HP Sucks
January 11, 2008 — Bryan
This just in from the Dad In The Headlights Consumer Protection Division: Hewlett-Packard royally sucks.
I am completely convinced that HP has developed a secret technology to cause products to fail right after the warranty has expired. This has happened to me twice with HP products over the past several years.
The first was with a laptop. The week after the warranty expired, the power jack broke off inside the computer. I contacted HP support and the only thing they could offer me was a “great deal” on an upgrade. It turned out that their awesome deal was more than everyday prices at any local computer store. I checked into getting it repaired, but it would have involved replacing the entire motherboard. In the end, it would have cost more to repair than to replace. So, I tore it apart piece by piece and spread the remains across eBay. I probably got about $200 for a laptop that cost a lot more than that.
Fast forward to 2007. We had problems with our HP printer several times throughout the year. It would suddenly just start printing out blank pages–even with full cartridges. Each time, I would get with technical support and go through excruciating steps to finally get it working again. Well this week, even technical support couldn’t get it going again and they said there was nothing more they could do. And yes, you guessed it–just a couple of weeks after the warranty ran out. They once again offered me these incredible deals on upgrades that were not such great deals. I pointed out that their own records showed that the problems started well before the warranty expired. However, they politely said that they would be happy to replace the printer–if it was still under warranty. Grrr….
Whatever happened to good customer service? I know, they are not required to do anything beyond the letter of the warranty. I get it…pipe down. If I were running a company, I think that I would have an unpublished grace period on warranties. If a product fails within “x” number of weeks of the warranty expiration and the customer requests it, I would replace the product. At the very least, they could have actually offered a good deal on a new printer and I would have been happy.
Instead, if this post deters just one person from buying an HP product, they are money behind by not keeping me happy. (Evil laughter)
February 9, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Wish I would have just Google’d “HP Sucks” before I ordered from them.
http://www.hp-customer-service.com/2008/02/hp-customer-service-is-horrible.html
Never again.
March 26, 2008 at 1:10 am
HP Sucks! How can this company still be in business!?!
After the hell I’ve had dealing with hp it is at least semi-comforting to know that I’m not the only one! If I can spend my last dying breath giving one piece of advice to anyone buying a computer- DO NOT EVER BUY ANYTHING FROM HP!!! Their products are sub-par, and their customer service is non-existent! I have spent a year and a half dealing with these idiots and I can tell you from personal experience that spending money with hp is equivalent to throwing your money away!
I bought an HP Pavillion laptop 2 years ago which continually broke down over the course of the first six months of ownership, all for the same problem that the repair center was incapable of fixing- a faulty video card. The third time I sent it back they told me there were had no parts left to fix it and that I would have to wait 4 weeks for them to either repair it or replace it. SIX weeks later I still had no computer & customer service, when they did bother to return my phone calls, kept telling me there weren’t any laptops available to replace it! After almost eight weeks I finally recieved a new laptop with a downgraded operating system. Literally the first time I turned on the new laptop to connect to the internet the screen flashed out and went black, the exact same problem that had happened with my last computer. I got so frustrated I put the thing away for a couple of months, knowing that since I had bought an extended warranty with my purchase I could contact customer service again once I had cooled off. A few months later I contacted hp again, and having been told that it would be repaired, sent my laptop off in their provided box. Two days later I got the computer back with a note from the repair department stating it was not covered under warranty, and would not be repaired. I called customer service and left 6 messages. No one returned my call. I then wrote a letter to the Board of Directors. I recieved an email a week later from the head of customer service asking for details of my complaint. I replied back and explained the situation, giving him names, dates, warranty numbers, etc. That was 6 months ago, and I still haven’t gotten anyone to reply since.
THIS COMPANY IS CRAP FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM! They do not stand behind their sub-par products, and they will not honor their warranties. Take it from everyone who has gone through this- avoid them like grim death!
April 28, 2008 at 9:58 am
I purchased an HP computer/monitor recently. I do like the machines. I’ve never had a problem with any of them. But I will say their customer support/service - whatever you want to call it - and their tech support sucks BIG TIME. For one thing, every time I try to call ANYONE at HP I’m on hold for an hour - and that’s after trying to get through their stupid phone system. And even when you get someone they don’t actually help you do anything.
When I purchased my computer I was told there would be 12 months NO INTEREST. I just got the first bill. The interest picks up next month - that’s less than 90 days. I called HP Customer Svc to try to talk to someone. They put a dispute on it - that’s all. It’s basically my word against theirs.
