Asus RMA Canada send me back WRONG LAPTOP!

I've been an avid reader of posts on notebookreview.com, and would like to thank everyone for sharing their stories... Time for me to finally contribute.

Back in May, I bought a customized version of the G73jh from powernotebooks.com. My added components were were an i7-820qm processor, SSD, blueray writer, intel centrino advanced-n 6200.

In July, the laptop's display craps out (permanent yellow vertical line). I sent it to get RMAed. I fill in the ASUS component check list by specifically indicating that my CPU processor is an upgraded 820qm, NOT the original 720qm. Same for the hard-drive, bd, etc.

After more than a month of waiting (apparently they were waiting for spare parts), Asus Canada sends me back my laptop. First thing I do is check the screen: perfect, all fixed. Then I go through my component list. Low and behold:

THEY SHIP ME BACK A DOWNGRADED LAPTOP!!! The CPU is now back at i7-720qm!!!!!!!! Plus, the intel centrino advanced-n 6200 is missing!

The funny thing is that the serial number on the machine is the same. Therefore, this could mean 2 things:

1) The more likely scenario is that the idiot who worked on my machine did not read my component check list. Instead of just changing the display on my unit, he ordered a new/refurb base unit, swapped my hard drives and finished the job. Then, he somehow replaced the S/N sticker from the back of my old unit onto the new one.

2) The more sinister scenario simply involves thievery. He orders a new unit, swaps the CPUs and pockets the upgrade.

I am mighty upset about this. I cannot believe this type of company can commit such an obvious mistake. Every official dealer sells these laptops with customizable options. Don't tell me then never RMAed a unit that had upgraded components!!!

I called Asus customer service and they told me someone will get back to me in 48 business hours (it's Saturday today, so it'll go for next week). Having dealt with them a lot, I don't expect much in terms of timely service.

First thing I'm doing on Monday is call my local consumer protection agency. Then I'm contacting powernotebooks.com to receive an official version of my order list to prove what components I had originally ordered. If Asus plays hardball, I'm suing.

I will also not except another RMA process. I will demand for Asus the refund me the money I paid to have these components upgraded. I've had enough dealing with them. Who know what they'll screw up next.

Thanks a lot for reading this, I will update this post as I get new information.

 

Sorry to hear that, hopefully things go well for you.

 

wow, poor asus. they are screwing themselfs over.

 

I heard similar stories before.
It is very sad but it is happening many time, especially when you send them a moded machine.

I think it is due to the carelessness of the technical team.
I have also done many modifications on my machine (8GB ram, intel 6200, two new HDDs), but I am still keeping the old components though I don't need them.
In case I have to send it back, I will put in the original staff. The downside is that it is a waste of money because I could have sold these components.

 

If they give you any guff, contact the BBB and if you have the time and money, contact a lawyer. That can be mistaken for theft and not carelessness.

 

Thanks a lot everyone for the support!

What I don't understand is that they oblige the end-user to fill in a component check list and send it along with the RMAed machine, for the simple purpose of avoiding cases like these! I specifically highlighted the fact that my unit is an i7-820qm, not 720qm... how can they ignore this? I really don't want to believe thievery, but it's a considerable scenario.

The other confusing part is that the serial number on the unit is the same as my original unit, as is the shipping box it came in from the service centre.

So what the frak (Kaelang, love your avatar, I'm also a huge BSG fan) happened then? The problem was the screen, nothing else... why would they touch anything else?!?!

Oh, and the best part is that the official service letter that came with the new unit states the following:

"REPAIR WITH NEW COMPONENTS/ PARTS, DISPLAY ISSUE, CHANGED LCD PANNEL. TESTED UNIT WITH US HDD, NTF"

... no where does it say the WHOLE unit, including CPU, was replaced?!?!

Too many questions, no answers for now... I can't wait for the business week to start... I'm definitely pursuing this to the fullest... I spent too much money on this machine to have it "stolen" away from me!

 

Did you get your SSD back?
Was it sent to the Markham, ON repair facility?

 

That is part of the mystery... after all, my SSD is intact...

And yes, it was sent to Markham, where it sat waiting for "spare parts" for 5 weeks!

