Thoughts about Thinkpad Warranty Upgrades (41C9180)

[dr_st]

Recently, I've started considering extending the warranty on my T60 Flexview unit to the maximum possible, namely 5 years.

Below is a lengthy background discussion. You can read it, if you want, but you may skip to the questions below it to save time.

My unit is a 2623-D3U, although it is possible that I will have an opportunity to trade it in for a 2007-QPG.

Both machines originally come with 3-year depot warranty, and the relevant part number for extending it to 5-year depot, is the famous 41C9180. According to the Thinkpad Warranty Service Upgrade List, this part number is available for both machine types (2623 and 2007).

However, as you can see I live in Israel, and so any warranty that I purchase must include Israel, otherwise it's near worthless to me. Now we get to the widely known tricky part.

As we all know, warranty extension options differ from country to country. Here in Israel, neither Lenovo nor any of its representatives (that I know) offers any extension beyond the 3 years.

Reading on this forum about some experiences with warranty extension, such as the ones mentioned in this thread, in particular the troublesome experience of Johan with IBM Denmark, make me a bit worried too.

However, all my past experiences with the IBM warranty service here shows that IBM Israel uses the following process to determine whether the machine is covered or not:

1) Scan the machine type to determine whether IWS covers Israel (which I know for a fact is covered for both 2623 and 2007).
2) Scan the serial number to determine the warranty expiration date

They service the machine under warranty, if it hasn't expired, and if Israel appears in the list of IWS-eligible countries for the particular model type.

Reading some other threads (such as this and this) led me to believe that if I purchase an extended warranty, such as the 41C9180, and register it with Lenovo, it will reflect on the warranty expiration date appearing in the warranty lookup system. In particular comments such as

You're buying the extension for a specific machine if you're going directly through Lenovo, and it will be applied immediately, although it may take up to two weeks to show in the system.

led me to believe so. If that is indeed the case, I would hope that IBM Israel will honor the warranty.

However, I still do not entirely understand how that would work. Before I start contacting Lenovo US, I will try to get some answers from the experienced forum users.

Questions (if you have experience purchasing extended warranty, you can probably help me with some of them:

1) When you purchase an extended warranty upgrade and register it, does the new expiration date appear on the standard warranty lookup system, or is it a different location, different system?

2) If I want to purchase an extended warranty upgrade directly through Lenovo US, would they sell it to me, or would they refer me to the local representatives in Israel (who do not sell warranty upgrades)?

3) If I were to purchase through a reseller, what process would I have to go through to register it with Lenovo, and get it to appear in their warranty system?

4) Is it possible to purchase a US-based warranty extension, such as the 41C9180, for European Thinkpad models (such as the 2007-QPG), or just for US-based models (like the 2623-D3U)? What matters in such cases, the model type, or the "Location" listed in the warranty lookup system?

Thank you for your time, and any help you may offer.

[ajkula66]

To answer as much as I know, point by point:

1) Warranty shows on the very same page as before one extends it, only the dates are different.

2) Warranty for the machine of U.S. origin must be purchased in the U.S. and paid by a U.S. issued credit card (from what I know, there may be ways of avoiding this).

3) I don't know for sure and wouldn't want to assume...

4) As you've stated yourself, different countries have different warranty options and rules. One would have to consult IBM/Lenovo in the country of machine's origin when it comes to 2007-QPG...

Hope this helps.

[dr_st]

It does help, George, thank you very much.

I guess I will make a few more inquiries with Lenovo, probably ask on the Lenovo forum.

Thanks!

[Johan]

dr_st:

As you already know, I have been messing around quite a bit with IBM/Lenovo warranty issues, also in a ”non-USA” context. Before commenting your questions, just a small hint: Consider teaming up with Tony (user ulrich.von.lich) with respect to your present warranty-extension investigation, since Tony is in the midst of the same thing; see the thread Warranty extension questions. You two may perhaps be able to benefit from working together a bit?

Your 2623-D3U is an American ThinkPad (as indicated by the suffix ”U”, as discussed in the thread Question: What's the diff. between 2007-7KG and 2007-7KU?), and I am certain that it has the ”Location” being ”USA” if checking its Warranty Status. Fortunately, as you already know, the T60’s in the 2623-series is covered under the International warranty service so in principle it should be covered in Israel too, unless IBM/Israel don’t care about IWS the way you already know I once experienced that IBM/Denmark don’t care the least bit about honoring IWS for Danish residents – as discussed in the lengthy thread IBM/Denmark deny to honor warranty confirmed by IBM-Support. Lesson learned (by me!) from that story: Completely regardless what the official, published, in-effect, valid IBM/Lenovo warranty conditions clearly states, these conditions and clauses may easily be overruled by national IBM/Lenovo entities, and nothing you can do about it. Period. So, if I was in your position, I would contact Israel IBM or Lenovo incountry warranty-manager, and I would do it in writing, and I would very precisely ask the questions I had, and I would follow up until I had received precise answers from this person; answers in writing. First then, I would lean back and relax!

