Warranties for laptops

December 11, 2006 4:45 PM

Buying a laptop in the USA but giving to someone in the UK - anybody know about international warranties?

My mother has set her sights on a particular HP laptop, which appears to be about half the price for a similar spec in the UK (she's determined to do an HP given how the HP integrated mouse pad is set up). While warranty is not a huge issue, it would be great if we could get an extended one that worked in the UK. Does anybody know of anything (talking to HP doesn't seem to do much good) that might work?

Also, for bonus points, does anybody know what the standard HP warranty covers that comes with the PC? I can't seem to find a copy of their terms on the HP website.

posted by Mave_80 to computers & internet (5 comments total)

Here's the warranty information (linked from the dv9005us page under "Support and Troubleshooting").

Looks like you can get service in the UK.
posted by grouse at 4:58 PM on December 11, 2006

Grouse - thanks. Apparently my skills at searching websites are worse than I thought... Now does anyone have thoughts on extended warranties that might work in the UK?
posted by Mave_80 at 7:13 PM on December 11, 2006

Could I also mention, as a slight aside, that UK Customs are being especially sharp on people bringing stuff into the UK from the USA that they've bought more cheaply in America.

If you bring into the UK items that cost (in total) more than £145 (about $300) you have to pay duty and tax on them. You haven't said if you're physically bringing the item in yourself, but if you are, and you go through the green 'nothing to declare' channel and get stopped, you might have to pay the tax and duty, and face the possibility of the item being confiscated.

If the item is being shipped, it'll be subject to tax and duty which will have to be paid by the recipient prior to it being released by the shipper. Usually that involves a trip to the local Royal Mail sorting office, or a Fed-Ex depot.

So factor into the price the tax and duty too.
posted by essexjan at 7:10 AM on December 12, 2006

slightly o/t: Surely if you were bringing it through yourself, and you had opened it, chucked the packaging, and done the basic new installs necessary for use, they'd just see it as a laptop that you owned?
posted by jacalata at 8:50 AM on December 12, 2006

jacalata: Maybe not if it were still brand-new.
posted by grouse at 1:00 PM on December 12, 2006