LCD Replacement saga continues..

1. If you don't have a problem with the accent and being put on hold, calling can be effective. Either way, you need to be firm in what you want. I don't know how firm you have been, but if you haven't mentioned your displeasure to the reps yet, I would begin by telling them you are considering returning the system because they're not doing a good job with you. Don't use it as a thread, per se; try to make it "Well, if I can't get this resolved by tomorrow, I'll have return the system."

2. I don't know.

3. Yeah, if it turns out all right, just keep it.

Those are my opinions... others' may differ.

I've been going through my own nightmare with Dell. I think the main lesson I've learned is to avoid their outsourced CSRs whenever possible. I did manage to get an exchange out of them, but it took waaaaay too much of my time, waaaay too much aggravation, and they still managed to screw it up in the end.

It seems like the most effective route is to go through tech support, make it a technical issue even if it isn't (worst light leakage I ever saw!), and ask them to send you a specific replacement part.

It might still be hard to resolve your issue, but at least the guys in tech support appear to have working brains, unlike the outsourced CSRs, who are basically robot monkeys.

Yeah, you're right. Tech Support is also staffed by robot monkeys, but they seem to have a little more flexibility in terms of sending out parts.

Oh, this is exciting! I just got the FedEx tracking info for my replacement!

And it lists the shipping weight as 48lbs

I must be the luckiest guy in the world. Dell must be sending me 4 laptops as replacements! Or they screwed-up royally and sent me a desktop!

HAHA 48lbs. That can't be good.

geez I hope you're not paying postage !!!

Dellbert, you requested a replacement screen or a whole new computer? If it's a replacement computer, when was it started and how long did it take to go through the build process and all that?

I dont think it's really 48lbs. I was sending an 8600 back to Dell and it said the weight was 52lbs on the UPS website.

http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=27438

Here, this should help you get a replacement screen.

As for the "Refurbished" labels, Dell puts that on all the parts they send out, even the screwdriver the sent me along with my replacement screen. I heard that they do this to avoid lawsuits, but I can't be 100% sure if that is true.

I had planned to tell my tale of woe once this ordeal is over, but I fear I'm still in the early states of a Kafkaesque nightmare.

Here's the timeline so far:

12/17: received system, looked at WUXGA, and exclaimed WTF!?

12/17: called tech support, they said they couldn't help me since it wasn't really a technical issue. "try it for a week. see if it grows on you."

12/23: called customer support. gave 'em tech support case number, said it wasn't working out. CSR said "no problem -- you'll receive your exchange in 7-10 days, and an RMA number for your old system by email shortly."

12/27: no RMA number. call to check on status. old CSR "forgot" to issue replacement. new case number. he'll take care of it and call me back with my replacement number.

12/28: no call back. so, I call them. "sorry, we can only exchange like-for-like. you need to have tech support take care of this."

12/28: call tech support. "sorry, we can only do it if there's a technical issue. we assure you that customer support will handle this once I document the issue in my report." new case number for tech support.

12/28: call customer support one more time. tell them I'm not hanging up till they issue the exchange. they say no-can-do, but we'll escalate the matter to outbound support, who will call you promptly.

12/31: no call from outbound support, so I call to check on status. log says they tried the number I asked them not to try and couldn't reach me. but somehow they cleared me for the exchange. exchange number issued.

1/7: order finally appears online. woohoo! three upgrades! err, but three downgrades too. including the damn LCD!

1/7: call CSR to tell them about the screw-up. "sorry, we don't know anything technical, you'll have to ask tech support."

1/7: call tech support. "oh, I see. I'll take care of it and call you right back."

1/8: no call back. system ships out with goofy config.

1/9: call tech support. ask them to simply send me the damn LCD for replacement. "sorry, we can't do that until you actually receive the exchange system." played mind games with her for an hour trying to get her to do the right thing. I can hear her being coached in the background to stand firm to their idiotic policies.

1/10: get FedEx tracking info. 48lbs!

To be continued....

Here is a hint: Do not use the telephone. If you feel the urge to call tech support, slap yourself repeatedly until the urge passes. Then use the Request Support feature on their website.

Oh man, I bet you are tired of dealing with them. I called tech support to get a replacement last Tuesday. Showed up online Saturday, went through build on Sunday and been in boxing ever since. It's taken the same amount of time as a new computer so I wonder whether it's refurb or new. I guess i've had pretty good luck with them considering all the trouble you've had.

I'm a masochist, so I find this quite enjoyable. I considered recording the conversations and creating a radio docudrama, but when I'm done, I think I'll just create a dellhell.com kinda website and make sure every detail is indexed by google.

Good stuff, pyar101. I tried (4) above, and I'm astonished about how badly they screwed up the config, so I wouldn't recommend that approach. The approach Wooster outlined seems like it has the best chance of success given my lessons in Dell "logic" so far.

It worked twice for me. The first time they sent me a WXGA instead of a WSXGA . Make sure to tell them which resolution you have so that doesn;t happen.

Although I suppose you could always lie and get a different res if you don't like what you've got...

FedEx just delivered my exchange system. The good news is the package didn't really weigh 48lbs The bad news is that the config is wrong, as I anticipated. They did send me a Samsung LCD, but they sent the WXGA+ instead of the WUXGA.

Even at the wrong rez, I like the new system better, so I'm packing up the old one, and I'll use the new one while I continue to dog them for the correct panel. Fun stuff, eh?

I have a time table similar to those presented except here's where it gets funny IN ADDITION TO runarround experienced by Dellbert

1 - they sent me 3 "thank you now shut up and go away" parts - an extra battery, airplane adaptor, and international adaptors.

2 - all 3 of those were wrong parts not for the 9200. Grant you I did not present this idea or part number, they did this out of the blue.

3 - Told me to keep the battery and sell it, but they wanted the auto/air adaptor. They told me that DHL would pick up the auto/air adaptor. UPS shows up with a call tag. Now, mind you, they told me DHL and I stared and stared and decided to let them have it. Two hours later DHL shows up. I go "oh crap" and check my orders. There is this order in for a laptop that has all these -1 next to the parts. I'm thinking somehow they are confused and issued a tag to return the laptop - so I call UPS and tell them to bring the box back as I gave him the wrong one. He returns and leaves the box. They call me the next day and I tell them not to come - Dell is confused.

As it turns out, the -1 invoice is for the exchanged WUXGA that DHL lost on the way back to Dell and then found (lol, I told you my story was convoluted.) It had nothing to do with the UPS guy. they had issued 2 different call tags for the auto/air adaptor. UPS now won't come back for it because I told them not to waste their time. DHL wouldn't return a second time period.

So now I've got to go through this again.

That's just one small part of my dealing with Dell...they can turn even a "thank you" into a hassle!!!