Bottom Of The Barrel

Buyer Beware

Below is text taken from a actual support chat [after checking the feeder, cleaning the rollers, clearing the memory] with Lexmark regarding my now malfunctioning x3470 all-in-one ink jet printer/scanner/copier [names have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty]:

[Bob] The Paper Jam is mainly concerned only with the "Rollers" of the printer and rollers are defective since it is not feeding the paper in.
[Jill] is it common that they fail this way after just over a year of use?
[Bob] Not always Jill, I understand your question but sometimes problems might occur but this does not happen always with all the printers.
[Bob] I understand how you feel.
[Jill] I have found many posts online about this issue but no resolution. Does this indicate to you that all of these other printers also have defective rollers?
[Bob] Jill, this is a very good question, I will definitely pass this comments to our "Research and Development" team.
[Bob] Not all printers are defective but sometimes only few of the printers 1 out of 100 might get defective.
[Jill] http://www.fixya.com/support/t223658-paper_jam_lexmark_x3470#SameProblemContinued
[Jill] this page might give you a different point of view. Sounds like another design flaw [just like the switch that fell apart and literally hundreds of people have fixed on their own].
[Jill] So what now? Buy another printer?
[Bob] Jill, I just came to know that X3470 due to its multiple defects had been stopped and there is better printer than X3470 which is upgraded one X3550 which had no defects.
[Jill] So my model has been discontinued because it was so poorly designed and built. The replacement x3550 runs about $85. If I was under warranty, what would you ship me?
[Bob] We would have shipped X3550.
[Jill] but since I am over by 4 months I am just simply out of luck?
[Bob] Yes Jill, I am really sorry for that.
[Bob] I really wish that your printer was under warranty.
[Jill] I really wish your corporation A. made good products and B. would stand behind them in a case where it has been discontinued because it is such a poor machine.
[Bob] I would like to give you 20% discount Jill, If you don't mind.
[Jill] That is better than nothing.
[Jill] although, honestly, am not sure I could ever buy another lexmark product now that I know you ship this level of defective machines
[Bob] No Jill, if the you find the printer defective again, we will definitely be able to help you since we will have this transcript of chat session stored and you can also get the transcript emailed to your email address.
[Bob] X3550 is the upgraded one with no defects.
[Jill] help is one thing, aggravation and time is another. I can't get my time back this morning trying to correct a known defective product.
[Bob] I suggest you to buy X3550 to work without any problem.
[Bob] I really understand how you feel Jill.
[Bob] I am really very sorry for the inconvenience caused to you in this regard.
[Jill] Well if nothing more can be done, I guess I'll be off to look for an HP or Epson or Cannon.
[Bob] I would have definitely replaced the printer if it was under warranty.
[Jill] I would hope so Bob.

I guess the moral of the story is to make sure you break your printer 11 months after it is purchased so that the manufacturer will have to replace it and therefore you can get at least 2 years out of the product.

posted by TheWino @ 8:33 AM