my new Fujitsu P1510D addressed. He gave me the name and address of a repair shop in Vancouver. After work I go to the repair shop, to inquire about when they could look at new but sadly defective DOA Fujitsu P1510D. Their queue for service was minimum of 7 days but guys says I should talk to retailer to get exchange. So I called the retailer who said sure no problem, they would do a swap, and they checked to see if Fujitsu had a replacement and told me to bring laptop back. After a busy day at work, I had to spend a many hours backing up data, etc and fret about all the timeI had spent setting up and customizing a ton of applications!

Day 14 (May 16)
Next morning, I returned the newly purchased but defective Fujitsu laptop to the retailer in original packaging. I email Fujitsu support to indicate that I am going to retailer to get exchange instead of RMA repair.

Day 15 (May 17)
I email the retailer the next day. They reply that Fujitsu was not going to exchange the DOA Fujitsu P1510D because 10 days had elapsed since it was delivered! Turns out Fujitsu had delivered laptop the day after I ordered, but retailer didn’t tell until I called 6 days later! This means I could have discovered my Fujitsu P1510D was a dud 6 days earlier!! Retailer responds that they will go the length with Fujitsu to get this resolved. I am beginning to sweat by now but what can I do right!

Fujitsu sends me two identical emails from two support reps, saying we understand your issue is resolved. I reply by email to indicate that that I really need their help to work with retailer so retailer can get exchange.

Day 16 (May 18)
Fujitsu replies with a form email stating essentially that if I had only purchased the laptop directly from them, I could get a DOA exchange 15 days after purchase. But, they say, as I bought it from a retailer, I am SOL. Go back to the retailer they say. The form email has an irritatingly condescending tone to it, and they seem to have completely missed my point that I am working with the retailer, but that Fujitsu is giving the retailer a hard time too, and that I need help! I can hear Fujitsu laughing at me ha ha ha you should have bought it directly from us! Tooo bad sucker! So after one online chat support, one telephone support call, two emails, I find myself writing another email, begging for help, clearly outlining the fact that I am caught in the middle of Fujitsu support and sales arms, without a laptop, and all I am getting is form mails.

Day 17 (May 19)
I have now gone as long, without my laptop, as I had it in my possession! This isn’t right or fair.

I get an email from retailer informing me that the person he normally works with at Fujitsu sales has left the company, and the next in line is on vacation. So, there is no one for the retailer to even ask about getting resolution.

[As an aside, the retailer is sending me detailed updates and is on my side to get exchange. Retailer is upset with 10 day DOA exchange policy (yes it is 15 days if you buy direct from Fujitsu, but retailer only has 10 day DOA exchange window). Retailer is also no doubt embarrassed about not letting me know my laptop was available for pickup. They were waiting for Fujitsu screen protectors I had ordered before calling me. Apparently, most other suppliers have 30 day DOA policies and they assumed Fujitsu had the same.]

I also get another carbon copy form email reply from Fujitsu exactly the same as the first two! Unbelievable. It seems they are not even reading my emails!

I am feeling complete helplessness, impotence and mounting anger … I fire off an email to Fujitsu basically telling them to go to hell and that I am upset at receiving nothing but shallow form email responses and quotes from policy manuals. I may be a drop in the bucket to them, but that laptop means a lot to me. I bought it to take on extended trip which begins next week. The cost of the Fujitsu P1510D may not be much to some, but for me it is dear.

Anyways, to anyone considering a Fujitsu P1510D or any other Fujitsu product, watch out for this Defective On Arrival (DOA) policy. Fujitsu will NOT give you an exchange if you discover your new Fujitsu laptop is DOA. They will give you an RMA but think about it, why should something defective right out of the box not be exchanged no questions asked?

To recap: I have paid for Fujitsu P1510D 10 days ago which I returned 5 days ago because it was defective. I am now without $2000 and laptop! I have no idea where my unit is. If the retailer is unable to get me an exchange, I will have to take back my defective unit, which has been tumbling around in warehouses and service counters. For all I know it has fallen to the ground or been banged around countless times. Then after my extended out of country trip, I will have to bring it into some repair depot or send it off somewhere to get repaired what should have never been given to me in the first place.

This Fujitsu purchase has turned into a real nightmare!

