MSI warranty and rma issues......

[jlconrod]

Aside to Bas:

My apologies if Good Articles Forum is the wrong venue. I've read lots of your thoughtful and helpful threads tonight in several forums. If this is the wrong place, please move it to the correct Forum -- but please let me know where that is...

BTW, Hope I _don't_ need an RMA

FedEx just delivered my new KT4 Ultra yesterday (06/03), along with an AthlonXP 2100+ Tbird (retail) and Kingston PC2700 512MB DDR. I've been browsing the forums looking for _gotchas_ before I rip apart my existing WinXP Home SP1 system with FIC PA-2013B/Socket 7 mobo/AMD K6-2/512MB SDRAM for a _forklift_ upgrade to the new mobo/CPU/DDR RAM system in a new Antec 1080AMG Pro/420W PS box.

Other specs in my sig.

?( 1. Any tips and warnings?

2. If you are not sworn in blood to secrecy and non-disclosure -- what is the difference between my KT4 Ultra, the (gasp) even newer KT4A Ultra and _your_ KT4 Ultra_ARU?

TIA

 

[StOnD]

What is the average turn-around time on MSI's RMA deaprtment? They say they received my dead mobo on May 15, and I haven't seen or heard anything back yet. I'm getting a little impatient, as I've been without a computer for over 2 months!

It's a long story...

 

[acetken]

Welcome to the club, Stond. I sent mine out over two months ago too. All I've heard back is that they don't want to cover my repairs beacuse a sticker is missing off of the card. (Which legally, they can't do)
That was their second excuse though. The first one dealt with removing the heatsink since I have a watercooled system. (Koolance) I'd like to see you apply a water cooling block without removing the heatsink!
I asked my father, who's a lawyer, and he says that unless these were specifically cited on the documentation that doing those would void the warrenty, then I'm OK. (They weren't listed.) Now MSI's just being jerks about the whole thing.
The RAM on the card shorted out because of what they did. A flaw. It had nothing to do with me having a water cooling block on the core. They're not even related. I also don't think that that sticker was stopping the RAM from shorting out because that would be... Impossible.

I'm personally VERY angry. I've wasted a lot of time and have had nothing done. I'm going to make one more phone call, then check this forum in 6 hours. If I still have nothing back, I'm going to post on all forums of which I am a member (About 200 or so) my experiences with MSI. After that, I'm writing to Maximum PC's Watchdog and any other magazine. X( X( X( X( :O

 

[acetken]

A full day later... Nothing. Beautiful. Thanks MSI.

 

[Wonkanoby]

this is a user to user forum

no one here works for msi ,nor is in a position to really comment on this

but its allways been my understanding that if you modify a vga card then your warrenties gone

 

[StOnD]

At any rate, this is really making me and a lot of other people I'm sure very upset with MSI. Their products are good but if ther don't shape up on how they deal with their customers they are going to lose a LOT of business.

I'm about ready to tell MSI to go screw themselves and get a new mobo. I'm so flaming mad, my brand new rig will be obsolete by the time I actually get to use it! :O

 

[RAGUSMI]

Here's my 2 cents. I know it's MSI's site, but you don't have to run it like the gestapo. They are correct in saying if you want to claim excellent service then provide it everyone not just retailers and system manufacturers. I have gotten faster phone response from government offices. Sometimes a little bashing can make you aware that there must be a problem somewhere. Sounds like you don't give a #*%& aslong as you make a buck. I think next time I will buy a different brand and will be sure to recommend the same on forum I post on. Good Day!

 

[Frogg]

My experience has been that ALL factory customer care (sic) in the computer components and applications industry sucks, not just MSI's. The exceptions that I have found are Matrox and Corel.

Consequently, I purchase from on-line sources that appear from their sites to really do customer care. Generally, if their "contact us" listings offer only e-mail, don't buy; same goes for other indistinct listings for service access. I've received excellent customer care from Multiwave Direct, Directron, Knowledge Micro which is now eWiz, AJump, Openlinx, NewEgg, TC Computers which is now Insight, Coast to Coast Memory, and Spartan Technologies.

I also try to NEVER buy factory direct; the one exception to this right now is FrontX.

I also try to always pay the little bit extra to have major components like MB/CPU combos pre-tested prior to shipping.

