Thinkpad battery replacement and maintance......

Have a Z61m I need to replace the battery for it. Any idea where the best deal is on a replacement?

Also the metal cover has gotten a little tarnished, anyone have suggestions on cleaning/removing the film on it?

Lastly I think it's time for getting a car charger for it, again any idea on best retailer for that?

Thanks in advance, love the notebook, it serves me well and hopefully it will serve me well for another year or two, if I can get the cover and keyboard cleaned, everyone always loves the system.

 

I've had good luck with batteries from CalCellular in the past. Their prices are reasonable (far less than IBM/Lenovo) and quality was very good. They currently have a battery for a z61T for $65.99, but I am not sure if this is compatible with a z61M.

Generally, the best way to clean a ThinkPad is with a lightly damp cloth. Start with a very mild solution (e.g. Eyeglass cleaner), if that doesn't work move on to soapy water, if all else fails try Isopropyl alcohol. However, the z61m may require different treatment (it has the Titanium lid correct?).

The same advice would generally apply to the keyboard as well. However, you should remove it from the notebook before cleaning if possible. If you do remove the keyboard, I would suggest spraying all the fans/exhaust vents with a can of compressed air. This should clear out any dust that built up over time.

I don't have any experience with car chargers (I just use big batteries instead). So you are on your own there.

 

Glad to hear you like your notebook. I was fortunate enough to get to write the Z61m review for NBR. The Z61m I think is still the most solid notebook I've ever seen. It was a tank, though a bit heavy.

I got the nine-cell for my R60, which is the same battery as the Z61m, last year around this time. I think I paid $90 for if off Pricegrabber. The really cheap ones are 3rd party batteries, which you'll want to avoid. I'm not really sure where the price line is.