 

hmm...this makes me not want to get a fujitsu.
thanks for the info

 

Sorry for your troubles! If I were you, I would be taking on the "retailer" you made the purchase with, not fujitsu customer service.
You made the purchase through the retailer, and the retailer was responsible for you missing the return window with fujitsu. I dont know your retailer's policies but it seems that fujitsu has decided they are responsible because they made the sale.

Ive mentioned this here before, but I have personally made a return with fujitsu customer service. It was quick, and I was not hassled AT ALL.

 

I would contact some sort of better business bureau group. While it may not do much, the threat of it, may speed things up. Don't hesitate.

Did you get it from ICI? I hate them and will never buy from them again.

 

First answers to posts and then an update for Day 19 of my sad story:

zmeflyby:
I was plenty happy with the Fujitsu P1510D before that screen went pink/purple. Aside from the fact that it doesn't have an optical drive, it has everything I need, and in a very small, lightweight package. I was giggling when I put it into my 12" laptop case and it barely felt like anything was in there! Also, the reviews it has been getting are pretty good and Fujitsu does seem to have good reputation too. But I guess I happen to have fallen into some bizarre grey area. Although, the 10 day/15 day DOA exchange policy seems to be shorter than other manufacturers's.

sirwalter:
The retailer had been making an effort on my behalf right from the start. They immediately agreed to exchange the unit no questions asked. The problem is because of Fujitsu personnel changes, and internal policy about who has discretion to make the exchange, have not allowed retailer to even "bring this case to the judge" yet. Fujitsu has not said, one way or the other, whether they will do exchange or not. Retailer doesn't know the new national sales manager or whoever is "the man to go to" and can't offer any assurances. But if they turn retailer down, then I suppose it is the retailer's turn to make good. But we aren't there yet.

I am glad that your Fujitsu experience was good and can understand my experience may be atypical. To be fair, I am to blame for some of the confusion with Fujitsu, by starting off for RMA, then asking them for help getting retailer and Fujitsu sales to work it out. But there were a few exchanges where that was not being picked up by Fujitsu support.

Clearly, Fujitsu doesn't have a clear channel between support and sales. As often happens in large organizations, they don't go out of their way to work on details unless it is necessary. In my case, I had to keep coming back to them to get them to escalate to Supervisor who looked at details, and forward to escalation team. Things are good, when they are good, and bad when they are bad.

Doleco:
I am not at the BBB stage yet. The worst that can happen is that I get my defective laptop back, and have to send it to be repaired by Fujitsu or designated service provider after I come back from my Europe trip 10 weeks from now. However, I will also have a laptop that was in an open box that has been God knows where and what happened to it in the time it was out of my possession. Not an appealing prospect at all.

I bought my Fujitsu 1510D from ATIC Computers in Vancouver. Not many Fujitsu resellers out here. I have bought two desktop systems from ATIC over the years and lots of accessories. Desktop systems were good and cheap. They are one of those places with piles of product behind the counter that sells to public, and do huge volume with companies etc. It is the antithesis of the Futureshop. If you have specific questions, they can help you anything you need to know, but if you need someone to hold your hand, you'd better go to Best Buy. So far, I have received detailed updates, and it appears ATIC is doing all they can do to get the exchange with Fujitsu.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions!! Here is an update:

Day 19 (May 20)
My last action yesterday was to fire off an angry email to Fujitsu basically telling them to go to hell. Probably not the right thing to do to someone who has power over you but it felt good and may have got results. But I am past angry into a kind of smoldering acceptance of whatever fate is going deliver on this issue.

So, when I received a belated, third standard form email late on May 19 (EMAIL 1) response to another, previous email, in which I was still begging for help, all I could do was shake my head. It seems they have more than one case record opened for me, one for the original chat contact, and another for the telephone support call. I’ve just been replying to emails which have call details embedded in them. Maybe there is even a third case record, not sure.

However, also late on May 19, I also received another more personalized response (EMAIL 2) to my angry email. It appears that finally, they may be forwarding issue to whoever it is at Fujitsu Canada who has discretion over my issue with retailer. They also indicate someone will follow-up. The follow-up did, in fact, come today (May 20) (EMAIL 3).

