First, why are you buying low-end budget systems to run a business?  Business systems mean Latitudes from Dell - or business-grade systems from Toshiba.

I am self employed and only use email, word, excel, and the internet so do not need a true business grade system.  Besides that is not the point, Dell should make a product that works, period.  They should not offer to keep rebuilding a computer if it has so many issues in the first 3 weeks, just replace it.   I am not the only one that has had many of these issues.  I have found many forums dating back to February that speak of the HD issue on the Studio 1558.  I did not find these forums until I got my Studio laptop in late July, but the point is there were people having issues since February and they kept making this particular laptop knowing there was an issue.

Unbelievable.  You attempt to make conclusions about the fact that I bought at first a $1300 laptop that was junk, then spent $600 on a laptop that had everything i needed ( which turned out to be a lemmon).  From this you conclude I run a Mickey Mouse business????  Who are you to make any comments about what kind of business I run?  I am posting info on this forum for other Dell users to gather information from, not to get comments on how you think I run a business.

It seems that no matter what you spend on a laptop everyone has issues.  If you want to make a comment on what type of laptop you would buy I would be open to your opinion, but please don't try make false assumptions about what I do and how correctly I run a business.

I am self employed and only use email, word, excel, and the internet so do not need a true business grade system.

So, you are running a Mickey Mouse business then?

You either run a business correctly or you don't. And if you decide to buy the cheapest product rather than do what you should do for a business that you depend on for your livelihood then you suffer the consequence.

Again, more assumptions and no help on what you would buy.  Your pettiness is not even worth commenting on.

From this you conclude I run a Mickey Mouse business????

No, from words in your other posts.   I am self employed and only use email, word, excel, and the internet so do not need a true business grade system.

The fact is he bought two computers from Dell - both of which failed immediately. They definitely have quality control issues - witness my problems with the latitude; a month in the shop for the exact same part - in one year. Its unbelievable.

I agree - this isn't the same company. I loved Dell. I would have been with them forever but this is too much.

The issue is with the service and support you've chosen.  By your own admission you need the system for your business to function - and yet you bough the cheapest possible $600 computer.

Fact:  about 25-30% of ALL notebooks (they're all made by the same actual manufacturers) will suffer a major hardware failure within the first three years.  Doesn't make much difference whose name is on the outside - chances are 3 in 4 it was actually made by Quanta or Compal, and the other 1/4 are made by Pegatron, Wistron, Clevo, Inventec and ECS - with a couple of other bit players.  So, the real question is, "are you willing to take that 30% chance something will fail, with the low level of support you get with ANY low-end machine?"

You're not going to find the hardware much different regardless of the name on the outside - but you will find a world of difference between US-based Latitude (or Toshiba business, etc.). support and the offshore support you get with ANY $600 system.

Your attitude needs a major adjustment.

Dell support IS US-based - IF you pay for it, and IF you buy a business-class system.   Same with HP/Compaq, and everyone else - basic support is offshore.  You want US-based support, you pay for it.  Apple is the only one I know of with entirely US-based support - and it is very limited in time unless you pay extra -- which you automatically do, since the systems cost more than Windows-based PCs for similar hardware configuration.

Dell's US-based Latitude, OptiPlex, Precision and server support is excellent - I use it frequently.  The offshore support is poor - just as it is with HP/Compaq, Toshiba, Sony, Acer, etc. unless you upgrade it.

If you were as obnoxious with support as in your post, it's no wonder you have had issues - maybe Dell was part of the problem, yes.  The other part - well, look into a mirror.

Your correct , silly of me to think that I should expect to be treated by Dell as good as I would be treated at Walmart or Home Depot or about any other store I can think of, and as for the US based upport I challenge you to find me a number I can call that would get me somebody here in the US.

Oh wait you said I had to pay for it, well that seems to be my problem I dont want to pay for and I am not going to pay for it.

Dell is not concerned about it customers, If they were they would have a Customer Suggestion or Complaint process that was user friendly and you could find it.

Again, adjust your attitude.  It's blinding you.

You DO NOT get access to US-based support with Dell - or HP/Compaq, or just about every other company - unless you PAY for it.  Simple as that.  You didn't pay for the support and you don't get the support.  The situation is no different with other computer companies.  If you call your cable company, credit card company - or any of a host of others now, you're likely speaking to a support agent in India, the Philippines, or elsewhere offshore - at least for your initial call.  

Dell is as concerned about its consumer customers as HP or any other computer company can afford to be - in 2010, that is, when the average selling price of a notebook is under $700 - and the average profit margin per system is less than 10% of that.  One support call and there goes the profit.

No one is implying a $700 computer should not work - it should.  When notebooks fail - and you've not recognized that they DO fail- at a rate of about 25-30% in the first three years, regardless of nameplate - that $700 computer isn't going to come with much in the way of fast support.   You don't get US-based support or 1-day turnaround on repairs with a $600-700 computer.

It's not even clear other than the vibration from the hard drive, what was wrong with the Dells -- or the Toshiba - the original poster had.  It simply sounds from the problem set that the buyer isn't clear on what he or she wanted in the first place - a mid-range consumer notebook or a bargain-basement cheapie.  What we're pointing out is that for business use, you SHOULD buy business-class support.  No $700 notebook is going to have that as an option.

That's all we're saying.

You people are missing the point that this gentleman is trying to make.  I don't care how much he paid for his Dell computer.  And I don't care what he uses his computer for.  That does not justify what you are implying:  if you spend under $700 for a notebook, don't expect it to work or get support from Dell.  If he is a small business owner he might just be starting his business, and it would be a foolish business move to buy an expensive computer when you are first starting out.  And Mr. Joe Smith, who just wants to use his notebook for relaxation and light research, does not need an expensive laptop either.  Does that mean they deserve their computers to quit working after owning them for only a week or two?  Come on, people!  $700 is still $700 the last time I checked--not exactly  small change.  Dell should stand behind its products--I don't care WHO made it.  If it's a below-par product they are passing off as a Dell, what do they expect? 

You people are missing the point that this gentleman is trying to make.  I don't care how much he paid for his Dell computer.  And I don't care what he uses his computer for.  That does not justify what you are implying:  if you spend under $700 for a notebook, don't expect it to work or get support from Dell.

He did get support. He was refunded money the first time. The second time Dell offered under warranty to repair it. He said he couldn't wait 2 to 3 weeks.

I work for a major corporation. We  buy Dell Latitude laptops. business-grade

If you are running a business and can't be without the laptop, then you pay for the level of service that will keep your business running.

Why do you suppose that Dell's website has a section called For Small and Medium Business? And, do you realize to get North American-based support, you would need to pay $208 extra on a $649 Latitude laptop? Paying North American employees decent wages isn't free or cheap.

You had better read up on the different types of warranties to broaden your limited knowledge   http://www.dell.com/content/learnmore/learnmore.aspx?c=us&l=en&ref=CFG&s=gen&~id=hmc_prosupport_vostro&~lt=popup&~tab=other

Again, more assumptions and no help on what you would buy.  Your pettiness is not even worth commenting on.

I buy Latitudes. I buy them used. And I know what I am doing. You don't know what you are doing. That's the problem.