Tips for dealing with Dell?

(you may want to see thread at http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=945450 )

I have a 600m. The laptop has always had a problem in which the screen pressed against the plastic in transport and made a mark on the screen which wipes off. Recently very weird damage happened to the screen along where the contact occurs. The screen is usable but there is damage that keeps disappearing (except for a bruise) such as a cluster of pixels that stayed on blue (gone now for the most part but you can see it faintly)

Also I admittedly dropped my laptop about 3 feet onto a carpeted surface once. It did not cause any damage except for a small amount of "white" plastic and hairline cracks.

So I emailed Dell. First I got someone that said that I should have told them about it earlier (it wasn't a big deal to me then) and said some stuff I didn't understand. I replied, explained why I should get a warranty claim, and someone else said that they'll send me a prepaid DHL box. I mailed it in their prepaid shipping box. Yesterday I got a call saying that the damage is not covered under warranty and to call a number (800-288-4410). I didn't write the number down (was busy) but I got the call back today. I call it and it is Dell out-of-warranty repair service! WTF? I didn't talk to them because they were closed.

I plan on calling them back tomorrow. I do not think that this is my fault at all, but Dell's fault because it was their defective design/parts/labor that caused the damage to the screen, and therefore should be covered under the warranty.

What is the best way to deal with Dell and convince them to fix my 600m under warranty (as they should)? And if they refuse to are they going to pull any BS trying to charge me for shipping or anything? I suppose I COULD live with the damage. Steps to take after this?

Any advice appreciated - thanks!

Thanks for the reply.

First off I never told them that I dropped it although they may be able to notice.

Another thing I don't know what the weird LCD damage was caused by (other than pressure on the screen.) The "stuck" blue pixels I spoke of eventually went away but you can still see a small bruise on the screen if you look hard enough.

And FYI the 600m doesn't have a pointing "stick" on the keyboard (I think it's "cousin" the Latitude D600 does though.)

I've heard other people say this is a problem with some Dells, and I just can't believe that a machine like a 600m that's meant to be carried around all the time would be affected like this.

I'll reply and see what happens...