Laptop needs to be sent to repair for the 3rd time...

Laptop mode: Acer Travelmate P645-MG

Warranty period: 2 years (started in August 2014)

A brief history of why I sent my laptop to repair:

First repair:
1. BIOS update caused OS instability and unable to do a BIOS rollback because the only available tool does not allow it, thus requiring a technician to perform the job. -Fixed
2. Display had uneven brightness. -Partially fixed (replacement display had less uneven brightness, but still noticeable)
3. Static noise in the headphone audio jack. -Not fixed (tech support informed me that the technician skipped checking the headphone audio jack).

Second repair:
1. Replacement display had uneven brightness. -Not fixed (technician claimed there were no problems with the display)
2. Static noise in the headphone audio jack. -Fixed
3. Corrupted OEM Windows installation (Windows locked up upon booting into Safe Mode or if Avast attempted a boot-time scan). -Not Fixed (I reinstalled Windows after they sent back the laptop)
4. BIOS password locked by the technician. -Fixed

Future repair (when I have time to call tech support and be able to do without the laptop for 2 weeks):

1. Creaking noise if any pressure is applied on the bottom right corner of the laptop.
2. Smudge of thermal paste or something gray also at the bottom right corner.
3. Display still has uneven brightness.


When is it considered grounds for refund or full replacement? I'm getting a bit annoyed at having to send in the laptop to warranty repair for the third time.


Also, I noticed this paragraph in Acer's warranty policy (specifically regarding out-of-warranty repairs):

"For a period of ninety (90) days after services are performed, Acer warrants that services provided by it were performed in a professional and workmanlike manner. If your problem recurs within the 90-day service warranty period, Acer will, at its option, (i) re-perform the services, (ii) replace the Product pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii) permit You to return the Product and issue a refund pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iv) refund the amount You paid for the services."

Look for the Travelmate's 2 year warranty section: http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/standard-warranty

 

First Repair, second point. This is where I would have returned it.

Now? You're at the mercy of how loud, articulate and who you can scream at the Acer corp.

A return period is where I use and abuse* any new system/component I am testing. After that, I don't mess with warranties. Waste of time. Buy what I need and junk what didn't work (if/when I get stuck with it - i.e. 1TB EVO's...).


*abuse in this case is normal 'tiller use.

 

The first and second repairs were done during the winter break since I needed the laptop for college. I didn't notice the static headphone audio problem until I started using a headphone when studying.

I know the state I purchased the laptop in has a lemon law regarding automobiles, stating that consumers are eligible for a refund or replacement when a 3rd repair is needed. I'm not sure about other products though.

 

I hope that you can get this replaced or better yet; refunded.

I also hope this shows the importance of testing every single feature that will be used (extensively) before the return period expires on any new system or component that you buy in the future.

I have returned systems because the 'whir' of the fan didn't sound right on initial boot up. I have also returned systems without even turning them on because the materials used felt so cheap. When I have fully qualified a new system for my own use, even after the return period I continue using the system skeptically - as I can return for exchange before the 30 days for an identical model.

If a system glitches once (eg. buzzed even faintly while listening with earphones), all other tests would be stopped and returned for that reason alone. Local store managers have asked me repeatedly to not be so damn picky, or actually suggest that I take a 1 hour old purchase and start a warranty claim on it with the manufacturer. I tell them sure, no problem. But they have to loan me a new system (no charge) until the warranty issue is resolved.

At that point, they ask; what account should we refund this purchase to?

 

A major mistake I made when purchasing the laptop was that I was taking way too long to decide which laptop model to buy before going back to college. The laptop came through the mail a day before I had to go back to college.

I had to replace my previous 11.6" laptop because there were some major shortcomings with its design after using it for a year in college. I did not want to use that laptop for my second year.

I just want to know when is Acer legally required to make a full refund or replacement? I have sent an email to the state's Attorney General stating my situation, but I'd expect that would take 1-3 weeks for response.

I also have the option of going to a small claims court if it gets really bad, but I'd like to save that as a last resort.

