My wife and I replaced a 6 year old Dell desktop last August (2008) with an HP Pavillion a6500 desktop that we purchased at Best Buy. For the first 11.5 months the computer worked fine until two weeks before the warranty expired. Upon bootup the computer froze and wouldn't respond. I called the HP Service Center and spoke with an agent who, in an incomprehensible accent, tried to walk me through (over the phone I might add) the steps needed to take out and reinstall the memory cards. I tried, but nothing helped. He arranged for "the Box" to be sent from HP via FEDEX so I could return it to the service center. The computer went out on a Wednesday and was back by Saturday...it worked. For about three weeks. I called HP again when the PC wouldn't boot beyond a black screen and spent roughly 90 minutes on the phone with another agent who had another heavy accent. I explained the problem and was told my computer's warranty had expired. So, I purchased the HP Extended Warranty for 108.00 and was told a box would be sent again so I could return the computer. Two days went by and I still hadn't received a box. I called HP again and spoke with an agent who looked up my information. He said HP had to wait another 48 hours until the extended warranty was processed and then I could call back to place an order for the box. My internal thermostat was rising, but I followed protocol and called back. During this third phone call I had to explain the problem all over again to another barely comprehensible customer service rep. Finally, a box arrived via FEDEX and my new best friend Eric the driver. I shipped the tower back to HP and waited 7 days for it to arrive. No luck. I called back and spoke with my case manager Mary who told me a part was backordered, but the computer would be repaired and returned as soon as the part arrived. A total of 15 days passed and Eric showed up at my door with the "repaired" tower. HP told m the motherboard was defective and was replaced. The computer was up and running again...for three weeks. Last night, November 22, the computer wouldn't boot up. My internal thermostat exploded. I called HP again and spoke with another foreign customer service agent. I expressed my displeasure and requested a replacement computer of equal or higher value. He assured me the case would be forwarded to a case manager and requested a time when the CM could call me. I requested 4pm on Monday 11/23. While at work on Monday I checked my e-mail and found a message from Gordon, my CM who had been trying to contact me at home. Mind you, it was 9am...not 4 or even 3 pm. During a break at work I called Gordon and was simply happy to find that he spoke English well. I explained the latest problem, how this was the third time in a 6 week period that my computer was not working, and requested a replacement computer. He said, "under your extended warranty coverage you are eligible for a repair, but HP doesn't replace computer when one part is defective."
I went round and round with him for 20 minutes to no avail. His last response was "I am sorry sir, but this is the option you have." So now, I am waiting for Eric from FEDEX to show up for the 5th time in 6 weeks to hand me a box so I can ship out a lemon to some unknown warehouse, wait 5-7 business days, and hope that it is finally repaired. And I do this while typing on a 7 year old Dell Dimension. I would simply like a replacement computer from HP, one that functions properly and doesn't require more facetime with FEDEX delivery guys. Are there any other steps I can take to rectify this problem?