Vance's dashboard

To everyone on here with laptops with failed MBs. I have made numerous attempts to break through Dell`s corporate gate keepers, to no avail. I have sent literally hundreds of emails begging, pleading and threatening to Michael Dell and all of his corporate minions - to no avail. I have talked to Dell support people in countries where the west is not very highly regarded - good luck receiving any sympathy. I have sent countless examples to various people in an attempt to demonstrate that these failures are not isolated, to no avail. I have tried to solicit enough interest from individuals on here and from the legal profession, to launch a class action. Trying to get traction with that was a waste of my time. I have also paid for a consumer advocacy group to lobby Dell, once again - to no avail.

Here are the only real options:
First If you are really compelled to have Dell repair your laptop and you haven`t told them of your woes, try buying an extended warranty, wait a week or so and then call it in.
Second, Dell uses inferior components in their systems. They know it and unfortunately, so do we. There are various specialty shops around that do board level repair. I have done internet searches and found many who will replace the failed components on the MB with superior components. Prices vary depending on the parts required and the time.
Third, get online or on ebay and buy your MB and replace it yourself.
Fourth, bite the bullet and have Dell fix it.

As a word of caution, Dell has turned in to a Corporate Pig. Dell is only interested in one thing - profit. Dell is no longer built in North America and everything from pre-sales support, sales and technical support, is all managed in the third world. The biggest problem with this model is that they have taken away from jobs that would otherwise have gone to people here in North America. Instead, because of Dell`s greed, they contribute to spiraling unemployment and the devolution of the North American manufacturing sector.

My recommendation going forward, spread the word - Boycott Dell!
.

Good luck getting any help! I've inundated Michael Dell and his management team. No one returns my calls, I've been hung up on and sent over to script reading robots in India too many times to mention.

I have, however, found some guys in CA who do board level repair. They claim to replace the burnt out components with superior pieces. They offer an interesting warranty too. I found them on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MOTHERBOARD-REPAI...

Hey Bill can you help me with my dead m1730? – Vance, on October 07, 2009 22:09

If you want to hear something bizarre try calling this Dell support number, 1-800-624-9897
When you call the first thing you hear is a prerecorded song from the 50's: Lollipop. I found it insulting. It implies that anyone calling that number is a sucker!

BTW - after more than a dozen emails to Mr. Dell and his executive team I am still being shuffled off to a 3rd world minion who feeds me the same ridiculous script, this is not a Dell issue!

DELL SUCKS!

Hey Sid,

I'm interested in knowing more. I can't get anyone from Dell corporate to even respond. I've sent a dozen e-mails to everyone I can find on their corporate list. The only person who called is some robot form India. All he will do is read from a script and repeat the same useless message, "this is not a known issue". What a waste of time. DELL SUCKS AND BLOWS!

DELL SUCKS! My m1730 is dead and no one at Dell will help! They tell me to shell out another $500 for a MB. They know this a known issue!

Don't buy Dell!

Here is an update to my saga. I tried contacting Dell corporate to no avail.
Here are my e-mails. Read the last one first.

To: michael_dell@dell.com ; ronald_garriques@dell.com ; lawrence_tu@dell.com ; susan_sheskey@dell.com ; andrew_esparza@dell.com ; paul_bell@dell.com ; stephen_felice@dell.com ; david_marmonti@dell.com ; brad_anderson@dell.com ; jeffrey_clarke@dell.com ; martin_garvin@dell.com ; alex_gruzen@dell.com ; joan_hooper@dell.com ; william_gray@dell.com
Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 10:12 AM
Subject: Re: Please Read This!

All,

I just spoke with someone at Dell (Emmanual?) who informed me that I am responsible for any OOW repair. I attempted to plead my case with him and to point out several instances where Dell has recognized this as a known issue and has made exceptions. He insisted that this is not a known issue despite evidence to the contrary. Is this how you treat long time customers? I laid down $5000 for a laptop in good faith. I expected that, like the last XPS I bought, I would be purchasing a robust, high performance machine, not a paper weight Regardless, there are many more like me. I went to just one site - one! How can you deny this as a known problem?

