From: hwrvo@kato.lahabra.chevron.com (W.R. Volz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Gateway vs. Austin questions
Date: 8 Jan 93 00:18:22 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Chevron Oil Field Research Company

In article <shopsis.57@panther.adelphi.edu>, shopsis@panther.adelphi.edu (Charles Shopsis) writes:
|> In article <slendt.96.726275567@unomaha.edu> slendt@unomaha.edu (Steven Lendt) writes:
|> 
|> >In article <C0D9DF.9q5@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> lemson@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (David Lemson) writes:
|> >>From: lemson@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (David Lemson)
|> >>Subject: Re: Gateway vs. Austin questions
|> >>Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 05:46:13 GMT
|> >>pastor@prc.unisys.com (Jon Pastor) writes:
|> >>
|> >>>I could not find a vendor that offered as much system for the money as
|> >>>Gateway.  I wanted to; I had had an annoying experience with their sales staff
|> >>>in the past, and knew that tech support was sluggish.  Zeos is a little better
|> >>
|> >>I bought my last Gateway system from them about 1.5 yrs ago and
|> >>I've been talking to them about a new 66V system and have noticed
|> >>something - they will NOT lower their price!  The guy I used to deal
|> >>with would cave in with free shipping without me even trying!  This
|> >>guy didn't seem to want to move at all.  I'm going to try to call my
|> >>old salesman back and see if maybe it was just him, but has anyone
|> >>else noticed that they are more steadfast in their pricing? (I have
|> >>bought about 3 systems from that salesman over the years and always
|> >>got at least $200 off the total delivered price)
|> >>
|> >>One more thing - the lead time on the 66DX2 systems custom
|> >>configured is *3 weeks* !!! Jeez.  I was going to order it today
|> >>until I heard that.
|> >I ordered my 66DX2 and got it 12 days later.  It's like the signs
|> >at Disney Land that say how long the wait in a line is for a ride.
|> >Management says give them a big number and they feel happy when
|> >the get it faster.
|> 
|> I wish that were always true.  I ordered mine 3 weeks ago and I'm still 
|> waiting.  My credit card hasn't been billed yet and customer service won't 
|> return my calls.

Looks like I'm about to get the waiting line too.  I ordered mine 3 weeks
and 1 day ago (12/16) and haven't heard anything yet. They said it would take
3 weeks too. I specifically asked if that was what they told everyone or
was that a realistic wait. I said that I'd rather be told up front rather tanh
to be PO'd if it's late and she said that it was taking about 3 weeks.
I even asked if that included the holidays and she said yes. 
When I called to ask about some other change, she said that it would delay
my order, but she couldn't tell me when the it would be shipped. That was
Monday, this week. Time will tell.

At any rate, since I'm planning on keeping the system to 4+ years, waiting
a few weeks is no problem. Sure I'd like it be here. When it goes onto
8 weeks I may start looking elsewhere. I'm sure they won't mind at all. 
I have called their Tech Support line and haven't been impressed. I never
did talk to anyone.

-- 

======================
Bill Volz
Chevron Oil Field Research Co.
Exploration Research/Geophysics Division.
P.O. Box 446, La Habra, CA 90633-0446
Phone: (310) 694-9340
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware