I thought I should share this little adventure of mine with ASUS here.
I consider myself a loyal ASUS customer since for the last 5 years I must have built close to 10 high-end PCs using ASUS motherboards (most of them ROG) mainly for processing intensive applications (with moderate/high overclocking).
Some of the PCs were built for private use but most of them for the companies I work for. By profession, I design/test ASICs and FPGAs. My base originally used to be UK but a couple of years ago I decided to move with my family in US.
Over half a year ago, one of PCs (using an ASUS X-99 Pro motherboard) that was built for private use started crashing intermittently (indicating some error q-codes) and a few months back it stopped booting completely, indicating q-code "00". When I managed to find some time, I tried to debug the problem only to establish that it was motherboard related.
At that point, I got in touch with ASUS and via their electronic system I gave a description of the problem, the debugging method that I followed and all the necessary information requested by their system (like Model description, serial number etc) in order to request for an RMA (Return Merchant Authorization) under the warranty.
A couple of days later I received the RMA number/approval and instructions on providing a similar documentation (e.g. serial no, debugging method followed) along with instructions on how to pack and send the motherboard back to ASUS.
After disassembling the PC to remove the motherboard and following the RMA instructions, packaging and mailing the motherboard at my own cost, the motherboard was shipped to ASUS.
About two weeks later I received an email from ASUS indicating the following:
1) That the motherboard was sold outside US (something that was established based on the serial number that was obviously known before authorizing RMA). Based on that it was not covered under ASUS US warranty!
2) If I wanted for the motherboard to be repaired, I had to pay approximately $300 (note that the cost of the motherboard as new is about $300). The breakdown of the cost was $10 for a shipping charge, $120 because it was out of warranty and also another $150 (plus tax) because they would have to ship components internationally for the repairs !
At that point I followed a dispute process, indicating to them of the inconvenience for having me disassembling the PC and posting the motherboard (at my own cost) when they shouldn't really assign an RMA number and provide instructions to me if they were not intending to repair the motherboard under the warranty. Had I known that the motherboard was not covered under the warranty, as they should have informed me, I would have thrown it away - most likely and bought a ROG strix X99 or RAMPAGE V ed 10 without having go through the inconvenience and cost of packing and posting, as well as waiting for two weeks for getting a reply from them.
Also, I did point to them (several times) that this same motherboard is also sold in US and there should be no necessity to order parts internationally. I do not appreciate it when people try to overcharge me, simply because they think that they can.
During the dispute process and with other communication, I explained several times that I am a loyal customer but also pointed that I do value my time and money, and I am not willing to waste it in misleading/non-working RMA processes. Perhaps I was expecting ASUS a lot from ASUS, but I did give them the benefit of a doubt. I also informed them of my intentions to make this public to motherboard related forums.
In their response, they did close the dispute process, indicating that if I want to escalate this I need to speak to CID (Customer Induced Damage) or OOW (Out Of Warranty) departments and at the same time shipped the board back to me un-repaired (closing the initial communication thread). Needless to say, those two departments have nothing to do with my case.
In my opinion a company that cares about its customers should try and make sure that their repair department is not trying to overcharge the customers (e.g. components that need to be ordered internationally for motherboards that are also sold in the US market). But more important, a company that cares about its customers (especially when they have paid thousands of dollars in its products), should try to accommodate for the inconvenience and the expenses that they cause to their customers. Under the circumstances, I would expect nothing less from ASUS than honoring the RMA, either by getting in touch with ASUS Europe (if possible), or repairing it at the company's cost (if necessary).
So, as a customer, after paying thousands of dollars to buy ASUS motherboards, the only time that I needed their support, not only they didn't help but I also had to waste time and money on top, because of their mistakes.
I wish to other ASUS customer better luck if they have problems with their motherboards.
I consider myself a loyal ASUS customer since for the last 5 years I must have built close to 10 high-end PCs using ASUS motherboards (most of them ROG) mainly for processing intensive applications (with moderate/high overclocking).
Some of the PCs were built for private use but most of them for the companies I work for. By profession, I design/test ASICs and FPGAs. My base originally used to be UK but a couple of years ago I decided to move with my family in US.
Over half a year ago, one of PCs (using an ASUS X-99 Pro motherboard) that was built for private use started crashing intermittently (indicating some error q-codes) and a few months back it stopped booting completely, indicating q-code "00". When I managed to find some time, I tried to debug the problem only to establish that it was motherboard related.
At that point, I got in touch with ASUS and via their electronic system I gave a description of the problem, the debugging method that I followed and all the necessary information requested by their system (like Model description, serial number etc) in order to request for an RMA (Return Merchant Authorization) under the warranty.
A couple of days later I received the RMA number/approval and instructions on providing a similar documentation (e.g. serial no, debugging method followed) along with instructions on how to pack and send the motherboard back to ASUS.
After disassembling the PC to remove the motherboard and following the RMA instructions, packaging and mailing the motherboard at my own cost, the motherboard was shipped to ASUS.
About two weeks later I received an email from ASUS indicating the following:
1) That the motherboard was sold outside US (something that was established based on the serial number that was obviously known before authorizing RMA). Based on that it was not covered under ASUS US warranty!
2) If I wanted for the motherboard to be repaired, I had to pay approximately $300 (note that the cost of the motherboard as new is about $300). The breakdown of the cost was $10 for a shipping charge, $120 because it was out of warranty and also another $150 (plus tax) because they would have to ship components internationally for the repairs !
At that point I followed a dispute process, indicating to them of the inconvenience for having me disassembling the PC and posting the motherboard (at my own cost) when they shouldn't really assign an RMA number and provide instructions to me if they were not intending to repair the motherboard under the warranty. Had I known that the motherboard was not covered under the warranty, as they should have informed me, I would have thrown it away - most likely and bought a ROG strix X99 or RAMPAGE V ed 10 without having go through the inconvenience and cost of packing and posting, as well as waiting for two weeks for getting a reply from them.
Also, I did point to them (several times) that this same motherboard is also sold in US and there should be no necessity to order parts internationally. I do not appreciate it when people try to overcharge me, simply because they think that they can.
During the dispute process and with other communication, I explained several times that I am a loyal customer but also pointed that I do value my time and money, and I am not willing to waste it in misleading/non-working RMA processes. Perhaps I was expecting ASUS a lot from ASUS, but I did give them the benefit of a doubt. I also informed them of my intentions to make this public to motherboard related forums.
In their response, they did close the dispute process, indicating that if I want to escalate this I need to speak to CID (Customer Induced Damage) or OOW (Out Of Warranty) departments and at the same time shipped the board back to me un-repaired (closing the initial communication thread). Needless to say, those two departments have nothing to do with my case.
In my opinion a company that cares about its customers should try and make sure that their repair department is not trying to overcharge the customers (e.g. components that need to be ordered internationally for motherboards that are also sold in the US market). But more important, a company that cares about its customers (especially when they have paid thousands of dollars in its products), should try to accommodate for the inconvenience and the expenses that they cause to their customers. Under the circumstances, I would expect nothing less from ASUS than honoring the RMA, either by getting in touch with ASUS Europe (if possible), or repairing it at the company's cost (if necessary).
So, as a customer, after paying thousands of dollars to buy ASUS motherboards, the only time that I needed their support, not only they didn't help but I also had to waste time and money on top, because of their mistakes.
I wish to other ASUS customer better luck if they have problems with their motherboards.
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