Cannot figure out all these warranty options

[penartur]

Currently, Lenovo offers the following options for their X230:



Why is there no option of "4YR Onsite NBD + 4YR ThinkPad Protection"? Or is NBD bundled with the Onsite?
What is the Priority Support? Why "3YR Onsite NBD + 3YR Priority Support + 3YR TPP" is cheaper than just "3YR Priority Support Onsite Warranty" (which seems to be the same sans NBD and TPP)?

What of the Onsite, NBD, Priority, TPP options are theoretically applicable outside of the country of purchase? I understand this may depend on whether the specific country provides said options at all; I'm interested in theory; that is, whether IWS only extends coverage of the base (depot) warranty, or does it also extend all these options.

PS: Oh, and, by the way, is there something new on the matter of making X230 (belonging to a "Non-Thinkpad Lenovo Hardware") suck less by replacing its keyboard+palmrest with the ones of X220 or getting a 7-row keyboard for it by any other means?

[dr_st]

TPP will probably be valid in US only. Onsite / NBD may be valid in other countries, depending if it is offered. I would bet that Onsite is likely to be honored, NBD less so.

IMO, what you want is the 3yr depot (base warranty extension). It has the highest benefit/cost ratio by far compared to the other options, especially considering the current discounts.

[penartur]

TPP will probably be valid in US only. Onsite / NBD may be valid in other countries, depending if it is offered. I would bet that Onsite is likely to be honored, NBD less so.

It is sad, as I've had much hopes on the TPP.
For example, I once put down my X220 on the couch without noticing there was a chocolate bar under it; as a result, the chocolate melted and went into the laptop through the vent holes. It caused no damage, but there are traces of it. I sent my laptop for repair (the screen became to behave odd), and they detected the traces of chocolate and recommended me that because of it, motherboard is out of warranty. While they will honor my request related with the screen, it seems that if/when motherboard will die due to some manufacturing defect, they won't fix it for free - and I didn't even spilled a drop on it. TPP would save me from this.

And what can you say about "Priority"?

IMO, what you want is the 3yr depot (base warranty extension). It has the highest benefit/cost ratio by far compared to the other options, especially considering the current discounts.

If I will purchase a new laptop (which I'm not sure at all ) I'm likely to get a spare X220 (because of the keyboard), so the benefit is actually having a working X220 vs. not being able to purchase any decent laptop at all (due to their likely extinction in the near future). I think the $125 difference in price is not that much for an extra year of safety; and if another $40 will give me onsite + tpp, I'm sold to it

The problem is that in Russia there are only local top-seller configurations are sold; and basically, purchasing a laptop as a private person, you only have the choice between 1yr depot and 3yr depot; you just can't purchase an NBD, onsite or TPP here (though, at least, NBD and Onsite are available to corporate customers). That's why I'm asking about the IWS on the laptops purchased in USA

[dr_st]

While they will honor my request related with the screen, it seems that if/when motherboard will die due to some manufacturing defect, they won't fix it for free - and I didn't even spilled a drop on it. TPP would save me from this.

It depends on how likely you consider something like this to happen. I haven't had any incidents with any of Thinkpads where TPP would have saved me but regular warranty would not. But experiences vary.

And what can you say about "Priority"?

Nothing really. I don't understand what it is.

If I will purchase a new laptop (which I'm not sure at all ) I'm likely to get a spare X220 (because of the keyboard), so the benefit is actually having a working X220 vs. not being able to purchase any decent laptop at all (due to their likely extinction in the near future). I think the $125 difference in price is not that much for an extra year of safety; and if another $40 will give me onsite + tpp, I'm sold to it

I am not sure that $125 is a good price for an extra year of safety (basically any single part short of motherboard/LCD will cost you far less than that, and in any case you can perform the 3yr-4yr upgrade any time (unless Lenovo's policies have changed), which to me makes more sense than doing so upfront.

