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Scratch and Dent And Questions Regarding the Outlet

post #1 of 23
5/30/08 at 6:30am
Thread Starter 
Just ordered a S&D M1710 from the Dell Outlet with a 7600G chip (woo) and 7950GTX to replace my "ailing" off-warranty Gen2. I also ordered a three year warranty with CompleteCare, something I *didn't* get on the Gen2.

I'm expecting the scratches and/or dents will be superficial at best, and I can deal with that. If the notebook was heavily damaged I'd assume Dell would just junk it and sell the salvageable parts as "refurbished." Should they *not* be, however...

1) Does CompleteCare "cover" damage that was already done to the notebook at point of sale? If the notebook is damaged beyond my level of comfort, does CompleteCare cover its repair, since I'm assuming it'll be a lid or chassis problem. Or is this a case of "someone else broke it, and *you* bought it?" I would think the logic of the situation would be that (and please do not read into this as I'm not this type of person) if I damaged the notebook myself accidentally, I assume they wouldn't just fix the dents *I* put in it. =/

2) If the "damages" are severe, does the Outlet have the same 21 day return policy (or *any* return policy) regardless of whether an item is refurbished, off-lease, or S&D? EDIT: Found the answer to this one myself, it's the same return policy with a possible 15% restocking fee.

3) Could anyone with *past buying experience* (or knows someone and can recount their experience) with the Outlet please tell me what to expect and how your refurb or S&D part arrived?

4) Not a question, but yes I'm aware I bought an "older" and therefore "non-1337" model. I don't much care about DX10 at the moment, and also didn't feel like spending 2500 for a new notebook that is *slower* graphically than my 7800GTX was or 3500+ on a SLI 8800GTX setup and gives me more pain in driver support. Sufficed to say, the difference between 1900 dollars and 2500-3500+ dollars is not "slight." So if you're going to post in here and say something to the effect of "why didn't you buy a 1730," please don't bother and keep the discussion on topic.

And before anyone asks:
T7600G / 2GB (upgrading to 4GB despite the chipset limitation) / DD DVD-R/W / 7950GTX / Vista Ultimate ("downgrading" to XP with my Gen2's disc) / Intel N-Band Card ("downgrading" to a Gigabyte PCIe SuperG to take advantage of my existing network)
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post #2 of 23
5/30/08 at 1:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by destruya View Post
Just ordered a S&D M1710 from the Dell Outlet with a 7600G chip (woo) and 7950GTX to replace my "ailing" off-warranty Gen2. I also ordered a three year warranty with CompleteCare, something I *didn't* get on the Gen2.

I'm expecting the scratches and/or dents will be superficial at best, and I can deal with that. If the notebook was heavily damaged I'd assume Dell would just junk it and sell the salvageable parts as "refurbished." Should they *not* be, however...

1) Does CompleteCare "cover" damage that was already done to the notebook at point of sale? If the notebook is damaged beyond my level of comfort, does CompleteCare cover its repair, since I'm assuming it'll be a lid or chassis problem. Or is this a case of "someone else broke it, and *you* bought it?" I would think the logic of the situation would be that (and please do not read into this as I'm not this type of person) if I damaged the notebook myself accidentally, I assume they wouldn't just fix the dents *I* put in it. =/

2) If the "damages" are severe, does the Outlet have the same 21 day return policy (or *any* return policy) regardless of whether an item is refurbished, off-lease, or S&D? EDIT: Found the answer to this one myself, it's the same return policy with a possible 15% restocking fee.

3) Could anyone with *past buying experience* (or knows someone and can recount their experience) with the Outlet please tell me what to expect and how your refurb or S&D part arrived?

4) Not a question, but yes I'm aware I bought an "older" and therefore "non-1337" model. I don't much care about DX10 at the moment, and also didn't feel like spending 2500 for a new notebook that is *slower* graphically than my 7800GTX was or 3500+ on a SLI 8800GTX setup and gives me more pain in driver support. Sufficed to say, the difference between 1900 dollars and 2500-3500+ dollars is not "slight." So if you're going to post in here and say something to the effect of "why didn't you buy a 1730," please don't bother and keep the discussion on topic.

And before anyone asks:
T7600G / 2GB (upgrading to 4GB despite the chipset limitation) / DD DVD-R/W / 7950GTX / Vista Ultimate ("downgrading" to XP with my Gen2's disc) / Intel N-Band Card ("downgrading" to a Gigabyte PCIe SuperG to take advantage of my existing network)
Lots of questions....

1) I don't believe so - it would have to be done by you since they have it listed as a S&D.

2) Yes you are correct about the 15% restocking fee, however depending on the situation this could be waived. Also keep in mind that the S&D is limited to 2 inches. So anything longer than that - things will get replaced.

