[crossfiredx2]

I ordered a Z77 saber-tooth motherboard from newegg.com. I had a USB sound system hooked up to the motherboard and decided that i no longer wanted to use it to i switched back to an analog speaker system. once i switched I realized that the audio drivers weren't installed when i installed them windows kept showing that there was an error. so i called the tech support and went through the process and found out that the on-board sound was faulty. So i sent the motherboard in for a RMA. This process took about a week and a half with shipping and all. Once i received my new motherboard I installed it into my system and reloaded windows. Thus the sound drivers still didn't, so I called tech support again and went through the whole process and discovered that the board was defective. So once again I sent the motherboard in for an RMA. This time they offered to cross ship with tracking, the next day I received a phone call from the cross ship dept telling me that they couldn't cross ship with out a Credit Card on file, because it was a high end motherboard. I told them that I didn't have enough credit on my card to cover the cost of the motherboard. That is really dumb on ASUS part to treat customers that spend more money for a motherboard worst than those who spend less that's not good business. Anyway they told me to fill out some more information that was sent by email. The email form wanted my name, address, Credit Card info, and the SN for the motherboard. The motherboard was already in transit to be repaired so I didn't have the SN and I told them that didn't have a Credit Card to put it on. So I called Tech support and they told me not to worry about the form. Another week and a half I received the motherboard back which was Friday, 22th Feb. upon opening the box I realized that the Thermal armor that is supposed to be on the saber-tooth board was missing. The previous two boards had the thermal armor as it should. So they shipped me a naked board. So I called Tech support again and setup a 3rd RMA. Which I have been waiting 3 days for the shipping label and information.

I don't know if anyone else has had this many problems with ASUS RMA service, but I wanted to let my fellow OCN'ers the kind of problems that I have had. Normally ASUS has a high quality product and I'm hoping that I just got a batch of bad motherboards because normally I only buy ASUS motherboards but, this experience kinda has me worried about the quality of their motherboards.

I'd like to hear any response from ASUS customer support from their email survey they sent me. But I almost doubt it.

Crossfiredx2

 

[Fuell]

Wait... they sent you a naked Saber-Tooth???

How... Why didn't... I mean... What>?

 

[crossfiredx2]

It had no thermal shielding on the board pics attached before and after.

IMAG0252.jpg 1353k .jpg file


IMAG0255.jpg 1290k .jpg file

 

[DeXel]

People indeed had many problems with Asus RMA lately, but first things first.

Did you actually ever tried to reinstall Windows? Two boards in a row with broken audio is unlikely unless it was the same board.

 

[crossfiredx2]

yea did two fresh installs both boards showed the audio as a multimedia device with a yellow ! next to it. and I tried updating bios, latest drivers, older drivers, uninstalling and re installing drivers. wouldn't detect my headphones or speakers. unplugged front audio port from mobo. I should have written the SN from the first board and seen if it was the same one. used Win 8 and 7.

 

[orlcam88]

I just had this same experience. They sent me my motherboard back instead of a replacement. I wasted time installing it just to find out I had the same issue as originally. I had to take things apart just to see if it was the same serial number and sure enough it was the same one I had sent. After an angry call, they suggest a cross over. They'll send me a replacement and I'll send them back my motherboard.

The original issue is that after booting, windows would crash. It occurred during sleep but it progressed to when I booted. before I sent it in for RMA, I had replaced the psu because I read somewhere that this could be the issue. When that didn't fix the issue, I then replaced the cpu. I had a 2 yr warranty with the store I purchased it so it was a quick exchange. I restarted the pc and again failure. As I wasn't getting any beeps, I figured it wasn't mb problem so I then did a memory test. Ran it for 2 hours and all was good. So that left me with the first RMA as explained in the first paragraph.

But things get worst. It's over a month now, and I get the replacement board on my 2nd RMA. The board was dusty and I was very suspicious of it as I didn't have confidence that it'll work. So guess what? my spider senses were correct. defective mb. I couldn't even get a display and after a few seconds it would reboot. The second reboot would remain on but nothing displaying, no bios no nothing. So, now I'm thinking maybe but maybe all along its my graphic's card. So I had 9800 on another computer and I put that on. Same *****, no display.

Now I'm really pissed off. I sent them a nasty e-mail and accused them of cross switching someone else's bad mb with mine. Let's see if they reply because I was extremely angry when I wrote it. Not very nice choice of words.
Basically, this will be the last time I purchase anything made by ASUS. Their warranty policy is basically useless. If anything, I should had brought a store warranty, at least with that I'd get a new one, not someone's else's junk.

 

[orlcam88]

Here's the latest on this issue.
After a few e-mails with Asus, it was agreed that they would exchange the mb by expedite return. I looked at the form and I didn't like the wording. re-printed below:
I ___________________________ (Name, please print) have thoroughly read and fully understand the agreement that
ASUS has provided as terms for an Advance Replacement. I acknowledge that if any legal action must be instituted in
the collection of any agreed dollar amount, I will be held responsible to pay all legal fees incurred, including attorney
and court fees.

I didn't want to sign the above because what if they say I damaged it and I have to pay? At this point I don't trust them and I refuse to sign off and asked for an alternative method. The alternative is that I send them the board then wait for the replacement.
After a week I get a confirmation from FEDEX that it was delivered. I contacted them the next day. I get an e-mail back stating that a pin was bent on the board I sent back and because of this, they can not Honour the warranty. They then went on to say that they will see how much it'll cost to repair and get back to me. Luckily I have no hair cause now my anger is in a rage. But I calmly said that I can not accept their offer of repair because the mb they sent me was damaged. btw, I know there weren't any pin bent because the cpu slipped in easily. I had a bent mb once a few years ago and I had trouble getting the cpu on. Had to use a magnifier to see one of the pins was bent. So, I had experience with this already. So now just imagine if I had went along and signed that form. I'd be screwed out of more money.

So they apologize and said that it's company policy and do I want to proceed with the repair. I told them no and to send me proof.
In the mean time I started researching the internet. Checked out the BBB and started seeing a pattern with them. It appears based on the complaints that they send out replacements that are not functional. No matter what product it is. I saw a few where they had to RMA the product back more than twice. The other pattern I saw was that they would say that the product was damaged. I also checked out consumeraffairs.com and saw the same thing. I then contacted a friend of mine who works for a law firm to sue.

So on my next e-mail I told them what I did. I said I saw a pattern with your company and I'm getting a lawyer. Suddenly, they didn't realize that I said the mb was damaged and that they would send me a re-certified replacement. Unbelievable.

I'm holding onto my lawyer in the meantime and ready.
never again will I buy from ASUS.