Vance Blackburn

To: ronald_garriques@dell.com ; lawrence_tu@dell.com ; susan_sheskey@dell.com ; andrew_esparza@dell.com ; paul_bell@dell.com ; stephen_felice@dell.com ; david_marmonti@dell.com ; brad_anderson@dell.com ; jeffrey_clarke@dell.com ; martin_garvin@dell.com ; alex_gruzen@dell.com ; joan_hooper@dell.com ; william_gray@dell.com
Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 9:57 PM
Subject: Please Read This!

All,

I recently sent this letter to Mr. Dell. I am attempting to raise this issue in hopes that I will get some sort of response and actually get my laptop repaired without having to pay for what is clearly a known issue.

Dear Mr Dell,

I am a long-time customer. I have owned several Dell systems over the past 10 years. During this time I have been mostly satisfied, until recently. I realize you're a busy man I would appreciate it if you would take the time to read my letter.

I am the unhappy owner of a $5k Dead Dell XPS 1730m. My warranty expired in January of this year and now I have a boat anchor I'm still paying for! I contacted Dell Tech Support (?) and after being transferred multiple times, repeating my service tag # and problem I was either ignored or hung up on. I explained that the laptop died without any warning. The laptop fails to power up with the battery in or out and with ac applied or not. No flash of life, nothing. The ram has been re-seated, nothing. The led on the power supply stays lit right up to the point that it is connected to the laptop and then it goes out. I was finally told that I would have to pay $50 for an "over the phone diagnostic"

I decided to research the problem online and found the following web site: http://getsatisfaction.com/dell/probl.... It occurred to me that this is clearly a known issue. There are hundreds of people with identical problems. I've read some of the other problems people have experienced. After being on this site I decided to contact XPS tech support, again. When I called I described my problem (again) to a coordinator who transferred me to XPS tech support where I explained my problem all over again only to be transferred to another tech - yet again. In each case I provided my asset tag # and explained my problem in detail to the tech. This time I alerted the tech to the fact that this is a known issue, he hung up!

I called back went through all the channels, all over again, described all of the redundant stories and provided my asset tag # to everyone who asked. This time I asked the newly assigned tech to not hang up on me. Once again, I explained my problem again. He decided to transfer me to OOWR where I once again explained my problem to a new and more aggressive tech who would not acknowledge this as a known issue. I explained that this particular blog is monitored by Dell and that this is a known issue since Dell has repeatedly replaced or repaired out of warranty XPS laptops, among others. He denied all knowledge and told me that to get the laptop repaired would be $500 plus tax for a new main-board. How did he know that was the problem? My laptop seldom leaves the house and when it does it's in a rigid case! How can it just fail?

As it turns out Dell tech support knows very well that this is a known issue. I have included some links from this one site. I don't expect you to read all of them.

The first case is the most interesting since it describes my problem to a T. The ongoing story behind the blog is what clearly identifies a common problem, midway down the first page.

http://getsatisfaction.com/dell/topic...

http://getsatisfaction.com/dell/topic...

http://getsatisfaction.com/dell/topic...

http://getsatisfaction.com/dell/topic...

http://getsatisfaction.com/dell/topic...

Sir, I am a professional. You know as well as I do, time is money and when I spend my time working on or waiting for a Dell computer to work I am loosing money. The support people I have spoken with at Dell either do not understand this or do not care. I am unsure who I can contact who will understand or care, that is why I have contacted you. Whenever I call a support number it is like conversing with a robot. It is extremely frustrating and nothing gets accomplished.

My service tag # is: 988YCF1

Sincerely,

Vance Blackburn

Hey Peggy,

This problem is prevalent and Dell continues to ignore us. It's disgusting. They knew about these issues and yet they continue to deny! I'll do some leg work and maybe throw up a page on Facebook. Let's see how much traction we can get!

I will try to get something going but first, I sent an e-mail off to Michael Dell!
Let's see what happens. BTW, I included a link to your post in my e-mail.

Same issue with my XPS 1730m. Totally DEAD without warning! I am contacting my lawyer! They know the problem exists and yet the fail to correct it! CLASS ACTION! Who wants in?

Same issue with my XPS 1730m, identical power issues and one very DEAD XPS!

Maybe a class action would be more affective! Hmmmm. . . .