This guy is beyond help. He bought a Dell. Now he must go to hell.

Even though most think the extended protection plans are a ripoff, if you use it once for a major component it pays for itself. My old Inspiron 8600 started having constant motherboard problems and after sending it back to Dell 3 times they sent me a new Inspiron 1520, major upgrade and at no cost to me. Definitely worth the $350 initially. I didn't have to escalate my case, it just took a lot of service calls. Good luck!

LCD screens do not crack for no reason. However, forcing the screen open if the hinge tension is too high could cause the screen to crack.

I guess it is Dell's fault if the hinge was stuck and the screen cracked when opening but good luck convincing them of that.

Frankly, I know he's a soi-disant geek, but as a geek myself (who has had laptops last 8 years before they just got too outclassed to be used anymore, even with upgrades), who buys a laptop without a warranty? It's not a desktop -- you're going to be carrying it around, opening and closing hinges, taking it to locations with different temperature and humidity levels. It's way less stable than a desktop, and you're way less capable of fixing it if something goes wrong.

If it's really a manufacturing flaw (and not carelessness) that caused the LCD crack, I hope Dell fixes it. But I also hope the OP learned that warranties are a good idea for $1300 pieces of equipment that you carry around everywhere and that you can rarely fix when broken.

@crunkbear: IIRC I think even Consumer Reports admitted that an extended plan is a good idea for a laptop because of their repair rates.

Wasn't there an article here a few months ago about a chick who had the same thing happen to her notebook? I can't remember if it was a Dell or Mac however.

@dualityshift: He has to go to Best Buy? That seems rather harsh.

A couple of comments. From the OP:

"$1300, 45 days and there is a huge crack in the screen, that honestly, shouldn't have happened. If they didn't make such cheap products, that wouldn't have happened."

If they didn't make such cheap products, you would have paid a lot more than $1300. You can't have it both ways.

As for the "should have bought a warranty" aspect of this....I'm not so sure I agree with folks who think that buying a warranty is a no-brainer. I have a hard time shelling out upwards of 25 to 30% of the value of the product for a limited time warranty on a product with built in obsolescence and no guarantee that the company will be so willing to honor the warranty when the time comes.

Yeah, laptop screens don't just crack for absolutely no reason. You can try escalating your claim, like consumerist suggest, but honestly I don't believe that it "just cracked" either.

I don't buy it. I wouldn't believe the guy either if I was at Dell. He probably dropped it or somebody sat on it or something, which I'm sure isn't covered under warranty, and came up with this lame "story" to try and get it to be covered under warranty. Try a little harder next time.

@backbroken:

Dells extended warranties do not cost 25-30% more of the total cost of the machine. MAtter of fact, they are the only company I am aware of that offer Accidental coverage that has a no questions asked policy on warranty claims. You can get both a 4yr extended and a 4 Accident cover warranty plan on a Laptop or Desktop machine for 200 dollars. Anyone who buys a lappy from them and doesn't take the accident cover is just plain stupid and nuts.

Since the laptop is under a year old, it probably has a manufacturer's warranty.

While I understand that accidents happen to laptops more frequently than desktops, I don't think an extended warranty is always the best idea. It really depends how you plan to use it (which should be a factor in buying a laptop). It should also take into account your ability to care for a product. Some people never drop their laptops. Others step on them. If you're clumsy and you can see yourself needing a repair, you might want to consider it.

One of the more important things to consider is the bathtub curve. If it doesn't break on its own shortly after you get it, it's highly unlikely to fail for a long time.

@Logan26: I have had the extended warranty from Dell and honestly it just wasn't worth it. I was trying to get my old laptop fixed after three years and it would have been much easier and less aggravation overall for me to get a new one, with newer components and faster speed. Heck, the new model I got was under $600 and was still a vast improvement over my old system, and I didn't get extended warranty this time because I decided it made more sense to just buy a new one if it breaks rather than keeping a machine that is already obsolete.

Dealing with Dell tech support is no fun at all. I would prefer to not have to pay to do it and generally, if something is going to go wrong with your laptop, it's either going to do it in the first year or after it's a few years old. At least that's the experience of my peers and I.

If the worst happens and Dell won't fix it, do NOT send it to them to be repaired. I found out myself recently that LCD replacement is not that difficult. You may also be able to find an LCD from a source other than Dell much cheaper. I got mine either from parts-people.com or Ebay - can't remember which. I think I paid about $100 for the part.

@Logan26: Thanks for the info. Didn't know the particulars at Dell. My rough guess was based on what the Best Buys and Circuit Cities of the world try to charge for a warranty.

I would like to make one more point though...most people who buy a laptop really only need a desktop. I'm not necessarily referring to the OP. It's just that in my experience, when folks have come to me asking what they should look for in a laptop and I start asking questions about how it will be used, I realize that all they need is a desktop.

@ooby:

I disagree, no matter what one buys, they should always get the extended warranty and accidental coverage if it is available to be had. Especially if they are buying a laptop. Most people make the mistake of buy a 1500-2500 dollar machine and then never get any kind of warranty other than the 1yr limited warranty from the OEM. After that year is up something happens and they almost always act surprised when you tell them it'll cost almsot the same price of a new one to fix it(worst cases).