By the way, there is a fairly new (updated 2008-11-19) set of International Warranty Service (IWS) Terms And Conditions (English) with specific conditions for USA, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America – there may be some interesting information there!

I am certain that you can buy the 5-year EZserv warranty upgrade in the USA (P/N 41C9180) for your 2623-D3U (having ”Location = USA”), and when this warranty upgrade is put into effect your T60 will simply continue to have the same warranty, but only with the expiration date now two year later. So, through buying the 41C9180 in the USA, and after registering it, your T60 will be covered for 5 years, in the USA, and on travel, according to its IWS-status. But, what we (or at least I!) simply don’t know, is whether IBM/Lenovo will honor an IWS-repair in Israel, or if you will run into the same problems as I did here in Denmark… with my IWS-eligible repair being denied etc.

Will you be able to buy the 41C9180 and have it registered at the same time while the ”Location” is changed from the present ”USA” to, say, ”Israel”? That too I don’t know, but I kind of doubt it… So, if you bought the 41C9180 in Israel, and applied it to an USA-T60? This of course require that 41C9180 is available in Israel – and after bit of Google’ing I haven’t been able to find 41C9180 offered there… but to my surprise I found it in England, here. Try Google a bit around too, and try see if you can also find it (other) places outside of USA?

With reference to what you state:

According to the ThinkPad Warranty Service Upgrade List, this part number is available for both machine types (2623 and 2007).

then, yes, this is true, however for USA-based ThinkPad’s, since the page you refer to here is linked to from ThinkPlus and Lenovo Care Maintenance and Protection Services where it is pointed to under "View US Supported Products Lists for in-warranty systems" --> Mobile products. The perhaps more relevant link "View Worldwide Supported Products List" pointing to Worldwide Supported Products List seems to be dead… The question: ”Is the 41C9180 available in Israel”? therefore does not seem to be answered from the above "US"-link…

As to your specific questions:

1) When you purchase an extended warranty upgrade and register it, does the new expiration date appear on the standard Warranty lookup system, or is it a different location, different system?

Answer: Yes, the new expiration date can be (and will be!) seen there, but there is more detailed information on this IBM warranty status site. I just sent you a couple of models-and-serial-numbers for some of mine ThinkPad's via PM (these have all having had their warranty extended); try enter these on the two sites and see the difference.

2) If I want to purchase an extended warranty upgrade directly through Lenovo US, would they sell it to me, or would they refer me to the local representatives in Israel (who do not sell warranty upgrades)?

Answer: To the best of my knowledge, buying the extended warranty from Lenovo US really has nothing to do with where you are presently located (as long as the seller accept your payment method/credit card). The warranty applies to the ThinkPad, not to some physical address. Therefore, if you e.g. go to Affinity Systems, Inc. and purchase the 41C9180 there, you will some time later (one to two weeks?) receive a registration mail from IBM and after following the instructions therein, you have done your part, and the extended warranty (later expiration date) will show up on the warranty status site one or two weeks later. The ”Location” will however be the same! If you are able to get IBM/Lenovo to change the ”Location”, I really don’t know – you’ll better ask Mark@Lenovo about that.

3) If I were to purchase through a reseller, what process would I have to go through to register it with Lenovo, and get it to appear in their warranty system?

Answer: If purchasing the warranty extension from a reseller, you will some time later receive an e-mail with registration information (go to this or that site, enter this or that information etc.), as described above. A while later – usually one to two weeks – the extended warranty will be posted. Beware however of the comment by Mark@Lenovo in this post. If however buying the very same warranty extension (part number) directly from IBM or Lenovo, e.g. the 41C9180, I think that they will take care of all of the registration, so once you've paid, you need not do anything more. Considering however that Lenovo charge $220 (as far as I remember) for the 41C9180, while you can have it for only $148 from the above-mentioned Affinity Systems, Inc. you just need to decide if you want to do the (very simple!) registration yourself, and save $70... The end result; the extended warranty, is exactly the same! Of course, if you are very rich, and you have much more money than you could ever spend, and simply couldn't care less for one second about paying too much, then - sure! - go buy directly from Lenovo!

4) Is it possible to purchase a US-based warranty extension, such as the 41C9180, for European ThinkPad models (such as the 2007-QPG), or just for US-based models (like the 2623-D3U)? What matters in such cases, the model type, or the "Location" listed in the warranty lookup system?

