Dell complaints

shackrock · Journeyman Dellhater Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 11

I bought a refurbished Vostro 1510 about 7-8 months ago. We've bought a ton of dells over the years, never had too many problems, thought it was an easy way to go.

From when I bought the laptop until around Feb., I had several problems:
1. One speaker was broken, they replaced the cover/speaker.
2. NVIDIA graphics chip (onboard) gave tons of problems, turns out it was a system wide thing - replaced the motherboard.
3. CPU errors (turn on the comp and the num lock stays on, other two blink).
4. Slot-loading DVD drive broke (trouble reading discs).
5. Slot-loading DVD drive would not eject the disc (well, after 10 tries it would eventually come out) - it would get stuck on the felt/case.
6. Ethernet port would only work if the cable was perfectly seated in the connector. If it moved a tiny bit, you were out of luck and had to work at it to get it back to "connected."
7. Keyboard. Many keys on the keyboard wouldn't work, randomly.

Many of the issues were taken care of without problems, over that time span.

After getting the motherboard replaced, they sent the computer back without the underside cover that covers the hard drive on the bottom of the laptop. It was just missing, completely. They shipped it to me, without any screws. Ridiculous, I know. I have orders on my dell account though, for "back cover" and "screws."

I am an electrical engineer in graduate school. When the keyboard broke I assumed it was just a ribbon cable problem. That it was - I opened it up and found that the plastic connector to the motherboard was broken off, and the ribbon cable was not being held tightly enough into the connector. I couldn't fix the thing, it needed to be replaced.

In Feb, with the keyboard not working and the discs getting stuck in the drive, I wanted to get things fixed. However I'm in school and for work I am on the computer ALL day. I don't have a replacement with enough power to run the apps I need (Engineering software, Adobe CS Suite, etc.). So, I couldn't bare to be away from the computer for 1 week+. I waited for spring break (last week) to send it in finally and get the outstanding issues addressed finally.

I got a call yesterday, saying that the repair wasn't covered and I had to pay $400 to replace the motherboard (note, this mobo was already replaced once by them). I called in, and asked if it was a joke. They said they found LIQUID DAMAGE on the computer. My computer is my baby, I NEVER have drinks around it, EVER. When it's not in use it's in a protected case. It was the most ridiculous thing they could have told me. I explained this, but to no avail.

They sent me pictures of close ups of the liquid damage. It was noticeable A TON on the pictures they sent. It looked as if I spilled 4 cups of drinks on the thing, and it was eroding the surface of some labels even. It was outrageous. I said there is NO WAY that is my computer, or it was there when you replaced the parts originally (everything is refurbished, anyway), or it got wet during shipping (there was no plastic bag around the laptop).

Needless to say, they didn't care at all. My options were pay the money or live with the several problems that still affected the laptop. I can't live without the thing at this point, so I said pay the money, give me your manager's number, and the boss will contact him shortly, and I'm never buying a dell again. Ever.

I am so fed up with this situation, but I suppose there really is nothing I can do about it. I will never buy a dell again. Looks like I'll be building my own, and doing everything I can to steer my clients and friends away from buying Dells.

Thanks for nothing, Dell.

To add to this, I asked them to send me my original MOBO back. They will not do it, saying that they keep it as proof that they did some work. I said well shipping it to me would mean I keep the proof, especially since I'm paying for it now. No luck, of course. ARGH.

oh yeah, and check out the pictures they sent, if you'd like. I seriously don't think they came from my computer:

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:17 pm Post subject:

Shocking, but not surprising, given how corrupt Dell and their repair contractors are.

Yes, they are lying. That's nothing new at all. YOU know perfectly well there was no liquid damage. Yet they say there was. Now you know who you're dealing with. Note that there is nothing in the photos identifying it as YOURS.

It's an engineering lesson if you can take it that way. Lowball vendors x mediocre design x (institutionalized corruption + corporate desperation) = customer dissatisfaction.
_________________
Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

dennisl59 · MDh--Master of Dellhateology Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Posts: 94

These machines get sub-sub-sub-contracted to Acme Guttering, Welding, PC repair and Fireworks Factory.

Tailmon · Emperor of Dellhateology Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Posts: 1098

Considering the way and where Dhell repairs their computers and how they treat and pay the people I can say that your computer was damaged at dhell or in the truck where they most likely stored them till they could get around to fix it.
_________________
Former employee of Dell and can say that they
definitely Suck!

4merDellOhioGuy · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject:

Those photos may have come from your computer. You said you bought it refurbished; there is no telling what the original owner did to it.

That would explain everything - it's a shame Dell won't acknowledge that.
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ex-9 year Dell Veteran. Worked at former Braker K, Metric 12, PN2/TMC, WS1, SPH and PN1

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:16 pm Post subject:

And Dell's refurbishing wouldn't catch it. If they plug it in and it boots, it's as furbished as it's going to get.
_________________
Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

shackrock · Journeyman Dellhater Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 11

11:46 am Shipment picked up Chennai (madras), India

It shipped to India to be repaired?? I could have sword the fedex box I sent it in said Texas.