You could avoid dropping it on the stairs... Next time, I mean.

@tasselhoff76:

I have a customer who is a roofing contractor and wanted to get a laptop. I suggested Dell and to get 4yr extended and 4yr accidental coverage. It has already paid for the laptop. within 2 months of having the laptop, while at a job site showing someone some estimates, it slid off the hood of his truck and shoved his Verizon broadband card into the machine. Dell replaced the whole laptop, no questions asked.

LCD does not "just crack" it does require some sort of external force.

@backbroken:

BB and CC both suck monkey balls when it comes to warranty coverage plans. BB especially as they will and have found any excuse to end the plan on a many of customers I have had.

Laptop screens don't just crack. SOMETHING caused it. Temperature extreme, you held it too tightly, your dog jumped on it...they don't randomly just crack.

The laptop was a $2500 inspirion before the warranty coverage was added.

@pegr: If your going to post something useless it would be nice if it was funny or at least witty.

@Logan26: Dell's 'CompleteCare' is great. It's about $100 for each year of coverage, and it covers almost everything, except cosmetic and intentional damage. Also, they usually give a discount on the price of the laptop (8%-12%) depending on the length of the plan. Well worth it, because even the crack you caused in you LCD is covered; any plan longer than one year is a NBD on-site plan, as well.

He should have bought it at WalMart, Dells new core customers all shop there.

I was able to get apple to replace an LCD screen on my girlfriend's iBook that "just cracked". It was more likely that her roommate stepped on it, but we couldn't get her to admit that, so I played the best cards I could. We had applecare, but as you may know, they don't cover physical damage. I was very firm with the guy on the phone. I didn't say that there was no reason why the lcd cracked, but that the lcd cracked from normal use. I said that I was carrying the machine, like they urge you to do in the commercials, and the weight of my palm forced the lcd panel to warp and crack. That got me in the door, and the rest of the repair went smoothly.

I consider this an extremely rare situation. I really doubt you'll get it repaired, and think that since you've already claimed with them that there's "no reason", then it will be hard for you to get away from that situation. I understand your pain - but something had to have happened, even if you don't know what it is. Start looking on eBay for a replacement screen - they're easy to install.

He should check into his state's product lemon laws. If an LCD screen cracked within 6 weeks, its probably because the product was defective coming out of the factory.

@Hanke:

Yes complete care is good, especially for those who dont know or have a regular PC tech do things for them, other wise the standard extended and accidental coverage plans are more than enough.

I know we all hate Best Buy, but I must say buying their coverage plan for my laptop was the best move I ever made. Ended up having to get it fixed three times, including a new motherboard and DVD drive (thanks, Gateway), and then after the third fix they gave me a brand new one, right there in the store. Also, the lady screwed up the exchange and accidentally gave me a 400 dollar gift card to make up the difference in cost between the old machine and the new one. Finally, Best Buy's policy of only hiring incompetents paid off!

@The Count of Monte Fisto:

You are one of the lucky few my friend.

I agree with those that are saying that LCD's don't just "Crack". Further, almost no warranty covers screen breakage. I have a really hard time believing this guy, and my guess is there is something we're not getting. When guys like this get their stupidity warranties, it causes prices for everyone to go up to cover the cost. Dell shouldn't warranty it, and the OP should learn to take better care of his things.

I'm very skeptical about a screen cracking for 'no reason' ...when was the last time a glass window in your house or car spontaneously cracked for no reason; it's the same material.

That being said, if it came from the bottom edge it's possible that the inverter overheated and caused a crack, but that would probably have melted some plastic too.

@mgy: Congratulations on scamming Apple. Hope I never read a post about how a company did you wrong.

I stopped here:

"and have had a laptop last up to 4 years (an iBook G4) without problems, so why get insurance?"

Are you fucking kidding? I fix laptops professionally and even I get insurance. Laptop parts are incredibly expensive, even without the labor. (Example: I just spent $65 for a pair of hinges with brackets. 65 DOLLARS FOR TWO PIECES OF METAL WITH SCREW HOLES.)

If you ever need a new DC board, LCD, mainboard, hinge, or any part of your chassis replaced, your plan will pay for itself and then some. If you claim to be geeky, you would be well aware of this instead of acting like an arrogant ass and refusing to protect your investment.

To all those people who say a LCD can't crack for no reason, what if the screen was damaged at the factory, then the normal pressure of opening and closing the laptop caused further damage beyond the control of the OP? Just because there has to be a reason for the LCD cracking doesnt mean that its the OP's fault or that hes lying.

@Logan26: Panasonic and Sony (can't find theirs yet) have similar 3-year policies that cover accidents (bonus- Panasonic's covers theft too if you have a police report). I've had both (currently on the Panasonic- if you're clumsy or have a penchant for accidentally breaking things, get a Panasonic- my T5 once got kicked off my desk by a rampaging classmate and it's still fine- oh, and what essentially amounts to insurance is nice too).