Answer: As replied above, I have managed to find the 41C9180 offered in England, but whether it is offered elsewhere in Europe (or elsewhere in the EMEA) I really don’t know; it’s not offered in Denmark, this much I know. Get Google going, or call Lenovo/IBM in Israel - they ought to know!

By the way, I have been using exactly a 2007-QPG a bit, and if this 2007-QPG has ”Location = Israel” and if it is in as good condition as your present 2623-D3U, and if you are able to swap these two T60's at no cost, and if the 2007-QPG can have its warranty extended (if not already being out of warranty?), then this swap would perhaps be a very good idea… hey, in such case you may perhaps want to consider selling the 2623-D3U to my forum-friend Sharon (ranchmom5) --> WTB: T60 w/15” SXGA+ FlexView LCD, warranty, MINT condition … The 2007-QPG has a T7200 (2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo) while the 2623-D3U ”only” has a T2500 (2.0 GHz Core Duo), but the 2007-QPG does not have WWAN – apart from that they seem identical. As you will see from the discussion (and links therein) in the thread Advice please - $700-$800 TP for college student there is insignificant difference between a Core Duo and a Core 2 Duo (of the same speed) for most typical tasks... Core 2 Duo's are said to be typically 10-15 % faster compared to their slightly older brothers, the Core Duo's.

I know that I haven’t answered your above questions with very clear ”Yes!” or ”No!” or ”Do this and do that!”, but the whole issue of warranty and warranty extension with ThinkPad’s (in my experience, as an outside-USA customer) is surrounded by so much confusion and lack of knowledge and misinformation and different messages from IBM employees and resellers that I really would feel most safe with having written confirmation from (in your case) the Israel IBM/Lenovo incountry warranty manager. Having that, you know what apply, and (hopefully!) won’t have to mess around if ever needing an IWS-repair in Israel.

Good luck with your extension, and please share your experience with us here, once all is over and done and when you've simply done the most successful warranty extension, ever in the history of all mankind!

Johan

[dr_st]

Dear Johan,

Thank you very much for your detailed an helpful post.

At this point, I am fairly certain that I can get this extension for the 2623-D3U, because indeed it is an American-born product, and says: Location=USA, therefore they cannot possibly deny it.

As for the 2007-QPG, they might say that they cannot apply the 41C9180 to a non-US product, and I should take it with the service rep in my country (which will likely mean: no extension).

Obviously, I would prefer the 2007-QPG, because it is slightly better specked and has longer base warranty. But if I can extend the warranty on the 2623D3U, but not on the 2007QPG, it would change my perspective, because I'd rather have a T2500 with warranty till the end of 2011, than a T7200 with a warranty till the middle of 2010.

This is what I want to find out next. I will continue the inquiry (likely next stop: Lenovo forums) and report to you everything I find.

Thanks again.

[ajkula66]

Lenovo forum will likely be a waste of time, but give it a shot...

What I was trying to say in my previous post is that if you call Lenovo U.S. and try to pay with an Israel-issued (or Ireland/Bulgaria/Zimbabwe issued, no difference) credit card, it will not fly. You need someone with a U.S. credit card to purchase the warranty extension.

Good luck.

[dr_st]

What I was trying to say in my previous post is that if you call Lenovo U.S. and try to pay with an Israel-issued (or Ireland/Bulgaria/Zimbabwe issued, no difference) credit card, it will not fly. You need someone with a U.S. credit card to purchase the warranty extension.

It has not escaped me. However, I've also heard that what matters to them is that the card has a US billing address, and that international AmEx cards do work. Not 100% sure of course, but I can try.

Also, I might go through a reseller, as Johan suggested.

[jdhurst]

I must preface that Canada is neither overseas (from the US) nor is it the US. That said:

I purchased my T61p from Lenovo because, at the time, my Canadian vendor could not supply the specific configuration that I purchased. I purchased it with a Canadian credit card. I purchased an extended warranty (total 4 years). I asked my Canadian vendor if they would service it under the terms of this extended warranty and they said yes.

So there is some flexibility in the Lenovo warranty. Perhaps the overseas (to me) vendor needs to be registered with Lenovo.
... JDH

[ajkula66]

I guess that Mr. Hurst has purchased his ThinkPad through Canadian division of Lenovo...if I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me.

As for "billing address", that's what I meant with "U.S. issued", I guess I should've been more clear..

Good luck.

[jdhurst]

I guess that Mr. Hurst has purchased his ThinkPad through Canadian division of Lenovo...if I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me.

As for "billing address", that's what I meant with "U.S. issued", I guess I should've been more clear..

Good luck.

I actually purchased the machine online from the US site. Now in the background and transparent to me, Lenovo could have assigned it to the Canadian arm. Emails to me came from lenovo.com not lenovo.ca
... JDH