Some Vaio advice please-I'm about to purchase...

http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Vaio_SZ2XP-C_VGN-SZ2XP-C/version-1.asp

Thats the one,it will be mainly used with some heavy agricultural software and then all the usuals.What do ye, who know yer stuff think of that one? I like the feel and weight of it,but I also liked the hp versions and the compaq but WANT the vaio.

Also whats the repair and return like with laptops direct.ie?
I'm vat registered so their policy of deducting the UK Vat when I give them my Irish Vat number appeals to me.

Thanks

Charlie01

to be honest, it's a waste of money.. with the things I've heard from a few friends that purchased them.... Its seem like a bad bad buy!

Well its done now...

However
I've just ordered it from laptopsdirect.ie and spoke to the sour est woman on the phone I ever came across.
She was so sour,and impatient that I damn near slammed the phone down.

She wouldnt tell me the name of the courier company delivering it...
It will be here wenesday apparently-I shall let ye know.

I also took sonys extended 3 yr warranty,that was an extra €200 and necessary I thought given the lightness of the cover.

To be honest with you I did see and try out this lappy in a sony style store and liked it,liked it a lot for the feel,the look and the weight.
I like the idea of the specs

# Intel Core Duo Processor T2500 2GHz
# 1024MB DDRII SDRAM
# 100GB Hard Drive
# DVD SuperMulti Drive - To read DVDs and CDs and write CDs and DVDs
# 13.3" XGA Widescreen TFT Screen
# Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 128MB
# Integrated wireless 802.11a/b/g LAN
# Integrated Bluetooth
# Integrated 0.37 Megapixel Camera
# Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition Pre Loaded

And this review helped as did CuLts experience so far with his FE.

More later when I get the machine,hopefully before the end of the week.

majiktripp

I say good buy! Sony's are sturdy as Fcuk and always seem to last a long time.Just remove the Vaio bundle crap that comes preinstalled and you'll be golden!.
For your sake I'm glad you didnt go with HP/Compaq.
As for laptops Direct, well they seem to be a hit and miss company as some people have trouble free dealings and some others have nothing but hassle with them.

I got no email confirmation...
They did give me a confirmation number on the phone yesterday so I rang just now to find out.

A nice lady this time told me there was a "payment error" code beside the order so she put me through to the "department"

They told me everything was fine and that they are putting the order through now...there was no mention of a problem.

To double check,I rang my credit card company-the card has its full credit limit,theres nothing owe-ing on it.
The cc co told me that yesterday, they tested my card with a €2.20 authorisation but have done nothing more.

Sigh.... order to delivery-2 days my árse I bet it will be next week before I see the new toy.

majiktripp

Sounds like another complaint for laptopsdirect.ie!

Well they have taken the money from my credit card but I've still got no email,no tracking of any description and the number of the courier that they gave me doesnt work :rolleyes:

ejmaztec

I bought a Vaio AR11 B from Laptops Direct and was annoyed at not being able to extract a tracking number from them. All that they could do was give me a phone number (UK one!) of some bunch that I had never heard of before - MF logistics on 0870 513 3054. Had to quote an invoice number and was told that it was out for delivery. It showed up a couple of days later. There were also no restore disks. The only disk that I got was a free movie DVD. I asked Laptop Direct where I could get the back-up disks from and they just ignored me.

Also, the so-called tracking page on Laptop Direct's own website never got updated beyond "your order is being prepared for delivery" - it said the same thing after I actually got the machine.

I also find that it takes a month of sundays for the Sony Vaio Europe support site to open up, excruciating to the extreme.

http://www.vaio-link.com/Downloads/downloads.asp?l=en

Try it if you've got a couple of hours to spare!

Apart from all this, it's a good machine

Pacifico

Sony dont give you restore disks.

You must either contact sony direct and BUY them or make 'em yourself

ejmaztec

I now know that Sony don't provide them but it's a pain in the a*** trying to contact them. It was hell of a lot easier to extract Dell disks from Dell when they were'nt supposed to be available. Even the latter now gives the option of paying a few Euro for the privilege of having them.

tonyboy247

Think ive just seen the white van outside my ranch...no sorry false alarm.
Get in contact with Nick he is the main man for them and wants to "improve his market share here" so should be nay bother.:cool:

tonyboy247

Sorry they will ship it back to Sony for you when it goes bang standard stuff there nothing to get excited about.:cool:

As of this morning 5 days after the order was made, the payment has been fully taken from my cc and I've still not been invoiced/emailed with anything.

I'll be phoning them after 10 am this morning and if theres no joy I'll be ringing Visa to dispute the transaction and request a merchant payback.

Toto I dont think my package is in Kansas anymore... :mad:


Laptops direct : Sorry we dont give tracking numbers for Irish deliveries...

Ring Mf Logistics...

Mf logistics UK (0870 number) : oh Ring countrywide dispatches in Ireland...

Countrywide dispatches (053 number) Oh we know nothing ring this 01 number who we send stuff too...

01 number : never heard of you have you a track and trace number...,

Me : no

Then I ring Laptops direct again... and at least this time they admit that mf logistics havent a clue,the nice lady took my mobile number and is to ring me back when she knows something....


What a carry on...

It's arrived \o/ woo hoo \o/ and its so beautifull and incredibly light

I think the main problem was the crap communication that laptops direct give you regarding delivery,but its here now and thats the main thing.

They still have to email me a full invoice but I'll get onto them later for that,I've a bit of playing to do in the meantime

(off to d/l firefox now)

Pacifico

Nice

5 days aint too bad i guess, although it qould hardly kill them to give out track and trace numbers..

DangerousDan

I don't mean to go against the grain, but I bought an Acer laptop from laptopsdirect.ie 2 weeks ago and got completely the opposite service. The sales person knew what she was talking about and I got the right laptop at the right price. I didn't get a tracking number but then again I didn't need it. It arrived 4 days later, exactly when they said it would.

All in all I'm a happy customer who would definately use them again.

scoby

I ordered the slightly less loaded version of that laptop from laptopsdirect.ie
sz2m/b
When I ordered I got an email to say that my order status had changed. When I clicked on the enclosed link it said there was a 'problem with payment details'
I rang them up and asked what the problem was and they said the laptop was out of stock and they wouldn't be getting any more.
"fair enough" I thought, I'll try elsewhere.
A short while later I got another email from them to say it was out of order.

I ordered the same laptop from dabs.com. That order went through without any problems, order number with details etc.

I had been on the phone to laptops direct on Monday and on thurs morn a laptop arrived from them!
I phoned laptops direct to ask WTF?
and they said, since I hadn't cancelled the order they had sent the laptop as soon as they were able to complete the order.(despite being out of stock apparently)

the dabs laptop arrived on the following tuesday (bank holiday weekend )
I had contacted dabs customer service and they advised to refuse the delivery in order to get it back to them as quickly and hassle-free as possible.

In summary, Dabs.com gave me a hassle free order and good customer service. Laptopsdirect were pretty hopeless at customer service but they did deliver very quickly and were cheaper. Got my vat deducted as well.

I recommend dabs I guess, but I'm very happy with my laptop.