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Applecare v. 1-year Warranty

C

coconn06

macrumors regular
Original poster
I couldn't find an explicit answer to this question anywhere else on the forum, so I'll ask it here.

Is there a difference between the Applecare Protection Plan and the 1-year warranty offered with the purchase of any computer? I ask because many people advocate purchasing the APP immediately.

This question boils down to: why would I buy the APP when I buy the computer, instead of waiting until just before my 1-year warranty is up?
 
proplan_coverage063006.gif
 
Though this graphic doesn't answer my question, I found out that Applecare only extends coverage from the date of purchase to 3 years. So buying just before the 1 year warranty ends will only extend it 2 more years.

That's good to know. I can still wait to buy the APP, but it won't give me an extra year, it'll just let me put off the $169 payment for an extra a year.
 
yellow said:
Actually the graphics tells a little bit..

There's only 90 days phone support for free.
Click to expand...

Yes, I find that to be an important reason to purchase AppleCare along with the CPU and monitor.

So what is your actual question coconn06?
 
wdlove said:
Yes, I find that to be an important reason to purchase AppleCare along with the CPU and monitor.

So what is your actual question coconn06?
Click to expand...

If you'd read my 2 posts before this, you'd have understood my question, which is explicitly stated in post #1, and realized that I figured out the answer. Done.

Seeing as you didn't offer ANY information in your post, what is your actual point?
 
Basicly it for the extra phone suppored. Apple has something about htere warrenty that will cost you if you dont have apple care for a warnrnity they dont tell you about. Lets say your computer gets a problem sometime after the 90days and it needs a warrenty repair. You call apple to tell them. It get repaired but they also charge you for the call (what ever that amont is but it is pretty high).

Personly I have learned that extend warrenty for the most parts are a huge rip off and to make matter worse is most compianys look for any way to void your warrenty so you paid the extra amont for the extra coverage and they still try to mess you up.

Now the phone support can be good. Just make sure you use it for every bit it is worth. Some one figure out a loophole in dells one day servers that they could get up to a free replacement computer in the amont of creited they would collect. Pesonly I say if you pay for it make sure you get your money worth out of it. So when some glitchy and you can prouble figure it out in a few hours of trail and error just call them. Dont though that money down the tubes make sure you use it for good
 
coconn06 said:
If you'd read my 2 posts before this, you'd have understood my question, which is explicitly stated in post #1, and realized that I figured out the answer. Done.

Seeing as you didn't offer ANY information in your post, what is your actual point?
Click to expand...


his point is: if you purchase a computer and a monitor at the ame time, 1 applecare, at the time of cpu/monitor will cover both.

if you wait, you need TWO applecares, and twice the money.



oh- try not to sound so ungrateful for people who try to HELP you.


my point: if you buy with a credit card, you will most likely get your 1 year warranty doubled for free.
 
coconn06 said:
I couldn't find an explicit answer to this question anywhere else on the forum, so I'll ask it here.

Is there a difference between the Applecare Protection Plan and the 1-year warranty offered with the purchase of any computer? I ask because many people advocate purchasing the APP immediately.

This question boils down to: why would I buy the APP when I buy the computer, instead of waiting until just before my 1-year warranty is up?
Click to expand...

Personally, I think the APP is a complete waste of money.

For one, computers are like most electronics, if they fail, they usually fail immediately. Generally, if your computer doesn't have major problems in the first month or so, it won't have major (hardware) problems for a long time.

I've worked on thousands of Macs, and have personally owned many. Hardware failures are rare. Other than certain models(old Powerbook 5300 comes to mind), Macs are very reliable. And in those model specific cases, Apple often offers fixes for free, regardless of if you have APP or not. Anyway, the majority of problems a person will see is due to software, not hardware.

Now, the phone support part is nice, especially if you don't know much about computers. But assuming you don't do some crazy stuff(messing around in terminal as root) or installing some funky application, OSX really is rock solid. And if you are knowledgeable with Macs, you probably will be able to figure out things yourself. Or at least ask around, like on MacRumors 😀

But hey, if you think of APP as an extra tithe to Apple or like that extra security feeling... 😉
 
idkew said:
his point is: if you purchase a computer and a monitor at the ame time, 1 applecare, at the time of cpu/monitor will cover both.

if you wait, you need TWO applecares, and twice the money.
Click to expand...

