[comp.sys.ibm.pc] About to purchase 286, Need INFO.

rtr@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (ricardo.t.rollins) (08/23/89)

I'm in the market for a 286 AT class machine, and am presently considering
several companies. But there is one company I don't know about, and haven't
heard experiences (good, or bad) about. I was wondering if anybody out there
has one of their machines or done business with the company before.

Company:	Express Micro Mart Inc.
		West Bloomfield, MI
		(800) 533-0177
Machine:	EXP 286/12-16
		-------------------------
		6,8,12,16 (16 Mhz with 0-wait state memory)
		8 Expansion Slots (with 6-16 Bit)
		512K Dram
		Award BIOS
		1.2 FDD
		66MB/23 ms HDD (Drive is by Mitsubishi) 
		2 Parallel ports
		2 Serial ports
		Clock/Calendar
		2 Game ports
		101 Key Keyboard
		FCC Class 'B' approved nickel plated case.
		200W Power Supply

Price:		$1249.00 (With Monochrome Monitor & Card)
		$1123.00 (Without Monitor & Card)

This seems like a pretty good bargain to me, but I've never heard of the
company or done business with them before. Also, I like Mitsubishi major
electronics (TV's, VCR', etc.), but are their hard disks any good?

Any information would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
R. Rollins
AT&T Bell Laboratories
(312) 979-6763

chuck@ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM (Chuck Rissmeyer) (08/24/89)

My usual practice when dealing with an unfamiliar company is to call
the Better Business Bureau in the area of that company.  If they have
no information on the company, I would be a little leary.   But, they
usually do have information and the BBB is a reliable resource.

allred@ut-emx.UUCP (Kevin L. Allred) (08/24/89)

In article <2612@cbnewsc.ATT.COM>, rtr@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (ricardo.t.rollins) writes:
> I'm in the market for a 286 AT class machine, and am presently considering
> several companies. But there is one company I don't know about, and haven't
> heard experiences (good, or bad) about. I was wondering if anybody out there
> has one of their machines or done business with the company before.
> 
> Company:	Express Micro Mart Inc.
> 		West Bloomfield, MI
> 		(800) 533-0177

I ordered DOS 3.3 and an AT I/O card from them.  The DOS was supposed
to be a generic Pheonix DOS, but what I got was a surplus Everex DOS
3.3.  It had a sticker right on the outside of the package saying "NOT
FOR RESALE, OR SALE WITHOUT A COMPUTER".  I ordered the AT I/O card
specifically from them because they advertised 2Ser., 1 Par, and 2
game.  The card I recieved had only 1 game port.  Admittedly that
isn't that big a deal, but it wasn't what I ordered, and it wasn't
what they advertised.  I tried unsuccessfully for more than a week to
contact their costomer support number to get an exchange, but the
number was constantly busy.  I never found the order line busy :-(.
My conclusion is that they are more than happy to take your money, but
don't seriously consider support worth their time.  I wrote a letter
of complaint explaining my dissatisfaction, but after 4 weeks I have
heard no reply from them.  I am at the current time disputing the
charge for the I/O card with my credit card company as not being what
I ordered.  I strongly encourage everyone not to do business with this
company or you may end up getting burned.  I'm glad that the most I
will be out is 1 game port, but I don't even know that since I haven't
even tested the card -- I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't even
work.
-- 

	Kevin Allred
	allred@emx.cc.utexas.edu
	allred@ut-emx.UUCP