Another hard drive deal

filmy wrote on 6/11/2003, 9:30 AM
Ok so here is a new hard drive deal. Staples is selling a Maxtor 160 gig, 8 MB cache, 7200 rpm drive for 179.94. Now there is a rebate for $80.00 back *AND* if you use the instant $30.00 off cupon that is $179.94 - $110.00 = $69.94 + tax.

As far as I can tell these offers are good online or in store and refund/cupon are good until June 21,2003/June 30, 2003

Comments

Jsnkc wrote on 6/11/2003, 9:44 AM
I don't see that drive on their site anywhere, the only 160GB drive they show is a external one.
johnmeyer wrote on 6/11/2003, 10:49 AM
I buy many things with rebates and the only problems I've ever had were at Staples. I purchased some DVD-R discs, submitted my claim, including the ORIGINAL UPC cut out from the box, and they sent an email three weeks later claiming I did not include the UPC and that I should re-submet my claim. Fortunately, I keep all my paperwork, and I had like the DVD-R so much I had purchased some more online (Maxell DVD-R, btw), so I had another UPC I could send. Three weeks later, the same thing. I finally called them and talked to a claim rep. I read the UPC number to him, and he claimed it wasn't in their database, but quickly agreed to process my claim. My check arrived a few days later.

This could be an honest mistake, but it had the aura of an attempt to kill the rebate.

By contrast, I got the $200 rebate on a Nikon scanner within two weeks of submission.
craftech wrote on 6/11/2003, 12:25 PM
Rebated HQ is sometimes a PIA. I had to call them because that Cendyne/Pioneer 105 deal I posted a few months ago had a $50 rebate and they claimed I didn't include the serial number. You have to keep photocopies of all rebate submissions. Parago (RebatesHQ) will honor the rebates, but sometimes you have to be persistent and it takes a few months.
The only rebate company I can categorically say is a fraud is TCA rebates, and although they sometimes use other names the New Rochelle, NY address is a dead giveaway. Call the BBB and see how many complaints are lodged against them. It's incredible.
As far as Maxtor is concerned, I have always been afraid to try them. Perhaps the bad things I hear about them (early failure) are an exaggeration. Not sure.

John
Jsnkc wrote on 6/11/2003, 1:57 PM
I've been using Maxtor drives even since I started using computers...along long time ago. I have never had one fail or give me problems of any kinds. I've used them in both Mac and PC and just about every PC or mac configuration you can imagine.
Jsnkc wrote on 6/11/2003, 1:59 PM
-----Also wanted to add that I just went to Staples to check out these hard drives and they said that they sold out of them within a couple hours once this deal was released and probably won't have any for at least 1-2 weeks. This was in Madison, WI. Not sure if you will find the same situation in other places of the US.
Jsnkc wrote on 6/11/2003, 2:03 PM
----And again to add to the rebate companies, I have sent in 4 rebates in the last couple months to RebatesHQ, and every one of them they said I didn't enclose the original UPC code and I had to call them, then they said they would have to pull my original submission from the warehouse and that I should call back in 7-10 days. Then I would call back and finally they would agree to send me a rebate check. I just got another one today for a LCD monitor I bought saying that I didn't include the UPC code even though I stapled it right on top of everything else so it couldn't be missed......here we go again!
thrillcat wrote on 6/11/2003, 2:11 PM
I've got a 27g Maxtor drive that's now in it's third computer. I originally bought it in '99 (when 27g was a huge, expensive drive) and it's lived longer than any computer I've put it in. Right now it's just full of mp3s and photos, I've got an 80 for boot/applications/more data, and a 200g for video.
Galeng wrote on 6/11/2003, 2:32 PM
Need to throw in my two cents here. Based on my experience (9 years of building systems for home and small business use) Maxtor drives seem to have an unusally high incidence of failure. Western Digital drives have been slightly better. I now only use IBM/Hitachi or Seagate drives.

Everybody is going to have a different experience though. But, this has been mine.

Galen
Jsnkc wrote on 6/11/2003, 2:36 PM
Exactly, it all depends on how you use them, how much you use them, and also the conditions you use them in. Someone could use one drive for an hour a week in a perfect climate and never have a problem. Another could use the drive constantly all day in 100 degree weather with tons of humidity and have it fail within a week due to overheating and moisture. Nobody can really say which drive is better, just depends on how and where you use them.
filmy wrote on 6/11/2003, 9:50 PM
I have not had any problems with Maxtor at all. Video editing wise the only drive I ever had fail was a 9 gig Segate SCSI when they first came out. It crashed in the first year of heavy duty use and I was lucky it was still under warenty so they replaced it. (The drive cost 3 grand at the time so it would have been a massive argument had they not replaced it) I still have Maxtor drives from about 7 years ago that work fine. I currently have 2 western digital (internal) and 3 Maxtor (1 internal, 1 in a firewire enclosre and one not hooked up yet)

As far a rebates go - never once had any problem with Staples. I make copies of everything in case there ever is. Most of the rebates say something like between 4 - 8 weeks and usually they come through in that time. I also write my info on everything I send in so if it gets "lost" it will still have my name, phone and addy on it.