 

Welcome to the awkward and troublesome land of modding and voiding your warranty. From what I've seen with most ASUS laptops, changing the CPU voids the warranty (they even have a sticker for that). IIRC, the only things internally you're allowed to change without voiding the warranty are the HDD, RAM and maybe the ODD. If you bought it modded from some other retailer, you would've been safer sending it back to them for the repair.

What they probably did at the service center was swap the *entire* main board and display assembly (stickers on the outside have no bearing on the inside parts). I don't think you realize this, but changing out the display on virtually any laptop requires that you completely dismantle a good chunk of the main body first in order to access the harnesses and other mechanical parts. Since they took it out, they probably figured it would be better to replace the whole main board unit and panel and not waste time putting the old one back in if it was questionable and possibly part of the cause of the problem. Whether or not they noticed you had a different CPU or WiFi card is completely different story, however.

What I would do in your situation would be to pull out the receipt from the other company and show them that this is how you purchased it, that these parts were there when it was sent it, and that you don't have the expertise to have changed any of this stuff out (hang on to the original copy, though you might want to let them make a photocopy if they want to look into it). But you will want to keep it calm and amicable, otherwise you're not going to motivate anyone to work with you on resolving your issue. The main obstacle you're going to have is that it was there for five weeks, since the longer it drags on, the more troublesome it is for them to find something.

 

I agree with him, just calm down and tell them politely of their mistake' There is a saying- "Don't use a sword where you can use a needle"

If that method does not work out, then you can do whatever you want with the consumer agency and the lawyers!

 

To AlexF and santz, there are no worries, I appreciate the feedback, I know how I should follow this through. I work in business, and know from experience that cooler heads always prevail in fiery situations. I will push things through constructive discussion, and if Asus totally doesn't collaborate, then I'm ready to take legal action.

AlexF, your scenario seems likely. They probably replaced all the "insides". However, I'm not sure I agree with you when it comes to the risk in losing your warranty when you mod a machine, especially through an authorized Asus dealer. Take the following example:

I own a Mazda3 with a 2.3L engine. I take it to the a Mazda authorized repair shop to have a small oil leak checked-out. Mazda sees this as an opportunity to replace the whole engine because of a very technical issue. After a few weeks, I get my car back. No more leak. But I notice that my engine is downgraded to the 2.0L version. According to your logic, because I opted for an upgrade through the dealer when I bought the car, Mazda will always use the "base" model as its standard for repair and replacements... Do you see the parallel? The consumer must be protected when he or she purchases an authorized upgrade of a base product through legal means.

Also, again according to your logic, Powernotebooks.com needs to completely change its policy or risk a mega class action lawsuit from all clients who buy their "customized" products. Read through their warranty section of their website. After the initial 15 or 30 day money-back-guarantee, they refer you to the manufacturer for any warranty issues. If they know that Asus doesn't repair/replace AUTHRORIZED mods from AUTHORIZED dealers, then they are the ones screwing the customer.

XoticPc mentions that they cover the warranty on customized laptops for the 1st year, but only on CUSTOMIZED PARTS (i.e. if my CPU blows up, they'll take care of it). Therefore, in my situation, the screen issue doesn't apply, because it's part of the basic components.

This is a situation where the consumer followed all the right legal means to buy the product and to have it repaired. If Asus' policy is not to fix modded laptops, then they should have warned me of this when they replaced the main board... Again, I do the parallel with the car example... How would anyone feel when they have their car engine replaced by a downgraded version without notice, without warning?

 

So did you get your 2.3L engine back?

 

i thought Asus+ Toshiba are #1 and #2 in term of custom service!!??

 

Well, the problem really is how it's covered. If the 2.3L engine was factory-installed, yes, that's definitely their fault. If the 2.3L engine was a mod after, then that would be probably voiding the warranty, at which point what they ought to do is contact you before doing anything.

I'm not saying that what they did was right. What I'm saying is that modding it is more likely to throw in a wrench into the workflow since they aren't accustomed to seeing modded units. Just so that you get an idea, for barebone units that ASUS used to sell, the rule was that you were "supposed" to remove *everything* from it and send them back just the barebones. Sometimes they'd accept it without taking them out, sometimes they wouldn't.

Now if you were talking about a Dell which had a billion and one options provided at checkout on their website, their workflow process probably makes sure they keep existing CPU, wireless card, etc. since it is common for their units to be "customized" (with a few exceptions).

Anyway, as long as you have a papertrail, and the RMA slip and all the other supporting documentation, you should *hopefully* be able to get everything back with not too much trouble.

 

Did you contact Donald from powernotebooks?
Here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/member.php?u=2931

Maybe send him a PM to ask him for an advice.
Many times the dealers have direct contacts to higher authorities at ASUS and it could make it easier to get your components back.

 

I really don't know how to rate those two within the market. The fact that I get connected to India everytime I want a straight answer from someone at the Asus repair facility in Canada really bugs me. All throughout the repair process, I couldn't get a straight answer from anyone as to what the status is, have they found the problem, what are they doing to fix the issue, etc... All I was getting from customer service was the same thing I was seeing on Asus' RMA status website: "Waiting for spare parts"... what spare parts? what repair process? who's working on it? why is it taking longer? How is it going to impact my machine... Nothing!... For a multi-billion dollar multinational, to deal with customers with as little consideration as this doesn't translate into a good business culture... It tells a lot about how they feel the customer should be treated...

However, what I give credit to Asus is their warranty in general... 2yrs full coverage, free-2-way shipping, that's pretty amazing... As for the work and the support itself, I've ranted a lot already!!

Nothing is perfect in life, so I don't discount the fact that I could be part of a very small minority who got screwed.

I totally respect your point of view. You're just trying to switch the issue to their point of view. All I know is that I can't be the only one in the history of Asus to have sent back an athorized-mod for an RMA. With all these website like Xoticpc and powernotebooks, they must have had to deal with a few modded units already. But again, I understand what you're trying to say. This whole thing wouldn't have happened if I hadn't modded my machine, and unlike Dell, Asus does not provide the mods themselves, so it's more unnatural for them to deal with mods... Hence, the component check list they oblige customers to send with the RMA unit!

I know that I can make things right. Just the pain and trouble I have to go through is really wearing me down.

I just did, thank you very much for referring him to me. I will let you know what his reply is.

 

You shouldn't have sent them a modified laptop. You can trust ASUS but you can't trust a person working on your machine. Somebody probably saw an opportunity and swapped out the CPU. Worst part, they may have different procedures and swapped your hardware out and replaced to current specs.

 

According to ASUS they only changed your LCD screen and nothing else, therefore your Intel® i7-840QM should still be there.

Please check your Device Manager to confirm what processor you have.

Also, tell me why you think you have the Intel® i7-720QM.

Your Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6200 should also still be there, but you may have to reload your drivers for it.

In the future please always use PowerNotebooks.com support if you have to RMA your modified ASUS. The phone number is under Support on our website.

 

Wow, so according to Powernotebook.com's rep's response below, it's more and more looking like thievery... I really want to push for all other possibilities before, but it's becoming more and more difficult to ignore this fact.

I sent you a PM to explain to you that I'm certain beyond any level of sanity, judgment and common sense that the laptop Asus sent me has an i7-720qm under the hood.

Every system spec in Windows 7, cpu-z, ccleaner, Win7 system monitor gadgets, dxdiag, etc. all show that the CPU is an i7-720qm, when all the same screens used to show an i7-820qm before the RMA.

I’m at work right now, but when I get home, I will post screenshots of every system spec screen to prove my point. I also have my original electronic invoice from powernotebooks.com, so there is no hiding the facts.

I’m totally not blaming Donald here, nor am I mad at him. He’s just relaying what Asus has told him apparently. But this is getting ridiculous. I also have the packing slip Asus sent me along my new unit, and it clearly indicates them referring my unit as a 720qm. I don’t know what they did, but one thing is clear as distilled water: either the full board or just the CPU & wireless card got swapped without my consent.

My gut instinct is always to go through the dealer when it comes to issues, but I was told by my sales rep at the moment of purchase that I have to contact Asus directly if I encounter any problems after the first 15 days within receipt of the unit. Also, the warranty section of powernotebook’s website refers to Asus’ website for warranty & RMA information.

 

@ SikBoy9696, Right click on one of the processors in Device Manager and select "Properties", then the Details tab. Scroll down through the list of details and locate both the "Friendly name" and the "Display name" - are they both listed as i7-820 @ 1.xx

take a screen shot for further proof

edit - nvm, ignore me since you already said it urself xD

 

Yup, Device Manager is another place where the i7-720qm is popping-up, and the Intel Centrino N-6200 is missing.

And something else to add, I completely reformatted the hard disks when I received the unit... re-installed a fresh Windows 7 Pro copy.

 

I have escalated your issue to ASUS management and they are doing a full investigation.

I have to say it would be highly unusual for them to swap the CPU if all they were doing is changing the LCD because there is no reason to remove the motherboard to get at the CPU. This means that if indeed all they did was replace the LCD there is definitely something fishy going on, but we WILL get to the bottom of it for you.

Also, does your device manager show the Atheros (Azureware) WiFi card, or no WiFi card?

 

You are welcome.
Reading your first post closely, I noticed that you bought your notebook from powernotebooks so I remember Donald.
I am sure he will get to the bottom of this.

 

Thank you very much for helping me out Donald! It feels great to know that at least the company from where I bought this machine cares enough to lend a hand! This is true "customer service", something rare in today's world.

I got into contact with a service rep from California. He told me to send him screenshots of system specs from Windows (same as the attached), and I sent him my official invoices from Powernotebooks.com.

At first, he was challenging me by telling me that I could have been the one who swapped the CPU right before sending it over for the RMA But I guess some sense got into him eventually. Now let's see what comes out of this.

And, yes, I do see the Atheros as the wireless card (see in picture). If I remember correctly, before my RMA, I could see the Intel Centrino N-6200 instead.

If we exclude thievery, I'm also left perplexed as to why they felt they needed to replace everything when only the display was the problem. To add to that, no where on the "service document" that came back along the unit do they mention replacing the whole board/cpu. To quote the repair memo:

DISPLAY ISSUE, CHANGED LCD PANEL. TESTED UNIT WITH US HDD, NTF
REPLACED PARTS: LCD TFT 17.3 FHD GLARE (LED)
ERROR LOCATION: LCD PANEL

However, they quote my device as being a:
AS G73J 720QM/1DS7/8G

Anyway, here's the proof through my screenshots:

 

Indeed. Powernotebooks = win

Thats funny. I remember hearing that there is no way to replace the cpu without breaking the sticker I believe. Go asus

well, I'm very curious as to what happened myself. Hopefully they respond back to you very quickly. Its strange though, through this one week (or month), I've read 2 post where something strange happened with their g73.

1 - customer had to rma. Fedex delivered it to asus and they signed it. 2 weeks later, asus told the customer that they lost his g73. asus found out that the person who signed it didn't work for asus. sry, but I had to laugh at this one xD

2 - this case on this thread.

 

Man, some crazy things happen in this industry!

In Donald's words, "This really is strange because to get at the CPU you have to tear the laptop down much farther than you would to replace the LCD."

I also found it funny that it's suggested I'm the who swapped CPUs But I guess they will play hard ball to protect their interests. I don't see how this won't end in my favor. I have all the paper trails to prove I'm right... It's just such a pain in the a** to go through it! And I’m afraid it might drag on for a while.

To have swapped CPUs would require me to have an original i7-720 just sitting around in my drawer. Then, I would need to get in touch with a laptop mod expert to perform the switch (because even though I'm knowledgeable in computers, I have no idea how to even disassemble to outer body of the laptop!)... that would risk annulling the warranty or even worst completely bricking the machine. And to top it all off, because I have nothing else to do in life than waste everyone’s time and money, I make up this whole story just for my own amusement… Humorously, it reminds me a little bit of the Seinfeld episode in which Kramer forces Jerry to commit insurance fraud:

Jerry: So, we're going to make the post office pay for my new stereo now?
Kramer: It's a write-off for them.
Jerry: How is it a write-off?
Kramer: They just write it off.
Jerry: Write it off what?
Kramer: Jerry, all these big companies, they write off everything.
Jerry: You don't even know what a write-off is.
Kramer: Do you?
Jerry: No, I don't!
Kramer: But they do. And they're the ones writing it off.
Jerry: I wish I had the last twenty seconds of my life back.

 

My gosh...who suggested you might have swapped the CPU's?

It is really better if you let us handle it with ASUS instead of getting others involved.

 

The first time I managed to talk to the Asus rep in California yesterday. He totally wasn't buying my story, so he told me to wait until he gets the facts straight. I guess right about the time you escalated the issue I received a call back by the same person. This time, his tone was friendlier He asked me to send him screenshots & my original invoice so that he forwards them to his contact at the Markham facility. That’s the same email I forwarded to you.
Once again Donald, all your help is truly appreciated. I know you’re on top of it, so I’m not worried! You must have a long experience dealing with them, I know you will get results. I guess I did what did on my end. Going forward, if anything else comes up, I'll immediately contact you.

 

Well, with Donald from PowerNotebooks.com taking charge of my 2nd RMA request, the laptop got sent back to Asus, fixed in 1 day and sent back to me in no time. I believe for a fact that letting him, the retailer with contacts, deal with and escalate the issue accelerated the matter. The laptop is back with its original i7-820QM. Donald refunded me the Intel Centrino N-6200.

Really, this is what I call customer service. There is true value added in buying from PowerNotebooks.com. With all the "big/cold/corporate" business experience we go through everyday, it's refreshing to receive this kind of personalized service. I don't remember the last time I can say I had a grade-A customer service experience. Thank you very much Donald!

As for Asus, well I give them credit for fixing their mistake. But truly and honestly, a mistake like that should not happen. I know they're a big multinational, they manufacture these things like hot cakes, they RMA a ton a day... but still, this could have been avoided if the first guy read my components check list!! Also, without the support of a retailer, I can't imagine how messy it could potentially get.

Oh well, hopefully the "new" laptop holds up and I'll be worry free for a long time.

Thanks for the support everyone!

 

I'm glad it worked out for you Read the entire thread since it seemed interesting.

As for the story a poster brought up about a guy pretending to work @ Asus and stealing the FexEx shipments ROFL That's hilarious. I imagine the thief was hanging around the front doors of the office and when the truck showed up, he rushed to intercept the driver. Clever.

 

I'm still curious as to why this happened in the first place.

 

ASUS Canada changed his motherboard under warranty and didn't read the Components Check List to notice that what he sent in was an Intel® i7-820QM instead of the standard Intel® i7-720QM.

This was an understandable mistake that was corrected quickly when it was reported.

 

While we're on the topic:
Will Asus replace all faulty upgraded parts such as a blu ray or SSD if you send it in for repair? Let's say my blu ray died, would they replace it with a blu ray or would they use the DVD burner from stock? Exceptions with certain parts?

 

I would sure hope they replace the SAME part. Not downgrade your system in some way. I'd like to think this was just a mistake in the case of the downgraded CPU, etc. Good luck resolving this with ASUS. I just got my G73JH four days ao and already I have to send it off for an LCD replacement.

 

If the upgraded component didn't come from ASUS you will have to look to whoever upgraded it for you. ASUS isn't going to warranty a component they didn't supply.

You need to have the upgrade from and reseller authorized to do the upgrades and the upgrade needs to be on your invoice. You will then be protected.

 

This is some awesome stuff here. Kodos.

 

This is a very important point that potential customers should definitely understand.

Cheers,

 

I've RMA'ed my A8Js several times (dead GPU, loose hinges and missing keys on the keyboard) while under warranty with no issue and always got it back in 4-5 business days. Never had an issue but it's good that I read this thread. I actually pulled out the extra RAM when I shipped and once I was told to just pop out the upgraded hard drive and leave it empty.

So, OP SikBoy9696 and hitman9696 the same person I assume.

That is just strange. Hanging around to steal defective returns?

 

That's horrible. I hope you get your real item as soon as possible.

 

Read post #29 on the previous page...He got it back last Monday with the correct processor and a 1 day turnaround.

 

*facepalm*. Owned.

 

thats what happens when you don't read the whole thread first.