PSA: Avoid dealing with IBM/Lenovo laptops

[Entity]

Warning: Semi-long story on how IBM/Lenovo is sticking me with a $1500 paperweight.

In March 2004, I bought an IBM T40 laptop from Newegg. It came with a 3 year warranty. It's been a bit of a lemon -- has been back to service multiple times -- and I had to send it in again today for warranty service (the display cuts out after a few seconds).

I get on the phone with IBM, and they tell me that the laptop isn't covered until warranty anymore. It was purchased with a 3 year warranty, I remind them, then double-check at Newegg to check when I purchased it. It shows March 09, 2004, and I send them in a screenshot of the invoice as proof. They accept it, and say that a supervisor will be getting back to me shortly to resolve it.

Long story short, I have a long conversation with a supervisor (she and the other employees were quite nice, despite the fact that they could do absolutely nothing to help me). She says that Newegg IS NOT a licensed reseller, and consequently, my warranty begins when Newegg purchases the laptop, and not when I purchased it. Uh-oh. We go back and forth about it for a while, but eventually it's clear that not only am I stuck with a $1500 paperweight, but that this is a problem that they see semi-often (she quotes "this isn't the first time it's happened, and unfortunately won't be the last"), and that they have no recourse for / no ability to deal with. Apparently the way they structure their retail system, they have no ability to prevent this from happening -- she doesn't believe it's possible, at all (I mention that companies like Apple and Dell do a good job preventing issues like this, but my comments fall on deaf, but sympathetic, ears).

I'm not sure what to do at this point. It's certainly upsetting but there isn't a whole lot of influence I really think I can exert -- except maybe posting here. If this were a small problem that didn't happen often, I'd expect them to at least make some sort of offer to resolve the situation; apparently, though, the IBM that I bought from -- good customer service, solid products, helpful staff -- is the IBM of the past. If that's the case, good riddance. I'll stick with Apple and Dell.

Sorry for the rant. Maybe someone out there has had something similar happen, and can advise? At the least, maybe it can help sway any of you out there from buying a Thinkpad in the future. I will never buy one again (let alone any other IBM product).

Rob

 

[akshatp]

IBM/Lenovo CSR sucks! They had a recall on my T30, yet wouldn't replace the mobo since my laptop was out of warranty! I thought that a RECALL meant that they had to fix the problem regardless of warranty.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

so basically Newegg fvcked you, not Lenovo.

 

[potato28]

I'm not reading even a semi-long rant... cliffs?

 

[HannibalX]

Dang that stinks.

What sort of $ are they asking for the repair?

 

[Entity]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
so basically Newegg fvcked you, not Lenovo.

I'll be honest, I'm not sure if it's Newegg or Lenovo. I'm going to try to conatct Newegg's customer support soon to see if there is any potential for resolution with them. The fact that IBM is aware that this is happening and does nothing about it, though, really annoys the piss out of me. Their customer service was completely ineffectual despite the fact that they see this problem often. It's really disappointing coming from a company that used to have excellent CS.

At this point I have no reason to believe that the laptop was purchased "used," as it was stated New/Retail from Newegg and the relationships I've developed with both companies has led me to believe that if one of them is likely to engage in shady practices and fsck over their customers, it is Lenovo. Despite that feeling, I'm going to contact Newegg tomorrow and speak with a manager to see if there is anything they can help with in regards to this.

The fact that IBM even allows a large internet retailer to sell their product when they have no intention of fully supporting customers who buy through this method (basically allowing for two classes of merchants/customers without actually telling the customer this upfront) is absolute bull. They get the benefits of increased distribution and get to pass the buck on issues like this; if they wanted to control their shipping channels such that Newegg couldn't sell Thinkpads, it shouldn't be all that difficult. Instead, they pass the end responsibility on to the end user, who has no recourse in this issue besides to bitch and moan, like I'm doing right now.

Rob

 

[codeyf]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
so basically Newegg fvcked you, not Lenovo.

 

[Entity]

Originally posted by: Trinitron
Dang that stinks.

What sort of $ are they asking for the repair?

System board repair, which will cost more than the unit itself would cost to buy.

Rob

 

[herkulease]

Originally posted by: akshatp
IBM/Lenovo CSR sucks! They had a recall on my T30, yet wouldn't replace the mobo since my laptop was out of warranty! I thought that a RECALL meant that they had to fix the problem regardless of warranty.

Odd I don't see anything listed for the t30. I see battery and ac adapter recalls but that's it. What exactly was the problem?

 

[herkulease]

Did the laptop come with a 3 year warranty by default. Or did you add the 3 year warranty via new egg?

also what's the type and model anyhow?

