I bought a DELL laptop about a year ago and paid extra for their 3-year in-home warranty which is designed for quicker repair service than the basic mail-out warranty where you have to send your computer off to get it repaired.
Recently, the computer has begun to overheat and the power adapter port was no longer working properly. I called tech support, non North American tech support, and was told that instead of trying to repair the computer, a new computer would be sent to me. The tech said the computer would be equal to or an upgrade, and he specifically said "new." He also assured me it would be to me in 15 to 20 days.
The following day, I realized that they might try to dump a Vista computer on me since no one wants a computer with Vista with all its problems. Since my work program will also not work with Vista, I called back just to make sure they did not plan on sending a new Vista computer.
That tech put me on hold and came back stating that since the computer was to be a new computer, it would not have Vista on it because they did not use Vista any longer.
For twenty-two days, I went without my computer (in spite of my quick in-home warranty) but why complain when they are sending a new computer? Twenty-two days later, I received... A refurbished computer with Vista! I was livid. I would now have to wait some unknown period of time to work this mess out, meanwhile I would be without a computer.
My husband opted to call the techs back and after an hour, the tech said the "best he could do" would be to send me Windows 7 and walk me through an install! Having experienced home installation of operating systems, I was not okay with this and besides that, the computer was a refurbished one and not a new one. Had I been told of this, I would not have accepted this offer, I would have insisted on in-home repair of mine.
My husband explained to the tech that we did not feel comfortable having to install a new OS on a computer that was supposed to be a functioning new replacement under my warranty agreement. The tech then said his manager wanted to speak with him. When the manager got on the phone, he told my husband there had been a "miscommunication" with the other tech and they would not be able to send the Windows 7 OS after all.
They did nothing to solve the problem, and now I am left with a broken computer that I bought new only a year ago (I had specifically requested XP on that one to avoid Vista) and another "refurbished" computer with an operating system that is obsolete because it is junk. That is NOT an upgrade. I now have no way to do my work.
Dell did not honor its warranty, a warranty I paid extra for, and basically just stole my money. I am going to report this to the BBB, but in the meantime, I felt it important to warn as many people as I can to NOT buy from DELL.
What makes it that much worse is that just after they promised to send me a new computer to replace my broken one, I talked my husband and daughter into buying computers from them. My husband bought two new computers that next week, both of which are already having problems that aren't being fixed through that wonderful tech support team they have. (And I'm supposed to believe that their "refurbished" one is going to work properly?)
DON'T BUY FROM DELL!!! They do not honor their warranty!
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