Protection Plan question

[Touchy]

I have seen it commented that you have 1 year after purchase to acquire the Apple Care Protection Plan. Is this correct? Further, does the time frame of the plan start from the date of purchase? And I guess another question is what is considered the date of purchase: is it when the order was placed or when the shipment is made?
Also, if you buy from an authorized dealer/repair facility do these facilities have their own or additional care plans that one could or should use?

[drichards]

Don't buy anything but Applecare, unless its insurance. As in from the insurance company.

[Touchy]

Would appreciate any further thoughts on this, please.

[mcavjame]

It adds an extra two years to your first year of coverage.

You can check what Apple thinks the date is at their site:
https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do

[ADent]

You get 1 year from the date of purchase to buy and activate AppleCare.

Not sure which date - I would guess the date on the receipt (you will need that if questions arise) or the date the credit card was charged.

There are many plans out there - some are significantly better than Apple's. For example some stores used to cover accidental damage - Apple does not. Of course if you have a problem you will have to deal with that store (if they are still in business) or 3rd party company.

Best Buy will try to fix it, but if they can't they will replace it with an equivalent product or refund your money. Either way you get one claim replacement - unless you want to buy the ext. warranty on the replacement product.

[Shivetya]

If you could not easily part with the cost of a full replacement during the course of the three years it extends the iMac warranty to then get it.

Mine has died during the warranty repair period requiring both the logic board and video board to be replaced. I would not want to know what that service would have cost.

[VoodooDaddy]

You have 1 year from purchase to get Applecare. If you order from the site the date starts counting when on the date you order. Kind of dumb if you ask me, but thats what they do. I ordered my new 24" on March 7 and my warranty is showing running through March 6, 2010 even though it wasnt delivered until March 13.

Check Ebay for Applecare plans. I just got one for my old 20" for $77.