 

Like I already mentioned:

And with your latest email to the AG, how strong you can present your case and keep pestering them to do something about it.

It is not a matter of time. It is a matter of the notebook being not usable to you in the present state it operates in.

 

It'll be easier if there's a consumer warranty law I can use to back my case.

I know for lemon automobiles, the consumer has the right to request a full refund or replacement car within 12 months of purchase. I don't know if there are similar laws for computers.

 

No. You are at the mercy of Acer.

 

For someone who is this picky about their laptop I recommend buying an expensive workstation or business model and paying for on-site repair.

1. Loosen up the nearest couple of screws, put pressure, and then tighten them back up.
2. Take a paper towel, napkin, cotton swab, or whatever you have available and apply it to the smudge with a quick but firm back and forth motion. Use a drop of isopropanol if the smudge isn't completely gone on the first try.
3. There is nothing wrong with the display. That is just how they are. If you want a good display, you have two options. Either buy a laptop that comes with a better display, or replace the display yourself with something better. Sending your laptop back to the manufacturer and requesting a new display isn't going to change anything if the displays they are using are junk. You are only wasting your time and money sending it in.

 

I bought the Travelmate because of its positive reviews on sites such as Notebookcheck, and the user forum here not mentioning any major issues other than OEM drivers not playing nice with Windows 8/10.

And yes, it is a business laptop.

Also, I dropped the laptop 1 meter onto a concrete floor a while ago (before the first repair, and after all of the initial problems appeared), and it landed on a corner. I couldn't identify any damages other than chipped paint.

I wasn't aware of Acer's warranty repair service quality though...


EDIT: I guess two of those things are fixable. The question is, with their habit of breaking something with every repair, what else is going to break in the next 1.5 years of the warranty period and force me to mail it again for repair?

 

Well, with more info (dropped notebook to concrete floor) it seems like your case is weakening.

Sell as-is with full sharing of all the above. Buy something that you can/will take better care of in the future.

If you were as forthcoming to the repair center as you were here, no wonder they don't repair the notebook to your satisfaction (if they don't know to look further than what they initially would seem reasonable).

 

No it's not. Read on.

A business-grade laptop can be purchased with on-site and/or accidental damage warranty. That type of service is available with Latitides/Precisions, ProBook/EliteBook and ThinkPad ranges.

One gets what they pay for, more often than not. In my experience, that is.

Good luck.

 

I did confirmations to check that nothing was damaged after dropping the laptop, such as shaking it to hear for anything that broke loose, applying pressure to various areas. I couldn't find any differences other than the chipped paint.

My suspicion is that they reinstalled the bottom cover incorrectly after replacing the motherboard to get rid of the static audio problem. Especially considering the fact that they completely skipped checking for the static audio problem on the first repair despite being stated as a major issue.

Notebookcheck reported that they had to remove almost 20 screws to remove the bottom cover. And there's probably more screws that had to be removed to replace the motherboard: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Acer-TravelMate-P645-MG-9419-Ultrabook.108645.0.html

EDIT: Based on the photo provided, I counted at least 10 more screws that have to be removed to replace the motherboard.

EDIT: The dropped corner is also on the other side of the corner that's making the noise.

 

Just sell it, and mention all the problems with it in your ad. There might be a person who still finds value in it. It's going to sting and trust me I've been a broke college student before, pick up a few extra shifts, sell your old books for pennies on the dollar (fk college bookstores), sell your old phones or bikes or gaming systems (they are really bad for productivity).

You don't want a lemon laptop when midterms/finals etc come around. You can still buy a good outlet laptop on lenovo/dell or the secondary market. Be aware dell won't service your laptop if you buy it on ebay and the original owner doesn't transfer the warranty. I spend over 12 hours a day on the PC everyday, pay for the best you can afford if you use something everyday. Acer is not a brand I trust enough to put my work on.