 

[DaWhim]

so you didn't go with the warranty they listed on ibm website for your model/series laptop?

 

[SpanishFry]

i sell for an ibm/lenovo partner.

it is common practice that the warranty begins on a set date from when it leaves IBM's/Lenovo's warehouse.

This is the site you use to see the expiration date:

Warranty Lookup

There are post-warranty service pac's available. Let me see if I can find the link for it. PM me if you need any help.

edit to add: Ok, for a T40 here's the froogle link for the servicepac. It basically gives you another year of the warranty.

69P9380

make sure your model type is listed: 1161, 1171, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, All
1833, 1834, 1836, 1840, 1841, 1842,
1846, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1858,
1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864,
1865, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874,
1875, 1876, 1958, 2366, 2367, 2369,
2370, 2371, 2372, 2373, 2374, 2375,
2376, 2378, 2379, 2382, 2384, 2386,
2388, 2389, 2525, 2526, 2527, 2528,
2609, 2611, 2621, 2626, 2627, 2628,
2629, 2631, 2633, 2635, 2636, 2640,
2641, 2643, 2645, 2646, 2647, 2648,
2651, 2652, 2653, 2654, 2655, 2656,
2657, 2658, 2659, 2660, 2662, 2663,
2664, 2666, 2667, 2668, 2669, 2672,
2673, 2676, 2677, 2678, 2679, 2681,
2682, 2683, 2684, 2686, 2687, 2722,
2723, 2724, 2877, 2878, 2881, 2882,
2883, 2884, 2885, 2886, 2887, 2888,
2889, 2894, 2895, 2896, 2897, 3547,
9547, 9548, 9549

 

[Away]

I bought a couple Thinkpads through Cost Central and had no problems with Lenovo recognizing the warranties on them. I wonder what their problem is with supporting ones bought from Newegg? Sounds pretty crappy to me. As a side note, both my T series laptops (T42 and T43) are working just fine. I hope you get this problem worked out though. Good luck.

 

[LongCoolMother]

wow. that sucks. dont know what id do either in IBMs case either.

i got dell complete care for my laptop-- not thinking itd come in handy. It has saved my @$$ multiple times and gives me peace of mind. Paid off for itself many times over.

 

[Entity]

Originally posted by: herkulease
Did the laptop come with a 3 year warranty by default. Or did you add the 3 year warranty via new egg?

also what's the type and model anyhow?

It came with a 3yr warranty by default. It's a T40, type 2373.

Rob

 

[herbiehancock]

Newegg IS NOT a licensed reseller

Therein lies your problem. For years, people have been complaining about Newegg selling grey market goods, but the complaints fall on deaf ears......seems price is the major driving force. Ever wonder why so many products at Newegg, among other sites on the 'net, put "Item can only be exchanged for exact same item...no refunds" in the sales description?

So Newegg wasn't a licensed reseller of IBM/Lenovo laptops. Not surprised at all. I'd almost wager that Newegg isn't a licensed reseller of a lot of their goods.......instead buying inventory from distributors who have particular goods destined for other locations, such as overseas.

This is a chronic problem in the audio world....a LOT of the audio goods sold on the internet, from online retailers like Etronics, are not actually destined for the U.S. market but rather overseas. Usually the clue there is the company offering a warranty of their own to replace the warranty the maker of the goods will not honor because the goods weren't destined for our market. Another infamous example was a batch of Cannondale bicycles ended up in Costco for sale......but all were destined for the Far Eastern markets, not the U.S. Cannondale wouldn't warranty any of the bikes and eventually found out who supplied Costco with the bikes.....and squashed that distributor. It happens.

So, in essence, Newegg did indeed screw you, not IBM/Lenovo. Now, sometimes companies will make good on warranties on grey market goods, but then again, nothing requires them to do so.

 

[jacob0401]

ibm/lenovo service is usually known as one of the better ones...

 

[FoBoT]

too late, we just switched from HP laps to those lenovo bricks

my co-worker that has to deal with lenovo engineers to help him cries when he has to call them

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: herkulease

Originally posted by: akshatp
IBM/Lenovo CSR sucks! They had a recall on my T30, yet wouldn't replace the mobo since my laptop was out of warranty! I thought that a RECALL meant that they had to fix the problem regardless of warranty.

Odd I don't see anything listed for the t30. I see battery and ac adapter recalls but that's it. What exactly was the problem?

Only one stick of ram is recognized no matter how much you put in. Each stick, put in seperately is fine, but if you put in both it only recognizes the smaller of the two.

Google search t30+memory problem and you will see a link to the TSB/recall