demise of the 3yr warranty?

[pipspeak]

I was just on the TP website looking at the various T models and noticed that the majority listed are TP Express models with only a one-year warranty. Is the three-year warranty getting harder to come by now Love-nor-money is running the show?

I hope that isn't one of the downsides of the new Chinese ownership... the 3yr warranty was a major reason I bought Thinkpads in the past.

[beerak]

Warranty period can be extended but for additional money, I did it for my Thinkpad for $110 (1 year to 3 year)

http://www-1.ibm.com/services/us/index. ... s/a1001480

[anthony]

It varies by model. The 2687 models have the three-year warranty standard. For others, the one-year is standard, but the three-year can be purchased as an add-on.

But in no case is it ever truly free. It may be a standard feature in a model just like an SXGA may be standard. But the cost is always incorporated into the price somewhere. By offering an express model with a one-year warranty, the company is able to save those price-conscious buyers a hundred dollars. Some would rather invest those bucks in more memory or a larger hard drive.

I got a 2687 because of the total package. And, yes, being an IBM first-timer, the longer warranty was big a factor in my decision. Although, in truth, it was probably a waste of a hundred dollars. Who keeps a computer three years nowadays? In three years, this hot technology will be a dinosaur.

[K. Eng]

In my case, the 3-year warranty was not a waste of a hundred bucks. I bought this machine in May 2003. In November 2004, the system board broke and had to be replaced.

If I had opted for a 1-year warranty only, I would have been out over $400 to get the machine repaired. I feel better knowning that I have a service plan that will cover any malfunctions that will inevitably be very expensive to repair.

As for keeping a notebook 3 years, I plan on keeping my ThinkPad the whole three years and beyond. I don't think my ThinkPad is a dinosaur 2 years later. The T43s are no lighter and not substantially more functional than my T40. Windows XP and Microsoft Office would not be any more useful on a T43 than my T40.

Admittedly, there are a certain percentage of people (software developers, multimedia content creators, gamers) who need every last bit of speed they can get. If they change their machine every year in order to improve productivity, a 3-year warranty might be considered a waste of money. However, consider that a machine with warranty has better resale value.

So it depends on what kind of situation you are in. If you tend to keep your machines and don't need ultimate performance, the 3-year warranty is worth it.

I got a 2687 because of the total package. And, yes, being an IBM first-timer, the longer warranty was big a factor in my decision. Although, in truth, it was probably a waste of a hundred dollars. Who keeps a computer three years nowadays? In three years, this hot technology will be a dinosaur.