very unhappy with x40 service -- what to do next?

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ostarbuck · #1 Post by **ostarbuck** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:01 am

I just received my x40 back from IBM global service after five weeks. It had been crashing regularly since I bought it in November and finally would not boot up. When we first dropped it off, they told us it needed a new motherboard and should be ready in about a week. After that, each time we would call the service center to find out if it was ready, they would tell us "maybe it will be ready next month, maybe the month after that." We eventually complained as politely as possible to IBM USA, who forwarded our complaint to our local service center asking what was going on with our repair. No response after that and the service center did not return our phone calls. Ten days later (five weeks after it was dropped off to be repaired) we got a call from the service center that the laptop was ready to be picked up.

We picked it up, and it does indeed boot up OK (it was unable to boot when we dropped it off), however it seems to have been handled roughly at the service center. The lower left corner of the keyboard is gouged and scratched on both the keyboard and the plastic surrounding it, as though someone forced a large screwdriver in there trying to pry something open. The case itself does not seem to have been closed properly: looking at the hinge area from the outside, the thinner part of the cover appears to be "bowed" up, there is a gap between the two pieces through which I can see shiny metal, and when I open and close it, there is a grating/grinding sound as the cover of the screen rubs against the bowed up part. The last thing I want to do is send it back to the service center since I really need the use of the laptop (I have five weeks of work that has piled up in the meantime!) and at this point I do not trust them to touch it again. However, I am a bit concerned about operating it with a gap in the back of the case, and don't know how to fix this myself.

Any suggestions about (1) what to do about the case apparently not being closed at the back, and (2) how to respond to the slow and unresponsive service we received -- at very least I would like to see my warranty extended since the laptop was sitting at the service center for five weeks? who would I speak to about that?

#2 Post by **K. Eng** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:39 am

What is your location, ostarbuck? Are you in the United States or somewhere else? It's good information to add to your profile in case other members in the forum are in your locality and can offer you advice on dealing with certain service centers etc.

I think you should complain to IBM (USA) about the poor service you received. The messed up case and damaged keyboard are completely unacceptable.

I don't know who you can speak to about an extended warranty. You might want to write directly to IBM headquarters in Aramonk, NY and tell them you are dissatisfied.

ostarbuck · #3 Post by **ostarbuck** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:48 am

Thanks for your advice. Sorry I didn't make my location clear, I am in Israel. My local service center is in Tel Aviv.

beerak · #4 Post by **beerak** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:23 am

Do you have there another authorized IBM service center ? Your laptop can repair any authorized service center.

admsteiner · #5 Post by **admsteiner** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 12:46 pm

ostarbuck,

I would write an email to IBM headquarters (you can find the link here somewhere, just do a search) and tell them about the service.

--Adam

beerak · #6 Post by **beerak** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 1:49 pm

Maybe you should complain in that service center. Maybe only one bad employee ...

egibbs · #7 Post by **egibbs** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 6:17 am

Sigh... If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Sad but true.

Go to the IBM site and download the Hardware Maintenance Manual. It has complete disassembly and reassembly instructions. One of the nice things about TPs is that they are easy to take apart and put back together.

Take pictures of the machine as you got it back, at each step in the disassembly, and once you get it back together right. Send the pics to IBM with a strong letter of complaint.

Ed Gibbs

admsteiner · #8 Post by **admsteiner** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 8:51 am

I would *not* take it apart and do that, I would just call IBM to complain and have them fix it. Or write the CEO a letter...link is somewhere on the site.

-adam

ostarbuck · #9 Post by **ostarbuck** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 9:20 am

Well, I don't plan to take it apart myself, but thank you egibbs for your suggestion of reading the Hardware Maintenance Manual.

Now I can identify one of the things that the person at the service center did wrong when they put the case back together: the manual warns to make sure that all of the "upper case edges" (p.87 of x40 manual) are under the frame, and it looks like two out of four of them were not under the frame when the case was closed (the back center one and the front center one -- that's right, I noticed that the front edge of the case is also warped and not closed properly!!!). Also a screw on the underside of the case is loose and almost falling out, and I found some more scratches...

With so many obvious problems on the outside of the case, I'm starting to be concerned about the state of the inside of the laptop.

I am going back to the reseller where I bought the machine tomorrow to see if they can suggest any other IBM service centers here that can help me.

ostarbuck · #10 Post by **ostarbuck** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 4:01 am

Apparently the Tel Aviv lab that gave us such unsatisfactory service is the only IBM repair facility in the country. The others just send the computers to that lab. So unfortunately we have no choice but to go back to the same lab that did such a bad job the first time.

Chaoz · #11 Post by **Chaoz** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:43 am

I'm so sorry you're having to go through this! I once received service in Thailand and it took 2 weeks, but the laptop came back perfectly fixed!

Good luck, really!!

beerak · #12 Post by **beerak** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:50 pm

Try this: http://www-5.ibm.com/il/solutions/partner/bp_list.html

#13 Post by **BillMorrow** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 1:43 am

how about ibm in istanbul or the UAE.. ?

or, you might go to the local service center and point out the poor quality of the repairs..

uhmm, does it now work correctly..?

very unhappy with x40 service -- what to do next?

very unhappy with x40 service -- what to do next?

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