Disappointed with XFX RMA Program

[dayze]

I've owned the same XFX 7800GTX since late 2005. Up until the following event I had been fairly happy with the card.
Aside from a few problems caused by heat issues (Lock ups, BSOD, etc) due to the unsatisfactory performance and eventual death of the stock cooler. Everything was great.
Soon after, the heat problem was fixed having installed the "Zalman VF700" cooling solution which turned out to be the bane of my card.
After about 6 months of smooth sailing with the VF700 I (Stupidly) decided that I would throw away the none working stock fan, not knowing that for an RMA to be serviced it needed to have all the stock parts on it.


Here's the story:

For a few weeks or so I would get full-screen lock ups in the only 3D game I play (Team Fortress 2) which were fixed by a simple hard restart.
This wasn't a HUGE issue (Mostly because I didn't play often) but one day I got sick of it. Trying to fix it I did a complete re-installation of the video driver--
(Uninstall -> Reboot -> Driver Cleaner -> Reboot -> Reinstall -> Reboot) When I tried to play after words I thought it was fixed but I was quickly shot down.
I Got the same full-screen lock up but this time with a twist; There was random stuff on my screen (Colors, Random Characters, Etc) I walked out of the room--
came back 2min~ later, rebooted and I was still getting the same stuff on the screen (Pre-CMOS, Post, and During) I checked my other devices and everything was working alright
so that lead me to believe it was hardware failure.


I Put in a ticket regarding the issue to the XFX Support desk and I was charmed with what looked like a copy and paste standard response regarding video cards.
I further discussed the problem with a few different people telling them about the early heat issue I had and they went ahead and authorized an RMA for my card. I got it boxed up and shipped off--
same day. I waited about 5 days and they finally received my card (12/11/07) On 12/27/07 I asked for a status update because I had not heard anything new. The very next day I was told that
my card was rejected due to the 3rd party cooler in which I had already informed them about before they even authorized my RMA and was never told to replace it with stock.


I Know getting rid of the stock cooler was a stupid decision but I saw no reason to keep it considering it wasn't functional and my card worked better without it.
I am probably going to get flammed for that reason but I figured I could catch the eyes of a XFX rep and maybe we could work something out. Also upgrading isn't really isn't an option for me right now.
It would be a waste of money any way considering at the time I payed $550~ for the 7800GTX and the 2 years or so of performance I got out of it isn't worth the price.



Thank you.

(I Wrote this in notepad. Sorry if the paragraphs are screwed up / hard to read)

 

[amd7674]

I hope it was misunderstanding on XFX part. Hopefully they will cut you some slack and will get your replacement. I'm on the same boat as you, I just purchased 8800GT from XFX, because of their excellent warranty program, and I'm not planning on upgrading my system in the next 3 years (at least)

Good luck !!!

 

[Met-AL]

I hope it was misunderstanding on XFX part.

Huh? He voided the warranty.

 

[amd7674]

Huh? He voided the warranty.

He did NOT void warranty. XFX allows to install 3rd party fans, the poor guy just threw away his broken stock fan without realizing he will ever need it. So how is that voiding the warranty?

Come on man have some understanding, I hope XFX will give this guy a break....

BTW... I've already dealt with XFX tech support few times, asking them some questions about my 8800GT and they were always on top of things.

 

[dayze]

He did NOT void warranty. XFX allows to install 3rd party fans, the poor guy just threw away his broken stock fan without realizing he will ever need it. So how is that voiding the warranty?

Come on man have some understanding, I hope XFX will give this guy a break....

BTW... I've already dealt with XFX tech support few times, asking them some questions about my 8800GT and they were always on top of things.

Thank you for the support.

 

[kush]

Actually, he did technically void his warranty sadly.

Products received by XFX must be in original condition and must be complete with all original components to be covered by the protection.

With that said, if they're like EVGA at all, they'll be willing to work it out. Worst case scenario, they should have charged him for the heatsink replacement (~$20 at most?).

On that note..

XFX reserves the right to claim shipping fees as well as a service charge* for any incomplete or modified Product that is returned and that requires repair or replacement, or when the Owner is not entitled to any coverage under the XFX Double Lifetime Protection.

and

* Service charge is variable based upon actual material costs to repair or replace missing or modified parts to return them to original factory condition.

They shouldn't have out and out shot him down. He didn't do a solder vMod or anything. Have you tried PMing the XFX rep here? -- [edit] 'Tis XFXSupport.

 

[General Crespin]

The very next day I was told that
my card was rejected due to the 3rd party cooler in which I had already informed them about before they even authorized my RMA and was never told to replace it with stock.