I guess I know what I’m doing with my tax rebate check… does that help the economy? Even though every part is made outside of the U.S.?
You can read about my situation at http://www.jellocat.com - click on The Litter Box.
May 6, 2008 at 11:19 am
HATE HP IN GENERAL AFTER MY COUSIN BOUGHT ME DV9000 LAPTOP NEW!! IT SLOWLY STARTED TO BREAK DOWN UNITL THE MOTHERBOARD DIDN’T RESPOND AT ALL SO I GOT A NEW (BECAUSE THATS HP’S POLICY) AND IT WOULDN’T TURN ON. HP IS A JOKE. YOU ARE BETTER OFF WITH CLASSIC COMPUTER.
May 24, 2008 at 1:29 pm
As a nice gesture for my daughter’s graduation from University I bought her a top linr Pavillion 8200 Media laptop.
It cost me about $2000,only 2 years ago,
Now that Microsoft has screwed up her system with their wonderful Service pack 3, her drivers for her USB drive and her Cd/DVD/Burner are not functioning.
We have the driver recovery disk,but can’t use it (no cd to read it) and can’t cpoy it on to a jump drive,cause the USB drivers are missing too!
HP could easily zip the drivers for the whole dam system,but now that it’s out of warranty,they want a service charge.
Why should we pay for Microsoft’s screw up and drivers ,thats hould be part of HP’s on-site tech support?
These HP guys were total jerks on the phone!
Never again HP….stick your laptops,where the sun don’t shine!
June 7, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Some days this “2575 All-in-one” works flawlessly. Those days are rare. More often than not I have to stress out and not put a load of 000 buckshot right through it. It constantly jams, or worse tells me there is no paper when I just put half a ream into it. The support crew must be a bunch of rooster-slurping idiots. I have performed every trouble shooting step available and will probably be buying a new (hp compatible but not hp brand) printer. I hope my neighbors don’t call the cops when I shoot this printer after I make it eat the pavement! Chingar a la HP
June 12, 2008 at 10:02 am
I bought a hp laptop form compusa almost 2 years ago. I purchased the 2 year accidental damage warranty along with it. To this day, i have sent my laptop back 4 times (trying to work on a fifth!). The first time i had it shipped back was because it fell out of my backpack while riding my motorcycle. So, i sent it back because it was truely accidental. They fixed it no problem. Upon return, other problems started to arise. The first issue to arise was that the nvidia video card stopped working while playing my beloved video games. Also, after some time the screen would just flash (after running it for about an hour). So, i sent it back. They waved their wand, fixed it, and returned it back to me. When i got the machine back, i noticed that certain things like usb, flash media, and firewire ports did not work. So, I Sent it back. Got it back again, and then after about a month of using the machine, it started to smoke… So, i sent it back… I got it back the last time and it worked for a couple of months, did the video card thing again, and then started to pop and smoke. So (as before), i sent it back. Today, i got it back from HP. It was not fixed. I called to inquire why it was not repaired. The sent me to a special case manager that will have some sort of hazzard team call me within 24 to 48 hours… I am begining to think that they are half A@#ing the repair job to only last through my warranty period. So, to go along with the quality of product that they have, it obviously is a sub par product that in my case could possibly set my house on fire… Oh, i forgot to mention that the screen was cracked when i got it back un repaired. (forgive me if i misspelled, was never my strong point)
June 24, 2008 at 3:49 pm
http://www.hpnotebookssuck.com/
Their laptops suck so bad, I decided to make an entire web site dedicated to it.
Come and post away. And you might find out more info about any pending class action suits and get your repairs for free, the way HP SHOULD be helping their customers.
June 25, 2008 at 11:10 am
HP is definately a PITA. (pain in the a*s) I have a V6000 and let me tell you, it’s HELL! My warranty just expired, my hard drive is DEFECTIVE from what HP update tells me. Every day I have to reformat and re install, AND I get BSOD every like two hours. Service here sucks too, all i can say is, I’m buying a Dell XPS M1530 and never looking back, at this rate, I’m suprised HP isn’t bankrupt.
July 1, 2008 at 7:43 am
The same thing is happening to me. Every 4 months the motherboard fails and the last time it happened (today) happened as soon as the warranty ended…. Everytime this happens there seems to be a HP Update. Anyone uncderstand what im getting to…..
July 23, 2008 at 11:20 am
they’ve had my goddamn computer for 6 months. NEVER EVER buying anything hp again.