NO JUSTICE! I felt like being taken for a ride for choosing Lenovo.

I like to share a horrifying experience of poor product quality and service level from Megalink (Lenovo service centre Singapore) and 1800-customer service hot-line (routed to Malaysia call-centre).

Bought a S10-2 during 2009 IT show (Singapore) for my dear wife. Within 2 weeks, the LCD gave way so Megalink (service centre) came to collect netbook for repair (on-site warranty provided).

About 1 week, the netbook was returned with LCD screen replaced. The unit is working perfectly up to now. So what was the big deal then?

Well! Several months had passed (warranty still valid) after the LCD replacement. Then my wife realized that LCD hinge-cap (mirror finished) on the right side was missing.

For users of S10-2, the silver-hinge cap is well fitted inside the hole and there is no way a user can reach in to remove it without special tools or via alternative means.

I complained to Megalink and they said, "no warranty because it is aesthetic". You pay $90 to change the whole case. But wait, I'm sure my wife didn't drop the notebook or reach inside to remove the cap. There are no scratches or crack-lines on the notebook to show accident. Whats her motivation to remove the hinge-cap? I don't know....

If Lenovo wants to push the blame back to its customer, have they considered a different perspective?

Could it be during LCD replacement that hinge-cap might have been damaged by Megalink technician then completely fell out later? Could it be that S10-2 is SO BADLY BUILT that inherently there is already a micro crack leading to failure later? Story doesn't end here.

Megalink told me to contact 1800-hot-line if I'm not satisfied with their response. Well! I was right in their shop and they didn't bother to call on my behalf. They simply said, :"Here's the phone number. You call yourself".

Well! I called 1800-hot-line to lodge a complaint. It took more than 2 weeks before I heard back from them and they said, "Management said aesthetic so no warranty". I requested to speak to the decision-maker but was told, "they don't deal with customer directly".

I demanded that they send me an email on their findings (full report)  then I will pursue other options like bringing this matter to the CASE, Consumer Association in Singapore, and seek publicity attention of Lenovo poor product and services.

$90 is not a bid deal. I felt humiliated by their action, or should I say no action and no reason to conclude user is fully responsible for the missing LCD-hinge cap.

By the way, I'm an executive in a US MNC with more than 800 employees in Singapore. I do have certain level of influence on IT equipment purchase.  Lenovo can be very sure that I will, within my authority, instruct IT folks to refrain from replacing IT equipment with LENOVO.

Buyer's beware! Gone are the days of IBM Thinkpad. Welcome Lenovo Thinkless-Pad.

Moderator note: phrase which violated the forum rules deleted.

They gave you good service fixing the original fault in the machine quickly and efficiently.  I could see the point of you getting upset over the missing cap if you had noticed it immediately, but several months later? You expect Lenovo to jump to attention, say "yes sir we'll replace it right away", over a 2 cent piece of shiny plastic that has no effect on the running of the machine but will cost them time and money to put right?

If IBM had that kind of service level, maybe that's why they went bust.

I agree with Steep, if you had noticed it right away (like out of the box) it would probably be a different story. They fixed the screen quite well, but if a few months later you notice a cosmetic problem, who can tell how it happened?

True, it could have been preceeded by your screen service, but it also could have been bumped and fell off somewhere in travel. How can you know, and how can  you expect Lenovo to fix something that wasn't their fault (arguably) and is cosmetic to boot?

Hi Steep, it is precisely a shiny piece of small plastic cap and they are charging US$55 dollars for replacement of the whole casing. I also highlighted that after LCD replacement, the machine runs perfectly okay. You mean that if they fixed the original problem but it led to another problem that won't affect the performance of the machine, you are okay with it?

In the first place, if the LCD didn't need replacement, this cap might not even have dropped off. I won;t even suspect service centre if they hadn't touch the LCD screen.

The netbook is not simply a work tool for communication or work today. It is also an extension of a life style with fashion statement. So if you shirt is perfectly okay to wear but an ink blotch on it, will you still wear it? But the shirt is perfectly okay to wear......

IBM is still healthy and surviving. They didn't go bust.

Hi Infira,

If the LCD didn't have a problem and no fixing required, I won't feel so frustrated over the missing LCD hinge-cap.

If the tiny silver cap is NOT to cover the LCD-hinge but other parts of the machine, I won't feel so frustrated.

If the earlier problem fixed was other than the LCD screen, I won't feel so frustrated.

It is a fact that silver cap is on the LCD-hinge and LCD screen had been replaced, I FEEL SO FRUSTRATED. I'm even more frustrated when told to pay US$55 to replace the whole casing....as they can't simply replace the cap.

Can I use the netbook? Well! So long as its performs, aesthetic doesn't bother me a bit.

Can my wife use this netbook? Certainly yes but it won't feel the same anymore. Women's preference for IT equipment is different from guy.

This netbook was bought for my wife, unless Lenovo product is developed strictly for men only.

Have a nice weekend!

Thats the thing... you can only "suspect" the service center. It could have easily have been your doing that caused the cap to come off - you can't say either way. How can you expect them to fix that for free with that being said?

If I caused ink to splatter on my shirt, I'd wear it... to work on cars. If I bought a shirt with ink on it and I didn't ntoice it, it'd return it - but I would have inspected it. Since your cap fell off a time after you had service, there's nothing you can do but replace the case, live with it for find another model on display someplace and pop it's cap off - but you may run into trouble doing the latter.

You just can't blame Lenovo service for that, if you got the machine back from LCD replacement and the cap was off floating around in the box maybe it would be a different story.

I'm suspecting that LCD replacement service could have caused the hinge-cap to come off because it is a fact that LCD had been replaced before the cap came off.

Lenovo didn't want to offer replacement because they claimed that cap came off was due to owner's mishandling. Well! The NetBook was physically in the service centre for their inspection. They couldn't find a single sign like scratch or dent showing mishandling. Are you accepting their argument? May be, you like to suggest how to mishandle to cause the problem? BTW, the cap is embedded in side the hinge. 

Regarding your comment " If I bought a shirt with ink on it and I didn't ntoice it, it'd return it - but I would have inspected it.".

Assuming that you bought an $800/- ARMANI suit that is under manufacturer warranty. During the warranty. The button came off and couldn't be found. You talked to Saks for a solution, they told you that button is unique and no replacement (just like the cap). You either buy a brand new suit or replace complete set of buttons at your own expenses $100. Could you use your Armani suit for car wash?

"If I caused ink to splatter on my shirt, I'd wear it... To work on cars."

If my wife caused the cap to come off, we won't pursue this matter. The frustrating part is she didn't cause it. BTW, we are childless and pet-less couple, please don;t dwell into kids' or pets' mischief.

I'm actually enjoying this healthy exchanges. It will cause more awareness among forumers to be aware of Lenovo's service level in Singapore and 1800-hot-line based routed to Malaysia.

Most successful brands have their loyal followers. In this case you could be one of them. Lenovo should be proud of you. However, if they continue with their ill-service attitude, mistrust and decision making with no supporting evidence, god knows whether they can generate sufficient new followers to replace those that left.

I took a look at their stock performance listed in China and HK. I think the stock price speaks for itself.

"I like to share a horrifying experience..."

What will you say when you have a real problem?

Hello Bookscence, Thanks for chipping in.

One man's meat is another man's poison. What I'm experiencing is a real problem, perhaps to you is not. But that's okay. I respect your view but do expect reciprocation.....

Why bother to release laptops of various colors and designs, if computing functionality is al Lenovo cares about? Perhaps, 'Ford Model-T' concept is their current marketing philosophy. I don't know.

To a women user, the aesthetic  forms part of the 'performance'. If a small missing hinge-cap doesn't impede its computing performance so owner should shut up, please show respect for the opposite gender. I do, after happily married for 12 years and live together for 20 years to the same woman.

I found it interesting that one forumer commented owner could have bump or knock it unknowingly... A fair statement.....if the bump is substantial, where are the scratch or dent marks? If a bump/knock without marks could lead to  hinge-cap pop out, don't you think there is a real product quality issue?

I'm making a claim against Lenovo because:

- I trust my wife didn't mishandle it as claimed by Lenovo.

- Lenovo service centre can't find any evidence of mishandling as there are not marks on casing.

- Lenovo service centre had replaced faulty LCD screen before. I'm inclined to believe the replacement procedures involves physical contact with the hinge-cap.

Lastly, Lenovo 1800-hot-line in Malaysia didn't even dare to email me a copy of their findings and why my claim is not valid. I'm still waiting for their email before taking this matter to Consumer Protection or further public awareness of my horrifying experience or should I say problem.

It takes me more resources than paying US$55 to replace the casing (because the cap cannot be supplied separately). However, the satisfaction from restoring justice cannot be more gratifying.

Have a nice weekend!

Hi Iceberg,

Welcome to Lenovo Forum!

I read through your posts, and i'm sympathetic to the troubles you are facing. Somehow,  your case  is a bit difficult to judge just like a few forum members commented here. However, i would like to offer my help to restore your confidence in Lenovo. I would get Lenovo Care team to attend to your case.

Do you mind to send a private message to me with the below details?

• Full Name
• Contact Number
• Email address
• Machine Type (e.g. 7660-14A)
• Serial Number
• Case Number (reference number for the LCD repair in servce centre, and the number of lodging a complaint at call centre)

I do appreciate your feedback and hopefully we could find a solution.

Thank you.

Cheers,

Cleo