DELL Service and Quality Control Issue

I bought a refurbished Latitude XT from eBay.

It's motherboard burned with smoke just after a day of use.

It didn't have any cosmetic problems or fuctional problems before motherboard smoked.

Contacted Dell and I was told that DELL will send me a new laptop built close to the laptop I had.

Received replacement laptop after 2 weeks, and it had some problems.

• Dent on a side of top cover, scratch under hinge cover.
• Magnets under palm rest (these holds lid closed, although that doesn't really work) was lose and clicks every time I close the lid or place ferous metal over it.
• Shipped with Windows Vista Basic label when it should have come with premium label. (Latitude XT comes with Windows Vista Business)

So, I contacted DELL again and requested 2nd replacement because I had to use laptop.

After a week, I received 2nd replacement laptop and it had even more problems.

• Chipped paint on corner of the top cover.
• Under painted top cover near side bolts.
• Magnets under palm rest was lose again. (This is not normal. My first Latitude XT didn't have such problem)
• Hinge had too much play. Moves side to side (this is a tablet PC) with just little force on it. Like touching the touch screen!
• Black sticker layer of the keyboard was not adhered properly. Makes noise when I press "N" key. I can actually see the sticker is not adhering properly.
• Fan was very noisy. Sounds like bad bearing. It makes buzzing noise.
• Again, shipped with Windows Vista Basic Label.

Some pictures I have taken.

Chipped paint.


Under painted


Another chipped paint


Why is Windows Vista Basic label on the laptop when it was shipped with Windows Vista Business ?

I asked service ref. if they are building these replacement laptops with refurbished part because I was keep on getting laptops with problems.

And the answer was YES. THEY USE REFURBISHED PARTS on systems that is 21 days or older for repair or replace.

Two different refs. I chat with when I was getting first replacement told me they were building me a complete new system. They lied to me!

This time I'm sending it to depot service for repair. Hopefully they know what they are doing and repair this problem correctly by using new parts.

Never buying DELL laptops again after this one.

Lesson learned?

Never have DELL exchange your system if you are happy with cosmetic condition of your current laptop. You might get junks!