Prepare to be amazed at how eMachines (Gateway/Acer) is screwing over their customers. I wish this was a joke, but it isn't. I was basically told the warranty on there computer was in effect for 1 day! And that was 2 months before it was purchased?!?!
On 5/12/09 I went to the eMachines tech chat to request restore CD's. The computer had suffered a system volume corruption (Acording to the Vista repair tool). After giving them the SNID number off the computer I got the following response...
Jithu_GWSI376 says: By validating the serial number, I can see that your computer not covered the warranty.
Don XXXX says:? He said he just bought it in december?
Jithu_GWSI376 says: Sorry what we can see is that the warranty started in 10/16 and ended in 10/16.
Don XXXX says: started and ended the same day?
After talking to the owner, I discovered it was purchased 12/16/08. This time I called tech support and gave them the Serial number on the computer. I spoke with Joseph GWSI446 and he informed me that was not a valid serial number?!?! I talked him into looking up the SNID and then he found a record. BUT again I got the "warranty expired, we can not help" line. They were not even willing to talk about it more without me faxing a copy of the original receipt. I did find out that the 10/16/08 date was the manufacture date on this call and I said. OK, even if I walked out of the factory the day it was made it would still be under the 1 year warranty right? But they were not interested in logic, if their system said it had a 1 day warranty thats it!!!
WOW look I got an email from Gateway...
Mary Boggs
Dear Don XXXXX,
I'm sending you this email regarding your chat session with Gateway/eMachines on May 12. I understand you are trying to establish warranty for your computer. If you could reply back to me with your daytime telephone number and the complete serial number of your eMachine product, I will forward this to our Corporate Customer Care team. A representative from this team would like to assist you with this matter.
Waiting for your reply.
Best Regards,
Mary Boggs
Gateway Online Support
I have responded with my phone number and here it is almost a week later and no calls from Customer Service. Am I surprised? Not at this point.
Most companies I have delt with will warranty their products from the date of manufacture until the warranty ends, if there is proof of purchase they will extend the warranty from the date of purchase. NOT eMachines/Gateway/Acer. The computer had a 1 DAY warranty that expired 2 months before purchase!
I was a system Admin at a local ISP, I have built and serviced many computers and I'm asked for recommendations from companies and individuals. I USED to suggest Gateway as a quality business computer. Not only would I not suggest eMachines to anyone, I also will not suggest Gateway or Acer, as this incident has proved they do not stand behind there own warranty.
OH the story gets better!
I contacted the extended warranty people. After registering the computer they informed me they could do nothing until the manufacturers warranty is up! I asked them to call eMachines to confirm the expired warranty, but they insisted their warranty did not take effect until 1 year after purchase. (12/16/09) Well now I can get it fixed if I wait another 7 months for the extended warranty to kick in!
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