How to buy a customized thinkpad in US legally & export

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rushdy · #31 Post by **rushdy** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:39 pm

Ah, that's not what I was hoping to hear

I've been following the thread because I'm looking for a T61p with encrypted disk, which I can't get in the UK.

I've seen people mention Bill Morrow on other threads, does he sell ThinkPads, and could he get a CTO?

jcvjcvjcvjcv · #32 Post by **jcvjcvjcvjcv** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:45 pm

I have spotted the 8889CTO modell already on a few reseller pages. Quite expensive ($1900), but you can at leat get a 4:3.

what do you want to customize on it? What specs do you want?

You can upgrade memory cheap yourself, you can upgrade HDD cheapest by doing it yourself, W-Lan card is replaceable (Intel 9465 AGN cost $70 at Lenovo configuration page of 8889CTO and cost only $30 if you buy it spare. Turbo Memory is also for sale alot cheaper then priced on the Lenovo page.

It's best to get the screen, the CPU and the videocard you want, all other things are easy to add, or easy replaceable. (and cheap).

zgibek · #33 Post by **zgibek** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 6:53 pm

jcvjcvjcvjcv wrote:I have spotted the 8889CTO modell already on a few reseller pages. Quite expensive ($1900), but you can at leat get a 4:3.

Wow, can you share and post them? I have to check if they sell abroad...

what do you want to customize on it? What specs do you want?
(...)
It's best to get the screen, the CPU and the videocard you want, all other things are easy to add, or easy replaceable. (and cheap).

Exacty, that's the minimum, but... no one model other then this 8889CTO has:
1. T61, so santa rosa, support for 4GB, new improvements, and so on
2. SXGA+ 14.1" 1400x1050
3. Integrated video card
or... maybe there is something new, but I have found nothing more. They will come in some future, but I don't know when they come

The three above are a must for me. I found some models with 1 & 2, but with NVidia - I don't like them because of the more power they consume, so shorter battery life & more heat to calm. Laptop is my working tool, I don't watch dvd or play games on it...
--
best regards, zgibek

zgibek · #34 Post by **zgibek** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 6:57 pm

rushdy wrote:(...)I've seen people mention Bill Morrow on other threads, does he sell ThinkPads, and could he get a CTO?

I don't know if Bill Morrow can do that, but after a email talk to Alex Ozersky from Euclid Computers and ask for ordering a CTO model he asked for time to check if it possible.
It's a business, so... maybe

I wil inform you and post the results in this thread.
--
best regards, zgibek

rushdy · #35 Post by **rushdy** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:57 am

Great, thanks zgibek!

zgibek · #36 Post by **zgibek** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:33 am

Dear All,
I've promised to add the end of history...
I couldn't buy it in any shop. I tried with couple, but with no success. Most of them did not answer at all. The most promisioning was "Euclid Computers". I was emailing with Alex Ozersky several times. But, at the end, when it looked very, very well something happens and I have no more mail or other contact with them.
I tried to send some mails (about 4/5), even calling - but with no success, I could only leave a message on their auto answering machine.

So, it looks that the only way is to find some good guy wich will buy it for you and then sent it to you. You have also make a buy/sell agreement between you and the guy.
I have already ordered mine (well, some guy done it). When it comes he will sent it to me with some custom papers. And then, in Poland I have to pay some taxes to customs...
Hope it will works and help somebody.
regards, zgibek

rushdy · #37 Post by **rushdy** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:37 pm

Ah well, thanks for letting me know

I'm considering setting up an account with USABox or Access USA and getting mine that way; just waiting for an email from Lenovo about the warranty.

Thanks again and all the best,

James

jcvjcvjcvjcv · #38 Post by **jcvjcvjcvjcv** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:20 pm

When you are European, you have to contact Euclid at the evenings, if it's 4 pm here, it's 8 am there

And maybe is on vacation

zgibek · #39 Post by **zgibek** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:08 pm

jcvjcvjcvjcv wrote:When you are European, you have to contact Euclid at the evenings, if it's 4 pm here, it's 8 am there

And maybe is on vacation

Yes, I was trying to reach him via phone during his working hours, of course...
It is also possible he is on vacations, I do not know.
Anyway, he didn't answer yet, also today I have no contact from him.

