Manufacturer Warranties and Protection Plans

[ashley_beighton]

I am currently having some disappointing issues whilst trying to get my Lenovo V570 Laptop fixed. I purchased my laptop from Best Buy in the USA on 17th Nov 2011. When buying the laptop I explained that I was looking for something that was made by a well known international company as I was planning to return to  England and I wanted to know that   if there was any problems I would be able to get it fixed under the warranty. We decided that the Lenovo/IBM Laptop would be an ideal fit for my needs as they are a truly international company. He also recommended that I buy the "Geek Squad" membership as there are a number of Best Buy stores in England and he confirmed that this cover would allow me you use the Best Buy (UK) Geek Squad in the same way that it would in the US. I therefore felt comfortable in buying this more expensive laptop, knowing I was covered both by a leading international company (IBM) and Best Buy stores in the UK (having paid the additonal $89 for the Geek Squad cover). 
 

I have since moved back to England and after about a month of being back, the laptop is broken.

The first thing I did was contact the Best Buy, which is based close to me in England. They told me that they will not even look at my laptop as it was puchased in the USA. They claim it is a different license.

I then decided to contact Geek Squad USA through there online chat service. They could not help me fix my Laptop but told me to either, fill in an online form for international repairs and they will ship my Laptop to the USA and fix it, or, under the manufacturers warranty, so contact Lenovo and they will fix it.  I first chose to fill in the form on the Best Buy website.

About a week later I received an email from Best Buy saying :

"Please have a local service center diagnose the failure with your product. If the repair estimate is less than 100% of the purchase price of the product, you will need to pay for the service and send a request for reimbursement to the address below. If the cost of the repair will be greater than the purchase price, you will need to submit the repair estimate to the address below and you will be reimbursed for the purchase price paid for the product."

I was informed by many people not to do this as it could invalidate the warranty. I therefore decided to contact Lenovo/IBM.

 Lenovo's representative told me that they don't sell the Laptop in England, so they could not fix it - even though it is still under warranty (I checked this by looking at on the UK internet and I could actually buy one tomorrow if I wanted to!!) and he told me to contact the USA number. After a very long and expensive phone call the US rep felt that the symptoms suggested a very simple fix, however, I would need some replacement parts fitting. He was willing to send the parts to me, but only to a US address "Perhaps a friend, whoi could then forward the parts to me in the UK?" - obviously shipped back to me in the UK my expense, then have the parts fitted, again at my expense! He also told me to ring the England number again as he can't see any reason why they would not have the part that is needed. After then ringing the number in England again they again informed me once again that they could not fix it and also informed me that if I did get the part shipped over at my expense they would not be able to fix it anyway as the Laptop is not supported in England.

I then asked what I should do and she told me she didn't know and that it is the risk you take when buying a Laptop and then moving countries! (Truly international?)

Can someone please help me in giving me some advice for getting my laptop fixed?

[ashley_beighton]

I am currently having some disappointing issues whilst trying to get my Lenovo V570 Laptop fixed. I purchased my laptop from Best Buy in the USA on 17th Nov 2011. When buying the laptop I explained that I was looking for something that was made by a well known international company as I was planning to return to  England and I wanted to know that   if there was any problems I would be able to get it fixed under the warranty. We decided that the Lenovo/IBM Laptop would be an ideal fit for my needs as they are a truly international company. He also recommended that I buy the "Geek Squad" membership as there are a number of Best Buy stores in England and he confirmed that this cover would allow me you use the Best Buy (UK) Geek Squad in the same way that it would in the US. I therefore felt comfortable in buying this more expensive laptop, knowing I was covered both by a leading international company (IBM) and Best Buy stores in the UK (having paid the additonal $89 for the Geek Squad cover). 
 

I have since moved back to England and after about a month of being back, the laptop is broken.

The first thing I did was contact the Best Buy, which is based close to me in England. They told me that they will not even look at my laptop as it was puchased in the USA. They claim it is a different license.

I then decided to contact Geek Squad USA through there online chat service. They could not help me fix my Laptop but told me to either, fill in an online form for international repairs and they will ship my Laptop to the USA and fix it, or, under the manufacturers warranty, so contact Lenovo and they will fix it.  I first chose to fill in the form on the Best Buy website.

About a week later I received an email from Best Buy saying :

"Please have a local service center diagnose the failure with your product. If the repair estimate is less than 100% of the purchase price of the product, you will need to pay for the service and send a request for reimbursement to the address below. If the cost of the repair will be greater than the purchase price, you will need to submit the repair estimate to the address below and you will be reimbursed for the purchase price paid for the product."

I was informed by many people not to do this as it could invalidate the warranty. I therefore decided to contact Lenovo/IBM.

 Lenovo's representative told me that they don't sell the Laptop in England, so they could not fix it - even though it is still under warranty (I checked this by looking at on the UK internet and I could actually buy one tomorrow if I wanted to!!) and he told me to contact the USA number. After a very long and expensive phone call the US rep felt that the symptoms suggested a very simple fix, however, I would need some replacement parts fitting. He was willing to send the parts to me, but only to a US address "Perhaps a friend, whoi could then forward the parts to me in the UK?" - obviously shipped back to me in the UK my expense, then have the parts fitted, again at my expense! He also told me to ring the England number again as he can't see any reason why they would not have the part that is needed. After then ringing the number in England again they again informed me once again that they could not fix it and also informed me that if I did get the part shipped over at my expense they would not be able to fix it anyway as the Laptop is not supported in England.

I then asked what I should do and she told me she didn't know and that it is the risk you take when buying a Laptop and then moving countries! (Truly international?)

Can someone please help me in giving me some advice for getting my laptop fixed?

[AaronE]

Just out of curiosity; what's wrong with your laptop?

You should be able to get it repaired in the UK and then submit for reimbursement as that email directed.

[ashley_beighton]

The Laptop will not turn on anymore. At first a problem started where the charging light was coming on and the light on the power button was turning on when I pressed it but nothing was coming on the screen, but now nothing is happening, No lights at all. Whilst on the phone to the best buy and lenovo supports teams they suggest I remove the battery whilst the charger was plugged in and put it back in. They also suggested I press the recovery key buy neither of these worked.

Yes this seems like my only option but I have been warned by many people that this will void my warrenty, although I guess my warrenty is not much good anyway, so maybe this is the right option. After looking on the Lenovo forums, this same problem seems to pop up quite a bit for the V570 so I also worry that for 12 months I can keep getting it fixed and Best Buy reimbursing me but then what? I will then have to pay the repait myself.