I violated this last rule with my new KT6 Delta FIS2R, but MSI caught me on the hop with their discontinuation of the board and couldn't get a combo before any of my usual sources ran out of the board. However, I bought from someone on my reliable list. Also, my board is a very late edition, built and packaged after MSI stopped sending that useless D-Bracket (why do I need LED's to tell me what DOS scrolls past my face?) wityh the board; even the box printing no longer has it listed. I also hope for no problems because this board shares so much with the K8T Neo-FIS2R. I'll be all sorts of arcane incantations 'til I get the CPU and RAM into it and light it off.

However, if I do have to RMA my board, it'll be thru a stateside distributor who is responsive rather than thru a foretgn factory that really doesn't give a flip unless you speak the local.

BTW, we love to (justifiablly) bash the French, but note that both factories that have given me fine service are both Canuck, another breed of French entirely. Merci bien, Matrox et Corel!

 

[kt6user]

In addition, if you have a local shop nearby you, and you think that the fault is only a minor one, or your a bit of a noobie and don't want to prod around, then take the board in there and see what they can do. They might even deal with MSI for you.

 

[SkipCox]

My experiences with MSI have all been positive. RMA request only took a few minutes online and my board was thru the rma process in a month. Returned board was new in retail box with all accessories.

I'll keep buying MSI stuff...

 

[KaptCrunch]

Originally posted by BIGDADDY51CT
Hi Once you click on contact us, click on the plus sign on the map. It will show you address and phone number of facility there. BIGDADDY51 CT.

North America Headquarter

901 Canada Court
City of Industry, CA 91748

Tel 626 913 0828

Fax 626 913 0818

 

[starscout]

i'm in pakistan and would like to know how to get my FX5700U RMA. i can't seem to find any postal address to send the card too

 

[Wonkanoby]

http://www.msi.com.tw/html/about/contact2.htm

they dont show any contacts in your part of the world

i would start by going to the main office one in taiwan

 

[Streifenkarl]

Ah, just saw this thread, but you seem to forget one thing: You just wont be able to talk to an MSI employee since you will never get through... you will be put on hold forever until you give up. I tried my local number, the one in the UK and the one in the USA.

I have tried to call MSI countless times over the last two weeks, but I was never able to reach them. And my (always polite!) EMails havent been answered. Im beginning to think that MSI has worse customer support than Asus, and that means its bad, believe me, lol! 

They do make great motherboards and gfx cards, but in case your piece dies on you, you're f***ed, plain and simple.

 

[Tiresmoke]

http://support.msi.com.tw should get the job done.

My experience is with two products and having them RMA'd. The first was a MB which I tested a Bios for one of the MSI guys and it killed the board. I called the US office and got a propmt RMA. The second was my Megaplayer and a bad firmware update. I called once again and got a quick RMA. Both times there was a reasonable turnaround and they work with me on the board to speed up the process.

Since they changed over to the webv based Contact for RMA process there have been several folks that have stated they could not get through either on E-Mail or Phone to get an RMA but everyone that I have talked to did get their RMA accomplished through the link I provided above.

Hope that helps. Let's not be digging up long dead and buried posts please. Better to start a new one rather than to go back to what happened in 2003. JMHO

 

[Streifenkarl]

Thanx for the link, tiresmoke!

As for digging up old threads... I saw it on the first page and didnt check that date it was created.

 

[Grayone]

I just had a KT880 mobo go bad.  (Bad memory controller)  I went to the MSI site and filled out a request for a RMA on line last friday.  I already have my RMA number and will be sending it back.  No problems at all.

 

[Stu]

for reference, UK users can use this form to contact MSI UK tech support direct. check your local MSI office website, there may be something similar there for you too

http://www.msicomputer.co.uk/supportform_main.aspx

 

[hybriduk]

Calling MSI in the UK sucks because you get a recorded message saying go to the website or leave a message which never gets responded to 

 

[ex_forum_user_3]

All true to some extent.
MSI doesn't sell you the board, some dealer does.
That dealer must provide you the warrenty for 2 years (European Law).
You can only contact MSI for RMA if your dealer disapeared.
I know it's a bit different in Europe as US costomers are used to contact the manufacturer.
This doesn't work in Europe, as the place that delivered you the board has to warrent it.
Only if they are gone banckrupt or simular MSI has to help you.
Many people seems to forget this as you have to prove to MSI that:

1. Your dealer/distributor has gone out of bussyness
2. Proof of purchase in a European country

If you forget or can't prove those two, MSI is in no way forced to help you.
That is why all manufacturers answer so badly here, as you have to turn to the place of sale first.
If you happen to buy something second hand or outside Europe, you could be in serious trouble.