Canadians: Ordering from Lenovo US?

I've been planning on purchasing a ThinkPad for school for sometime, and after having done some research - reading the reviews on this site, CNET, PCMag etc. - have decided that the T60 is the right laptop for me.

I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, and I configured a T60 on Lenovo Canada. With a 1.66Ghz Core 2 Duo, a gig of ram, and a 120 GB hard drive, dvd burner, and 9 cell battery, the laptop came to just over $1600.

Out of curiosity, I hit up the Lenovo US, and entered the same configuration, and found, with the IBM Shareholder Program and a E-coupon, that the same system could be bought for 1,122.71 USD or (thanks to the high loonie) just under 1200 CAD - $400 less than the price of the identical model ordered from Lenovo Canada.

Given the ridiculous markup that seems to exist for Canadians, do most Thinkpad owners in Canada actually order from Lenovo Canada? It seems to me that the trouble of, for instance, getting a laptop shipped to a friend of a friend in Seattle, and then picking it up, would be worth the savings.

So guys, what are your thoughts on this matter? Is picking up the laptop in the States feasible? Are there any resellers that offer more fair prices for Canadians?

Thanks!

 

Fahrenheit 451 fan I see.......

 

Have you tried entering Lenovo Canada through visaperks.ca? There are better prices there - on some pre-configured models.
Buying from US - you need a US billing address on credit card, so your US friend can do it for you. Also be sure to check if your particular model has warranty in Canada:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=LOOK-IWS
Good luck!

 

I hear you man. I'm a dual citizen but live in the States, so I had a choice. I also had an EPP discount both in the states and Canada with friends who work for IBM and Lenovo, and hands down the States was so much cheaper. If you can find a relative or friends with a billing address here I say go for it, that's the only thing you need, especially with our loonie so high now it's a huge bargain.

 

Definitely worth it. My friend did the exact same thing and saved hundreds. Bonus for him is that he even went on a road trip to his friends place in Florida, to pick up the laptop, and enjoy the amazing weather.

 

You don't actually need a US *billing address*, just a US shipping address. I ordered a T60p (canceled due to ridiculous delays) from the US since they didn't offer the configuration I wanted in Canada; saved a fair bit even after conversion and tax. I live in Abbotsford, BC- check around just across the border, plenty of places you can pay them a few bucks to receive a package for you, then drive back into Canada. I think I remember them saying the US store only accepted international orders by American Express, but that could be wrong.

 

You definitely need a US billing address if you order online, their system won't accept canadian address and postal code. It may be possible if you call them. Some people managed to order with canadian AMEX, but only on the phone. There are no extra online discounts for phone orders like fatwallet, tailormade etc.

 

I have purchased 2 computers online from U.S. companies and have them sent to MY U.S. address : 115 First St. Sumas, Wa.98295 (this is a shipping /receiving company in Sumas across the border from Abbotsford. they charge $4.00 for a package Phone 360-988-8100 just phone and tell them you are expecting a parcel. @ customs you pay 6% fed tax + 7% Prov. tax on converted dollar REAL SIMPLE and worth it untill the Canadian suppliers smarten up and get $$$$$ competitive. I will continue to buy in U.S.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll definitely check these US package-receiving companies out.

 

Do you still need a US credit card?

And what about the warranty? Is it valid in Canada?

 

I am very curious about this as well. I'm looking into a T61 CTO, and the 1-yr-express warranty is probably not going to cover Canada? With this in mind, and the various problems Lenovo is having lately, I don't think I'll be able to consider it as a valid option.

 

This is correct, T61 has no international warranty. Some T60 have it however. And 1-year warranty is a joke anyway, get at least 3-year.

 

I just talked to Lenovo Canada and was assured that the warranties are good for Canada as well as the US on any of the T61 models purchased in the US. They don't come with an "international" warranty, as the support outside North America is dodgy.

I also spoke with Lenovo US Sales about ordering a T61 with a Canadian billing address and a US shipping address, and was told that it's doable for the price quoted on the website during checkout.

 

The phone reps at Lenovo Canada are NOT the support organization.

Look up the warranty status of your model online... if it doesn't specify your home country, then it won't be supported in your home country unless you purchased it there (each individual notebook has its original country registration recorded, which you can also see online).

Agreed that generally the T61 does not have international coverage and will not be supported in Canada, notwithstanding what the dumbazz phone clerks might say. Removing international coverage was one way Lenovo was able to drop the price of the T61.

However, if you buy a T61 from the US, you can return it there for repairs (at your expense). Be sure to do the paperwork correctly so you don't get charged duty & tax by CCRA when it comes back across the border.

 

Hrmmm... I did talk to the Lenovo support people over the phone to ask about this... is this a well-known situation? I'll look into it some more, but I don't really trust the phone people either. Maybe if I get in touch with a service center themselves.

 

I read that many automobile companies are refusing to service automobiles unless you bought it in the country where you're seeking to have it repaired. Subaru is just the latest. Simple reason: why would a subsidiary incur the cost to repair something it earned no revenue from?

But surely someone can chime in who has actually tried to get a 61-series thinkpad fixed outside their home country?

 

The reason they do this is because you can get the same exact vehicle in the States, export it, and make it meet all regulatory laws in Canada, for about $7000 for something like a Toyota Camry. Why would they want to lose all that money? And with the dollar so high (this was researched by many people, which started a year or two ago on another forum, and many people have done this), it's probably an even better deal now. There are some manufacturers that do allow warranty services, and some don't; it's all in their policies.

Anyway, back to the T61 discussion, lowboy, you got me interested! Please inform us of any developments, as I'd much rather get the perfect CTO laptop from the US, even if the cost is a bit higher (although in Canada we'd get 3 year warranty on the TopSeller models, while CTO in the States is only 1).

 

After some more calls to sales reps and technical support, the general consensus is that if the model is sold in Canada, it will be covered under Canadian warranty services, regardless of origin.

The last person I spoke with said that Canada usually sells all of the models that are in the states and that we're usually behind a few months. So there's a chance a certain states-only model will come to Canada, but there's no guarantee.

Model no. 6465 is available, which is a 15.4" (WSXGA or +) T61 Santa Rosa with GM965 integrated graphics. I was angling towards the 6459, which is the same notebook with the Quadro NVS 140M for $60 more, but it's not selling in Canada at the moment.

 

Aww, well I was kind of hoping for a CTO solution from the States. I want the 14" T61 WS but with WXGA+ and Intel Graphics (for battery life), which isn't quite available in Canada.

So, if the notebook is bought in the States, and then let's say I relocate to Canada, my warranty doesn't apply?

 

The warranty still is valid with the Lenovo subsidiary of the country in which you bought it. Unless it's a model with IWS (international warranty service)

You can purchase IWS from Lenovo for a T61 for a hefty additional charge.

 

Yes I've also experienced that the only way to order online in the USA from Canada is with an Amex card (not just with lenovo but other web stores). Same for over the phone. Most stores don't accept a c/card issued by a foreign bank, unless you purchase there in-person. For some reason, Amex isn't caught in that sweep.