![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
So I read on this forum some positive and some not so positive stories about BFGs lifetime warranty on its video card products so I figured I would just share my ongoing RMA story. I purchase a BFG FX5900 from Frys sometime ago (my first mistake.) It was a great deal at the time at $200 w/o rebates. So I installed it and everything was happy until last October. The card started to show some weird artifacts on screen so I figured I just RMA it and get a replacement. It went great, I shipped the card off and the replacement card came back UPS 2 day air. I was thinking to myself at the time, BFG is awesome; every company should have a RMA policy like theirs. My second mistake was not installing it right away and making sure it was a working card.
Couple months went by and I decided it might be time for me to get off my lazy ass and install the replacement FX5900. So after I switched the cards and fired up CoD 2, to my surprise, this replacement got worse framerates then my temporary GeForce TI-4200 card at the same setting and there were artifacts all over. I figure no biggie, maybe this card slipped through BFGs QA dept. and I didnt expect a problem RMAing the replacement since the first time went so smooth. I called them up and requested a RMA number, shipped off the card and it got there in 2 days (01/11/06.) I was like, great, they will probably ship my 2nd replacement card by the end of the week since they claim their in-house turn around time is 2 days. So I waited patiently for UPS to show up with my 2nd replacement card. A week went by and still nada. I wasnt worry about it since I didnt expect them to ship it 2 day air like they did last time but I was just curious if they had a tracking number available for me to check on the status. I emailed their RMA dept but since I didnt have my RMA # at the time, I gave them my shipping info and hoped that they can dig up the info for me. They emailed me back 2 days later with a tracking number and when I checked the UPS site, it said it was delivered. I was like, wtf? I clicked on the details button and saw that it was delivered, but to the wrong city. Im now thinking, okay, maybe they sent the wrong tracking info since I didnt give them my RMA # in the original email. So I dug through the pile of crap in drawer and found the RMA #. I called their toll free number and was put on hold for 40+ mins and got disconnected. I tried again and the same thing happened, I was on hold listening to the music they played and after about 40+ mins, I got disconnected.
Now Im a little p.oed but whatever, it was the weekend and they probably had a skeleton crew working. I tried again the next day (Sunday) and the same crap happened, but it was only a lil over 30 mins this time before I was disconnected. I tried again and after about 20 or so mins, I finally spoke to a live CSR. He said that he couldnt find any record of receiving the card so I gave him my delivery confirmation number so he can check for himself with the USPS site that it was indeed delivered on the 11th. He told me that he would have to check with the warehouse dept but since it was Sunday, no one was there and they would contact me when they have the info.
Couple of days went by and still no word so I called them again (01/25/06) at 8 in the morning (I started to keep a log on the time and what I was told.) I waited only 15 mins before a CSR (same guy) came online and helped me out. I gave him my info and he put me on hold while he checked with the warehouse dept to see if they had any idea. Another 15 mins waiting and he came back saying that the person in the warehouse dept that would know is not available and asked for my phone number so he can contact me once he finds out the status. I gave him my number and 2 and half hours later, he called to let me know that the warehouse person had no idea where the tracking info is on the replacement card they sent. I asked what am I suppose to do now and he was nice enough to say that they will send another card out. I asked if it be possible for me to pay for the shipping to get it upgraded to UPS next day air and he told me not to worry about and that they will try and expedite the shipping. I also asked if they can send me an email with the tracking number once they have it shipped and he told me that they usually dont and UPS will send me a notification when they scan the package and was told that info should be available by Friday from UPS. I was like, how nice of them to do that.
So I waited and nothing came in the email or UPS. So its now today, one week after I spoke to BFG the second time. I decided to call again and ask for status update. Called at 10:12AM and was put on hold for about 22 mins. Same guy answer the call (is this the only person in the RMA dept.?) I gave him my info and was put on hold while he checks with the warehouse dept. After 13 mins, he came back and said was still checking, another 11 mins and was told the warehouse person shipped it on the 25th or was suppose to anyway. I was put on hold one last time for about 8 mins and the CSR come back and they cant find the tracking record and they will ship it out with next day or at least faster than normal method. It was at this point when I just had about enough and let slipped a stupid comment about not holding my breathe waiting for it to show up and I will probably end up again calling next week. Once I said that, I felt bad at myself for directing a comment like towards him and I quickly apologized to him. Its just that I was frustrated at this point with BFG and the only point of contact to BFG was through this CSR. Ive been in his place in previous jobs and shouldve known better.
Anyways, hopefully the card will be here this weekend or early next week cos I am really sick of listening to the listening music BFG plays. And I realize that the FX5900 might not be their latest flagship card but I feel like maybe BFG is not concern about this RMA as it would if this was a say 7800GTX. Of course I might/probably am wrong about that statement but thats just my thoughts at the moment. I will update this when/if I get my card. If it works great, if not, Im going to bring it the range and unload a couple of rounds into it with my trusty ppk-s. Either way, I am done with buy or recommending BFG products from now on. If any representative from BFG or people who know people from BFG would like to comment on this, feel free to do so. Perhaps they can provide another side to this story rather than just my side since its hard to be subjective from my point of view.
