Complaint Review: Gateway Computers

After careful consideration we bought a Gateway performance500 computer a little over 3 years ago, during the first 2 years we had to replace the following; 1 floppy drive, 1 dvd-cd rom drive, 1 hard drive, 2 keyboards, 3 mouses (finally wised up and bought a good one at Staples), and 4 17" color monitors.

Our latest one lasted 18 mos. Never once did anyone suggest, maybe we should take a look at this piece of garbage to see if there is some problem here. Now gateway was fine as long as they could keep throwing warranty parts at it, but now, forget it, they take no responsibility for a run of really bad hardware. Out of warranty yeah, but 4 monitors in three years, I don't think so.

I did however get a lot of "well yes sir, we should cover the monitor, let me connect you with my supervisor". After numerous phone calls, and some very heated debate, I found out the following, I could get a 50$ check towards a non-Gateway monitor, and then found out that, no, we don't do that and never have, however we can arrange "paid" service on your monitor, because Gateway believes in keeping our customers happy. "Paid" meant though, that it would be paid by me, they would just make the call to set up the service (I could have done that if I wanted to).

But, to make it up to me I could get 70$ off another Gateway monitor, I could get one for 129$!! Hey great, but I can get a NEC 17" monitor, with 3 yrs. parts and labor at Staples for 139$. Buy a gateway ? Not with your money.

Tony
N.Plainfiled, New Jersey
U.S.A.