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I purchsed my FHD2400 to replace my FPD2485 (couldn't stand the inverse ghosting after a while) 12/8/2008. On 12/12/2008 I sent in my monitor to repair the backlight bleeding. I understand that TN panels have some backlight bleeding, but this was unacceptable. There was a 2''-2.5'' band of bleeding on all four sides of the monitor. Colors got washed out and it completely ruined the point of an "HD" monitor.
I questioned the status of the repair on 12/27/08 and they emailed that they hadn't received my monitor yet! However, the FedEx tracking shows it was signed and delivered on 12/24/2008. They still refused that they had my monitor and made me verify with FedEx and get proof it was delivered. A week later they found the monitor in their repair center.
Next, they told me is that my monitor is not under warranty and that I didn't own it. I just bought the monitor on 12/8 for crying out loud. So, they wanted me to fax a copy of the invoice over to the repair center. I faxed the invoice information to them to prove I owned it. I assumed everything was going fine.
On 1/7/2009 I inquired about the status again. They emailed stated that they never received proof of ownership. Now I was boiling! It was almost a month and NOTHING had been done! I eventually complained enough to be moved to a Level 1 service rep (Ryan Lawrence - [email protected]). On 1/9/2009 he called and asked me to email him my invoice, which I did. According to my phone records he called again on 1/9/09 @ 3:57 p.m. to tell me that my monitor was under warranty and that I would have nothing to worry about. Hallelujah- a miracle!
A week later (1/15/09) I received my monitor - unrepaired!
I called again to complain and the Level 1 and 2 customer service reps still had in their notes that I didn't own my monitor and it wasn't under warranty! OMG! So I had to explain to them what Ryan said and they contacted Ryan who contacted me this morning (1/16/09) at 10:41 a.m. He stated he didn't look into the reason why it was being repaired originally and that backlight bleeding is a customer-caused problem and would not be covered under warranty. In other words, he stated that I broke my monitor!!!! I had it in my house and out of the box for only 30 minutes before I shipped it to Gateway for repair and apparently in that time I broke the monitor!
I even tried to explain to him that this was a common problem with this model, even directing him to these forums... but he refused to listen, instead saying there was nothing else he could do.
He said I could send it in for repair again but that 9 times out of 10 backlight bleeding problems are caused by the customer and that the repair center would return it again unrepaired! He suggested returning it to TigerDirect, whichI explained to him that I can no longer do, since Gateway had my monitor for OVER a month!
So, in summation, I have a monitor still at my house and Gateway wasted a month of my life, $30 in shipping for NOTHING! But in sarcasm, I can always attempt to return it to them again with a 90% chance that it will be returned to me unrepaired! How bout them odds?!?!?!
I will NEVER buy a Gateway again- and I used to be the largest defender of their products, but if this is the way they treat their customer, they can take a flying leap!
PS- When I opened my package last night the monitor wasn't even packaged like I had packed it originally! There was no plastic protecting around the monitor so that the screen didn't get scratched, there was not bag around the monitor to keep out moisture! Instead it was just the monitor placed between styrafoam unprotected. There was moisture on the screen, fingerprints ALL over it and dirt on the screen... and I don't mean a layer of dust... but actual pieces of dirt!
I'm now waiting on a response from TigerDirect (though its not their fault or problem) to see if I can at least get store credit so I can purchase a new monitor). I've filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau as well as the Attorney General. Next up is a lengthy letter to Gateway's corporate headquarters!
My friend had a similar, but not as bad experience. He had his monitor for a bit, and it started to intermittently have issues. He called for RMA, and they told him it wasn't under warranty - but it was, since he didn't buy it not too long before he called. He tried explaining to them, but they kept insisting it was past warranty. he got fed up and is stuck with a POS monitor.
I also own a FHD2400, i got used to the back light bleeding - only see it on totally black screesn. But I will never buy another gateway product again. If i were my friend, or you, I would call my credit card company and have them reverse the charges. Send them a copy of the bill, the warranty, and tell them you contacted them and they are saying it is past warranty, when it is not. They will help you. And if not, call better business bureau, slander them on the internet if you have... anything to get your piece of mind!
