Accidental damage protection is worthless

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hodad · #1 Post by **hodad** » Sat May 26, 2007 10:57 pm

I just noticed a crack in the bottom of the case on my 5 month old Z61m. It looks like a small stress fracture beginning at the battery connector and radiating towards the middle. Even though it is not the result of any impact, I felt some comfort in the fact that I had purchased the extended accidental damage protection. When I called IBM they said that if the tech comes out and determines it was the result of impact damage that even though I have the "deluxe" on-site warranty I would have to "depot" the machine to get it fixed. I was appalled!!! Why in the world did I spend all that extra money (it wasn't cheap!) for the peace of mind that even if my kids knocked it over or spilled chocolate milk on it I wouln't lose the machine for two weeks to the "black hole". I've heard so many horror stories about depot coverage - things like no work being performed, RAM chips missing, more damage, etc.. The guy at IBM even admitted they had calls from people complaining that they had sent their machines in for repair and had them returned with no work being performed. This is totally unacceptable.

Be advised if you are considering purchasing accidental damage protection!!

sapibobo · #2 Post by **sapibobo** » Sun May 27, 2007 11:50 am

Could you please post some pictures please?

gotconsultants · #3 Post by **gotconsultants** » Sun May 27, 2007 12:57 pm

i have had the same issue... can you send me an e-mail describing what was said?

rob@energizerpro.com

hodad · #4 Post by **hodad** » Sun May 27, 2007 6:55 pm

sapibobo,

I would be glad to post the pics but I do not have anywhere to upload them for retrieval - although I suppose I could try and find one of those free picture sharing sites.

Is there another way to share pictures? I could e-mail them but it would be cool if I could just send them to the forum for anyone else who may be interested.

billp117 · #5 Post by **billp117** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:29 pm

http://www.picasa.com

hodad · #6 Post by **hodad** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:41 pm

Thanks billp117.

sapibobo, here's the photo:
http://picasaweb.google.com/hodaddy01/Z ... 8521529218

Bob34 · #7 Post by **Bob34** » Tue May 29, 2007 9:03 am

OMG I've had the same issue, I recently sent it to the depot to get fixed, and it did in a day.

I also have a z61m. Man, there is truly a flaw in the design. It seems like the battery has too much give, ie it moves too much. Eventually fracturing the case and then the fracture starts to spread out.

Did you guys also carry it in a bag with battery down? I'm thinking of putting a little padding down there to even out the stress put on the case when carrying it, in hand or in bag.

Manarius · #8 Post by **Manarius** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 8:48 am

I sent my laptop to the depot to be fixed and I had it back in less than 2 days. Talk about fast work. DHL overnighted it both ways.

hodad · #9 Post by **hodad** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 3:44 pm

It sounds like they have worked on getting the depot coverage to a better state. Is everyone else getting satisfactory results under depot?

Thanks.

#10 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 3:57 pm

I still think it depends on which tech does the work or the mood that day or something. It is still hit and miss whether you get good service or not. Hopefully they are working on it. Maybe they are weeding out the bad apples at the depot.

hodad · #11 Post by **hodad** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 7:19 pm

The on-site tech came out and replaced the bottom of the case. It took them 3 business days to get here. It was a good thing I called to follow up the day after I reported it because for some reason my repair order got cancelled. Also, the guy I first talked to said he would follow up on the particulars of the depot policy and he never called back. (I didn't really expect him to).

After the piece was removed you could clearly see the problem. It does indeed appear that there is an issue with carrying the Z61m with the battery side down. There is just enough "play" with the fit of the battery to result in pressure on the case at the connector when subjected to the ordinary mechanics of carrying the computer like a book.

Oh well, the positive points of the computer (so far) make it worthwhile. It's a great little machine. It's too bad they aren't making them anymore.

barrywohl · #12 Post by **barrywohl** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 7:55 pm

hodad wrote:Why in the world did I spend all that extra money (it wasn't cheap!) for the peace of mind that even if my kids knocked it over or spilled chocolate milk on it I wouln't lose the machine for two weeks to the "black hole".

Depot repair, in the old days, would pick my laptop up on a Monday and have it back by Thursday. I was happy. The repairs were great.