The follow-up (EMAIL 3) is quite long and detailed so I've just quoted from it below instead of pasting it here in its entirety. The author, a service Supervisor for this level of customer support, has done some good research into my issue, with quotes from my chat, telephone and email contact with Fujitsu and indicates that my issue has been forwarded to Fujitsu escalation team who will contact me Monday. Is this some light at the tunnel?

Well, flickers of light perhaps, because while acknowledging that the first online chat tech said it sounded like a loose LCD connection the Supervisor says,

I understand these are reasonable requests by support tech but I am an advanced computer user, hardware and software, and know what I experienced, and it was not normal, like a driver issue, or some graphics program taking over video card, and certainly not something I expect on a brand new laptop. I've never seen anything like it.

I don’t know how I can communicate the issue any better than repeating what I had earlier written was that during normal operation, the screen went completely pink/purple and was unresponsive and was only restored by rebooting. After this happened I realized that it had been occasionally pink/purple tinged from the get go, something I noticed but attributed to tired eyes or bad lighting, I frankly didn’t want to believe there was anything wrong with it. But the solid pink/purple screen of death made this unavoidable. I once had a desktop monitor that after 2 years began to turn the same kind of pink/purple colour. Actually, I am the public library right now to right this, and I am looking a couple of monitors here that have the same kind of pink/purple colour.

Besides, I don’t even HAVE the Fujitsu P1510D anymore to do diagnostics or reinstall image. The Fujitsu P1510D was returned to retailer four days ago (May 16) so that it could be returned to Fujitsu. I just wrote the retailer to get more information on this but I understood that it had been sent to Fujitsu on May 16 when I returned it.

Supervisor does a fair and balanced job of presenting Fujitsu reputation,

But when you are in the unfortunate 10% of Fujitsu laptop owners, well, it doesn't matter that 90% of people are without incident.

Anyways, I am going to continue to describe what happens, good or bad. I don’t expect to hear from Fujitsu until Monday or Tuesday, and the retailer has indicated they probably won’t get in touch with anyone at Fujitsu who has discretion over this issue until Tuesday or Wednesday. I hope that this can be wrapped up by the end of next week so I can take a new, properly functioning Fujitsu P1510D on my trip to Europe. I was so looking forward to using it on the road to keep up with email, work on some websites, doing some Excel and Access work, blogging, etc.

 

If you had allowed Fujitsu to repair your laptop, you might have had it back by now. IMHO, since you purchased it from a retailer, it is the retailer's return policy that applies. Plus, you say it was DOA, but according to your initial post, you used it for three days and installed your applications before noticing the problem. You haven't let Fujitsu have the laptop to diagnose and yet you expect them to just send you a new one...

I have a Fujitsu that lost one of the rubber screw covers. Two years out of warranty, I call Fujitsu up to find out how much a screw cover costs. On the phone with a tech in about three minutes. He gets my name and address and a description of the part I need. The next day, I receive via FedEx two replacement screw covers at no charge. I've been very satisfied with Fujitsu's quality and service. I've owned laptops since the mid 1980s, starting with a huge Tandy and including IBM, Toshiba, Dell, Compaq, HP, Acer, Texas Instruments, Sharp, NEC, Gateway and Mitsubishi. I'd rate Fujitsu and IBM as the top two.

Why not have it repaired and if you are not satisfied with the outcome, take it up again with Fujitsu?

 

VancouverSadMan, ATIC, has probably one of the worst customer service in all of the lower mainland.

If you still thinking of getting another Fujitsu down the road, I was talking to the Vancouver Fujitsu rep and you can actually order any Fujitsu from the UBC bookstore apparently.

I think I have his contact card somewhere. I'll PM you if I find his number. He seemed pretty nice, you can contact him directly about your problem. It may or may not help, but it's worth a shot.

 

Thanks for responding everyone. It helps to have more information to fill out the picture. Hearing that other people have good experiences with Fujitsu gives me hope that my situation will turn out good too even though it is by no means certain. To recap:

- I've paid $2000 for Fujitsu P1510D
- I don't have the laptop since May 16 when I returned it to retailer to be returned to Fujitsu for exchange
- retailer still has been able to get answer from Fujitsu
- I am leaving the country on Sunday and it appears likely this may not be resolved by then

Day 20 & 21 (May 21 & 22)
No new updates, except that I been non-stop fretting about what will happen. It is a long weekend. No news until at least Tuesday. Fujitsu suport supervisor said someone would contact me Monday (today May 22) but they are in US so didn't know today was national holiday in Canada.