Good point. If that was HIS point, he should have said that explicitly.



idkew said:
oh- try not to sound so ungrateful for people who try to HELP you.
Click to expand...

As I just pointed out, he wasn't helping. His post was vague and therefore didn't answer my question.

But thank you, as you cleared that up, and I am grateful to people who help.
 
idkew said:
his point is: if you purchase a computer and a monitor at the ame time, 1 applecare, at the time of cpu/monitor will cover both.

if you wait, you need TWO applecares, and twice the money.



oh- try not to sound so ungrateful for people who try to HELP you.


my point: if you buy with a credit card, you will most likely get your 1 year warranty doubled for free.
Click to expand...


actually, you can only buy AppleCare once per cpu......and you can only get AppleCare for the monitor if you buy AppleCare at the same time you buy BOTH a monitor and a cpu.......AppleCare costs the same whether you wait until the end of the year or buy it earlier.....and the cost of AppleCare is the same with or without the monitor......so no "twice the money"

it a good point that buying the machine with a credit card MIGHT get the warranty doubled......but only some credit cards offer that kind of buyer protection so it's best to verify that before you assume yours will

and back to the original question....as that graph shows, if you buy AppleCare when you buy the computer you get telephone support for the whole of the first year..... but if you wait until the end of the year to buy it, then you only get the 90 days of telephone support provided under the basic warranty.......some people feel that's a good reason to buy right away

of course you can always wait the 90 days and decide whether you want more telephone support.....buy it then if you think you're going to need it
 
I've always wondered: Does telephone support mean you get 90 days of help with using OSX, newbie questions and such, or does it mean that once the 90 days is over, you're not allowed to call Apple when you have a problem, and you'll have to pay $50 per phone call? I find the former more believable, but I've never actually phoned Apple, so....

Actually, why did I get Applecare again? Piece of mind? 😕
 
Abstract said:
I've always wondered: Does telephone support mean you get 90 days of help with using OSX, newbie questions and such, or does it mean that once the 90 days is over, you're not allowed to call Apple when you have a problem, and you'll have to pay $50 per phone call?.....
Click to expand...


hmmm, both

if you're having trouble with even simple newbie things during the first 90 days, you get to call (ummm, they're not offering tutorials or classes but answering "support" questions).....but that stops after 90 days (unless you've bought AppleCare). After 90 days you pay $$ if you want support........unless you're calling about a hardware failure that's covered under the warranty
 
Or you buy from a retailer with a good warranty programme.

In the UK, ordering from John Lewis (standard models only unfortunately) gives you a 2 year guarantee free of charge. First year covered by Apple, second year by John Lewis. No point in paying out the extra for Applecare cover for a single year
 
Macky-Mac said:
actually, you can only buy AppleCare once per cpu......and you can only get AppleCare for the monitor if you buy AppleCare at the same time you buy BOTH a monitor and a cpu.......AppleCare costs the same whether you wait until the end of the year or buy it earlier.....and the cost of AppleCare is the same with or without the monitor......so no "twice the money"
...
Click to expand...

sure you can't buy applecare for a monitor? i find this hard to believe, as i am sure many 30" lcd buyers like to protect their huge investment... i don't feel like checking though.

but- if you get an Edu discount on your computer/monitor or whatever, you must buy applecare at the time of purchase to receive a discount on that as well.
 
AppleCare for a monitor doesn't exist alone, only when you buy it with a CPU, and you must buy AppleCare UP FRONT in that scenario. AppleCare is a two year *extension* of the provided 1 year warranty. Since Apple throws in [free] protection for the Apple display when you buy a CPU, you must buy AppleCare, the monitor, and the CPU all on the same receipt.

1. If you are just buying a CPU, you can wait to buy AppleCare until the 364th day. [If you really need phone support, buy it as soon as you have a problem within 364 days.]

2. If you are buying a CPU and monitor, get AppleCare at the same time, or you won't ever ever get coverage for the monitor.

3. If you are only buying a monitor, there is no AppleCare option.
 
idkew said:
but- if you get an Edu discount on your computer/monitor or whatever, you must buy applecare at the time of purchase to receive a discount on that as well.
Click to expand...

