Buy online or via telephone? How to get best price...

[s1148625]

I'm getting ready to buy my second Thinkpad once Vista is available preinstalled, and I'm curious about your opinions about how to get the best price on a custom system.

I want a T60 with 15" IPS screen, Core 2 Duo 2ghz or higher, 1GB RAM (or higher), IBM A/B/G wireless, bluetooth, fingerprint. I plan on getting the smallest HD available because I'm going to replace the stock with a 160GB drive (unless Lenovo starts offering 160GB drives in the configuration I'm looking for).

I have an EPP login, but you're stuck buying the stock configurations they offer under the plan.

So, should I look for sales and buy online, or can I get a better deal talking to a Lenovo rep on the phone? I also qualify for state employee and educational discounts (since I'm an instructor at a state university).

If you recommend talking to a rep, do you have one you can recommend? PM me with contact info, if you don't mind.

Thanks!

Rob

[christopher_wolf]

Welcome to the Thinkpad Forum

I would, myself, recommend talking to a rep after you have done a few "mock runs" through their configuration to get a feel of what they would like to sell through the website. You always have the Tabook at your disposal to give you almost all the type numbers and submodels available for current Thinkpads. If you can have that ready, along with some notes from the website, when you talk to a rep then everything should go fine; including the EPP and Educational/State Government discounts. Always worked very well for me.

[marlinspike]

I have an EPP login, but you're stuck buying the stock configurations they offer under the plan.

No you aren't. You can also call them and do a custom build with EPP savings.

[thinkweird]

This is the last day of the sale. I am wondering what the price is gonna be in January?

[safelder]

You can custom configure, at least through the Federal employee EPP website. I got a slightly better price (less than $100) when I called a rep.

FWIW, when I ordered a few weeks ago (right around Thanksgiving), they were having a "you pay what we pay" sale for Federal employees. I got a fully loaded 14.1" T60p, dock, and 3 year warranty for under $XX. I think the machine alone pushes $3K ordinarily. You might see if they're still having that sale.

[s1148625]

It turns out that I was right, currently EPP purchases are limited to pre-configured systems - custom builds are not eligible for the discount.

The rep I spoke to said that they're hoping to offer custom EPP systems in the coming months, but he wasn't able to give a specific date for availability.

[RonS]

Check again. First, look at tabook.pdf and pick a model. Then, order with EPP. It's probably true that you can get a CTO (configure to order) system on EPP, but you should be able to with any model in tabook. I've done it many times.

[marlinspike]

It turns out that I was right, currently EPP purchases are limited to pre-configured systems - custom builds are not eligible for the discount.

The rep I spoke to said that they're hoping to offer custom EPP systems in the coming months, but he wasn't able to give a specific date for availability.

I know for a fact you can do a custom build with EPP. The discounts are usually not as great, though sometimes they are just as good.

[creed_mty]

custom builds are not eligible for the discount.

The rep I spoke to said that they're hoping to offer custom EPP systems in the coming months, but he wasn't able to give a specific date for availability.

Are you sure? my laptop I Bought it was thrugh the EPP and is a CTO.