PC World : Help, Possibly the worst laptop ever?

[mcgrime]

Hi, I'm sorry for any mistakes but I am currently typing this from my iPhone.

 

I bought a hp laptop from pcworld (I never seem to learn on both counts) in november 2008 and I have been having problems ever since 2009. It started off with the small problems like my speakers blowing(used headphones), my right click touchpad not working(double clicked the pad) and then a coloured line down my screen. As a IT student, my laptop is my life and I can't really afford to be with out it, so I put off getting it fixed till school was up (June/July 2009).

 

However that's when the big boy problem occured, my lines on the screen grew and my screen will be a blur of colours unless it was pressured in a certain way(the most annoying thing ever). One day it stopped working and my screen could not be used at all so I was forced to ring up pcworld under my warranty. They picked it up and returned it, nothing had been fixed, I was confused and so were they and the pick up happened again. This time it was returned and the reason given for not being fixed was water damage, absolute xxxxxx but nothing I could do as I was broke.

 

I then started Uni in September and I was using my laptop through a 32 inch tv, which seemed to be ok, until my laptop started having fan problems. It would heat up and them switch off for a few minutes and the system would be very slow, I then upgraded to windows 7 and my battery life went from an hour to about 5 minutes. So I endured all these problems within the first year and pcworld would not bother to fix it.

 

The battery life and the fan were the last straw because I couldn't even use the laptop as a laptop(not even going to mention the screen which still wasn't in use). I emailed hp telling them how pcworld had ignored me and they fixed all the problems in one go without any mention of the other minor problems. I was happy. However the issue with the fan kept popping up and it was sent to them a further two more times, the last just being outside my warranty but it was finally fixed.

 

6 months down the line my fan starts acting up again, however it is just a loud noise and still in Uni (laptop is needed). I then get tired of the loud noise and email hp, hoping for them to come to my rescue as I know how useless pcworld are, even though I have a coverplan agreement with them (still active). They do not seem to understand the nature of my request so my case is closed but I am not too fussed as it is pcworlds problem. Pcworlds turnaround of 6 weeks is far too long for me to wait for when hp do it within 10 days.

 

This is when the latest problem happens, as of 3 hours ago my laptop has just forced my charger into exploding with smoke and a little fire (the smell was reall bad). I now need some help in how to tackle pcworld armed with my coverplan agreement because truthfully I want a new laptop

 

I was wondering if anyone can help? And also provide me with a non 0844 number for mastercare. Sorry for the long post

[rebel11]

Hi Mc

 

Forget about Mastercare for the time being. This advice is based on the details provided. First thing to do is contact Trading Standards, you can contact them via

Consumer Direct. There is a serious Health and Safety Issue here, as the charger has exploded. Keep hold of all the equiptment as Trading Standards will need it.

Take pictures of the products just incase they are needed later.

 

I can't envisage any problems getting a new product using SOGA, http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/after_you_buy/know-your-rights/SGAknowyourrights/

 

Send the appropriate template, send it Recorded, amend it and provide as much detail as possible. http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/after_you_buy/making-complaint/template-letters/

[mcgrime]

Hi, yes first thing I did was take a picture and email hp again, just to make them aware. I know the logical channels would be the way you suggested but how long would that take? Bearing in mind, I would need a laptop by at most mid January

[rebel11]

Once Trading Standards have your laptop, I'd expect things to move fairly swiftly, I can't see PC World wanting to drag their feet. You need to write a summary of everything thats happened for Trading Standards.

 

Google the make of laptop, type charger fault, see if it's happened to other people.

[labrat]

sorry im going to play a little guessing game of my own here

 

hp computer

 

problems with the touchpad - click not working could be one of several models

the fan getting noisy and it over heats whittles it down the list a little more to a list of common over heaters

 

lines down screen could be any model

 

if its a hp not a compaq im going to guess at a G series, or a DV6/DV5 series

if its a compaq then i would say CQ series

 

ive not noted the power supply issue as those models all use the same power supply which is known for dying

 

sorry just a little thing i tend to do to keep my mind active while im stuck off work

[nicolee2931]

I have a HP DV5-1110ea and have had nothing but problems with it overheating.... Seems like its a design fault with cooling. Mine is 2 years old and is going back to PC world tomorrow, they already know I mean business with them and if it don't get sorted then I'll claim back the value of it plus my costs through the small claims court.