Page 1 of Lidl Computer Bargain

Don`t know if this is UK wide but Lidl in edinburgh are selling today a computer with a similar spec to the one Aldi were doing a few weeks back.

AMD P4 2Gig equiv, dvd drive, cd burner, etc.

Good software package too.

Read my `Lidl Warning` on same bargain buckets.

But is £700 for a base unit such a bargain now?

Depends what`s in the base unit.

I don`t have the spec with me, but comparing with the £699 (ex vat) group test in PC Pro this month it seemed cheap.

Especially as the software package was good, XP, Word 2002, Pinnacle video software etc.

Re Lidl warning, was laptop a regional offer, haven`t seen it in Edinburgh?

I bought one of the "Targa Visionary" PC`s from my local Lidl (central Scotland) 2 weeks ago for £699. They`re selling them again this week, exactly the same machine. Here`s the spec

AMD 2000+
ASUS A7N266-C Mobo
ASUS GeForce 4 AGP Card
Seagate 80GB HD
256 MB DDR
ASUS 40x12x48x CDRW
Toshiba DVD ROM
ASUS 1394-S FireWire-Card
Modem, Keyboard, mouse
Software includes PowerDVD, Windows XP Home, Nero 5

I thought the laptop was all over. I`m down South. I have to say the `Targa` helpline (it`s in Germany) was very, very helpfull, but the computer didn`t have a Stereo line in as my older one & the TV out was dissabled when using a DVD making it useless. If you buy the Lidl computer & there is a problem you won`t get your money back.

If the pc is not as advertised or defective there is no reason why you will not get a refund. If individual stores are difficult (not my experience) that`s what the small claims court is for.

You wouldn`t believe the trouble I went to, you really wouldn`t. They were absolutly not going to give me anything. Most people just would not go to the lengths I went to. Small claims are OK but in the meantime my £1000-00 is in there account not mine, making it hard to buy another until the small claims gets into gear. I got it back but I bet most won`t. Aldi on the other hand said I could return my laptop after a few months even though there was nothing wrong, just unsuitable. I won`t set foot in Lydl again, unless they change their attitude, a store I have probably spent £20,000 + over the years. Aldi on the other hand are so helpfull.

I would believe the trouble you went to - and well done for doing it. I had worse prolems dealing with Omni Data Sytems - bought a PC from them which had defective sound. They said it was supposed to sound like that and refused to refund me. When they eventually agreed there was a fault they then tried to mis-quote the distance selling act by not asking for a refund within seven days I was not entitled to one (I only failed to ask for a refund because I let them have the opportunity to fix it)

It did not have to go to court, but I needed the backup of Trading Standards and Citizens Advice Beaurau to hammer the company into submission. Took eight weeks to get my money back. How many people would have followed that lot through? Sad to say all the ones that don`t only encourage these EDITED to keep conning us.

This item was edited on Friday, 17th January 2003, 15:50