That's the kicker right there, IMO... *shrugs*

 

[XFXSupport]

Let me know your ticket number and I can look into if for you. We do allow our US and Canadian customers to modify our video cards, but require our customers to put them back to stock condition if they ever need to send it in. Perhaps we need to make that a little more clear to customers that the video card needs to be put back to stock condition before it is sent in like most products in most industries, (I will look into updating the RMA agreement). However if this is the case I think it is no mention was made of the stock fan being thrown away or the RAM sinks on the video card either, but like I said let me know the ticket number and I will verify.

 

[Crosshairs]

The ever increasing number of people crying foul for issues that are clearly their fault is startling.

 

[dayze]

Let me know your ticket number and I can look into if for you. We do allow our US and Canadian customers to modify our video cards, but require our customers to put them back to stock condition if they ever need to send it in.

Thank you for responding. I sent the PM.

The ever increasing number of people crying foul for issues that are clearly their fault is startling.

I'm not crying at all, I admitted it was my fault and the only reason I posted here is because I know that XFX does in fact browse this forum. There is no need to take it personally, guy.

 

[Zinn]

The ever increasing number of people crying foul for issues that are clearly their fault is startling.

I don't think this is an instance of "crying foul." This guy is clearly not happy with a specific aspect of XFX's warranty program, which happens to be the only reason I prefer EVGA products over XFX. If anything, it's worthy of discussion. Aftermarket cooling shouldn't be the basis of a voided warranty. It's not with EVGA, anyway.

This is the main reason I stick with EVGA. For mainstream cards, the cooling almost always needs to be beefed up, and XFX's warranty stops one inch short of giving me peace of mind.

 

[XFXSupport]

I don't think this is an instance of "crying foul." This guy is clearly not happy with a specific aspect of XFX's warranty program, which happens to be the only reason I prefer EVGA products over XFX. If anything, it's worthy of discussion. Aftermarket cooling shouldn't be the basis of a voided warranty. It's not with EVGA, anyway.

and XFX's warranty stops one inch short of giving me peace of mind.

Just to touch bases on this one, once again changing out the fan or heatsink does not void the Double Lifetime warranty as long as you keep the original hardware (sounds pretty fair to me).

 

[Manny Calavera]

The ever increasing number of people crying foul for issues that are clearly their fault is startling.

As soon as I read this,I thought of that foo... err member who complained about waiting 7+ months to reg his card with eVGA,then had the nerve to start a thread,and complain he could now not get the lifetime warranty for his GTX because of his own gross inaction.

Again it would seem,common sense is not so common ?

 

[Met-AL]

The ever increasing number of people crying foul for issues that are clearly their fault is startling.

Exactly. People screw up and can't live with the results come here to cry and put reps on the spot and get special treatment.

 

[pug71]

Agreed , Next time read the details before you get yourself in this position again. I think their policy is fair. I'm using my second XFX product in the last 7 months and no complaints.

 

[CoolHotCold]

Again it would seem,common sense is not so common ?

QFT

 

[Darkstofknightz]

QFT for sure...........But the funny thing about common sense is that usually to get some, you have to use some, and actually read to understand what you are talking about. He said he was disappointed, why? Because he told them at the time of his RMA the situation. I doubt he would have even posted it here if they had told him point blank, no, sorry we can't help you until you get that stock. I know XFX trolls these forums to help us, and I hardly think this is "putting him on the spot" This is part of the reason he is here so lets not go overboard there. And moving to the real world, whats funny to me is, Met-AL, that when your XFX product doesn't work your not going to post it here to receive "special treatment"? LOL I mean seriously? Everyone loves to bolster themselves up saying he "cried" and he wants "special treatment" and he has no "common sense". You guys must be perfect in real life, I wish I was as perfect as you guys are . Lets get real and not go overboard bashing a noobie when really hes done nothing wrong, other than throw his heat sink away so he can't get his card RMA'd.

 

[Manny Calavera]

Lets get real and not go overboard bashing a noobie when really hes done nothing wrong, other than throw his heat sink away so he can't get his card RMA'd.

ROFL !!! oh ! Is that ALL ?

 

[Met-AL]

QFT for sure...........But the funny thing about common sense is that usually to get some, you have to use some, and actually read to understand what you are talking about. He said he was disappointed, why? Because he told them at the time of his RMA the situation. I doubt he would have even posted it here if they had told him point blank, no, sorry we can't help you until you get that stock. I know XFX trolls these forums to help us, and I hardly think this is "putting him on the spot" This is part of the reason he is here so lets not go overboard there. And moving to the real world, whats funny to me is, Met-AL, that when your XFX product doesn't work your not going to post it here to receive "special treatment"? LOL I mean seriously? Everyone loves to bolster themselves up saying he "cried" and he wants "special treatment" and he has no "common sense". You guys must be perfect in real life, I wish I was as perfect as you guys are . Lets get real and not go overboard bashing a noobie when really hes done nothing wrong, other than throw his heat sink away so he can't get his card RMA'd.