So, I hope my decision was right.
--
regards, zgibek

Robbyrobot · #40 Post by **Robbyrobot** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:30 am

I better desist from raising the question of why he completely refuses to consider doing business with the huge amount of nice, rich and easy overseas customers

Some people need business, some obviously don't. This refusal to deal with potential foreign customers is apparently widespread - certainly at Ebay - but to my delight generally doesn't extend to the people offering computers/components in the Thinkpads Marketplace. My experience with those sellers has been extremely good to date.

#41 Post by **Johan** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:34 pm

Robbyrobot wrote:Some people need business, some obviously don't. This refusal to deal with potential foreign customers is apparently widespread - certainly at Ebay - but to my delight generally doesn't extend to the people offering computers/components in the Thinkpads Marketplace. My experience with those sellers has been extremely good to date.

Thank you for reporting this! I have actually had precisely the same very, very pleasant experience here (in the ThinkPads Marketplace); that ThinkPad'ers in e.g. the USA are indeed - almost always - willing to take the (slightly) extra trouble of shipping to Europe, even if perhaps initially only wanting to consider domestic trading. I have never traded via eBay, so I have no experience there, but yet I feel far more comfortable and "safe" when dealing via the Marketplace here - as if the worldwide "ThinkPad-brotherhood" gives an implicit warranty of dealing with totally trustworthy persons (which for sure has only been confirmed by my experience... having e.g. bought my T42p via this forum - couldn't think of a better place to trade e.g. used ThinkPad’s!).

So, to all of you overseas from Europe: Thank you very much in advance for your continuous kind consideration of having us as happy customers also for the future! Much appreciated!

Best regards,

Johan

corsac · #42 Post by **corsac** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:16 am

I'm quite in the same case, I'd like to buy a 14" T61 SXGA+ with X3100 in France, and it doesn't currently seems possible...

zgibek · #43 Post by **zgibek** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:55 pm

Dear all,
As I promised before I want to add a few words at the end. End, because finally I got my new T61 CTO model. Legally.

So, if you read carefully you know that I had to ask a friend who lives in US to buy it for me. The bad news is that you have to pay the local tax (mine was 8.5% - TX), and you have to add this to the price of notebook. Then he sent it directly to me with the agreement between seller and buyer. We used the USPS service with insurance to full value. Then you have to pay something at the customs and ... you are the happy owner.

So, a quick "sumarize":
1. find a friend to customize and buy it for you on his credit card.
2. meantime prepare the agreement between you (buyer) and your friend (seller) because you will propably need it at customs
3. when your thinkpad reaches your friend ask him to check if everything is ok, complete and without any "big problem".
4. your friend has to send your thinkpad with the signed agreement inside.
He can also scan and sent the scan of signed agreement to you - maybe it will be neccessary for customs.
5. wait for the letter from customs that your package has already come to customs.
6. prepare required documents, go to the customs, pay and take your ThinkPad home.
BTW. you have to send some money to your friend

You can, of course buy it directly from any shop - if you find something interestng you. Then you should have a invoice besides the agreement.

My package came to me in 3 days (including Sat & Sun) + 2 for custom office.
Very good result, for me. The USPS is much cheaper then UPS of simillar couriers. It cost $60 in USPS, and $250-$300 in UPS.

Hope this helps somebody.
--
best regards, zgibek

#44 Post by **ryengineer** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:29 pm

Congrats.

On a sidenote, please do make sure whether you'll be able to avail the warranty in your country or not.

zgibek · #45 Post by **zgibek** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:43 am

yum remove iwlwifi iwlwifi-kmdl mac80211-kmdl mac80211

Thanks Ryengineer, I know that is not covered by IWS, because it's model 8897.
But I knew it before I have decided. That's the choice I made.
Anyway, it looks that even if I have to repair it on my cost or even sent it to US for repair it was worth. The post service works very well, and the cost of package is not so high, if you compare the price of US and PL. And, because I bought it legally, and already paid everything to the customs I don't care about them. The problem can be of course if you just "bring" it home, without register it on the border. Then, if you have to sent it to repair you can pay the custom fee

Anyway, thanks all you guys for suggestions.
--
best regards, zgibek

How to buy a customized thinkpad in US legally & export

That's a failure :(

The END :)

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