Need some good advice before... I request warranty servivce

[Benoone]

Just got myself a really nice looking T42P off eBay. Almost perfect except...

There is a very dark gray shadow in the bottom right corner over the "clock area" about 1/2" inch wide and 1 inch high and a similar but light gray shadow of about the same size in the left bottom corner over the "Windows Start button".

I'm not an expert but I think this may be the CCL backlight going home to meet it's maker?

It's a 15.0" IPS Flexview 1600 x 1200 UXGA and the warranty shows in the system as:

2373 KYU L30xxxx

Status: Expiration date: Location:
In warranty 2008-09-13 UNITED STATES

Warranty service upgrades and maintenance services Description:

This product has a three year limited warranty which includes a ThinkPlus warranty upgrade. This product is entitled to parts and labor and includes on-site repair service. Service is available Monday-Friday, except holidays, with a next business day response objective.

Searching for some help, I found this horror story and did not want to repeat the process:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... ht=42t0356

With only about 45 days left on the warranty maybe I should get this going ASAP?

Q1 Is there a best way to start the warranty process so I achieve a good experience?

Q2 How do I arrange to send the unit direct to an IBM depot rather than have some sub-contract trainee learn the delicate process using my TP?

Q3 Do you think I should extend my warranty now as I really do intend on keeping this TP for awhile?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions you can share with me.

Best regards,

Benoone

[richk]

Actually, for screen issues, I prefer to carry the machine into a "Premier Service Provider". I find it easier to discuss screen problems with a person who is looking at the same screen I am. For everything else, I use depot service. Extending the warranty is really a personal choice. I don't because I always assume warranties are a bad bet for the buyer, also I fix them myself.

[whizkid]

Welcome to the forum.

You should remove the serial number from your post right away. It's a security issue.

I would start the process right away. Have IBM (who still does the warranty repairs) send you a box or tell you where to take it. Do not ship your hard drive, optical drive, or memory in the machine.

IBM will pay for insurance during shipping, but your ThinkPlus also insures the machine against accidental damage. They'll fix it just fine. Be sure you get an IPS screen back! You might ask when you call if they are still available.

Warranty issues are a personal choice. If it's worth the price of the warranty to save you time and worry, then go ahead.

Keep us posted!

[Johan]

I would start the process right away. Have IBM (who still does the warranty repairs) send you a box or tell you where to take it. Do not ship your hard drive, optical drive, or memory in the machine.

IBM will pay for insurance during shipping, but your ThinkPlus also insures the machine against accidental damage. They'll fix it just fine. Be sure you get an IPS screen back! You might ask when you call if they are still available.

What?? This T42p has on-site warranty: "This product is entitled to parts and labor and includes on-site repair service. Service is available Monday-Friday, except holidays, with a next business day response objective." No need to ship anything?!!

As to extending the warranty, then this ought to be possible, as you are still within the three-year (although upgraded to on-site) base period. If you wish to have an additional two years more of EZServ (depot-service), which would mean a downgrade from your present on-site, then a such two-year EZServ warranty extension cost around $150 - see e.g. the thread Question about the warranty of my laptop and follow the links therein to the thread the thread Warranty extension.

Welcome to the forum!

Johan

[dr_st]

The darker bottom corners are normal with an IPS screen on a Thinkpad. I'm not sure at all it's a warranty issue. Then again, it depends how dark they are. Mine were slightly dark, never to the point when they could actually bother me.

[sjthinkpader]

The techs they send out are very well trained. The guy replace my screen is meticulous and much better than my own working style.

The slight non-uniform in corner brightness seems pretty normal unless they are much darker than the center.

[underclocker]

Wow, the replies covered the entire spectrum, from leaving it alone to finding a premier service center.

I'll just throw in my two cents. First of all, the threads you read about problems with depot service are likely (or in my experience, actually) a very small percentage of all service calls. Usually, depot does a great job...and quickly (at least in the U.S.)

Second, even when I have on-site warranties, I send in the machine, for a few reasons. 1) I don't have the time or interest to wait for, then babysit a tech. while they tear apart and put together my machine, 2) if they find other issues and don't have the parts or their replacement part is incorrect or damaged, you go back to square one, 3) depot will have all the part necessary or hold the machine until they do, and occasioinally, they will replace a few things you didn't ask for, like a keyboard or bezel, etc.

I've had many machines into depot with a one business day fix, and that includes motherboards and FlexView displays.

Finally, if you have a problem with depot, the machine goes right back. Yes, you loose time with the machine, but many board members have at least one backup machine

Bottom line, no matter which way you go, Lenovo/IBM will make sure you are happy with the result. Now you have to convice them there is an issue. (Start wtih being polite.)

[sarbin]

^^^
concur completely with uc's experience.

one of my first thinkpads (t22) needed to go to depot twice shortly after i got it. excellent service! i called easy-serv at ~10pm, airborne was knocking on my door at 8am. guy waited the 3 minutes it took me to pack up the machine and took it away with him. tracking showed the machine at depot the same day and on it's way back to me next day. total turnaround time, 2 days, tops three.