To answer your kind comments:

slinkydoodle:

Slinkydoodle, that route was my first thought. I did go to a Fujitsu authorized repair place, CompuSmart, in downtown Vancouver. They told me they couldn't even look at the laptop for minimun of 7 days (from May 15) so with long weekend it might have been looked at Tuesday or Wednesday this week. But, repair shop said that if the laptop was purchased from them (they don't sell Fujitsu, go figure) they would simply do exchange with Fujitsu for new laptop no questions asked because it was newly purchased. I hadn't even considered this but it does make sense. So, I called the retailer, ATIC Computers. They immediately said sure no problem to do exchange, and to bring it in, which I did the next day.

That is why I went the exchange route instead of repair route. With the advice from Fujitsu authorized repair place, and with a clear affirmative yes for exchange from my retailer, it sure didn't make sense to go the repair route. Also, when the P1510D screen went solid pink/purple, it made my previous observations of a pink/purple tinged screen make sense. I had actually rationalized the small Fujitsu P1510D screen appeared pink/purple from some angles or something. I had not baseline to think otherwise. But, the key thing is that is was defective from the very start, but only became known to me/acute when the screen went solid pink/purple.

However, the retailer hit a brick nitpicky policy wall with Fujitsu, who split hairs on when the unit was actually purchased, otherwise, they would have done the exchange and I would have long ago had a new unit and be as happy as you!

My problem is that the unit sat at the retailer from May 3 (the day after I ordered it and put deposit on it) to May 8, when I called to get ETA. Fujitsu is starting their countdown from May 3rd, even though it was brand new, in the box, untouched, until I got it May 8th.

In order to have an exception made, retailer needs to to get signoff from some national sales manager. However, that person apparently left the company, and the person who is able to make this discretionary call has been on vacation. Obviously though, there are other people who could make this call. Corporate world doesn't shutdown for one person.

So far, I am satisfied that retailer is doing what they can. This is purely a Fujitsu issue, where they are doggedly sticking to a 10 day exchange policy. My purpose in contacting Fujitsu support is to have them go to bat for me, to close the loop, and contact Fujitsu Canada sales internally. It appears that the support supervisor has done this. I have no other way to influence the retailer's sales channel.

Doleco:
I can't complain about ATIC. They really don't have any customer service, and don't even promise it. It is not Best Buy. They sell volume at lower prices than for example, Best Buy. They have been making an effort on my behalf right from the start. They immediately agreed to exchange the unit no questions asked. The problem is because of Fujitsu personnel changes, and internal policy about who has discretion to make the exchange, have not allowed retailer to even "bring this case to the judge" yet. But if they turn retailer down, then I suppose it is the ATIC's turn to make good. But we aren't there yet.

But I really would appreciate if you could get me the contact info for the Fujitsu rep. It may be the same person who ATIC is dealing with but it would be of great comfort to be able to hear these things first hand. As it stands, I really am out of the loop.

I have the feeling that if the right people at Fujitsu can get this issue, they will do the exchange. It just makes sense. It really comes down to quibbling about # days.

 

You say you can't complain about ATIC. However, first they held your laptop for six days after they received it. That is why you are outside Fujitsu's exchange period. If you had received it on time, you would have been well within the exchange period and the issue would have already been resolved. The fault on that is entirely ATICs.

You said ATIC told you "no problem to do an exchange, bring it in" and yet you still haven't been able to make an exchange. The fault on that again appears to be ATICs as they made a promise contrary to Fujitsu's exchange policy and which they could not deliver on.

Since ATIC is a Fujitsu dealer, why weren't they aware of their return/exchange policy?? What kind of fly by night folks are these. It is easy for them to fost this problem off on Fujitsu and claim that "they are doing what they can."

What fault lies with Fujitsu? They had a manufacturing defect. They are willing to repair it. What they haven't agreed to do is to waive their exchange policy to bail your retailer out of the mess they created.

