Warranty issues on X200?

I'm loathe to post this, but I'm having some issues with my X200; ones I've had for quite a while.

As I posted up a few months ago, I received my X200 back in July. It had some cosmetic damage to it as well as a buzzing inverter issue. As it had well over a year of warranty remaining, I decided to send it into depot service to get the inverter repaired; this was perhaps a few days after I purchased it.

For some strange reason the depot tech determined that the planar was at fault and ended up replacing it. This didn't fix the issue; the inverter was buzzing the first time I powered the notebook on after getting it back from the depot.

Another fault is the fact the wireless switch isn't all that secure; it wiggles around quite a bit and at times it ends up cutting my wireless card off if I so much as bump it. I was trying to switch it back on one day recently and heard a fairly loud snap come from the area; the switch now works as advertised but I now have a crack in the bottom case running from where the wireless switch is to where the Expresscard slot is. I am reasonably confident that this is due to some sort of mishap while my machine was put back together at the depot.

I really couldn't be without this machine for a while as I needed it for school. Now that I have some downtime I would like these issues addressed. Considering it's been five months since I sent this system in for service(but still have a year of warranty left), am I up a creek as far as getting this looked at, or will I be able to get these issues seen to?

 

My own x200 came out the box with various annoying faults but I simply lived with them as I had to get on with things. One of the issues was (remains) as a dodgy WLAN (additonally, I also have the dodgy wireless switch that you've descirbed) and when I actually had some time to call their support centre (I think it was only about a month) and remain on hold for an unacceptable amount of time (great business class service!) they then just told me that my support period had expired and any warranty issues would have to be looked at by their technicians - ie. send the machine back and simply refused to talk to me any further about anything. After spending £1500 at the time (about $2250), it was a very bitter pill to swallow. I then resolved to NEVER buy another Lenovo product. Unfortunately, there really aren't many/any other manufacturers out there making decent, durable kit.

My point is, in relation to your question, "good luck, buddy!". You'll probably be able to get it looked at but there's zero guarantee they'll do anything about it and you'll have to foot the delivery bills plus be without your machine for an unknown amount of time. I simply have zero confidence in their customer service and technical support. Maybe things are different in the States but given your previous experience of a bad repair, I'm inclined to be somewhat pessimistic.

 

This could be true, but I'm assuming you had to go through Lenovo UK? Taking the issues needing attention not being fixed out of the equation every other aspect of my service was very easy to deal with. I did not have to pay shipping charges either way and received my X200 back within three days of sending it out. The gentleman I had talked to on the phone in the first place was knowledgable and friendly, but I believe all this is because support services for ThinkPads in the US is still handled by IBM and not Lenovo. However, did you still have warranty time remaining on your machine when you sent in your inquiry? On my end, I still have 358 days left on my coverage period.

 

Put it this way - the machine was brand spanking new. I had had it for about a month - two months at the most (my memory isn't that good but this was over three years ago when it was new). Lenovo UK definitely sucks. I was professional in my own dealings with them even when I complained that their service was worse than unacceptable as enterprise class customer service so it wasn't because I was being a pain the butt. If your dealings with Lenovo/IBM have been good then you have no reason to give it a go - the worse they can say is no.

 

@LegendaryKA8, i usually document and photograph all the faults that i think is manufacturing's or depot's fault and ask them to address it. d

 

Thanks... that's a pretty good idea. Can't exactly photograph the inverter issue, but I'm assuming that once I call up and make a claim I can email a picture to the support rep?

 

One could put a letter in the box detailing your issue(s) with the picture.

 

I've been doing this for years with numerous manufacturers, and have come to the conclusion that it's definitely worth it. It's not always a sure bet that it'll be heeded, but it does seem to tip the odds in my failure.