Alienware Angst

[MPH2k9]

Hi folks,

 

I am very unlucky to encounter all these issues or standards in this day in age really have dropped.

 

4 months ago I shelled out £2600 for a new Alienware system (UK) on my Lloyds TSB Credit Card.

 

Several weeks into ownership a problem developed - whenever I opened the front door of the system, it would power off. This meant that I couldn't insert a DVD/CD/SD Card without the system powering off.

 

As I use this for business, burning disks and obtaining information from disks becomes very problematic as you may be able to gather.

 

I contacted Alienware who wanted the system returned back to their base, in mainland Ireland, with an expected turn around time of repair of 4 weeks. Instead of going through with this, which is absolutely insane for a system this expensive, I chose to investigate the problem myself (as an IT expert).

 

I did a temporary fix of the crushed wire which was responsible for the system turning off which fixed that temporarily. Alienware seemed not to care when informed of what I had done.

 

Now to present time, still reiterating that I have only had this system for 4 months now - I had a hard drive failure. Spent 2 hrs on their technical support line where I had to jump through their hoops to prove that the system drive was infact dead. 7 days for a replacement to arrive ONLY after I had sent the original defective drive back.

 

The system is unusable - in replacing the new hard drive out I have found a dead SATA port on the Motherboard, and I have not been supplied with any disk to restore a computer to it's original base settings (I can do this myself, but I didn't pay £2600 to have to do this myself).

 

I am pursuing a full refund, however is there any specific laws or consumer rights which I must bear in mind to go ahead with this ?

 

I note that Alienware require the system to be returned to them where they will then refund the amount MINUS a 15% restocking fee. Lloyds TSB inform me that I must return the system to them and have written proof that they have received it before they will pursue a refund.

 

What is the best way forward? I need advice please!