Why you should not purchase anything from lenovo.........ever!

I originally posted the following on Nov.12th in the T430s Owner's Thread, but I'm posting this where anyone who owns or is considering owning a Lenovo product because this is something that everyone should be made aware of.
-----------------------------------------------

I would not recommend purchasing a T430s or any Lenovo product for that matter to anyone.

I purchased my first "business-class" laptop from Lenovo because I was tired of poor quality consumer laptops and bad customer service. I was familiar with Lenovo/IBM because I was a hardware repair technician for many years and serviced a lot of their equipment back then. My experience with Dell was okay, HP terrible, but so far Lenovo has been the absolute worst of the three!

As of right now, my T430s is sitting on the shelf at in IBM repair depot on a parts hold. This my laptop's second trip to the depot after 3 months of ownership. I called the repair before sending in my laptop again, like I was instructed to do the first time that I called to complain about it not being fixed properly the first time (and them replacing my perfectly fine new hard drive with a refurb). They could not even tell me if they had the part my laptop required in stock. I have to send them my T430s first and then they will bother to look for the needed part which of course they do not have the depot so I have been without it for a week as of today. Also, the folks at my local IBM depot are incapable of doing any type of troubleshooting and probably cannot read english. Eventhough, we are both located in the U.S., the part of the country where the depot is is not known for it's intelligence and the quality of service accurately reflects this. There is no communication between IBM and Lenovo what so ever. After Lenovo stated that the matter was resolved and new replaced board were available, IBM was telling me that they had never heard of the problem. What???

As some of you may recall my T430s, is affected by the random BSOD/Stop 101 error bug. I cannot tell you how infuriating it has been to be stuck with for the past 3 months using a defective product that the manufacturer has made aware of and instead of lifting a finger to notify it's customers and issue a recall, Lenovo tried (successfully) to cover up the problem. They decided to keep selling the T430s with newly manufactured systemboards and to completely ignore the fact that there are hundreds of defective T430s being used by people today who may have no clue that their is some wrong with their laptop. Why the media (Cnet, PC Magazine, Notebook Review) has ignored this issue is puzzling considering how many high profile businesses must have been affected by this but of course they were taking care of right away by Lenovo. It sucks to be Joe Shmo, "Mr. One laptop purchaser". I'm surprised there hasn't been any talk of a class-action lawsuit over this.

Anyhow, I do like my T430s. The build quality is excellent. The screen sucks but I knew that beforehand; watching any type of video on it is cringeworthy. It suits my purposes otherwise (between BSODs), but at this point it would take an awful lot for me to even consider buying anything else from Lenovo again

 

I understand your frustration, but it highlights again how absolutely crucial onsite warranty is with any of the brands you mentioned before. New display came in a week (not urgent), fan error fixed next day, keyboard fixed next day, palmrest fixed next day, speakers fixed next day (this is from more than one machine by the way). I had Dell Laptops in the past and the service has been as good and professional as was Lenovos.

 

Ok. So here's where I stand today. Two weeks have passed for me without a laptop. I called the depot last week and the lady who answered the phone said "We just got a bunch new systemboards in today and if we have enough of them your laptop will be repaired."

I tried to remain calm but after 4 months using a defective product and now soon to be three weeks without a working laptop, I just lost it. What's most insulting is that Lenovo has been selling "defect-free" T430s' for nearly three months now! They've got my money and that's all they care about. It doesn't matter to Lenovo that there any hundreds or thousands of defective laptops out there still with their name on it. They are all about seperating you from your money and then denying you exist!

I asked the CSR to put me in touch with someone who could definitely tell me when I would receive my laptop. She went to get a manager and came back in about four minutes and said that he was busy with another matter at the moment, but she assured me that he would call me back that day. I was even given his name. Well four days later, still no call.

This is the kind of "customer" service you can expect when you paid extra for a business class laptop, folks. Right now, I kind of feel like writing apology letters to Dell and HP since I badmouthed them for crappy hardware or service with my consumer laptop purchases. However, Lenovo is ten times worst in my opinion - an absolute, atroucious and unethical corporation!

This is why and I asking you all to please not patronize Lenovo in anyway at least until they show an ounce of responsibility and repair these defective products. If you can't do it for me then do it for the hundreds (poss. thousands) of people out there who are using this T-series laptop for mission critical work but have no idea that the product they are using is deficient because Lenovo refused to do the right thing and issue a recall. Thank you!

 

It's frustrating, isn't it? However, it would be helpful to spend extra on on-site service warranty.

I hope your financial situation is such that you can afford another (different brand) notebook while waiting for the crippled T430s to come back, and then arrange to sell it off. Or, maybe you already have other computers to keep you going, in which case it is the more reason to forget about the thing until it comes back, ready to be sold off.

 

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I probably would have gone with the onsite warranty, if I was using my laptop for business purposes. That said, I do not think my experience would have dramatically different since I would still have to wait for a new systemboard because Lenovo has regulated the majority of them to their large business customers and to new sales. Anybody else will have to compete for the small trickle that is sent to the depots and third party repair centers sparingly.

 

I actually do like the T430s. It only has 1 or 2 deficiencies and I have become used to them already. However, I'm 100% convinced that should the T-series get IPS screens next year, the current models will be reselling at about $200 which would be sad since I paid $1350 with warranty. Everyone will be looking to dump their T430/s due to the screen.

 

i think you should post this in Lenovo forum instead, this way you would the eyeball of the right people that maybe able to help you. But i understand lot of frustration and anger that you may feel toward Lenovo, since i have been in the same situation myself.

 

True. Especially with the T430s, since Wake Forest University (one of the large-quantity customers) raised the problem not too long ago.

 

Mh, I believe if you do not purchase onsite warranty you don't get special business class customer service just because you paid for a business class laptop. It's the onsite warranty that differentiates the kind of support you get (but if I am wrong please correct me). Would that be any different at Dell or HP? I don't know. I think the same could have happened with the other brands, and since you already tried the big three brands you are kinda running out of options.

 

The customer should not be penalized for Lenovo's incompetence. The fact is, while his machine is in the depot, I ordered and received a T430s that works properly. At some point some fat VP needs to get off their duff and do their job. The parts pipeline is broken and needs to be fixed.

The ONLY reason I ordered a T430s is because my wife refuses to use anything but a ThinkPad.

 

The ONLY difference is that some contractor sets up a meeting with you at the location of your choice and first inspects the machine to determine the problem. They then order the parts.

They don't come back until they have the parts and that can be weeks.

The overnight business class service you speak of is just to setup the meeting. The upside to onsite service is that your machine isn't in someone else's warehouse.

If this were my incident, I would be asking Lenovo for a full refund.

HP and Dell are worse. But that doesn't mean Lenovo rocks.

 

Thanks for the advice. I just did so.

This is exactly why I created this thread. Had I known that service would have been subpar in comparison to the level of service afforded to large businesses using the same product, I probably would made different choices. I want to people who blindly think like I did, that they are getting business class service with their business class laptop to know that with a standard depot warranty, you will be treated as less than someone who purchases a consumer grade laptop from Dell or HP.

I hear you about the options. I believe that is why Lenovo was able to get away this cover-up. They know that all their competitors suck in one way or another so all they have to do is operate at a level slightly above them all. I believe in this case that cockiness has gone to the heads and they wound up at the bottom.

Thanks for so much for the support, guys. You really are making this situation more bearable just by being here and not treating me like I am just another lunatic on the internet complaining about something illogical.

 

My experience is different with onsite warranties... I've had onsite with all three manufacturers and the process was nearly identical. Call tech support with an issue. They make a diagnosis over the phone. They order necessary parts and have them shipped to technician. Technician calls to touch base when parts arrive usually within 1-3 days to arrange a visit for the repair. The entire process typically takes less than 5 business days for me. I've had screens, MB, and even a case (yes the entire laptop shell) R&R'd in my office or at my home. Once even at the in-laws house 5 states west of here. I have been really happy with their support via onsite. I buy it because depot warranties are eerily similar across brands and I refuse to endure the type of customer disservice. I hope you get it sorted... This should be escalated by now, and frankly you should have a new laptop for all your trouble!

 

That is definitely not true in the UK or Germany and my experience is the same as aadadams. Never ever had I someone over in person to diagnose my machine first and then order the parts. The diagnosis was always made on the phone and then the technician came, usually the next day with the parts to replace them. That experience was the same for Dell and Lenovo. I had a display, motherboard fan and other items replaced within 1-3 days.