If the OP wanted help then why did he title the thread "Disappointed with XFX RMA Program" instead of something like "I need help from the XFX rep." In fact, the whole point to these threads is to let all of us see it and hopefully a company rep will decide its better to just give in and shut the pain in the ass up and limit the potential damage to the company's reputation. That is called putting them on the spot. Otherwise why post it instead of just contacting XFX directly, oh that's right, it is because he was already turned down.

 

[pug71]

Met AL , please say it again. I don't think some understand it.. Preach Bishop!

 

[Manny Calavera]

If the OP wanted help then why did he title the thread "Disappointed with XFX RMA Program" instead of something like "I need help from the XFX rep." In fact, the whole point to these threads is to let all of us see it and hopefully a company rep will decide its better to just give in and shut the pain in the ass up and limit the potential damage to the company's reputation. That is called putting them on the spot. Otherwise why post it instead of just contacting XFX directly, oh that's right, it is because he was already turned down.

QFT.

Totally agree here.

 

[TypeO]

If the OP wanted help then why did he title the thread "Disappointed with XFX RMA Program" instead of something like "I need help from the XFX rep." In fact, the whole point to these threads is to let all of us see it and hopefully a company rep will decide its better to just give in and shut the pain in the ass up and limit the potential damage to the company's reputation. That is called putting them on the spot. Otherwise why post it instead of just contacting XFX directly, oh that's right, it is because he was already turned down.

Agreement +1....tis sad.

 

[Darkstofknightz]

Because he was disappointed, thats why he titled it that. "If the OP wanted help then why did he title the thread "Disappointed with XFX RMA Program" instead of something like "I need help from the XFX rep." I don't really get what your trying to get at here man, you're really just disproving your own point, he didn't post that he needed help from the XFX rep here, your the one who's saying he did and wanted special treatment, so really that sentence idiotic. He posted what happened and said he made a mistake, is essence he made XFX case for them. Do you really think their reputation is tarnished because of what he posted? Absolutely not. I can see if he demanded something or went overboard with it that it would justify being called a pain in the ass, but he didn't do that. He is not being put on the spot get over it, he said he was looking into it, is that really being put on the spot or is that why he is here. And he posted it to tell people what happened in his situation, which I'm glad he did so when my brother gets his XFX card ill keep the stock heat sink for him. Seriously, chill out, chill pill, chillax, noobie didn't do anything wrong, you wern't wronged, XFX reputation is in tact I don't know how after this they have been threw alot in the post but they are OK, lol.

 

[inotocracy]

Whats wrong with that? If contacting XFX directly doesn't work, why cant he try another outlet?

 

[TypeO]

Because he was disappointed, thats why he titled it that. "If the OP wanted help then why did he title the thread "Disappointed with XFX RMA Program" instead of something like "I need help from the XFX rep." I don't really get what your trying to get at here man, you're really just disproving your own point, he didn't post that he needed help from the XFX rep here, your the one who's saying he did and wanted special treatment, so really that sentence idiotic.

So Met-AL isn't making sense huh? Well, how about this quote from dayze, the OP:

I am probably going to get flammed for that reason but I figured I could catch the eyes of a XFX rep and maybe we could work something out

I wouldn't start jumping on people unless you have a valid point. In this case, you don't.

 

[Chris_B]

You can modify the card with a 3rd party cooler but if you want to rma it you have to put the original heatsink on. Umm why exactly? That makes little to no sense, if xfx allows 3rd party coolers on the cards why shold the stock one be required if an rma is needed?

 

[CoolHotCold]

You can modify the card with a 3rd party cooler but if you want to rma it you have to put the original heatsink on. Umm why exactly? That makes little to no sense, if xfx allows 3rd party coolers on the cards why shold the stock one be required if an rma is needed?

Same with any company that allows modded heatsinks...
EVGA, BFG XFX etc...
Probably because if they need to replace the card they dont want to be swapping heatsinks off all the time, Lost heatsinks etc etc...
Saves everyone the bother if you just sent back the Graphics card like it came.

 

[Manny Calavera]

The thread title needs to be changed.

"Disappointed with myself for not reading the fine print,and following the manufacturers instructions"

 

[amd7674]

OMG I just cannot believe it, some many negativity against this poor guy. At the end his video card is broken, the missing broken fan has nothing to do it with it. In the worst case scenario, XFX should send him a replacement without a fan so he can use his own or with one and charge him few $$$ extra for it. Also I don't think he created this thread to flame XFX, cry or whine about it, he is just disappointed at the outcome...

BTW...HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !!!

 

[MrMike]

Yeah, I'm sorry OP, but XFXSupport your warranty page is quite well written. It's not that hard to understand.

He messed up, and I'm sure any video card company is willing to sell a replacement stock cooler to a customer. I don't know why an RMA tech wouldn't jump at the opportunity to e-mail him an invoice for a replacement cooler.

I mean... a company... not wanting... to sell something?