Since DHL bought Airborne, I believe, things have changed. My average turn around this year (about ten repairs spread across half a dozen laptops) has been ten days, and I've seen a couple at two weeks.

When I track it at the EasyServ site, most of the slow-down is poor shipping. "Overnight" delivery means three business days to DHL, as far as I can tell.

I've been told DHL means "Day and a half late" but I've not seen them live up even to that standard.

My local DHL folks are wonderful. Same people as Airborne. Committed to service. They even wait a second or two when delivering the box to let me put the laptop in it and take it with them.

Tholek · #13 Post by **Tholek** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:01 pm

I can't say enough bad things about Airborne, and DHL, while better, is still the worst of the major carriers.

#14 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:02 pm

Must be because you are so far west(although that should not matter). My Thinkpads get to Atlanta overnight.

Tholek · #15 Post by **Tholek** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:31 pm

West? I'm more East than you are!

Nah, they have always been a problem. Regardless of shipper origin. Left things without signatures more than once, even resent a package to me that I refused because it was for an old adressee who no longer lived there. Incompetence at the very least.

joepublic · #16 Post by **joepublic** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:49 pm

Read the terms of your accidental damage coverage - they don't have to provide (and most of the time can't) provide full accidental damage coverage on site. I believe one of the reasons behind it relates to being able to service some of the many more issues covered under accidental damage on-site versus in the depot.

And frankly, I don't think that makes accidental damage coverage worthless (esp given how cheap it is) - but maybe that's me!

hodad · #17 Post by **hodad** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 11:47 pm

Perhaps "worthless" is a bit strong, (written in the heat of the moment), but I'm still having difficulty believing the policy is anything but an attempt by IBM's warranty service to save money. I may be wrong - it wouldn't be the first time.

My feeling is this: I think the only reason they might need the computer is to do bench testing. If there are no unresolved internal issues then there would seem to be no reason to have the machine "depoted". I had a motherboard replaced on my T60 by the on-site tech and everything worked out great. Computers, being basically a conglomeration of individual components, are most times easy to repair by simply replacing a component. Nothing complicated about it. Most folks with a modicum of hardware experience can build their own box. (I'm certainly not a professional and I welcome correction of any of my erroneous assumptions).

When I say "worthless" I mean that unless the machine needs something like a screen replacement, the $389 I spent for the warranty could be used to fix the machine without having to "depot" it. That being said, I have, overall, had good experience with IBM's warranty service and it sounds like most folks are experiencing 24-48 hour depot turnarounds with satisfactory results. If that's truly the case I retract my assertion. Bully for IBM.

hodad · #18 Post by **hodad** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 12:01 am

B.T.W. Isn't Wilmington, N.C. just down the road from a large IBM facility?

sapibobo · #19 Post by **sapibobo** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:50 pm

hodad wrote:Thanks billp117.

sapibobo, here's the photo:
http://picasaweb.google.com/hodaddy01/Z ... 8521529218

Geez, i never thought it would be turn that bad.... In what way that fracture can be happened?

If it is design flaw, it means that eventually all Z61m will have the same condition, having crack near the battery. Am I right?

hodad · #20 Post by **hodad** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 12:13 am

Sapibobo

Bob34 had the same issue apparently. I think it is an issue caused by carrying the z61m like a book with the battery side down. It can probably be avoided by carrying it from the other side. It may well be a design flaw but I must say my wife absolutely loves hers - the quality is apparent.

Regards.

wantathinkpad · #21 Post by **wantathinkpad** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:33 pm

I could have sworn an admin or someone who alot more about IBM said that although you have onsite service they sometimes request depot first depending on the case.

Also in terms of service. I have 3 instances with depot. All problems in 3 days. services go like this sent out late WEdnesday afternoon from
Boston,MA arrived in morning fixed by 1pm same day and shipped out and received on Friday.

Bob34 · #22 Post by **Bob34** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:31 am

Yeah, whatever you do try to avoid carrying it battery side down in a bag.

I'm have a carrying cause that will "vertical" so that should help, but I think I'll put some electrical tape to pad out the stress.

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