I should get it back today, here's to hoping they even fixed all the problems.

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:42 am Post subject:

First I'd heard of India repair depots. They don't pay the American repair contractor technicians very much. You can tell cuz they're not very good. Hard to believe India is cheaper enough to offset shipping.

You mean you're paying the $400? I well understand tight finances, but given the thing's abysmal track record so far, I think I would have cut my losses rather than throw another $400 at it.
_________________
Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

shackrock · Journeyman Dellhater Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 11

ugh, well I take back that India thing, at least for now. What came from there was what I THOUGHT was the PC. It was actually some random scam letter, crazy.

Anyway, this now means that my computer isn't coming today at all. I called up Dell, they said that it still hasn't even shipped out yet. Wow.

I maybe can get it this week, they say now.

I really really am pissed off right now

Yeah, I paid the $400 because it's better than paying $1200 to get the same computer new again. I just have to hope it stays working right now, i guess.

boomster · Apprentice Dellhater Joined: 16 Mar 2009 Posts: 5

It seems like on all these forums when someone has a problem it usually starts out. I bought this whatever on the refurb site...Maybe there is a message here...When I was in SMB callers would get to us instead of refurb and asked to be transfered which was not a problem...Started asking what they were buying and paying for and was amazed at the very small difference between new and a refurb. Most of the time when I presented the rate on a new one they would just buy it instead, except with the low priced models like the Vostros...

shackrock · Journeyman Dellhater Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 11

So about 8 days after my computer was back in my hands (after more than 2.5 weeks of repair time), it broke again.

Here's what was replaced, according to Dell:
The Case
The Mobo
The DVD Drive

Here's what happened 8 days later:
Long beep, 2 short beeps. No output to the LCD or an External monitor. No lock-error codes. Battery/AC Power/Memory changes made no difference. Googled it - looks like the POST found errors with the video/graphics card.

Called in, they said I could send it it again. I said NO WAY in hell was I doing that. I demanded a replacement, and they said I should get one in 21 days.

Looking through their website, they don't have a vostro 1510 that meets my specs anymore (only offer worse processors, for example). The 1520 doesn't offer the 1080p screen resolution I have now...so I'm interested to see how they will make sure they meet my current specs...although they assure me they will.

In the meantime, yesterday the computer turned on. It worked for most of the day. I left it on, and when I came back an hour later it was frozen with no LCD output again. Restarting gave me the error code again. I assume this is something like a loose cable, or a faulty card/connection/solder point that changes randomly with the help of temperatures... Nevertheless, so glad to be getting rid of this thing. Too bad I have to wait 21 days.

Here's to hoping I don't get a downgraded unit and have to call them up - again.

Tailmon · Emperor of Dellhateology Joined: 17 Dec 2008 Posts: 1098

What has suprised me is that they have not replaced your unit earlier. Instead Dhell just has to put you through Hell to get to that point. It's like standard procedure to hopefully make the customer give up so they can keep/save money. Sadly, they are making things worse because:
1. they pissed you off.
2. you posted it here
3. lots of people see it and also get pissed off.
4. they tell others.
5. Dhell looses more customers that way!
_________________
Former employee of Dell and can say that they
definitely Suck!

shackrock · Journeyman Dellhater Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 11

not to mention, they probably spent a lot more man hours on my PC than it would have costed them to replace it 2 trips ago...

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:26 am Post subject:

Note to readers otherwise unfamiliar with Dell products and operations:

These are not slip-through-the-cracks anecdotes. For every one you read here, at least 1000 just like it happen every week. This is the way Dell characteristically operates.

4 years ago, this site was high on the first page of Google results for 'Dell complaints'. It's now somewhere around page 4. What's changed is the number of strong mainstream sites documenting Dell complaints.

Adjusted for sales volume, as of 2 years ago, Dell generated SEVEN TIMES as many complaints to the BBB than HP. Or Ford, or any other 'major' sales corporation. Unadjusted, their complaint rate was ELEVEN TIMES.

We, here, can only shout this so loudly. Pass it on to everyone you know. Nothing Dell sells, nothing Dell does, is good.
_________________
Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

wtf_freakindell · Apprentice Dellhater Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 9

You can't live without your computer, so you buy a laptop? You can't live without your computer, so you have no backup or replacement strategy? You're so desperate to get your system fixed that you pay out $400 (and maybe for all that shipping) to fix what you know is a lemon. Yeah, "I NEVER have drinks around it, EVER.", I'll believe that, sure. Hey, when you were screwing around inside the computer, looking at that mysteriously broken connector, did you happen to see any water damage? Oh, oh, how about the shipping, I assume that this extremely important laptop was shipped without any shipping insurance, right? Why would you need that? Damage in shipping.. that NEVER happens, EVER. Sounds like a real RockeT Sinetist to me.