The problem is that in Russia there are only local top-seller configurations are sold; and basically, purchasing a laptop as a private person, you only have the choice between 1yr depot and 3yr depot;

Are you sure about that? Some Topseller configurations come with Onsite. Check any X220 models starting with 4291 - do you have them for sale in Russia?

[penartur]

I am not sure that $125 is a good price for an extra year of safety (basically any single part short of motherboard/LCD will cost you far less than that, and in any case you can perform the 3yr-4yr upgrade any time (unless Lenovo's policies have changed), which to me makes more sense than doing so upfront.

The update is more expensive. For example, updating the warranty of my X220 4290 from 3yr depot to 3yr onsite would cost me $119 (as opposed to price difference of $100 between 3yr depot and 3yr onsite; $58.2 after discounts); and 4yr is not even offered.

Are you sure about that? Some Topseller configurations come with Onsite. Check any X220 models starting with 4291 - do you have them for sale in Russia?

Hmm, that's strange. There are some 4291 models, but these are the cheapest ones (like, i3, DOS etc); and nothing is said about their waranty being any different from the others.
I can't now find examples of 4291 serial numbers; but checking some 4287, 4296 and 4298 models gave me the same "depot only" result.
However, for one 4299 model I've got "This product has a Global Model Plus special bid three year limitedwarranty. This product is entitled to parts, labor and on-site repairservice (9x5 next business day) in approved locations. Thinkpadbatteries have a one year warranty."
I wonder what "Global Model Plus" means. But it seems that on-site and NBD should work in Russia.

[dr_st]

Check 4291-2WG or 4291-4CG. Do you have them available?
More generally, consider the Tabook_WE.

Regarding warranty upgrade options - Lenovo's offerings are often confusing. I think a 3yr-4yr should be available, since it is possible to purchase the 4yr upgrade upfront. For past models even 5yr upgrades were available, and the cost of a 3yr-5yr depot upgrade was around $150.

My advice of extending warranties later rather than earlier refers to extending the time period. Of course if you want to upgrade depot to onsite it makes sense to do it ASAP, otherwise you're getting less for your money.

[penartur]

Check 4291-2WG or 4291-4CG. Do you have them available?
More generally, consider the Tabook_WE.

This tabook is for the Western Europe, while Russia is definitely not Western (and, given the last year's political changes, I'd say it is Asian, if not African ); it seems that there is no tabook for EMEA.
For example, 4290 models in this Western Europe list are all starting with the digit (4290-2**, 4290-3**, 4290-3**), while the models sold in Russia are starting with the letter (4290-L** and 4290-R**).

Regarding warranty upgrade options - Lenovo's offerings are often confusing. I think a 3yr-4yr should be available, since it is possible to purchase the 4yr upgrade upfront. For past models even 5yr upgrades were available, and the cost of a 3yr-5yr depot upgrade was around $150.

I don't know whether it should be available, but it is not available. For my 4290RV5 (with 3YR depot coming as the default) the only upgrade options they offer on the "Warranty upgrade" site are 3YR onsite ($119) and 3YR onsite NBD + priority ($152).

[dr_st]

Check out the table at:
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail. ... D=TPAD-WSU

The table is only for US-based Thinkpads.

[penartur]

Check out the table at:
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail. ... D=TPAD-WSU

The table is only for US-based Thinkpads.

So does this mean that I can:
1) Purchase X220 (4286CTO) without selecting any upgrades to the warranty (selecting the upgrades won't let me to purchase it later separtely);
2) After receiving the laptop, purchase 5YR Depot for $262.65 (41C9174) or 5YR Onsite for $424.15 (which seems to include NBD; 41C9173), optionally purchasing 5YR battery warranty for $118.85 (55Y9484)
3) Within 90 days after laptop purchase, purchase 5YR Accidental damage protection (how much does it cost?)
?

I'm just curious, as obviously it doesn't make a sense to purchase 5YR Onsite for $424.15 when there is 4YR Onsite + 4YR TPP for $232.22 (and, I guess, 5YR Onsite without TPP does not make much sense at all, as it is hardly probable that in 5 years nothing will happen with some expensive part which will void the warranty).