Now I've bought an acer on CL for $25 because the drive died on them and that's super easy fix. I use it for the hdmi port to output netflix on an old TV. If it breaks not watching netflix isn't going to hurt. If your PC with all your work breaks the stress and lost productivity cost is going to wreck you. At least backup your data to a portable drive so you can do work on another PC when you need to send it in.

 

Regarding the uneven display brightness, most laptops use cheap LCD panels to minimize cost, it is very rare to find quality panels.

you should check "notebookcheck" reviews of different laptops LCD, they always measure brightness in 9 different spots of the lcd, and there is almost always a difference.

not to mention you may be experience problem with brightness changing with viewing angles too.

 

I recall opening a thread on this website asking for what 13" to 14" business laptops I should buy back during the summer of 2014. There was one from Dell, HP and Acer. An interesting non-business Asus laptop was also considered.

10+ pages later, I decided to buy the Acer because the other three suggested laptops had some noticeable drawbacks, although it was a very hard choice since every laptop had some qualities that justified purchasing it.

I guess I can live with the uneven display brightness and redo the bottom cover's screws to get rid of the noise... but I'm going to be very annoyed if another problem crops up and Acer breaks something again in their attempt to fix it.


I've also been keeping around my old, 5 year old laptop as backup. Very short battery life due to the battery never being replaced and the CPU drawing 20W at idle.

 

I sent you a private message, I'm not sure if you read it, but it may help you with this a little.

 

Some time ago, I emailed the state's Attorney General asking if there were any laws pertaining to lemon laptops that need to be repaired for the third time.

They gave Acer a call, and Acer called me promising me a laptop replacement along with a renewed warranty period when I receive the replacement. They said they will mail in a replacement laptop and temporarily charge my credit card until I return my current laptop.

I might have to put off the laptop replacement until during the summer since reinstalling the OS over the OEM's bloatware stuff and restoring the backed up files take hours to do, time that I can't really spare right now. I don't have a spare HDD with me right now, just a 16GB and 2GB flash drives.

 

If you are going to be clumsy out of habit or have motor issues, please consider a true business laptop with on site service and get the accidental damage coverage. And it is even worth considering getting a ruggedized laptop on top of that. If failure not an option. I require these types of laptop in daily use. I can't help physical challenges. If I go back to college soon, I plan on taking a full Milspec Panasonic ToughBook (albeit a used one) as I need extreme ruggedness and reliability. Spastic me and laptops need every advantage to have decent odds of getting work done and hardware which does not let me down.

 

And make sure you go full SSD. An intact laptop shell won't do much if your hard drive head crashed on the track holding your critical data.

Acceleration based impact prediction helps somewhat, but it's far from being reliable enough.

 

SSD helps, but also durable, rugged laptops help a great deal too. My ToughBooks have SSD installed (the newest in warranty still has the hard drive)

 

The travelmate laptop I purchased has a 256GB mSATA SSD, and an empty 2.5" hard drive space. I was considering installing a spare 320 GB HDD sometime in the future when the SSD starts to get full.

I am well aware of what damages might impact the laptop and usually take precautions. That one dropping incident was when I made a mistake of picking up with one, sweaty hand.

 

Structural integrity of the Travel Mate appears to be more than enough for being called tough:



Or have they became weaker than before?

 

The Acer TravelMate is a good laptop and decently built. Semi business class (lacks on site service and accidental damage coverage, which means I prefer normal business class machines) . Likely acceptable business rugged. There are Military Specifications defining ruggedness in laptop computers. Business Rugged, Semi Rugged, and Full Rugged are the general classes. Business Rugged for many all they need. Some people need semi rugged or even full rugged. Especially those who do a lot of field work and in rough conditions, and also physically challenged users would benefit having a semi rugged computer (especially wheelchair mounted units, and spastics). If one is clumsy, or physically challenged I recommend business rugged at bare minimum and on site warranty and accidental damage coverage.

 

The initial problems I had weren't related to structural stuff, it was the display, audio issue (something wrong in the motherboard), and a buggy BIOS.

Then Acer's warranty repair caused new problems.