3) I will let the pictures do the talking: http://flickr.com/photos/smoothj/set...7604365963155/

4) I bought the same model, however I had issues with mine (whole story in another thread). So congrats on your purchase and enjoy the 7950
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post #3 of 23
5/30/08 at 2:19pm
Hi destruya - I may be able to help clear some things up for you. Dell Outlet scratch & dent products will have cosmetic blemishes that should not impact performance, and CompleteCare will cover your system only for damage caused after* your purchase. However, the 21-day return policy does apply to Dell Outlet purchases as does the limited warranty. You can find more information about Dell Outlet inventory categories, return policy, limited warranty and other FAQs at http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/help?c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh&~ck=mn and you can learn more about CompleteCare at http://www.dell.com/content/topics/reftopic.aspx/dfo/topics/en/services/services_warranty?c=us&cs=22&l=en&s=dfh&~ck=mn

Hope that helps!
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post #4 of 23
5/30/08 at 4:50pm
Post pictures of yours when it arrives, my XPS is very similar spec'd towards yours. I would also plan on replacing the stock thermal paste if you intend to overclock as it can get very hot.

(Side note, if you plan on selling the Intel N card please pm me)
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post #5 of 23
5/30/08 at 5:10pm
Just recieved my M1330 from Dell today, certified refurb and to be honest, I should've gotten another $100 off for the little scratches and dents on it. The screen casing has at least 4-5 imperfections including a small bit of red paint that got on it, a small black mark in the palm rest etc. and this is not even S&D.

Not to say that S&D will be horrible, but I sorta wonder what kind of issues will be in a system that is actually listed as damaged.

EDIT: most significant problem found on mine, the P in the back of the screen casing is not filled with silver like the XPS logo is supposed to be. Guess my system is only a Dell XS.
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post #6 of 23
5/30/08 at 7:17pm
My Refurb'd 1710 had a single scratch on the front left palmrest corner. other than that, it was immaculate. Screen was perfect. Case was shiny and clean. It came packed exactly like a new one that we ordered at my work at the time.
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post #7 of 23
5/30/08 at 7:58pm
Through my business, I order a lot of outlet systems. I have had some come in really good condition and I have gotten turds.

I got 2 Inspiron 1525's that would not turn on (cert. refurb), a 1505 that was so dirty, it looked like someone blew their nose on the screen and left a few pounds of skin on the keyboard, a 1710 with missing foot pads and a gouge in the top, and other little stuff.

Dell was really good and replaced everything promptly. Except the 1501... That took 2 months. Other than that experience has been good. Just make sure you get complete care...
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post #8 of 23
5/30/08 at 11:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abadee View Post
Just make sure you get complete care...
Yup. I didn't make that mistake again. I didn't get CC on my Gen 2.

And I'll find out soon enough what "damage" means since it's shipped already (with no email or tracking number). I just couldn't turn the config down. 7600G and 7950GTX *without* the Blu-ray writers they've been putting in the outlet XPSes to inflate the prices of the M1710s as of late.
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post #9 of 23
5/30/08 at 11:50pm
Plus the new Blu-ray drives have different face plates too so they may be wanting to dump them off seeing everyone is 1730 crazy right now...
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post #10 of 23
5/31/08 at 12:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by destruya View Post
Yup. I didn't make that mistake again. I didn't get CC on my Gen 2.

And I'll find out soon enough what "damage" means since it's shipped already (with no email or tracking number). I just couldn't turn the config down. 7600G and 7950GTX *without* the Blu-ray writers they've been putting in the outlet XPSes to inflate the prices of the M1710s as of late.
Use Dell chat to find your tracking number, the tracking # distribution system seems to be broken since both of my recent packages never got posted tracking numbers.
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post #11 of 23
6/3/08 at 3:33pm
Thread Starter 
Okay...

There is no physical damage to the unit despite its Scratch and Dent cert (that I can see externally). There is some "signs of use," but nothing that made me turn my head. I also can't find any dead pixels on the display.

*However*, there is a system call out on this laptop on its first day. The first thing I noticed upon examination was the faint odor of old cigarette smoke. This system definitely belonged to a smoker, and even sitting on the floor beside me turned off, I can smell faint traces of it. Turning it on, it's even more odiferously obvious.

The smell, though, I can counteract. The gunk from said smoker's cigarette smoke, however - seems to have rendered the GPU fan worthless (despite what the diagnostics say, I know what I feel) and I can see "gunk" caking the blades of the CPU fan as well when I shine a light into the grate (the fan blades shouldn't be *brown* with tendrils of hair and dust). So Dell's going to replace both of them in the next week (or even by the end of the week), and I'll take a look *inside* the system only when the tech does. I'm *hoping* only the fans are gunked, because I don't know about the capacitance properties of "tar."

