PC hardware failing? Repair may not be an offered option

An interesting post today on Consumerist where an HP Customer Service rep comes across with a sales offer…

A reader on Consumerist.com relates an encounter (over chat?) with an HP customer service representative to discuss a hardware failure with his Compaq computer. The CS rep couldn’t help the situation, as the hardware was apparently out of warranty, but the customer then found that they were on the receiving end of an upsell to a new HP computer “with an awesome offer” or some such deal.

Ouch.

Interesting to note that the customer cited leaking capacitors as one of the problems.  I recall that the motherboard of an old PC of ours was replaced long after the warranty had expired, when it was found that the unit had faulty, leaking capacitors.  Perhaps the customer should escalate to second level support…

But let’s keep in mind that this is a PC that was released five or six years ago (Compaq Presario 6010US) according to the time machine that is Amazon.com (Date first available at Amazon.com: March 13, 2002) with a 1.4GHz AMD Athlon XP processor, 256MB RAM, and 40GB HDD. 

IMO, a new PC is certainly a smart bet.

(Link: Hewlett Packard: This HP Customer Service Rep Thinks He’s A Genteel Salesman)

Kingston S: May I confirm the model number of your computer facing the issue as: Compaq Presario 6010US Desktop PC?

Consumerist Reader: that’s correct

Kingston S: [redacted], I am sorry about that but I will not be able to assist you in this regard as it is out of my support boundary. Shall I share my views with you instead?

Consumerist Reader: what?

Kingston S: [redacted], you can contact the Authorized Service Providers and they may be able to do something for this.
Kingston S: This is because this was one of the best computer model when it was released.

Consumerist Reader: is there a phone number?

Kingston S: Now, that it has become old, and the options for taking it for a bench repair is not left at all.
Kingston S: The phone support is a paid support.
Kingston S: [redacted], don’t you think it is high time to upgrade your PC?
Kingston S: Why I suggested that because HP is selling new computers at attractive discount prices which has got all the Advanced features and latest technology support.
Kingston S: It is also shipped with the latest Windows Vista operating system.
Kingston S: There is an instant rebate going on with HP. You will get computers from HP even with the latest Windows Vista operating system preinstalled starting from $ 350. Isn’t that an awesome offer?