I am sorry for wasting 10 mins of whoevers life thats reading this long boring post.
Couple months went by and I decided it might be time for me to get off my lazy ass and install the replacement FX5900. So after I switched the cards and fired up CoD 2, to my surprise, this replacement got worse framerates then my temporary GeForce TI-4200 card at the same setting and there were artifacts all over. I figure no biggie, maybe this card slipped through BFGs QA dept. and I didnt expect a problem RMAing the replacement since the first time went so smooth. I called them up and requested a RMA number, shipped off the card and it got there in 2 days (01/11/06.) I was like, great, they will probably ship my 2nd replacement card by the end of the week since they claim their in-house turn around time is 2 days. So I waited patiently for UPS to show up with my 2nd replacement card. A week went by and still nada. I wasnt worry about it since I didnt expect them to ship it 2 day air like they did last time but I was just curious if they had a tracking number available for me to check on the status. I emailed their RMA dept but since I didnt have my RMA # at the time, I gave them my shipping info and hoped that they can dig up the info for me. They emailed me back 2 days later with a tracking number and when I checked the UPS site, it said it was delivered. I was like, wtf? I clicked on the details button and saw that it was delivered, but to the wrong city. Im now thinking, okay, maybe they sent the wrong tracking info since I didnt give them my RMA # in the original email. So I dug through the pile of crap in drawer and found the RMA #. I called their toll free number and was put on hold for 40+ mins and got disconnected. I tried again and the same thing happened, I was on hold listening to the music they played and after about 40+ mins, I got disconnected.
Now Im a little p.oed but whatever, it was the weekend and they probably had a skeleton crew working. I tried again the next day (Sunday) and the same crap happened, but it was only a lil over 30 mins this time before I was disconnected. I tried again and after about 20 or so mins, I finally spoke to a live CSR. He said that he couldnt find any record of receiving the card so I gave him my delivery confirmation number so he can check for himself with the USPS site that it was indeed delivered on the 11th. He told me that he would have to check with the warehouse dept but since it was Sunday, no one was there and they would contact me when they have the info.
Couple of days went by and still no word so I called them again (01/25/06) at 8 in the morning (I started to keep a log on the time and what I was told.) I waited only 15 mins before a CSR (same guy) came online and helped me out. I gave him my info and he put me on hold while he checked with the warehouse dept to see if they had any idea. Another 15 mins waiting and he came back saying that the person in the warehouse dept that would know is not available and asked for my phone number so he can contact me once he finds out the status. I gave him my number and 2 and half hours later, he called to let me know that the warehouse person had no idea where the tracking info is on the replacement card they sent. I asked what am I suppose to do now and he was nice enough to say that they will send another card out. I asked if it be possible for me to pay for the shipping to get it upgraded to UPS next day air and he told me not to worry about and that they will try and expedite the shipping. I also asked if they can send me an email with the tracking number once they have it shipped and he told me that they usually dont and UPS will send me a notification when they scan the package and was told that info should be available by Friday from UPS. I was like, how nice of them to do that.
So I waited and nothing came in the email or UPS. So its now today, one week after I spoke to BFG the second time. I decided to call again and ask for status update. Called at 10:12AM and was put on hold for about 22 mins. Same guy answer the call (is this the only person in the RMA dept.?) I gave him my info and was put on hold while he checks with the warehouse dept. After 13 mins, he came back and said was still checking, another 11 mins and was told the warehouse person shipped it on the 25th or was suppose to anyway. I was put on hold one last time for about 8 mins and the CSR come back and they cant find the tracking record and they will ship it out with next day or at least faster than normal method. It was at this point when I just had about enough and let slipped a stupid comment about not holding my breathe waiting for it to show up and I will probably end up again calling next week. Once I said that, I felt bad at myself for directing a comment like towards him and I quickly apologized to him. Its just that I was frustrated at this point with BFG and the only point of contact to BFG was through this CSR. Ive been in his place in previous jobs and shouldve known better.
Anyways, hopefully the card will be here this weekend or early next week cos I am really sick of listening to the listening music BFG plays. And I realize that the FX5900 might not be their latest flagship card but I feel like maybe BFG is not concern about this RMA as it would if this was a say 7800GTX. Of course I might/probably am wrong about that statement but thats just my thoughts at the moment. I will update this when/if I get my card. If it works great, if not, Im going to bring it the range and unload a couple of rounds into it with my trusty ppk-s. Either way, I am done with buy or recommending BFG products from now on. If any representative from BFG or people who know people from BFG would like to comment on this, feel free to do so. Perhaps they can provide another side to this story rather than just my side since its hard to be subjective from my point of view.
I am sorry for wasting 10 mins of whoevers life thats reading this long boring post.