Edit: But we are slightly getting off-topic here. I don't want to undermine the OP's frustration. My point is that in my experience there is a huge difference between the quality and speed of customer services when you have onsite warranty compared to depot warranty. Just because I have a purchased a business laptop (but not business warranty) does not mean that I get very good depot service.

 

In Australia, there is no difference between the Onsite and back to base under IBM Service when parts are on order, i haven't tried with the new service provider.

 

Well actually the warranty for thinkpads is business class. It's just that when an entity has 10000 units and they have a problem that they can reproduce on 5 - 10 % of them that gives them enough data points for large scale action. I empathize with your frustration, but my fear is that no matter which vendor you were a customer of from the list you gave, this situation would be eerily similar across them all. Parts shortages suck. What they should do is give you a new laptop. Contact Mark and Lenovo Forums and get an advocate to aid you in getting resolution and satisfaction.

 

EasyServ (depot service) does not have impeccably high reputation. One reason for having on-site warranty is to be able to "supervise" the technician at one's place. Now, not all technicans need the kind of supervision I'm talking about, as I've come across a few knowledgeable, courteous and caring ones. Nevertheless, having your notebook sitting at the depot for days or weeks, not knowing what they actually do (or not do) with it, is quite unsettling. You don't get to talk to the technician working on your notebook. The person answering the phone either knows practically nothing or simply reads something off the screen.

There have been cases where the notebooks come back with dust, fingerprints, scratches, dings, disconnected cards, loose screws, missing screws, stripped screws... What are you going to do then? Get upset and post messages on forums? Certain users are careful in taking detail photos of their notebooks before sending them to the depot.

 

I can only speak for Dell but I have used their next day service extensively. The process has always been the same. If you call in early enough they overnight the part to the technician that day and the tech calls you the next day. If its late enough it might take 2 days. Never once have I experienced them telling me the part was on backorder. To me that would be completely unacceptable. That said, if you are in any type of rush you have to do the on-site plan. Best case scenario with a mail-in plan is probably a week.

 

In today's age of digital cameras, you would be crazy to send a machine and NOT do this. You can bet I will be if it's ever needed (with date and time turned on).

 

Guys, I took Thor's Hammer's advice and called the depot today. I asked specifically for the manager who's name I was given last week. He was again unavailable, but I was put in touch another manager. She reviewed my case number beforehand and knowing that they had no idea when my laptop would be fixed since they still did not have stock of the motherboard, she automatically put a request in for me to either receive a new laptop or a refund. After, the manager relay that info I proceeded to complain about the whiole 4 months thing, no recall, 20 mins on hold to speak to a CSR, blah, blah... She said that I have every right to be angry and that she'd feel the same way given the situation. I actually had to apologize to her though because when we first spoke I was so angry that I could not form complete sentences. Anyhow I have her direct contact info and she said that there should be a resolution by early next week because of the upcoming holiday here in the states.

 

I understand you're upset, but that's not a justification for using foul language.

In addition to posting on the Lenovo forums, you might want to contact Mark over there. He may be able to get you an answer where others have not.

I know this is extremely frustrating, but try to keep in mind it's just a laptop and not worth getting so worked up over at least in my opinion. I hope everything works out for you.

 

No offense, but it's really easy to say this when it's not $1350 out of your pocket

I hope if not the CSR you just spoke to, one of the lenovo employees that posts on their forums assists you with your situation. This is exactly why I purchased the onsite upgrade, figuring that if something did happen to my laptop it would be better off in the hands of a trained tech rather than being in limbo at the depot.

 

What foul language?

 

The part I edited out.

Trust me, I've had my fair share of unpleasant experiences when buying laptops and electronics, just like everyone else.

 

May i ask how is your situation going now? Have you gotten the refund/new laptop as requested?

This thread is making me regret not buying the onsite warranty. Would i be able to buy the onsite warranty
now that i have received my set with depot warranty? And would onsite work in singapore?

 

You can always upgrade the warranty, provided you haven't already upgraded it before (you only get 1 upgrade per serial number, so choose wisely).

 

There is no deadline as to when you upgrade it i suppose?

 

I had a very similar situation waiting over a month for my W530 to be fixed. While I called a lot, I was always polite, and I spent at least $500 more than you did. Yelling or swearing at people just makes them less inclined to help you. They ended up sending me a new unit that has worked fine ever since, although the process definitely took longer than I would have wished.