Labor date update on my Inspiron 1521 order

Well, the customer center is not open on Labor Day Weekend, but sales chat is. I guess Dell needs to keep selling to new customers, but feels no need to service existing clients during the holidays. I teased some more information out of the following CR today:

13:09:10 ME
Initial Question/Comment: ME@gmail.com
13:09:15 System
You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat
13:09:15 System
Connected with BE_RR_Rep_James
13:09:20 BE_RR_Rep_James
Howdy from Round Rock, TX! :)
13:09:20 BE_RR_Rep_James
My name is Coy and I'll be your personal sales consultant here at Dell. Just in case we get disconnected, save my email address – it's james_melancon@dell.com.
13:09:20 BE_RR_Rep_James
What can I do to assist you with your purchase this afternoon?
13:09:28 ME
Hello.
13:09:33 ME
Please check on order # : 409820366
13:09:47 BE_RR_Rep_James
Ok, give me just one moment
13:09:54 ME
I have received conflicting information from chat and by e-mail about production and delivery dates, and would like more accurate information.
13:10:15 ME
I was told by one of your customer reps that it would ship on 8/20/2008, but now it's 8/31/2008, and still no show.
13:10:30 BE_RR_Rep_James
for future reference you can go to support.dell.com to check on the status of your order
13:10:54 ME
I see, pls check it for me.
13:11:20 BE_RR_Rep_James
I am
13:12:35 BE_RR_Rep_James
Your current estimated ship date is 9/04. All this information should be reflected on the website for future reference
13:12:45 ME
What's the reason for the delay?
13:13:45 BE_RR_Rep_James
Delays in manufacturing, what specifically I don't know. Probably had some parts that were backordered
13:14:25 ME
Can you deduct the $25 shipping fee from my payment since the laptop is essentially 2+ weeks late?
13:15:00 BE_RR_Rep_James
No sir I can't. The website clearly states that all shipping dates are just estimates
13:15:36 ME
Very convenient for Dell, since the company can simply just keep backpedaling without making good on promises to deliver.
13:15:50 BE_RR_Rep_James
Actually that's not true at all
13:16:05 ME
My laptop has been delayed 3x, how is that now true?
13:16:10 BE_RR_Rep_James
If an order gets delayed by a certain number of days we are required by law to cancel the order
13:16:14 ME
Your customer service centers also have no answers.
13:16:20 BE_RR_Rep_James
and refund the money
13:16:35 BE_RR_Rep_James
I have answers
13:16:53 ME
What stage of production is my laptop currently at then?
13:16:59 ME
And what parts are causing the backlog?
13:17:40 BE_RR_Rep_James
It's at manufacturing station 5100
13:18:15 BE_RR_Rep_James
It doesn't say, but usually its AMD that is causing the hold up because they get behind in production of their chips
13:18:24 ME
The AMD64 chip?
13:18:55 BE_RR_Rep_James
Yes, that would be my guess, since none of Intel machines are on back order
13:19:42 ME
Is manufacturing station 5100 located in the U.S., or abroad? I ask because I want to know if 9/4/2008 is a realistic ship-out date for Dell, or if they will send me a 4th delay e-mail with still no firm dates.
13:21:01 BE_RR_Rep_James
It doesn't say
13:21:08 BE_RR_Rep_James
It is in production though
13:21:08 ME
I see.
13:21:33 ME
Are you able to tell me "% complete" or some kind of metric like that, so that I know how far along it is?
13:21:52 ME
I just need to know something, because I am without a laptop right now until this order comes in.
13:23:06 BE_RR_Rep_James
It doesn't give me that much detail, it just shows that its in production at station 5100 and is esitamted to ship out on 9/4 with an estimated delivery date of 9/9-9/11
13:23:21 ME
All right.
13:23:37 ME
Ship out date is when Dell sends it to the carrier like DHL or Fedex, right?
13:23:46 BE_RR_Rep_James
Correct
13:23:50 ME
OK.
13:23:53 ME
Thanks for the help.
13:24:02 BE_RR_Rep_James
No problem ME, have a good one!
13:24:11 BE_RR_Rep_James
If you need anything else just shoot me an email at james_melancon@dell.com
13:24:12 ME
I've called in after each of the 3 delays, and you're the first person to provide me with some inkling of real information.
13:24:22 ME
So I thank you for that, and wish you a good labor day weekend.
13:24:31 BE_RR_Rep_James
:) Glad I could help
13:24:31 BE_RR_Rep_James
You too!
13:24:35 ME
Bye.

So apparently my laptop in still in production at the nebulous "production station 5100." I googled this and got zip. If this production station is located abroad, I'm thinking I probably will see another delay from 9/4 pushing it back to 9/15 or something. Apparently AMD parts of backordered.