G73JH-A2 Problems (and RMA troubles)

[mertesn]

I purchased the G73JH-A2 in April 2010 from XoticPC.com with an extended three year warranty and Blu-ray upgrade. Since the day it arrived I've had nothing but problems. First the display died. It took eight weeks to get fixed.

As soon as the laptop was returned, one of the hard drives died, causing a second RMA.

The Blu-ray drive quit working. Since this was an upgraded part from XoticPC, I sent it to them for replacement. The drive was stolen in shipment and I had to purchase a new drive (ongoing issue with UPS). Unfortunately the replacement drive doesn't have a face plate that matches with the rest of the laptop and ASUS so far has refused to provide one.

A third RMA was requested on October 26 for the following:
-Since the day the laptop arrived, I have been unable to play games properly. Randomly during gaming the laptop will emit a very loud static/roaring sound. This is not the sound of fans nor does it appear to come from the speakers. It happens at the same amount of loudness regardless of volume settings.
- The touchpad does not function correctly. Despite making sure that nothing but one fingertip is in contact with the touchpad, the system acts as though many fingers are attempting to provide input.
- The keyboard misses keystrokes. I have to type very slowly as a workaround. This is unacceptable.
- Both the CPU and GPU overheat, causing shutdowns. I understand there was an issue with thermal paste being improperly applied and I believe that to be the issue in this case as well.
- Due to the overheating, the rubber feet on the laptop have come off.

All of this was detailed on the RMA form included with the laptop.

For this third RMA, my laptop arrived on October 31. On November 1 the repair status was changed to "Waiting-[WF9]-Wait for customer confirmation - NTF". At no time during the repair process was I ever contacted to confirm anything. In fact, I called around November 3 to find out what information was needed. I was told someone would contact me regarding the repair. On November 10, having not been contacted, I called ASUS support. The representative promised me a call from the repair facility within 24-48 hours. This promised call never happened - three phone numbers were provided and none received any calls regarding the repair. On the morning of November 15 I called ASUS support again, and was told the case would be "elevated" because problems were not immediately found. I was promised a call from the repair facility that day. Again, the call never happened. Instead I received an automated e-mail that night stating my laptop was being shipped back to me.

The laptop is scheduled to arrive on November 18, and based on the previous description of events I do not expect to find the problems resolved.

This is my third ASUS laptop (also have a W2P and F3SV), and will likely be my final ASUS laptop based on the troubles I have had in getting repairs and poor customer service.

I want my laptop fully repaired. It should not take multiple RMAs to do this. If the repair facility is unable to duplicate the problem, I expect them to contact me for further information. If I am promised a phone call within a specific time period, I expect that promise to be fulfilled.

If anyone here can provide some information I'd really appreciate it. I have filled out the escalation form with the above information.

[eskion]

I have always loved ASUS motherboards, so I decided to try a laptop. Went with G53JW, and I am convinced that they should stop making laptops and leave it to Sager, MSI...

-edit-

I had a second thought. It seems that the most serious problems with the ASUS laptops are from the RoG line...I think that says something in iteself.

[JRd1st]

eskion wrote:
I have always loved ASUS motherboards, so I decided to try a laptop. Went with G53JW, and I am convinced that they should stop making laptops and leave it to Sager, MSI...

-edit-

I had a second thought. It seems that the most serious problems with the ASUS laptops are from the RoG line...I think that says something in iteself.

...yes, gamers have expectations that go beyond what ordinary pc owners care about. Plus gamers want to tinker, and a gimped bios doesn't lend itself to tinkering.

I wonder if Ay-soos underestimated the RoG owners as being a bunch of overenthusiastic kids that would be blinded by the specs and would accept "spoiled candy wrapped in shiny foil"...

[eskion]

Just talked to tech support because there was no record of my RMA number when I checked on the web site. My hard drive is replaced so yay about that. However, they didn't do anything about the dead pixels in the LCD, and they didn't do anything about it running so hot. I know those things won't be checked now because it has already been shipped back. WTF...and by the way, I was just tole that I have over 2 years left on my warrenty, so why am I having to pay to ship my messed up $1200 paper weight to you guys everytime????

[mertesn]

So after a month of not working, the technical inbox magically fixed itself. Finally got hold of Chris, and he set up the RMA. Turns out the person at the Milpitas location didn't know WTF he was doing. Chris called me directly and asked about glue in the system. Apparently someone did an absolutely terrible job of gluing the touchpad in place...leads came undone and glue was all over the place. He got it cleaned up and working, thoroughly tested it for all the problems I had reported earlier, and shipped back to me within a week. However, when I got the laptop back on Thursday, half the keys on the keyboard didn't work. It's not even something simple like the left half of the keyboard, either. Nope. It's random keys.

I am going to assume that happened in shipment because if I even let myself believe for a second that someone would actually send a laptop out like that...I don't even know what I'd do.

C'mon ASUS. I've been more than patient, and all you've done is jerk me around.

[dstrakele]

No doubt about it, @mertesn, you have been way more than patient..

What a thoroughly depressing customer (dis)service story from (what I've heard) is the top ASUS North American Repair Center to start off the New Year (and this has gone on for SO LONG!). I would print out this thread, put it in an envelope with the RMA#, and send to ASUS with the message, "Please send me a refund and let me get on with my life."

I am completely bummed out...

[noworries]

I had a GTX 470 die, after pulling teeth got it advanced replaced (took about 3 weeks), and then they sent me a GTX 465 as the replacement.

ASUS support is a joke. It amazes me that a company can produce good products and then horribly fail to support them.

BTW I'm still trying to resolve this. After 20 minutes on the phone with a support guy, he tells me that he would not be able to do an advanced replacement because they already did that once (AND SENT ME THE WRONG FRIGGING CARD). So I ask to talk to the supervisor. He says that's from the supervisor. I insist on talking to them. ASUS Adam puts me on hold, and then after 10 minutes I hang up and call back. Then he tells me that "oh nobody is available".