Sounds like ATIC needs to accept that this situation is entirely their fault. What "value" have you received from this retailer, versus a direct purchase from Fujitsu? Who did you pay...the retailer or Fujitsu? If you paid by credit card, perhaps you should dispute this with your credit card issuer. The chargeback will go against ATIC, as it should. They promised the exchange (not Fujitsu), now make them deliver on that promise or refund your money.

Then buy direct from Fujisu and save all of this hassle.

 

Hi Slinkydoodle,

Your're a tough cookie .. do you want to be my representative? : )

My P1510D was defective right out of the box. I think Fujitsu should make an exception, exchange the notebook, as they would have if it had been within 10 day period, which it wasn't, through demonstrably no fault of my own but of ATIC's. It is the fairest, most logical solution. However ATIC and Fujitsu work it out to get there is fine by me. Do you really think that is unreasonable?

Oh God, don't taunt me! I wish I didn't pay cash and could do chargeback. I wish this all never happened!

 

VancouverSadMan,

So far, the only reason Fujitsu hasn't waived the 10 day policy is because there hasn't been anybody there to waive it. That is quite a problem that only one person can make that decision and that nobody is substituting for him/her while s/he is on vacation. Assuming that's really the case, of course - ATIC seems to know nothing about Fujitsu, not even their DOA policy, so it's possible they took the easiest route and didn't dig deep enough.

Considering that the reason this is happening all because ATIC failed to tell you that your laptop is in, ATIC should have bought another laptop identical to yours to give to you while it attempts to make the return/exchange/whatever to avoid losing money on this transaction. Worst case scenario, ATIC ends up with a duplicate laptop that it sells through the regular retail channel, without allowing the consumer to customize it - people buy those every day.

Malia

 

Hi Malia,

You've made some good points, thanks! But I just can't let Fujitsu off the hook here. Look, if Fujitsu starts my 10 day clock on May 3. Well, it was on May 13 that I experienced the sudden pink/purple screen issue and did the online chat with Fujitsu support.

That is 10 days exactly.

It was also a Saturday later in the afternoon. Had I known about the 10 day thing, I might have been able to dash over to ATIC, and get in under the wire. However, I didn't, and likely couldn't have and besides, all my data was still on the P1510D (which I had earlier spent hours over days to get on).

BTW, I told the support online that I got the P1510D on May 8. Why didn't he mention that I might be able to get the unit exchanged since that would have made it well within the 10 days?

Anyways, Sunday, ATIC was closed, Monday I went to Fujitsu authorized repair shop, who said, why don't you just exchange the thing. ATIC, Fujitsu authrized reseller immediately agreed. I did get the laptop to ATIC on May 16 which is 13 Fujitsu days. Presumably Fujitsu got it that day too because I got it to ATIC first thing in the morning.

But then Fujitsu, presumably even after hearing that I didn't pick the damn thing up until May 8 because ATIC hadn't notified me, didn't just say, no problem, and do the exchange right then and there, but said no, and then maybe, if someone higher up approves it.

Would it have helped if internally, sales and support, were communicating? Maybe it would've made a difference if the sales could see that I had indeed reported issue on May 13 and met the 10 day requirement.

Which is why I have been going through Fujitsu support to get them to close the loop internally with Fujitsu sales to let them know that the issue was technically identified on the 10th day (which was only the 5th day as far as I am concerned).

I have learned that the reason ATIC weren't aware of the 10 day limit is that they have never had a DOA Fujitsu unit before. This says they either a) don't do a lot of Fujitsu sales, or b) Fujitsu is that good. From what I can tell, ATIC does nothing but volume. So, it must mean that Fujitsu is that good, although it doesn't help me because I got the one that slipped through the cracks.

I am baffled as to why this monster multinational can't get someone with discretionary input to make this come out right. Though I have to be fair and note that Fujitsu support is pretty darn good. They are there 24 hrs a day, and the online chat was a new way to get a hold of them. Also, the support supervisor was able to access all of my dialogue with Fujitsu, and reviewed it and replied to it in detail. I was impressed that it was sent to an escalation team, and that it was even forwarded apparently to Fujitsu Canada which is the sales people who I am waiting to come back from Vacation!

 

Day 22 & 23 (May 23 & 24)

All is still quiet on the resolution front.

