Don't Buy It Whatever You Do (Lexmark Z53)

Member Name: deannatrois

Product:	Lexmark Z53
Date:	11/08/02 (694 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Price (if it worked), Spec (if it worked)

Disadvantages: Technical support reponse, Unusable driver software, Cost of replacement cartridges

I bought the Lexmark very impressed by the specs and price. I was to regret that decision as soon as I returned home. I was supplied with two driver discs with no idea from the paperwork which was to be installed first or if only one should be used. However, neither of them worked. I tried everything I could think of to get the drivers installed completely but couldn't. I never did manage to network the printer (between only two PC's).

I had two highly qualified PC engineers look at the PC and printer software and they actually uninstalled almost everything off my PC one by one to see if there was a software conflict and couldn't locate anything. They downloaded the driver software off Lexmark's website and even that wouldn't install (and yes, my PC more than meets the min. specs).

I then emailed Lexmark's technical support and their reply was unbelievably incompetent. In spite of listing all the above that I had done and that my PC had been thoroughly checked over by qualified engineers, I was sent a reply by someone who obviously had severe illiteracy problems to judge by the spelling - telling me to get an engineer to look at my PC as it couldn't be the driver software.

I then sent another email stating this fairly strongly and was then asked to give details of the problem again (in spite of copying the previous email to them).

I did eventually get the Lexmark to work but have now.., three months later.., replaced it as it now will not print black at all. I don't know whether this is due to the printer or the fact that not being able to afford the incredibly high cartridge replacement cost I used a reportedly compatible cartridge. It worked for a month but has now given up the ghost. Obviously I have invalidated the warranty and have now had to replace the printer but please.., don't buy Lexmark. You do get what u pay for.

Summary: