Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!boulder!spot!rhysling
From: rhysling@spot.Colorado.EDU (Michael Rhysling)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: PC Brand hardware, tech support, etc,
Message-ID: <7449@boulder.Colorado.EDU>
Date: 15 Mar 89 23:25:00 GMT
Sender: news@boulder.Colorado.EDU
Reply-To: rhysling@spot.Colorado.EDU (Michael Rhysling)
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Lines: 87
In-Reply-To: <4128@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>


In article <4128@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> you write:
>Does anyone have experiences - good, bad, or indifferent - with PC Brand 
>hardware?  I'm considering the purchase of a PC Brand 386-20.  The reviews of 
>the product are good, but I've been mislead by good reviews before.  So if
>you've been disappointed, incredibly pleased, shocked, or merely satisfied 
>with PC Brand hardware in general or their 386-20 specifically, please e-mail
>or post you comments and opinions.
>
>Disclaimer: It's mine, but if you want it you can have it.
>*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
>CHARLES REZAC   *   bitnet: REZAC@UKANVAX   internet: rezac@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu

I recently ordered a 386-20 from them and have a fairly long story.  Hit 'n'
now if you're not interested.

I ordered the thing on Feb. 6.  It took a while to get through to the order
line.  I suggest calling in the morning.  I was pleasantly surprised to hear
that they had just dropped the price of the system from $2100 to $1995 and
the hard disk (miniscribe 3180e 150megs ESDI) from $1440 to $1295.  I don't
know if these prices are still in effect.  By the way, if you get this or
another ESDI drive, don't forget to include the price of a controller 
(Adaptec 2322, $150).

I wanted the system configured (cost me an extra $60 for installing hard
disk, 3.5" floppy, 5 1/4" floppy, and 40 tape drive) so they said it would
take 2 1/2 to 3 weeks for me to get it.

I called 3 weeks later (a Monday) and was told it was still being configured.
I asked for an estimate and was told to give them until Friday to "be on the
safe side."  Getting through to customer service is a real joy (BIG sarcasm).
Definitely call in the morning; when they open (9:30 CST) if you can.

I called again Monday (now 4 weeks) and was told it had "just been sent to
their shipping department" and that it would be to me by Friday.  

I called again Friday and was told it had just been shipped that day.  It
should be to me in four business days.  I had my doubts.

I got it yesterday about 2 weeks late in all.  I read through the manuals,
set a couple of switches, installed some of my own stuff, and turned it on.
Nothing happened.  Well, the power light came on and the hard disk whirred 
for a second but it wouldn't do the POST or try to boot from drive A.

I called Tech Support and didn't have much trouble getting through.  She had
me check all the things I had already checked and told me to send it back.
She said it sounded like a CPU problem since it wouldn't do the POST.  How
the CPU got damaged in shipping is beyond me.  

I read the instructions they sent for returning merchandise and decided I
didn't want to pay UPS shipping when they sent me a machine that didn't work.
I called Customer Service, expecting to have to yell and scream.  I explained
the situation to the lady.  No problem, she said.  They would send a call tag
to UPS so they would come and pick up the system.  

The call tag will take about three days to get to UPS and then it'll take
three days for the machine to get to them.  Give Tech Support a little while
to play with it, then three days to get it to me, and I should have a 
working machine (I hope) about 7 weeks after I ordered it.  As you might
guess, I'm not too pleased with this.

The only good thing in this mess has been the quality of the PC Brand support
people.  Everyone I've talked to in Ordering, Customer Service, and Tech
Support has been very friendly and helpful.  I think they've been swamped
with orders and their various departments can't keep up.  If you're ordering
one of their standard configurations and putting it together yourself, it
will probably be quicker.

On the hardware itself, the only problem I have (other than the machine not
working) is that the expansion slots are a bit too close together.  This 
makes things a little difficult when you're putting something in every slot
and makes me a little concerned about heat.  Also, the machine had 5 16 bit
slots instead of four.  Not a problem, just surprising.

Overall, I would say don't order from them if you're in a hurry.  Part of
the price you pay for such inexpensive hardware, I guess.  If you're patient,
I would still recommend them.  Lateness and machine problems are common with
mail order but good support is not (at least in my experience).  I feel 
confident that I will get my machine (eventually 1/2 :) and be pleased with
it.

Good luck on whatever you decide and mail me if you have more questions.

Michael
rhysling@spot.colorado.edu
rhysling@tramp.colorado.edu
rhysling_m%cubldr@vaxf.colorado.edu