That's not actually true. You can buy AppleCare later (within 364 days) and still get the EDU pricing.
 
carletonmusic said:
That's not actually true. You can buy AppleCare later (within 364 days) and still get the EDU pricing.
Click to expand...

then the salesman lied to me at the apple store...
 
idkew said:
then the salesman lied to me at the apple store...
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I've found sometimes the sales people at the Apple stores don't know what they're talking about. Maybe it's because they're so swamped with customers they don't have time to learn things like that 😀
 
carletonmusic said:
AppleCare for a monitor doesn't exist alone, only when you buy it with a CPU, and you must buy AppleCare UP FRONT in that scenario.
Click to expand...


I purchased a Cinema Display with my new Powerbook, and then purchased AppleCare (from another place with cheaper prices) at a later date, and Apple is still covering the display. The display and the Powerbook or Powermac have to be on the same receipt, thats all. Maybe I just got lucky, but I'll ask the rep if I ever have to call again.
 
joshuawaire said:
I purchased a Cinema Display with my new Powerbook, and then purchased AppleCare (from another place with cheaper prices) at a later date, and Apple is still covering the display. The display and the Powerbook or Powermac have to be on the same receipt, thats all. Maybe I just got lucky, but I'll ask the rep if I ever have to call again.
Click to expand...


my guess is your situation fits into "the same time"... but as we have seen from this thread, i seem to know little about this subject.
 
idkew said:
his point is: if you purchase a computer and a monitor at the ame time, 1 applecare, at the time of cpu/monitor will cover both.

if you wait, you need TWO applecares, and twice the money.



oh- try not to sound so ungrateful for people who try to HELP you.


my point: if you buy with a credit card, you will most likely get your 1 year warranty doubled for free.
Click to expand...

FYI,

You CANNOT buy APP for a monitor. You can only buy APP for a CPU.
 
I don't think you can get Monitor APP for a 30" unless you buy a system with it.

idkew said:
my guess is your situation fits into "the same time"... but as we have seen from this thread, i seem to know little about this subject.
Click to expand...

Actually, we seem to be posting conflicting info here, such as this, for example:

Macky-Mac said:
\ After 90 days you pay $$ if you want support........unless you're calling about a hardware failure that's covered under the warranty
Click to expand...
That's what I thought as well, but people are saying differently. I thought that phone support meant Mac newbie questions about using Apple software or OSX, but since they offer a 1 year warranty, I should be able to phone them about it for the entire 1 year without being charged. That's what you and I seem to think.

Other people are saying that if you have a hardware problem, you can only call them for the first 90 days. Otherwise, you'll get charged around $50 per call between the 91st and 364th day, which wouldn't allow you to report a hardware problem anyway. Anyway, that's what several people have said in this thread.

I'm glad to see how this is all so clear.
 
Abstract said:
...That's what I thought as well, but people are saying differently. I thought that phone support meant Mac newbie questions about using Apple software or OSX, but since they offer a 1 year warranty, I should be able to phone them about it for the entire 1 year without being charged. That's what you and I seem to think....
Click to expand...

NO NO NO....that's NOT what I think or what I said......I'll try again.....under the basic warranty you get 2 things;

a) 1 year warranty on hardware & workmanship
b) 90 days of telephone support for newbie/advanced/whatever user questions

think of them as two different things and maybe that will make it clearer

Abstract said:
...Other people are saying that if you have a hardware problem, you can only call them for the first 90 days. Otherwise, you'll get charged around $50 per call between the 91st and 364th day, which wouldn't allow you to report a hardware problem anyway. Anyway, that's what several people have said in this thread...
Click to expand...

NO NO NO

you aren't charged for calls relating to hardware repairs covered by the warranty during days 91 to 365....again, think of it as 2 different things

maybe it's different there in OZ, but that's how it works here in the USA


......oh, of course after the 90 days Apple claims the right to decide whether you're calling about a legit warranty repair, or whether you're just dazed and confused about how to use your system........so some people are going to say they've been charged for calls when they shouldn't have been charged.....that's just a difference of opinion between them and Apple unfortunately......such is life
 
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