Unfortunately, that type of Dell laptop does have LCD screens that "just crack" at random times. I've had three Dell laptops (I know, I'm a masochist) and two of them have had the screens crack, right by the hinges in both cases, though one had the memorable addition of a chunk from the right corner also falling off. It has something to do with poor design and the stress from opening and shutting the laptop. In neither case had they been mishandled, sat on, dropped, kicked, or been given any other conceivable reason to break. It's just shoddy workmanship. Also agreed on the CompleteCare package; they replace almost every part that will cause hundreds of dollars of expensive repairs because Dell is too cheap to get decent parts to begin with. If you want a Dell, spring for that package because chances are very, very good that you'll need it before much time has passed.

@Logan26: Panasonic has a similar 3-year warranty. Theirs covers theft too if you have a police report filed. For this guy, all I can say is buy a Panasonic in the future; they're reliable and much more resistant to damage (my T5 got kicked off a desk by a rampaging classmate once -whole story on its own- and it's fine).

On a side note, I have seen screens crack on two occasions in colder climates. One was an Alienware (of all laptops!), and another was a Dell (Again, go figure...)

The first one (The Alienware) was cracked while a Case Western student were walking from their car to the law school. She had it in her hand and we both heard it crack.)

The other one (The Dell) occured when someone came into a local coffeeshop from the cold. I'm sure that the cold makes some screens brittle.

Again, it's a militating circumstance, but having seen it happen in person, I'd say it's plausible.

I have no idea if Dell laptops are well made, but several commenters have mentioned that if you buy a Dell, you simply MUST get the warranty as well. If that is the case, why are you buying a Dell?

Vote with your wallet. Buying a laptop and the warranty is just confirmation to Dell that they are giving us what we want - cheap shoddy products.

(And a laptop is not an investment.)

I've had some good experience with Dell and their warranty support.

Example: I bought a color laser printer from Dell (3100n)) with a 1-year extended warranty. Never had a problem in the first two years. Before it expired, I had it extended for another two years at a cost of $125

Well, it started printing funny. Turns out it needed a new drum unit. Normally, this is a "wear and tear" part that needs to be replaced, and it is a $150 part. They covered it, and sent me a free drum unit with a return label for the old one.

As for how to handle the screen... I have a feeling you will get it replaced. Just keep persistent with Dell. I've called them on some questionable and even completely uncovered warranty work, and got it by being persistent.

I had the battery and screen replaced on a 2 1/2 year old laptop (which had a 3-year warranty) -- The screen was because the keys made really bad marks on the screen (from when the laptop was closed, touching the keyboard) And for the battery, they just don't cover batteries under warrant (It won't hold a charge any more)

Escalated to Supervisor first, called back 3-4 times trying with different people and different supervisors, and finally (I think they were tired of hearing my voice) got it escalated to a "Problem Resolution Specialist" who overnighted me a brand new battery.

With Dell, it just takes persistence. Ask for a Problem Resolution Specialist, and you'll probably get your screen replaced.

FYI: When I had my screen replaced, they just mailed me an LCD screen with detailed instructions on how to replace it, and return the old one. Fortunately, I've replaced Dell laptop screens before, so it was no problem. Your technical/mechanical experience and mileage may vary.

By the way, from a consumerist standpoint, I have to really recommend the 3100n color printer...

It's a color laser network printer. But it was cheap. About $350

The quality is awesome, Although it can hook up directly to your computer, I decided to just use it as a network printer so anyone who comes over can use it with their laptop.

Being designed as an "office" level printer, the toner (while expensive to replace) has so far lasted me three years. I'm just now ready to replace the Black toner that is almost out -- The color toner is still at 50%.

If I had an Inkjet printer, I'd have had to replace the ink at least a dozen times by now! $$$$$$$$$$ saved!

@Soldier_CLE: FYI, Alienware = Dell now. They bought them out.

@backbroken: Investing is the act of acquiring an asset, so yes, it actually is an investment. Said asset doesn't have to be the direct source of return in order for it to be considered an investment.

@backbroken: Just watching out for myself. All you can count on nowadays.

But I do take exception to your classification as what I did a "scam". I never misrepresented the damage, and they were, at all times, able to refuse service. Sure, I made up a story about how the damage occurred, but their policy doesn't discriminate based on the situation. It doesn't matter if it was dropped, groped, punched, or destroyed by the hands of Zeus. My story was not fantastical, or unrealistic, and could very well have played a part in the damage that occurred.

But do you see how if I said to Apple (like this guy said to Dell), "I don't know what happened, it just has a crack", they would have looked at me like I was crazy? I maybe exploited their sympathy, but I wouldn't go as far as "scamming" them. They were free to refuse service at any point in time. They could have opened up the case, saw that the screen damage had to have been intentional/accidental (it was minor, really), and sent it back. They do that all the time.

After this, I went on to work as an apple reseller, bought 3 new intel macs, tons on the itunes store, 4 ipods, and currently do mac support for a living. I have, in every way, done my best to make it up to apple.

I should mention that in two of those new macs that I have, I have had to have motherboards replaced 2