From: AC Brown (acb_at_acbrown.com)
Date: Thu Sep 27 2001 - 18:13:36 EDT
I had exactly the same problem: I purchased an additional two-year
warrantee on a TP 560 and after the end of the warrantee period I
received a collection agency notice demanding payment for additional
warrantee coverage that I hadn't ordered. The matter was fairly
easily resolved when I sent them copies of the paperwork for the
original order and I've heard nothing from them subsequently (this
was over a year ago).
I think the problem arises from an inadequate system for warrantee
tracking at IBM, which leads to extra paperwork and antagonizes
customers. However, I have no reason to believe there was intent
to defraud, so I think it's unfair to characterize the IBM
warrantee department as "crooks".
The lesson, as David says: Keep all records handy. (I scan mine
and store them on disk.)
AC Brown
> From: "David Ross" <ross_at_math.hawaii.edu>
> To: "THINKPAD_at_CS.UTK.EDU" <THINKPAD_at_cs.utk.edu>
> Subject: Thinkpad extended warrantee *warning*
> Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 21:43:49 -1000
>
> When the factory warrantee expired on my 560, I bought a 2 year
> warrantee. Near the end of that period IBM offered to extend the
> warrantee. I don't know that they would actually have done this had I
> tried to take them up on the offer, since AFAIK you can't get more than
> 3 years total service on the 560 series; the letter from them looked
> like a standard form letter, probably auto generated when the end of my
> warrantee period was sensed. Anyway, I didn't renew, and thought that
> was that.
>
> Well, I was wrong. IBM has now sent my account to a collection agency,
> to collect for the further warrantee service I did not ask for and did
> not pay for. While I'm sure I will eventually get this cleared up, it
> will certainly be yet another long headache, courtesy of EZ Serve.
>
> So, I would advise anyone who opts for an extended warrantee from these
> crooks to be extra clear on what you do and do not want, and to keep all
> records very handy.
>
> - David R.
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