Furious at HP

[Caterina Platt]

Has anyone dealt with HP on a warranty basis? A month and a half ago, I bought a new system from Circuit City. It is past their 30 day return time, so I must deal directly with HP. The CPU makes a growling noise for 5-10 minutes when powered up (pretty loud) and I think it's either the drive or the fan. The monitor periodically flickers as if it's being turned off, then recovers. (loose wiring???)

I call HP yesterday and sympathize with Nancy. I too was 'helped' by someone with a heavy accent, terribly hard to understand, and a reaaaly poor connection. The call is on my nickel. I tell her of both problems. She takes down the model and serial numbers for both pieces of equipment, then transfers me to a 'service tech'. Connection gets worse after the transfer. First lady only gives the 'service tech' an authorization number for the CPU, not the monitor. This would require yet another 20 minute phone call. I am told I need to ship the CPU back to HP and they will repair it, or replace it with a 'like new' remanufactured unit. Takes approximately 10-14 days. Not only am I out of business basically for 10 days to 2 weeks, I paid for new, and get a remanufactured unit? A month and a half after purchase????

I ask what are my options for upgrading a warranty to include onsite repair. NONE! I haven't bought a business PC. Well, I am a one person shop, I don't need a business PC. I am sure there are many more appraisers and other home office self employed types out there in the same boat. Granted, I do have a back up CPU, but it's acting kinda flaky-part of the reason I bought a new one. Am I being unreasonable, or does this sound like junk treatment???

Beware all. I checked Dell's site and it doesn't offer any different. What other options do we to keep our businesses running smoothly and get what we paid for????

 

[Mountain Man]

Several years ago, when I was with our large family, we ran into a similar problem with our main office printer. Round and round about sending it in and might get it back in a couple of months. For a business printer? You gotta be nuts!! Are you sharing an IQ? Axed for on site repair, nope won't do it. Got so pissed off, that we went out and bought a new CANNON color laser printer. When our printer finally came back from the shop, they sent the wrong one. Our printer had an upgraded paper tray and upgraded RAM, paid a pretty penny for those features. Went round and round about that! Then we collected everything in the office that was manufactured by HP (printers, computers, calculators, etc) and took a photo them. Then took a photo of the NEW Cannon. Sent a nice letter and the photos to each board member and CEO. Got an apologetic letter back with a case load of complimentary ink. But the damage was already done. Since we had to buy a printer to stay in business, the HP became a back up (if needed). The Cannon came with an on site repair warranty. Haven't bough an HP since. I like their machines, just don't like their customer no-service.

 

[rtubbs]

Caterina, have you considered not shutting your system down. Sometimes the CPU fan does make a noise when starting up. I never shut my computer off. I've been told that leaving them on prolongs their life.

 

[wyecoyote]

Cat,

Deffenitaly agree with rtubbs, keep your computer on as much as possible. The only time you should restart the machine is once every couple of weeks. The restart will reset all the settings sometimes the software after being on for so long will "move" and slows down the processor speed. Leaving the pc on does extend the life of the machine. It is like the commercial about stop and go traffic what this does to your car versuse just running at a normal speed. More wear and tear with turning it on and off. But I do feel for you having to send it back.

Ryan

 

[David Mullen]

Anything you buy from HP will be an orphan after you leave the store.

A few years ago, I bought a DAT tape drive for backups and it cost around $1500. Shortly after a year (13 months after purchase) it completely failed.

Called HP and their suggestion was that I buy a new one. I asked the tech rep. if I sounded brain dead and he laughed and sent me a replacement (remanufactured) at no cost. That one lasted a little over another year and it too died. No more HP tape drives for me.

Many years ago also owned a laser fax machine. I developed some minor problem. Found out (from them) that the do not repair anything. Instead, they ship you a remanufactured unit overnight at a cost of $325 in this case. I liked the machine so much that I did it once. When that one died, I bought a $79 Sharp (many years ago) and it has been trouble free.

Now their big bargain is their ink jets. Buy one of those and if you don't use it often, your ink cartridge will expire and be unusable.

Next printer I buy will be "someother brand" that does not resort to such sleazy scams.

That said, their products run well when they are in operating condition but when they develope any kind of a problem, you are on your own.

 

[Mountain Man]

Dave,
Just think, HP makes all kinds of medical equipment as well. 8O
AEDs (automatic external defibrillators) for heart attack victims, X-ray and C-scan equipment, etc. I hope their service is better on that end. :?

Mell

 

[Caterina Platt]

Thanks guys! Good suggestions. Knock on wood, I've had good luck with both printers, and the other HP Pavillion PC. It is kinda slow and flaky at the moment, but I admit I probably need to do some long overdue PC doctoring and revamping. Won't even complete a refrag right now. I had to reload Windows and start from scratch last summer. Worked good for awhile. Will probably try Norton First Aid program or the likes.

I usually do keep the machines on, and felt, well, lazy doing so. I started turning them off at night a week or so ago just to save energy and kill the guilt. Guess I can keep being 'lazy' and feel better about it. Latest business decision- to hell with sending the CPU back. I'll keep her on, and if the drive or the fan goes out, I'll have a local guy fix it. HP will eat this monitor though. They do treat you a bit better on them. They'll take my credit card number for 'collateral' purposes and ship a new ( or should I say remanufactured 'like new') one right away. I then ship the defective one back in the box.

Next time I think I'll have one built. Keep my money local with a small shop and have a heck of a lot better service.

Dave,

My applause to you for making them stand by their product. I can just hear the 'helpful tech', "Well sir, did you purchase our extended warranty with that? We offer extended warranties for up to three years if you opt for that coverage at the time of service" Grrrrrr!

Mell,

Did you ever get your upgraded paper tray and memory resolved? Chicken poops! Like a case of ink would make you feel better as you run out of paper for the umpteenth time and 'lose the print file' in the spooling process right in the middle of a narrative. :roll:

Thanks for sharing. At least I know it's not just me.

Have a good Sunday!!!

 

[Dan Leggett]

Thanks guys! Good suggestions. Knock on wood, I've had good luck with both printers, and the other HP Pavillion PC. It is kinda slow and flaky at the moment, but I admit I probably need to do some long overdue PC doctoring and revamping. Won't even complete a refrag right now. I had to reload Windows and start from scratch last summer. Worked good for awhile. Will probably try Norton First Aid program or the likes.

Delete all the files in C:WINDOWSAPPLOG directory, reboot, and then run "Disk Defragmenter". APPLOG files will rebuild themselves as needed.

 

[Lawrence Silverman]

It is my current policy to buy my computers from a local guy that has a storefront and has a business history. I have had good luck with the pcs I have bought that way, but if anything goes wrong I have only a short trip to verbally bludgeon someone until it works again.

 

[Mountain Man]

Caterina,
Yeah they got it straight after a while. Had to ship the printer back for them to compare serial numbers and find our printer. Took darn near 2 months for repairs and to get the whole mess straight. Like Lawrence, I now by ALL computer stuff local. As for printers, I buy the through away stuff. If it breaks in a couple of years, get a new one. Now that printers are cheaper, I don't see the need to spend more that a couple hundred bucks. I now have a Xerox laser for B&W, and a Cannon S600 ink jet for the color pages. Both run through my network and work great. I just buy the best deal at the time, but still am reluctant to buy HP. Their ink cost is too high.