Warranty 41C9180 for T43p

[p42486]

Hi everyone!

First post, quick start I just bought a used T43p (2668-G4G) with some warranty left (actually until 3rd of October), so I'm looking for to get warranty extension for two more years.

I've read many threads here, but maybe not that correct one, because I need to ask What I want - is to get that 2 year warranty (41C9180) which is mentioned a lot here but Lenovo here in Finland doesn't sell it. They just give 10N3143 or 10N3144 option to choose (courier / onsite for 1 year). Extra 2 year warranty is big no no. So is it so, can I get 2 year warranty or do I need to accept that one year? If 41C9180 is still sold somewhere, is the warranty global? If I can order that is the warranty still covered here in Finland?

[Johan]

Welcome to the forum!

As to extending warranties on ThinkPad's, I have discovered that there are significant differences between what is possible in the USA, and what is possible "over here", in Europe. As you have already read, the 5-year carry-in warranty extension with IBM part-number 41C9180 is available (in the USA) - for about $150 - details in the thread Warranty extension for Thinkpads. Since many ThinkPad's came with a 3-year carry-in warranty, the 5-year extension (which counts from the original delivery date of the particular ThinkPad) will add 2 more years beyond the end of the initial 3 years. Very nice deal, provided: 1) You are able to buy this extension and 2) IBM in your country will honor such a warranty extension. However, the latter is not always the case - as discussed in the lenghty thread IBM/Denmark deny to honor warranty confirmed by IBM-Support. You may perhaps also want to check the threads T42p warranty extension in France and Post-warranty service no longer offered (Central Europe)?.

I have a couple of T42's (bought in Denmark, from an official Danish IBM-reseller) which had their initial three-year warranty ending last year, and I also wanted to extend the warranty on both to the maximum possible. After speaking to IBM warranty resellers I learned that the warranty can only be extended one time (here in Denmark), and only for one year... so I ended buying the 10N3143 (1 year w/Courier pick-up), for which I paid 625 DKK (+ 25 % VAT). As you were told, they (IBM) only offer courier pick-up or on-site for 1 year... that's it. So, bottom line seems to be that if you are actually able to extend your perhaps "Location = USA" warranty in Europe, it will only be for one year. By "Location = USA" I am referring to the "Location" which is stated on the IBM/Lenovo Warranty Lookup page (if you bought your T43p from the USA, then "Location" will probably be "USA"). If this is actually the case, remember to ask IBM/Finland if a one-year "Finnish" warranty extension is possible on an "USA-born" ThinkPad?

Sorry for all these many difficulties I am throwing at you here, but it really pays off to be prepared before buying a warranty - making sure that it will indeed cover, if it has to!

Please share your experience here!

PS: I just realized that a 2668-G4G is an European ThinkPad, so you may not need to worry about the "Location = USA" stuff... but I'll leave it in the post, just for information.

Johan

[p42486]

Hi Johan and thanks for the quick answer!

First of all, I don't like Lenovo. I think T43 was the last standing cowboy (Thinkpad with Quality), and after Lenovo bought IBM, the quality of the laptops has been going down like a cow's tail My history with thinkpads is from 2004 or 2005 when I got my T42 workhorse, it was love almost at first sight Got it with good specs (1400x, 80gb, radeon 9600, etc) but after a while I changed company and had to leave "my" machine. After that I was thinking that someday..

A few months ago I started looking after T42 and specially the p-model. For a time I was looking for a used model with the right spec (1400x, firegl) and I found one with a "good" price - I ordered it and it was grade A at the first look - no worn parts or shiny keyboard, but then it hit - I checked the parts from the system and s**t there was a wrong graphic card!! Radeon 7500 if I remember right - I don't know if the seller tried to bully me or what (because the price was ~100e lower than others) I just needed to send it back even though it was otherwise fine Then time went past and I didn't find the right one and after reading about GPU problems with T42 and about fan noise in T43 I made the decision that fan noise is less annoying than a broken GPU. I ordered this 2668-G4G and the price was a bit high but I needed to get it - so what man can do ..and there was dissapointment too. The seller said that it was like a- grade (didn't have a chance to see or test it) but when I got the machine it was more like b or c grade. Keyboard shines like nothing else and corners of screen are worn, scratches on the top side of the screen and so on. And that fan noise... IT IS HUGE! Gosh, I didn't understood that it is so noisy! And it is also a bit heavier than T42 in my memories. Even my current work laptop (Fujitsu-Siemens) that has a faster cpu etc is a LOT quieter at the full fanspeed than this T43p

And about the warranty. The warranty will expire next month so I need to get that machine fixed. Dunno what I can get covered by the warranty but I'm gonna tell them everything - 'cos it is not in the shape that I want my Thinkpad to be! Base warranty was the 3y mail-in or carry-in repair, so I'm thinking that if I wait one month and buy that 1y onsite extented warranty - after that I don't need to send it (and wait for 2-> weeks to get it fixed) and I can speek to the guy who will fix my t43p at my home. So my choise for extented warranty is the 10N3144 - 1y onsite and best offer atm for it is 115 euros. With that price of 150$ for 41C9180 I must say that it is CHEAP! (compare rate euros to dollar, 150$ ~ 100e) -that's why I was looking for that 41c9180 and asking about global warranty status..!

So people in Europe (if you found this thread through search): the only option for extented warranty (for T42/43(p)) is those 10N3143 or 10N3144 (courier / onsite for 1 year) and that's a pity.

[Johan]

<snip>

...and that fan noise... IT IS HUGE! Gosh, I didn't understood that it is so noisy!

<snip>

There are ways to cure this; and as a starter I would like to point your attention to the thread T43 operating temperature (see the post of Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:06 pm). In relation to controlling your fan using (highly recommended!) free program "Notebook Hardware Control", see the thread T43p excessively hot (e.g. the post of Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:09 am). More advanced information about how to cool down your T43p is found in the thread T43 fan noise... really that bad?.

Also, you might want to see the sticky Thinkpad Fan Noise Problem: Light at the End of the Tunnel (I suggest you read from the end... as much of the first is now history!). This utility which was created (for Windows ThinkPads) by user shimodax and has subsequently continously been updated and supported by user troubadix who has made a homepage especially for this program; see TPFanControl by troubadix.

Good luck with your "new" T43p! Personally, I prefer 15" FlexView/IPS T42's and T42p's, but we're all different...

Johan