The last word from retailer (or properly, "Fujitsu authorized reseller") ATIC Computers on May 19 said they hoped to get word back from Fujitsu yesterday or today. I replied to ATIC to notify them that Fujitsu support had escalated my issue, passing it to escalation team, and Fujitsu Canada. I also asked where the laptop I returned was and expressed my concern that if Fujitsu vetoed the exchange, I had about the condition and provenance of the unit while it has been out of my possession. However, I haven't yet received a reply to that email ...

On May 22, the Fujitsu support supervisor emailed me to indicate that he had checked on my issue status. He also indicated that he went to the online forums where I have been chronicling this, my first Fujitsu experience, and replied to a comment I had made in the forum. (So, yes, they are reading your comments here Fujitsu owners) I was told to expect contact from escalation team on Tuesday, but didn't. Maybe today (Wednesday) … ?

On May 22, I also sent the Fujitsu support supervisor an email apologizing for my grumpy email, and expressing my appreciation for his detailed review and reply to my issue, and for forwarding to escalation team and Fujitsu Canada.

It is now Wednesay10:30 am in Vancouver, so I hope to have ATIC contact me to come in and pickup a new defect-free P1510D.

But a bit more about that 10 day exchange policy:

If Fujitsu starts my 10 day clock on May 3. Well, it was on May 13 that I experienced the sudden pink/purple screen issue and did the online chat with Fujitsu support.

That is 10 days exactly. (in my mind, it is only 5 days because I picked P1510D up on May 8 but … )

But what really constitutes 10 days? Does the unit have to be in Fujitsu's hands within 10 days? Or in the reseller's hands? Postmarked within 10 days? Or does the issue have to be posted within 10 days? I don't know.

BTW, on May 3 I told the support online that I picked up my new P1510D on May 8. I am curious as to why he didn't mention that I might be able to get the unit exchanged instead of the RMA since that would have made it appear to be well within the 10 days?

Would it have helped if internally, sales and support, were communicating? Would it have made a difference if the sales could see that I had indeed reported issue on May 13 and met the 10 day requirement? This is why I have been going through Fujitsu support to get them to close the loop internally with Fujitsu sales to let them know that the issue was technically identified on the 10th day (which was only the 5th day as far as I am concerned).

Anyways, May 3 was a Saturday later in the afternoon. Had I known about the 10 day thing, I might have been able to dash over to ATIC, and get in under the wire. However, I didn't, and likely couldn't have and besides, all my data was still on the P1510D (which I had earlier spent hours over days to get on).

Sunday, ATIC was closed, and Monday I went to Fujitsu authorized repair shop who said, why don't you just exchange the thing. ATIC, Fujitsu authrized reseller immediately agreed. So, I did get the laptop to ATIC until May 16 which is 13 Fujitsu days. Presumably Fujitsu got it that day too because I got it to ATIC first thing in the morning.

But it kills me that Fujitsu, presumably even after hearing that I didn't pick the damn thing up until May 8 (because ATIC hadn't notified me) didn't just say, no problem, and do the exchange right then and there, instead of making ATIC go to someone higher up to get it approved.

I have learned that the reason ATIC weren't aware of the 10 day limit is that they have never had a DOA Fujitsu unit before. This says they either a) don't do a lot of Fujitsu sales, or b) Fujitsu is that good. From what I can tell, ATIC does nothing but volume. So, it must mean that Fujitsu is that good, although it doesn't help me because I got the one that slipped through the cracks.

 

Good grief. How many people here need to suggest that you hold ATIC responsible for making the exchange happen, since they are the party at fault, before you start putting pressure where it belongs???

I notice that ATIC as of today (May 24) still has not responded to your email of May 19 (five days ago) concerning your laptop....hmmmmmmm.

BTW...your posts might be more effective if edited for content. You appear to be cutting and pasting large sections of text and repeating them in subsequent posts.

I personally would rewrite two of your statements (changes highlighed) to read as follows:

I am baffled as to why the retailer ATIC can't get someone with discretionary input to make this come out right.

But it kills me that ATIC, knowing that you didn't pick the damn thing up until May 8 (because ATIC hadn't notified you) didn't just say, no problem, and do the exchange right then and there, instead of making Fujitsu go to someone higher up to get it approved.