Replacing the fans should go a long way to eliminating most of the "smoke" smell (I hope). The rest I can give a thorough soaking with isopropyl. It's still a 1710 with a 7600G and a 7950GTX. I had to wait a *long* time for one of these to hit the outlet, and I don't want to lose it. And I bought a 3yr Warranty with CompleteCare for a reason, dammit.
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post #12 of 23
6/12/08 at 12:16am
I bought my m1710 from the outlet scratch and dent. One scratch on the corner of the bottom. That's it. Great Deal.
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post #13 of 23
6/12/08 at 12:53am
A heads-up....
Are you aware of the T7600G automatic throttling issues?
It may have been the reason this unit was returned.
In any event you may want to check it out.

A thread on this issue....
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=106682



Quote:
Originally Posted by destruya View Post
Okay...

There is no physical damage to the unit despite its Scratch and Dent cert (that I can see externally). There is some "signs of use," but nothing that made me turn my head. I also can't find any dead pixels on the display.

*However*, there is a system call out on this laptop on its first day. The first thing I noticed upon examination was the faint odor of old cigarette smoke. This system definitely belonged to a smoker, and even sitting on the floor beside me turned off, I can smell faint traces of it. Turning it on, it's even more odiferously obvious.

The smell, though, I can counteract. The gunk from said smoker's cigarette smoke, however - seems to have rendered the GPU fan worthless (despite what the diagnostics say, I know what I feel) and I can see "gunk" caking the blades of the CPU fan as well when I shine a light into the grate (the fan blades shouldn't be *brown* with tendrils of hair and dust). So Dell's going to replace both of them in the next week (or even by the end of the week), and I'll take a look *inside* the system only when the tech does. I'm *hoping* only the fans are gunked, because I don't know about the capacitance properties of "tar."

Replacing the fans should go a long way to eliminating most of the "smoke" smell (I hope). The rest I can give a thorough soaking with isopropyl. It's still a 1710 with a 7600G and a 7950GTX. I had to wait a *long* time for one of these to hit the outlet, and I don't want to lose it. And I bought a 3yr Warranty with CompleteCare for a reason, dammit.
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post #14 of 23
6/12/08 at 4:33am
Thread Starter 
Thanks, good to know. I'm planning on torture testing it over this weekend. If there's any throttling, I'll find it. June 20th is the day to return.
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post #15 of 23
6/12/08 at 10:39am
Good to know about Dell Chat to obtain a tracking number. Dell lists my 1730 as having shipped on 6/10 but no tracking information. I'm going to try their chat and see what they have to say.

I also ordered a "Certified Refurbished" machine and I'm hopeful it will arrive in great shape. I'll post a followup when I get it.
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post #16 of 23
6/12/08 at 11:46am
So Dell chat won't talk to me without a valid service tag. I thought I'd be crafty and use the tag my notebook had while it was listed on the refurb site but they don't like that ID. Any ideas on how to extract my ID from Dells system before my box arrives, or should I just shut up and be patient?
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post #17 of 23
6/12/08 at 5:57pm
You should be able to get the tracking number from your sales rep or cust care_once status shows order has "shipped."

I have never been able to get the serv tag until unit arrives. This is because the title transfer takes a " few days" after system ships. By then you already have the system.

I have purchased 5+ systems from Dell over last 2 years, and this is how it always seems to work.


Quote:
Originally Posted by mikew View Post
Good to know about Dell Chat to obtain a tracking number. Dell lists my 1730 as having shipped on 6/10 but no tracking information. I'm going to try their chat and see what they have to say.

I also ordered a "Certified Refurbished" machine and I'm hopeful it will arrive in great shape. I'll post a followup when I get it.
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post #18 of 23
6/13/08 at 11:49am
My 1730just arrived, here's what I see:

Packaging: Not the "new" Dell experience. multiple layers of dell security tape, stuff inside boxes was loose and not packed well, ac adapter (OMG it's huge! It's full of stars!) was loose and rumbling around. Everything arrived intact. I care nothing for how pretty Dell's packaging is.

Device: Ugly green REFURBISHED sticker on underside. Several areas have gummy residue, stickers removed? Screen great, no (obvious) bad pixels or scratches. 3" curly scratch on rear of LCD panel.

So far everything works, at least for the last 15 minutes.
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post #19 of 23
6/25/08 at 4:11pm
Bought a S&D 1710 a few months ago and it's in great condition, but it has a refurbished sticker on the bottom (!?!)

I'm happy with the deal, but I'm a bit confused. I though that scratch and dent meant that the item was new, but not perfect, and that refurbished meant that the item was not new, and had been repaired.

Just curious if anyone has seen similar issues? And how my warranty will be treated on this item in the future. (1 year full service warranty)
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post #20 of 23
6/26/08 at 8:54am
Just about all systems bought from the Outlet have the big green refurbished sticker on them. Probably to eliminate any confusion as to the condition of the machine. In the case of the Scratch 'n sniff....I mean dent... laptops they're systems with cosmetic defects but have otherwise been checked out at the factory to ensure functionality.
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