Dell's newest Warranty ScamTricks 704

Just a spelling nitpick... That should read "throughout."

With that said... I've been reading this group for only six or so months, but I find myself amazed by the wide variety of comments made regarding Dell's warranty service and support. It seems, if I understand correctly, that it's either "all there" or "all gone."

"You Gets What You Pays For" most definitely seems to apply, so I suppose I got lucky last year when I bought my Labreastude C640 from a Dell reseller on Ebay. Said reseller takes in systems that come back from executive lease, refurbs them, and then sells them.

This particular laptop's warranty was fully transferable. I had no trouble at all doing so, and it had almost a full year of Dell's on-site "Anything" coverage left on it, including protection against accidental damage.

I had the opportunity to put this coverage to the test about two weeks back when I discovered a large crack in the bottom housing (I still have no idea if I did it, or if I was just slow to notice prior damage), and that the corners of the display were beginning to go dim (I suspected the backlight).

Called Dell, a case was opened, and amazingly enough I had a tech on-site the next day with the right parts. His scheduling was incredibly flexible, and he was actually willing and ready to swing by my home after regular hours to get this dealt with.

Just to prove that techs have frustration moments as well, the replacement LCD panel that Dell sent had its own defect: A single white line across the top. The tech called Dell himself, and was back two days later with both another new panel and a motherboard (Dell had sent the latter in case the second new display didn't work).

Fortunately, changing the LCD panel again worked. All problems solved, no paperwork (for me), no charge, no pain, no hbuttle. The tech did great, Dell did great handling the calls, and I was downright impressed (and I don't impress easily).

I don't know if this consbreastutes "award-winning," but I certainly had no problems.

Keep the peace(es).

-- Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Insbreastute. (Known to some as Bruce Lane, ARS KC7GR, kyrrin (a-t) bluefeathertechd=o=tcalm -- www.bluefeathertech.com "If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped with surreal ports?"