 

Joy, finally !..

.. I picked up a new replacement Fujitsu Lifebook P1510D Thursday May 25 from ATIC Computers.

The short of the skinny is this:

Day 23 (Wed May 24) Today about noon, I called ATIC to see what was happening. ATIC told me that they had just had contact with someone at Fujitsu Canada who could authorize the exchange, and that Fujitsu wanted ATIC to fax over the receipt showing I had purchased the unit on May 8.

However, at noon Wednesday, ATIC said it appeared it was approved and that this was just paperwork. ATIC said that when they got the authorization/credit paperwork, they would put the order in for the replacement unit, and it could be at ATIC within the day.

This was good news but I wasn't holding my breath. I wanted the replacement laptop in my hands before I could relax.

Day 24 (Thurs May 25) Called ATIC at about 4 pm to find out what had transpired since yesterday. Guy puts me on hold, says he is going to check to see if it is in. A minute later he comes back on and says it is in and to remember to bring my receipt. I rush down to ATIC after work, and there is a new replacement unit waiting for me. I also pay for the Fujitsu screen protectors (3M product .. more on those in a second) I had ordered when I ordered the P1510D. Anyways, I go home, open the box and indeed it is a new P1510D.

The replacement P1510D is as beautiful as the original one was when it came out of the box. But the replacment screen is noticably brighter and the pink/purple tinge has not yet appeared. So, I am beginning to breath easier. I spent THursday and today (Saturday) loading up software and data and doing customization and mods.

I bought a 10 pack of the screen protectors that Fujitsu sells for the P1510D. While I read this in a post before buying them, these 3M screen protectors are about the width of the stylus (which comes with the P1510D) too short, so that the screen protectors do not cover the entire screen which is kind of annoying.

I also ordered one screen protector from NuShield which is a different type that clips in under the edges of the screen and floats over the screen while the Fujitsu 3M type adheres to the screen. I haven't tried the NuShield yet, I was going to take the 3M screen protector off, but it is hard to get a nail under the edge to lift it up. I am going to leave it until I have lots of patience and time so I don't injure my P1510D's screen.

I thank all of you for your comments and for reading the posts I made. I have my doubts that this would have resolved itself the way it did if my story was not "out there" the way it was in the forums. I am glad that Fujitsu did the "right thing" which was to acknowledge that I did in fact purchase my P1510D on May 8 so that the 10 day period for DOA exchange applied. I also thank the Fujitsu service supervisor who did the detailed research and forwarded it to escalation team and to Fujitsu Canada. I am sure that was critical.

THere were many comments that ATIC Computers should've "done right by me" too. However, I was in contact with ATIC Computers, I heard their voices, and felt that they were doing what they could to get the issue resolved.

The fact that Fujitsu didn't have someone available to connect with ATIC was out of ATIC's hands. THe only thing ATIC could have done would have been to purchase a new P1510D on their dime, and give it to me, and get the exchange authorization/credit, on their own time, not mine. However, it is debatable whether or not Fujitsu would've done the exchange for them if I was out of the equation.

People have mentioned Portable One - would Portable One have coughed up a new unit in this situation and risked doing the exchange with Fujitsu on their own?

Well, at the end of the day, I think Fujitsu did the best thing because I like my Lifebook P1510D. If I am satisfied with it and I will extoll its virtues as I have done this issue. If Fujitsu proves to be as satisfactory in terms of quality and service as people say, then I will extoll.

Thanks again. Next time you see me, I will be the VancouverGladMan!

 

"THe only thing ATIC could have done would have been to purchase a new P1510D on their dime, and give it to me, and get the exchange authorization/credit, on their own time, not mine."

Seeing as you made the purchase through ATIC, thats exactly what I would have insisted they do. Personally I dont think this thread helped force an outcome in your favor, but Im glad it all worked out.

 

Sounds like Fujitsu really bent over backwards to resolve a problem created by your retailer ATIC. I'm glad Fujitsu worked it out for you, although it seems that you are still skeptical about the quality of Fujitsu's service. (However, for some odd reason you seem to be very pleased with ATIC).

The lesson here...since P1 is no longer a Fujitsu dealer and there have been no quality equivalent retailers reported here, buy direct from Fujitsu.